Day 2. Happy Day.

We spent the whole day together yesterday at the girl's apartment. They have a playground just down the street so we got to run around and play (gasp, altitude!).

We were able to sit and talk to their foster mom while the kids played and get so much information. Two interesting bits of info we learned: the spelling of their names are really Nataly and Joselyn. Foster mom got this info directly from a birth family member and it got changed along the way in the girls paperwork. Aha! So we will honor those spellings going forward! Also one of their favorite vegetables is beets. I have never in my life cooked a beet. I suppose I will have to learn now, huh?

After lunch, J and M napped and the older two girls played together and bonded. F communicates with her sisters in Spanish and translates for us when we need (mostly me - Chris' Spanish is great). N is making a great effort to speak to me in English, but J doesn't seem to mind that I don't understand most of what she tells me - she just keeps chattering on and on as if I do. J is a talker. She needs at least 15 min extra at every meal because she talks so much she forgets to eat.

F told me that she was so happy to have sisters and loved playing with them. M taught the girls a new English word yesterday - "Mine!" Oh boy.

This morning we are moving to an apartment with 3 bedrooms, a small patio and a grill (C is excited about the grill). The girls will come to our place for the day (without foster mom) and the same on Sunday when we will have our first overnight. The transition has been going smoothly - the girls were excited to come to us and seem to have no reservations. The foster mom has done an amazing job raising them, and preparing them for their adoption. Much gratitude to this amazing woman.

Happy 4th of July! We are floating on Lake Minnetonka (Lake Alexander, Lake Wallenpaupack), bbq-ing with our neighbors and friend's, watching fireworks from the dock - in spirit........