Home Sweet Home

We have been back for 5 days now and I haven't had a chance to sit down and write. We left Bogota early Friday morning. It was a smooth flight to Orlando with no drama. We landed on U.S. Soil at 1:56 pm. At that point Stefania became a U.S. Citizen. I shed a tear while she snoozed. Have I mentioned what a good baby she is? She sat happily without saying a peep.
Immigration took a little while but nothing unpleasant.
My parents and brother were waiting for us at Orlando airport since we had a 5 hour layover. It was great seeing them and introducing her to Stefania who let loose her great baby charm. Iliana and Natalia were happy to see their grandparents, who of course had gifts. We were impressed with the little dress and cardigan my 78 yr. Old father picked out for his 9th grandchild.
Leaving them was sad but we were grateful for the little time we had together.
We took one more flight home to Newark and a quick can ride home where 3 feet of grass in the front yard awaited us. Really spring came that fast and furious in 3 weeks? When we left there was still practically snow on the ground. (Okay
maybe I am exaggerating a little).
Since then it has been a whirlwind of visitors, laundry and getting back into a semblance of routine. I am still tired and pray I start running soon. I miss it and I need build up the muscle again.

Stefania's 11 month b'day present

Today I picked up Stefania's visa. Tomorrow we will be home, God willing!
We leave tomorrow morning at 9:00 am to Orlando for a 5 hour layover. This is perfect because we will see my parents and brother and whoever else shows up to say hi.

This truly has been an exciting journey to get our beloved baby Stefania. We have made amazing friends here in Colombia. I will definitely come back because my daughter's country is now mine as well.

Here in Bogota we have been blessed with help and guidance especially by Manuela our agency rep in Bogota and Edgard Perez, a fashion designer who so generously opened up his home to us. His cousin is married to my cousin and though he had never met us before, he treated us like family. See you at Fashion Week Edgard.

Social Issues and Weather

I have been in Colombia a little over 3 weeks.  In those three weeks, I have had maid service for almost everything until we came to this apartment.  A lot of people have maids and drivers.  They are not necessarily rich.  However, if you are a professional (which then makes you well off in comparison), then you are expected to have, no other way to put it, servants.  It has been such an eye opener.  I am an American who comes from humble backgrounds.  My father was a doorman and my mom worked as a teacher's aide before I was born.  Their parents were servants and factory workers and a fisherman.  I see the servants here and I talk to them, hang out in the kitchen with them and ultimately we became friends.   Their children are lucky to get jobs with them and work in  the kitchens, cleaning rooms in hotels, etc.  My grandmother could not read or write and yet her grandchildren include lawyers, doctors, nurses, hotel managers, and various other professions that she could only dream her grandchildren would become.  There are some serious barriers to becoming a professional here in Colombia if you come from a poor family.  If you aren't born into the right family, you are out of luck.  We are so fortunate in the U.S. to really have all the opportunities available to us to study and become successful in whatever we choose.  This trip has allowed me to be grateful for all that I have and all that I can give my daughters.  Stefania's life will be so different than if she would have stayed in Colombia.  Racism, classism are alive and well everywhere but it is still pretty blatant here.  Bogota especially.  Cali is more diverse and Black professionals were prevalent because Stefania's lawyer and one of her doctors was Black.  I did not see any Indigenous professionals but I haven't visited cities where they are prevalent.  They are everywhere but they tend to be very poor.  My daughter is indigenous and will exceed her biological mother's dreams for her.  Angel and I have both made that promise to her (though we haven't met her or been in contact with her).  We left her letters at the orphanage if she ever goes to find out about Stefania.  I do think Colombia is on the right track though.  I think things are changing, slowly but surely.

Again these are my observations and they could be totally wrong.  I am an outsider and the intricacies and history of Colombia are their own.

Now on to the weather.  Bogota is going through a rough winter.  Lots of rain. (though all pictures I have ever seen are of Bogota in a cloudy haze).  I could not live here just because of the depressing weather.  Rain, wind, my least favorite things.  We get scolded for not having anything more than windbreakers or sweaters.  Apparently it is "freezing" and when we tell them we are from the Northeast of the U.S. they apparently think the "cold" of Bogota is worse.  High today 66, low 46 with a light drizzle.  Bogotanos take them themselves a little too seriously and need to lighten up a little when it comes to the weather.  We have been scolded about the girls jackets a little too much.  My girls just experienced a winter of over 20 snowstorms.  I think they can hang in 50 degree weather.  Everytime we go out and ask the girls if they are cold, they look at us with a weird look and say, "uh, it's nice out."  We are just sarcastic New Yorkers I guess.   Now poor Stefania has never been in cold weather before being a Cali girl but she gets all the layers so she can be cozy.  She likes being outside so I don't think it affects her too much.

