Ecuador Days 52 and 53

Wednesday February 8 and Thursday February 9-

I have just not had a lot of motivation to update the blog. Maybe it has to do with the fact that I have written on it nearly every day for 51 days straight. Or, it might be because I don't want to sound too complaining/whiney/depressed/whatever, despite feeling that way quite often.

My feelings seem to be on a constant cycle of ebb and flow these past few days. Sometimes I feel fine and like I can handle this thing, no matter how long it takes. Other times, I get so sad and down, feeling totally out of control of the situation (which I am). There is nothing worse than wanting something so badly, yet having exactly zero possibilities as far as what to do to make the situation better. I hate feeling out of control. At this point, since no progress has been made, I feel like we are sitting here staring into the future of more empty days, endless in number.

I haven't heard anything from MJ or anyone since Tuesday, despite having emailed and called MJ repeatedly and also calling Fabiola. My frustrations are two fold: one- that the judge has decided to take her ever sweet time, even though according to our agency, the law states that she has to have the Decree done within 8 days max from the time we went to court and we are well past that now, and two- that our agency rep here does not have the decency to return calls or emails. I know that their culture is different here and that they are not used to giving updates all the time, but she has to realize that she is working for a US company and that meeting me half way would be a good thing. It's not like I am just sitting here waiting for her to call me. I am calling and emailing her with no response. There is just something messed up about that. I have vented my frustrations to the agency director in the US and so far little has changed. Even if she has no new news, I want her to tell me that instead of me sitting here wondering what is going on. I know she had a meeting with the Judge on Tuesday at 3, and yet there has been no report of that meeting at all. Even if nothing came of it, I still would appreciate a follow up phone call.

Anyway, Flor and I are really missing Devin and the other kids. We skype with them at least twice per day and that is wonderful, but it just isn't the same as being able to hug them and kiss them and spend time with them. I miss them all so much. Little things are constantly reminding me how much I miss them. For example, last night the OSSO volunteers were watching a movie so I joined them after Flor went to bed. I spent a good portion of the movie thinking about how much better it would be if it Devin were there to watch it with me.

I think things would be less difficult if I had a time frame that I knew I was dealing with, but since right now the time frame seems to be sitting on "indefinitely", that's tough to swallow. If I knew it was one more week, I could mentally prepare myself for that and deal better over all. Its the constant unknown that is bogging me down. I still hope to be home by the end of next week, but I am also telling myself that that is probably wishful thinking.

In other bad news (let's just get it all out there right now and then move on to more positive things), I texted Andres yesterday to see about our $500 deposit from our last apartment. He has made excuses to this point, remember, and did the same yesterday, saying that he was working late and wouldn't be able to get it to me until after Friday. I told him that it sounds like he is making excuses and would rather just know if he doesn't have the money so that I can cut my losses and quit worrying about it. He replied that he doesn't know why I would say that and that he will have the money to me after Friday. We'll see.

In positive news, everything is being taken care of at home so well. We have so many wonderful neighbors and family members who are helping with the kids. Devin already has babysitters lined up through next week while he works, which is so great. He hasn't had to worry about anything at all. Seriously, the family thought of everything. I just heard yesterday that Shane and Marcene (Devin's brother and his wife) even bought a huge box of diapers from Costco for Jace so that Devin wouldn't have to worry about running out to get those. See, they thought of everything! We really are so blessed and when I get feeling especially down, I try to remind myself of all the blessings. I hope I don't sound ungrateful. We are SO grateful. I also got a surprise here yesterday. A new family came to town to start their adoption process and with them they had a card for me from another family with $250 enclosed. I won't say who it is from to avoid embarrassing them, but it just reminds me that people are still thinking of us and how blessed we are.

So the days here are going really slowly...typically, Flor and I get up, shower and get dressed, and then have breakfast. We usually take a long walk in the mornings (Flor is doing really great with her walking! Yesterday we walked probably a mile or a little more and she walked on her own the whole time. Usually she holds my hand, but yesterday she wanted to walk on her own. Yay for that! The walk was even uphill partway, which is more difficult for her, but she did it!) After lunch at 12:30 (there is a cook here who makes lunch-- the biggest meal of the day here. A typical meal includes meat, rice, potatoes, soup, salad, and fresh juice), Flor takes a nap and then we do something in the afternoon. We have seen the Schinnerers every day--poor things, I'm sure they are getting sick of us! Wednesday we went to their apartment because it was raining and played the wii with Robin and Pablo while Jim worked. Flor really loved wii bowling- she thought it was hilarious. Yesterday, we met them at a new park that none of us had been to, but little did we know that an appointment is required to get in. What the? Anyway, it was all gated off and a guard told us to call Monday or Tuesday for an appointment. Interesting. So, instead we went to the Carolina Park as Pablo wanted to ride the paddle boats. Flor and I then came home, had dinner (dinner is on our own- there are three fridges here though and always stocked with food. Flor typically eats leftovers and I usually have a sandwich or something) and then she goes to bed. Nothing too exciting going on here.

I am posting pictures of our new living quarters here for those who want to see. The OSSO house is huge...this is just our little area.

Our bedroom. Of course, I took the picture while Flor was sleeping. Good mom I am.

The other end of our room. Sorry it's a bit messy-- all of our stuff is kept over here.

The curtain leads into our bedroom, so this family room area is right outside the door. We spent a lot of time out here too, reading, internet, etc.

This room is outside the family room area. It has doors with two more bedrooms and two bathrooms (one inside one of the bedrooms). Rex, the OSSO directer, and his assistant were here yesterday before they flew back to the US, so they stayed in the extra two bedrooms. This whole area downstairs is considered the "guest area" of the OSSO house and the volunteers don't use it.

Not the fanciest bathroom ever, but it definitely does the job!

 Just above us is the main floor, where there is a huge living room area (think 6 couches), the dining room, the kitchen, office for the directors, bathroom, and laundry room. From the living room, there is another set of stairs that goes down into the other half of the basement (totally separated from our half). The assistant directors have a living area down there, with some rooms, bedroom, bathroom. There is also a large storage room down there which is called "distribution" and where all sorts of supplies, clothes, shoes, projects, etc. are kept. Also from the main floor living room, there is a set of stairs leading up to the next floor, where there are three or four large bedrooms and some bathrooms. This is the volunteers' living area. I haven't been up there much, so can't describe it better. On my end of the house, the same stairs that lead to our quarters down here, lead up to the Chicaiza's apartment (the Ecuadorian couple who are the directors here in Quito. Angel and Jenny have been doing this for 10 plus years and were here when I was here, plus they have three kids- Grace (14), Jared (12), and Maibe (6)). They have a whole floor to themselves, complete with bedrooms, kitchen, living room, etc. So quite the set up here, right?

I'll try to take a picture of the outside of the house next time we are out.