Day 1 in Bogota

I haven't been able to get online for a few days so I'll try catch you up briefly while the boys are gainfully employed.

Thursday morning (still in Cali) we got the boys passports. Our lawyer knows the director of the passport office so she pulled a few strings and we were in and out of there in 45 minutes even though the place was packed!

Back to the hotel to organize all the papers we would need for the various appointments in Bogota and off to the airport.

It was the boys first time flying and they were VERY excited. When they saw the plane come up to the gate they thought it was huge! It was a 149 passenger plane. When I told them that the ones we'll take to Miami and Chicago will be MUCH bigger, their eyes grew huge and I don't think they fully believe me. The flight itself was uneventful. Just 30 minutes (the taxi ride to the airport was 45:) They each took 15 minutes by the window. Mauricio already asked how many minutes each of our other two flights will be and figured out how many more minutes they will get by the window.

As soon as we landed our representative, Maria, took us the the ICBF office to review and sign more papers. Then straight to the U.S. Embassy approved doctor to make sure they are healthy and up-to-date on shots. This took about an hour, $175, and a polio vaccine for Miguel. He wasn't too happy about that, to put it mildly:)

After that we went to our hotel, the Hotel Paris. It's more like a large house than a hotel. It's kind of old and a bit run-down, but the staff are very friendly and helpful, the price is right, and there are other adopting families staying here. One couple is from Italy adopting 3 siblings ages 2,4,&6. They have already been here for 8 weeks and won't be heading home until sometime next week. Another is from Puerto Rico adopting two siblings ages 3&7. Another couple is from Miami adopting a 5 month old baby boy. And the other family is from Cinncinnati adopting an adorable 3 year old girl with a ton of spunk and personality and a captivating smile. They have their two other children (10&12) with them. It has been so refreshing to have other people to talk to and interesting to hear their stories.