Bogota

I am so sorry I haven't had a chance to update the blog since I've been in Bogota.  We've been moving around until we settled in a 2 bedroom apartment. 

Bogota is a huge metropolis.  And I know big cities because I am from NYC. It has over 8,000,000 inhabitants from all socio-economic walks of life.  I have been fortunate to stay at two very high end neighborhoods in Bogota. 

Today I went to the U.S. Embasssy with Stefania and our local agency rep Manuela, and my goodness it is huge.  Not only that, the lines!!!  I got to go to the front of the line because I am a U.S. Citizen but my goodnes it was so big, it was like an open air arena.  And my people, it is outside!  You go up to a window where the workers are all nice and cozy from the elements while you shiver outside talking to them through a phone as if you were visiting someone in prison.  There was some mix up and apparently adoption visas are from 8-11am and we thought it was from 11am to 2pm.  Fortunately they took us but we were scolded like little kids and I hate the fact that I was chastised by my fellow U.S. citizens.  Until now throught the process, Colombians have been professional and wonderful to us and helpful in everyway possible.  The last person who finally attended us was very nice and he helped make my experience better.   

While I suffered in the cold with poor Stefania who did outstanding, Angel took the older girls to a place called Divercity which sounds the like the best thing ever.  Children get to go into a city run by children for children.  They all go "shopping" in stores and the great thing is no adults are allowed in each store or attraction.

 They pay with pretend money and credit cards.  They go to "schools" to learn how to be vets, etc.

This is a real dog they are working on.  They listened to his heart.

They rode around on a bus with a kid who was the "bus driver" and the driver drops them off at various stops.

Girls working on the farm and milking the cow.

  They come out in fashion shows, and in the end they can cash out their pretend money from various jobs they've worked for prizes. 

                                          My girls chose to get a manicure.  Are they Latina or what?

                                          My baby was so tired after all that work.  She is still napping.


We pick up our visa tomorrow at 4pm and then we are free to GO HOME!!!  We have to see about changing our plane tickets and hope we can get home ASAP.  Pray we can change our tickets and be home by the weekend. 

Stefania Aurelie Cordero Perez

Stephania is now Stefania Aurelie Cordero Perez!

Daddy signing Sentencia or the Adoption Decree.

Angel with our magnificent lawyer Gertrudis (standing) and the law clerk who handled the paperwork.  I mentioned my grandmother's name was Gertrudis.  When we looked at the name of the Judge who signed the paperwork, we saw the name Ines.  This was the name of Angel's grandmother.  I am definitely convinced they got together up in Heaven to speed up our process.  It usually can take up to a month to get all of this paperwork done and ours was done in less than 2 weeks.  God, the angels and my husband's good looks and charm got us through:)

The Cordero girls.  The Three Musketeers.  My Charmed Ones:) 

The first thing I am going to do is get my daughter's ears pierced.  If I hear one more time about my cute little boy...  While I am at it, Natalia will get her's pierced for the 3rd time.  Poor girl loses them and the earlobe heals so quickly, I can't get an earring in.  Plus she wants them.

Today we received her Colombian passport which frees us up to go to Bogota.  From there we go to the U.S. Embassy on Monday and should be ready to travel back home by Wednesday afternoon!!!!  I can't wait.  I LOVE Colombia and Cali is now my home as well as Puerto Rico and the U.S. but I miss my pets, house and routine.  I can't wait for Stefania to be part of our beautiful life back home.

We are starting to say our goodbyes in Cali and I am getting sad.  I promise to bring my daughter back here so she can see and learn from her great city. 

Magnolia

Magnolia deserves her own post because she is amazing!!!  I know many families who have adopted from Cali have met Magnolia and know this to be true.  When I say I feel I am with my aunt when I am with Magnolia, I am not exaggerating.  She takes care of you like no one else.  And how she loves the kids!!!

Yesterday she took us to her home for lunch.  We took the girls to a pool at her apartment complex and relaxed.  She rescued the girls from boredom.

Here we are at Magnolia's place and notice the little baby under my chair.  She learned to crawl 2 days ago.  Before, she only did the belly crawl and in a week and a half, her gross motor skills improved so much, she is crawling all over the floor,  There are sisters to catch up to, toys to play with.  Belly crawl won't cut it anymore.

I suspect standing will be next because she got on her knees today.

