Ecuador Day 59

Look at me! I am actually updating two days in a row. I know, I am on a roll. Don't get used to it.

So this morning started out with some excitement- and the good kind! I got a call about 8 am from a woman from the US consulate here in Ecuador. I admit, I was still in bed (love that Flor sleeps till 9-- definitely taking advantage of that! She enjoys sleep more than any kid I know. Yes, she naps for an hour or an hour and a half during the day too and goes to bed at 7. Wish my other kids would follow that schedule exactly...) Anyway, so I surely sounded groggy and out of place. However, I did catch the drift of the conversation and that was that the consulate had received an email regarding my case and this woman was calling to look into it and what she could do to expedite things for us. Wahoo!!!!

I will be sparse on details here, but basically, a former client of mine (hallelujah for awesome people) is a special agent with the US Dept. of State and sent an email to the consulate giving some of the details of what we have been through and asking that they look into our case to see what can be done. I must say, talking to the woman from the consulate was such a breath of fresh air. She sounded like she really wanted to advocate for me and listened to everything that we have been through and was super sympathetic. It was such a contrast to what I feel I have gotten here, so that alone made my day. The woman called MJ and spoke to her about having some urgency in our case and then called me back to let me know that she will be following up with MJ daily to ensure that things are done in a timely manner. This is so big to me-- such a relief to know that there is someone on my side and that someone can help put a little fire behind the slowness here.

I found out that the reason we are not going to Guayaquil until Thursday next week is that Monday and Tuesday are holidays here for Carnival. OF COURSE. Ugh....so, that answers that question. Wednesday we will need to get the clearance to go to Guayaquil when everyone opens back up- the Article 23. So thus the delay. I asked the reason for the delay a few times from MJ but never got a straight answer out of her, but Robin and Jim clued me in. Well- that makes sense. These people love their holidays around here, let me tell you. I just hope everything goes exactly according to schedule so that we can get home on the weekend next week. If the Judge decides not to sign the salida on Friday, we will have to wait the whole weekend to come home. Please pray that doesn't happen. I now have a friend at the consulate who can maybe help put a little pressure on the judge to get it done in a timely manner, though. :) Seriously, it feels so freeing to know I have a place to turn.

So, the news from the consulate was the highlight of the day. I love nice people.

Flor and I spent most of the day inside today. I don't know why but she was particularly ornery today. Well, I do know why-- she got to bed really late last night and woke up earlier than normal today. She also didn't nap too well. Like I said, that girl loves her sleep! She was whiney/crying all morning and the two ladies that work here (Betty and Angelita- they have been here since I was here...so fun to see them and chat with them again. I'll try to get a picture) insist that she cries because she is cold. haha. So I always bundle her up for them. :) The children here always wear at least three layers, even when it is 80 degrees outside.

Anyway, Flor and I did get out to go for our daily walk. The phone ran out of minutes again, so we went to get more. That thing sucks minutes like crazy, I'm telling you. And it's not like I am on the phone chatting with my 100 friends here in Ecuador all the time. Oh, well. It was something to do.

Tomorrow we are going to the Civil Service Registry to start the process of getting Flor's documents-- id card, passport, birth certificate etc. Please pray for us that things will go quickly and that we can get as much done as possible tomorrow. I would love to have it all done tomorrow instead of having to go on Friday too. We'll see. MJ is supposed to pick us up between 9 and 10 am. It will be a long day, but at this point, bring on the long days. Whatever we need to do to get home.

Here are some pictures from yesterday that I didn't post. Our new friends at dinner with us.

This is Terry and Alex and their little Geovanny. Such a doll!

And this is the Scotto family- Kearly, Michael, and Linda, minus their daughter Emma, who is home in the states.

The whole crowd of us, minus Alex and Geovanny who were off playing and Robin who is taking the picture (these last two pictures are Robin's- my camera blurred the few I took...grr..)

Alright, that's it for today. Onward and upward-- we are making progress toward getting home!