Update from the Garden Hotel

Internet service comes and goes, and I'm attempting to keep in contact on Facebook with my family at home.  I'm afraid that updating the blog happens last, if at all!  Here is just a quick update on us and what we are up to.

We met our Little Princesses on Monday.  It was not the "romantic moment" that many videos show.  Jen was happy to see us, Abigail was not.  This trend continues as we find our girls are so opposite one another in every way imaginable!  One thing that they DO have in common though is a love of girly things.  You'll see them pictured above as they brush each other's hair and get ready for bed that first night.  Painting fingernails is also very fun for them.

On Tuesday we had our official adoption proceedings at the Civil Affairs Office.  This consisted of two interviews, us promising not to abandon or abuse them, and signing papers.  Tikvah and I were able to go shopping with a local shopping guide in the afternoon.  She took us to a wholesale market where we got some fantastic bargains on souvenirs for our family at home.

Jen woke up with an upset tummy on Wednesday.  Fortunately she was feeling better by the time we needed to go file the application for their Visas.  We ventured out to the shopping area later in the day, and found that Abigail LOVES TO SHOP!  She is never as happy as when she is holding a shopping basket at the store.

We thought we were doing the medical exams on Thursday, but our guide surprised us by taking us to the Safari Park instead.  We weren't exactly prepared for this outing, but it was pretty fantastic.  I'll try to get more information and photos of it out later.

And here we are to Friday - and no the week hasn't really gone zip fast like that for us!  We had the medical exams and blood tests for TB this morning.  Afterwards our guide took us out for noodles and dumplings for lunch.  This is the local food custom.  It was really good, but WOW the amount of food they brought out.  They just kept bringing dish after dish!  Our guide was surprised at the amount of food we left, but it was just too much!  We brought a container of it back to our room, and Miss Abigail has been grazing on it for quite some time.

How are we doing?  We are tired.  The twelve hour time difference is a bear.  The girls have times of being really happy and times of really NOT happy.  I do believe we have made a lot of progress in becoming a family this week though.