You'll have to use a little bit of Imagination...

*UPDATE**I found the camera charger and was able to upload the pictures...you no longer need your imagination...thank you for your cooperation. 

We went to a real life castle yesterday.  We had wanted to do it last time we were here, but didn't want to miss a visit with Alice, so we didn't go.  We were able to this time, though.  We loaded Alice into the Ergo, packed a "diaper bag" and off we went.  It took about 2.5 hours to get there which Alice and I slept most of the way.  The roads here are full of holes and the drivers must swerve to miss them.  Yep.  It makes me nauseous just thinking about it, too.

We took great pictures and then ran out of battery.  I'm not sure where the charger for that is.  Hopefully not on my bed at home...in the states.  Anyway, when we find it, I will post them.  One thing I decided about castle living is...I wouldn't like it.  It was cold and wet.  But, Erin was very impressed and had us go into every touret and dungeon.  He loves that sort of thing!

                  

                     

                     

    

From there we went to a cathedral that was over 500 years old. Erin was fascinated.  It was very pretty.  We talked in quiet, hushed tones.  For that reason, I was ready to go outside fairly quickly into the tour.

The views from both the cathedral and the castle were amazing.

                        

We went from there to lunch.  It was yummy...borscht.  At least that's what I had.  I loved it.  The owner asked if we had brought Alice with us from America.  We told her, through our driver, that no we had adopted her here.  She told us thank you for doing such a thing; that here she would have no future and the orphanages don't care about them.  We agreed.  She asked if we had other children.  When we told her 5 she was surprised.  Large families aren't really the norm around here...ahhh, just like home.

Today we were hoping to pick up Alice's local passport and head back to the capital city.  Nope.  The passport will be ready tomorrow morning at 10.  Good thing we can get it on a Saturday.  We were also told that the embassy in the capital city won't be open on Monday because of Martin Luther King, Jr. day.  A moment of panic as it takes 2 days to get through the embassy.  We have our flights booked for Wednesday morning.  But, since they already have taken her picture for her visa the facilitators dropped off the paperwork today, counting today as day 1.  We will be able to do her medical appointment on Monday, finish at the embassy on Tuesday and head home on Wednesday.  So, we pick up her passport and head out tomorrow...4 hours on those rough roads.  I'm hoping for a long nap from both Alice and I.

She's eating well.  And sleeping well.  Tonight, she cried and cried.  We couldn't make her happy.  I'm not sure what the issue was.  But, after crying, a bottle, and a bath, she was worn out.  She feel asleep soundly.  Who knows?

We are loving watching her come out of herself a bit.  She will crack herself up and just start laughing at who  knows what.  But, it makes Erin and I laugh too.  She will army crawl over to Erin and cries when he walks past her without picking her up.  He has no problem with that!

I am counting the days until we get home.  I'm so ready to start our lives with her!  I'm ready for her to meet the neatest sisters and brothers in the world.  They are such great kids.  They were patient when I was knee deep in dossier.  They worked hard at both garage sales.  They have handled our 2 trips with grace.  They wanted her as much as we did.  They are really amazing kids.  We are blessed to have them.  And so is Alice.