Passport

It didn't arrive in time.  Sigh....

The last few days have included running to the FedEx office, paying for a quicker shipment, only for it to end up in Chile and then arrive in La Paz an hour late to be reviewed by customs.  Countless phone calls, many emails, standing in line for legal permission for us to fly separately if need be, frantic last minute packing and then in the midst of all the chaos, a moment to decide where to go from here.

There was such an effort on the part of so many of our friends and co-workers and it still didn't get here on time, so we decided not to gamble and have Carl travel separately with the three older kids and then me come at some unknown time with the baby.  Bolivia has strict laws about parents traveling solo with their children and if anything wasn't proper with the documentation, I would be stuck here with Carl in Canada.  To be here by myself and the other kids in Canada....Despite all the best efforts, it seems it wasn't meant for us to get on that plane last night.

As soon as we made the decision (with one hour before having to leave for the airport), we talked to the kids.  Of course there were tears of disappointment and feeling like everything was topsy turvy, but then there was a huge sense of peace.  Some of our co-workers and friends were still at the office and they each took a moment to talk to the kids and to hug them.  We ate some soup that was prepared by Carmen, Marcelo, Juana, and Paola and then headed to Yuneth and Ramiro's for a bit more to eat and to rest. 

Last night we re-made the beds and found our pijamas and fell soundly asleep.  The littlest girls slept with their parents, as they were feeling out of sorts.

Yesterday afternoon as we were standing in line at the Justice Building, I thought this could turn out to be the suckiest way to say goodbye.  Instead of being at home, greeting and saying goodbye to our friends and co-workers, we were held up until 6 p.m. filling out paperwork.  Thankfully, Lizette had the kids, but there was no time to even linger at their house when we picked them up.  Can you imagine after 3 years that we wouldn't have a chance to say goodbye to such significant people?  It would have broken my heart.  So in some ways, a huge relief came over me when we decided that we would stay.  Now we have time to say goodbye and then some.  I'm not feeling ripped off, like the goodbyes we already had are now null and void or that somehow we have to do them all over again. 

The plan is to wait for the passport and then re-book flights.  It may be another two weeks though.  From there, maybe we'll take a little family trip so that we aren't just sitting around here.  Or maybe I can complete that one project I never got around to...:)  The kids don't have school anymore and so we can maybe call a few of their friends to have playdates. But we don't plan to re-engage into life here. 

And to top it all off, it was Elena's 5 month birthday yesterday and since I hardly saw her, no pictures were taken.  I took some today and so I'll upload them and do a little post, just for her.  Maybe the passport will come and she can take a picture with the crazy thing.