Bogota!!

All packed up and ready to go!!

Luisa's first {I think} airplane ride!  She did such a great job, just sat there like a big girl in her own seat.

Luisa was supposed to sit next to the boys, but the plane wasn't full so I sat her in the open seat next to me.

Enjoying her juice.

The boys had fun watching a movie and playing video games, however it was such a short flight they were surprised it went so fast.

God sent us another blessing today in the form of an English speaking, super sweet woman who "happened" to have lived in, get this...Grand Rapids MI for a few years!  She  married a Michigan man and now they work with CRC World Relief in Bucaramanga!  Amazing.  She carried my heavy bag and took the bus to our drop off point (even though she was heading to L.A. on a different concourse) just to make sure we were safely on our way.  How cool is that, we kept saying, "it really is a small world!"

Once we got our luggage we headed out and found our driver with a sign saying "VANDER ZWAAG" = sweet relief.  We picked up our contact here in Bogota, Helena, and headed to Hotel Paris.  We got our stuff settled in our room and took off to the passport office.  We were in and out of there in about an hour.  Then we came back for lunch, they had the biggest hot dots I have ever seen and some really good soup.  I LOVE not having to think about, cook and clean up food!  It will be great to be pampered here for a few days before I jump {gladly} back in to the real world!

As soon as we finished lunch we headed back out to the embassy doctor appointment.  That went well, and wouldn't you know, he stayed for a bit in...Wayland MI!  Too weird.  We came back and unpacked a few things and then went down for dinner.  We had chicken and potatoes, rice and veggies and ice cream for desert!

All this running around tuckered her all out!

Our room!

Carpet!!!

Luisa checking out her passport!

There are a few other families here and it is nice to hear conversations in English!  When we were coming to Colombia, we met the Reedy family on the airplane who is from MN, and they are staying here as well.  It was great to meet their little guy, he is adorable!  Another family, also from MN has been here for 9 weeks!  Wow!  I can not imagine living in one room with 3 kids for that long.  I will pray they can go home soon too.  Their little guy has some wonderfully chubby cheeks and is adorable as well! 

Tomorrow morning we are leaving at 9am to go to our visa appointment.  And we will pick it up on Friday afternoon.  Ryan booked us tickets tonight and we will be home {Lord willing} late Saturday night!!!  Can't believe we are almost done! 

Psalm 95:1

¹ Come, let us sing for JOY to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.