This is an email I sent to Daddy and Mario:
HI! HOPEFULLY YOU WILL RECOGNIZE THE ADDRESS THAT I'M SENDING FROM. I HAD TO SET UP A YAHOO ACCOUNT TO GET ON THE COTW LISTSERVE. I'M GLAD I DID SO THAT I CAN SEND YOU A MESSAGE NOW.
IT HAS BEEN A WILD 24 HOURS, THAT IS FOR SURE. SORRY I CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO TURN OFF THE CAPS LOCK. THE KEYBOARD IS DIFFERENT, SPANISH, SO A LOT OF THE THINGS LOOK DIFFERENT. HOPEFULLY SOMEONE WILL WALK BY AND HELP ME. TOO BAD MY COMPUTER PROGRAMMER HUSBAND IS NOT HERE. I CAN'T EVEN FIGURE OUT HOW TO WRITE AN EXCLAMATION POINT. ALL CAPS AND NO EXCLAMATION POINT. I AM HOPELESS.
ANYWAY, THE PLANE LANDED IN GUATEMALA CITY LAST NIGHT, AND BY THE TIME I GOT MY BAGS, AND WENT THROUGH CUSTOMS AND IMMIGRATION, IT WAS ABOUT 9:30. THERE IS CONSTRUCTION GOING ON AT THE AIRPORT, SO THERE WASN'T THE SAME SET UP WHERE YOU WALK OUT INTO THAT BIG ROOM AND ALL THE PEOPLE ARE WATCHING FROM THE BALCONY. INSTEAD, YOU WALK OUTSIDE, AND THERE ARE ALL THE PEOPLE WAITING BEHIND METAL BARRICADES. SOME WITH SIGNS, AND LUCKILY ONE SAID ANGELA ANDERSON. VERY PAINLESS. THE WHOLE SCENE WAS VERY FUNNY THOUGH. ANYWAY, GOT INTO THE SHUTTLE AND DROVE TO THE HOTEL. NOT A LONG DRIVE AT ALL, AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, SOME OF THE PLACES ACTUALLY LOOKED FAMILIAR TO ME. GOT TO THE HOTEL, AND IT IS ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL. THE PROBABLY HAVE A WEBSITE SINCE THEY HAVE THIS COMPUTER SET UP IN THE LOBBY. REALLY BEAUTIFUL HOTEL, AND THE STAFF ARE VERY FRIENDLY.
SINCE I WAS SO LATE GETTING IN, THEY TOLD ME HERE AT THE HOTEL THAT ERIK WOULDN'T COME UNTIL MORNING. I WAS SAD, BUT IT WAS UNDERSTANDABLE, GIVEN THE HOUR. BUT WHAT DO YOU KNOW AT ABOUT 10:30 THERE IS A KNOCK AT THE DOOR. IT IS PACO AND SYLVIA AND BETTY AND ERIK. BETTY WAS ERIK'S FOSTER MOTHER. YOU WOULD RECOGNIZE HER FROM THE PHOTOS AND DVDS. ERIK was still awake (as you have guessed, someone just walked by and turned off the caps lock for me). I could not believe he was actually still awake. He was ok for about 3 minutes and then started to cry. I tried to feed him from the bottle they left. No deal. The only time he would stop crying is when I was walking around with him. So we did that for much of the night. At some point he fell asleep and so I was able to sit on the bed. He woke right up. Got him back to sleep and sat down on the bed verrrrrry caaaaaaarefully. He had a restless night and kept waking up, looking at me, looking around the hotel room. Poor little guy. He got a few hours sleep. I got considerably less, but it was ok. Paco came by around 7:00 am, and we filled out the rest of the paperwork. I'm sure it was the same form that you had to fill out last time. It was the application for the visa. Paco actually did most of it while I held Erik. Then we walked over to the Embassy for our 8:15 appointment. I think we were number 29 out of 35. It was very crowded with lots of families. Most of the kids were actually older than Erik, though a few were younger. One lady's baby made it through PGN in 3 and a half weeks. Anyway, so it was a long wait to make it up to the window, but we eventually got there. All was in order, so I should be able to pick up the visa tomorrow afternoon.
Paid in cash at the embassy. Figured I wouldn't have to carry around so much cash after that. Unfortunately, it was only after leaving the embassy that Paco mentioned that if I wanted to have the protocolo and other paperwork translated into English, it would cost $250. I didn't know that was going to happen, and was a little miffed. I figure, we need to have it done, so he will bring it by tomorrow. It was also a shame that I didn't know about the translation fee until after I had paid cash at the embassy. So that leaves me with $40. We'll need to have those documents in English to be able to do the readoption. On well. So I don't think I'll be able to do any souvenir shopping.
Erik was really good at the embassy. I did something silly, and it actually made him laugh. Something like putting his finger in my mouth. After that, he was laughing a lot and smiling at everyone. He even fell asleep in his stroller for a while, something less than an hour, but hey anything was good. I was picking him up over my head and he was laughing so loudly, it brought tears to my eyes. I think everyone around us got a kick out of it. And no, I was not putting on a show for them!
Anyway, walked back to the hotel and had breakfast (missed it earlier in the day). Then went back up to the room and got Erik to take a little bit more of his bottle. Put him in the sling, and he fell asleep. Figured there was no way I could get him out of the sling and keep him asleep, so just loosened it a little bit, and lay him down on the bed and curled up next to him. We both rested until Paco called on the phone. Oh well, but it was at least an hour nap. Erik is still crying a fair bit, but he is being amazingly good now as I sit at this keyboard with him on my lap. Not a tear at all. I figured I would just keep typing until he cried, and how I have written a novel. Paco had wanted to know if I wanted to meet him for diner, but I think I am just too tired to do that. Hopefully I'll be able to get Erik in the bed tonight. It is a regular crib, though the setting is way low. I don't want to monkey with it and end up not being able to get it to work.
Anyway, I think Erik has been patient long enough. I hope this makes it to you. Love you and Mario!
See you Friday!