Today the wonderful Magnolia called with even more fantastic news.  We have Sentencia tomorrow!!!
This is crazy fast for the courts.  I feel bad because some families were here before us and they are just getting sentencia today and yesterday.  But I am also grateful.  Our lawyer is named Gertrudis and that was my grandmother's name so I feel there is a little help from above going on.  I'll take it.
Sentencia is when the adoption decree is issued and Stefania will officially be our daughter.  After this, we can get her Colombian passport on Friday.  After that, we fly to Bogota on Saturday where we will stay with our cousin's cousin Edgar.  Hopefully we get started on Monday at the U.S. Embassy and fly home by the end of next week.  To be home in one week would be so fabulous.  I miss my home, my pets, my friends and family.  I am especially excited to introduce Stefania to her new life.

Feliz Dia de las Madres

I will never forget this Mother's Day.  One, I have a new baby girl.  I have three girls! I love it.  And secondly, we were taken out for lunch to a beautiful restaurant up in the mountains.  Enrique Frei, runs the Hotel Pension Stein in Cali with such love and caring.  Usually on Sundays, he takes the guests out to lunch to enjoy Cali and typical Colombian food.  Well today, most of the families are gone.  Most signed Sentencia and have gone on to Bogota or were away from Cali seeing other parts of Colombia like the French families.  We were the only ones left in the Hotel.  Enrique took us with his wife and family to their favorite restaurant up in the mountains on the road that leads to Buenaventura and the Pacific Coast.  My goodness to be treated like family is just an amazing feeling.  Colombians are incredible.  My brother told me they were but to experience the hospitality firsthand is amazing.  My husband Angel is like this and now we are in a country of Angels, in every sense of the word. 

It felt amazing to leave the city and get in the country.  The breeze was amazing and the views were spectacular. 

And at the restaurant called La Cabana (with an ~) or The Cabin, Enrique and his family gave me a Mother's Day present.  It was a beautiful wood carved, I don't know how to describe it, but I would use it as a jewelry box of some sort. I love it.  It's as if someone told them what I love because it was similar to one I was going to buy. 

Natalia my baby girl.  I call all of them my baby girls. 

Here you can see how small Stefania really is.  She is getting bigger already.  I know she has gained some weight in the short time she has been with us but she is still tiny.

Today we also sent a surprise video to my mother at her church.  They put together a video of some of the children of the members of the church.  I am sure the last group she expected to see were us sending a video from Cali.  I wish I could've seen her face.

To all my fellow mothers out there, Happy Mothers Day!!!  Just having my children with me, safe and healthy is the best gift I could ever have.



One week

I have been a mother of three girls for one week.  I feel as if Stefania were always with us.  The transition has been so smooth, I am so blessed.  Natalia acts out from time to time with Angel and I and with Iliana.  Being that she is 2 and a half, that is completely normal behavior for her.  I will say, she is so gentle with her baby sister.  She goes in the crib with her and they play like the two babies that they are.  Stefania is getting used to having two sisters.  She played with children her age at the orphanage, never older so I think that may be why she doesn't know what to make of these two doting kids around her all the time.

Today we took Stefania to the park for the first time.  I think she liked it.

She is so close to Angel and me.  She truly knows we are her Mama and Dada.  By the way, she said Mama clearly.  She will be talking in two months with the way her two sisters give plenty of example.

Visit to Chiquitines

I have been meaning to write the past few days but it has been a little emotional and overwhelming. 

Being in an adoption hotel has its advantages, but it also has its disadvantages.  Since we are a bunch of families from all over the world coming to adopt, we are here together sharing joys and heartaches.  Yesterday was heartache.  A couple had come to adopt a 4 year old boy.  They arrived same time as us and we bonded.  Unfortunately, the boy was not adapting well.  He played well with children but he seemed delayed and unresponsive to his "adoptive" parents.  Things didn't work out and the adoption was interrupted.  He was taken back to his foster home and the couple were left with a lot of unknowns.  The cries from that mother were heart wrenching.  I cried  for the couple, for the boy who had not been diagnosed properly and was not ready and for Iliana who wondered why her friend was gone.  I told her he went to his family and left it at that.  I wanted to take the boy home like I do all the kids.  Fortunately because it was not the couple's fault but that of the Colombian child protective services, they may get another child referral next week.  They are such loving, caring people and I know a child will be so lucky to have them as parents. 

Today we went back to Chiquitines to see where Stefania lived her whole little life until last week.  Well the place is beautiful and well run.  The staff are phenomenal and caring.  The children were happy as they can be without forever families.  Iliana did great talking to the kids her age and wanted to stay and play because they have a great playground and swimming pool.  However, Natalia and Stefania did not do so well.  Natalia felt insecure and clung to Angel and me.  Stefania shook her head "no" from the time we walked in to the area where she used to live.  She would cry whenever she went near a caretaker.  I think she thought we might leave her.  When we left, Stefania had a fever.  She has been sick all day since we came back.  I don't know if it's coincidence or what, but she hasn't been sick until today.

The kids are like children anywhere, happy, playing and they waved goodbye to me.  Two came to the car to say goodbye.  I wanted to bring them all home.  God it seems so unfair that there are so many children without families.  The good thing is most of these children will find homes and be adopted.  I just think about the ones who aren't.

Stefania's old room.

This was Stefania's old crib.  It was taken over by Valentina.  Now the crazy thing is we thought about giving Stefania the middle name of Valentina after me because Valentin is my mother's maiden name or my second last name.

Iliana found a baby named Iliana too and was playing with her.

Saying goodbye to three little girls who were playing with Iliana.

We met Stefania's physical therapist and she said Stefania just needs to play with her sisters.  She will catch up in no time.  She is a little delayed in gross motor skills but that is typical for babies who come from orphanages.

I boo hooed the whole way home. 

I feel guilty for having "so many" children when couples struggle to have one.  The couple with the interrupted adoption have been waiting five years.  Paperwork is necessary to ensure safety measures, I understand that but sometimes it seems so unfair.

On a brighter note, two more families here officially adopted their children and there was a nice party today.

Juan David is going to the Netherlands with his wonderful parents.  He is Iliana's age.

Kaia is going home to Norway with her lucky parents.  She is their first child as well as well as Juan David.  Did I mention both kids are gorgeous?!

Having fun in Cali

Cali, Colombia has a population of over 3 million residents with over half of the population being Afro-Colombian.  It is diverse, lively and of course they have SALSA.  Cali is known for having some of the best salsa dancers in the world.  As a New York born Puerto Rican, salsa was what I grew up listening and dancing to.  Whenever we tell a taxi driver or a store clerk that we are of Puerto Rican descent, we are given brotherly love.  Immediately they tell of all the great Puerto Rican Salsa singers and groups that come to Cali's salsa fest every year.  In a music store we saw the Puerto Rican flag on some drums along with Colombian drums.  Of course we took a picture.

On Saturday, we went to a park where artists sell their crafts.  Beautiful items.  I bought some things for Stefania to have from where her mother was born as well as from Cali which is where she was born.
On Sunday we were taken to a place for lunch where you order your food while your kids can play in a park and run around.

Then we went to the pool at the hotel where our girls wore their matching yellow polka dot bikinis courtesy of Iliana (of course).  Stefania didn't like being so matchy, matchy.

I love how Natalia wears her life jacket in the kiddie pool.  That is her father's idea.  He is scared of water.

Yesterday, we went to the Chipichape mall.  Very high end and expensive.  Didn't buy too much there.  We did find Exito which is similar to Walmart.  What I noticed about Exito, unlike Walmart, is that all of their clothes are made in Colombia.  Even the Disney and Hello Kitty brands and they are not knock offs but licensed real deal shirts.  They weren't cheap.  I appreciate how they are made here.  I would pay more to have clothes in Walmart made in the USA.    It's so sad how I was surprised to see that the clothes weren't made in China because I thought everything was.  It's only everything imported to the US is made in China.  I'll get off my soapbox now.

On the way home from the mall, our taxi conked out.  The driver, an older little man gets out and starts pushing the car to the side to get it out of the way.  Angel jumps out and pushes the car along with him.  The man does a few tricks, the car starts up, Angel jumps in and we get back to our hotel.  Very Dukes of Hazzard.  I think us being brought up going to Puerto Rico throughout our childhood and experiencing very similar things made this seem so non chalant.  We joked if it had been any of the other families from the hotel, they might have panicked.  (Most don't speak Spanish and I doubt their car has ever broken down ever.  They are very nice but very First World:)

Today we went to the Cali Zoo.  Beautiful little zoo.  Iliana and Natalia loved it.  They wanted to stay all day.  We will probably go back since it's 5 minutes by taxi and Iliana wants to see more animals.  She has the map and is telling me what we didn't see.

Natalia and Iliana giving their father his daily heart attack.

This last picture meant a lot to me because the orphanage gave me a picture of Stefania's bio mom on top of this iguana while she was pregnant with her.  I was able to take Stefania there and she will have both pictures when she is older.