Stressful morning!!!

I will start a new post instead of editing and adding more to yesterday's post. I will briefly describe the road trip and then get on to the events in Cascavel. We all packed into Lino's car on Sun afternoon for the 500 kilometer drive (I think that's about 310 miles) to Cascavel. There were 7 of us in a 5 passenger vehicle. Gabriel was not happy most of the time he was in the car going and returning. It made the 7 hr ride (one way) somewhat unpleasant. Enough said. Monday morning started out pretty good until we returned from breakfast. We were getting the children all dressed up when it happened... the 2 yr old (Gabe)... well... acted like a 2 yr old. Rebekah was very involved with the girls hair and I was finishing up with Wellington when Rebekah said, "Check on Gabe as I hear water." Right then Gabe came out of the bathroom smiling with a cup of water... but the only thing is the water was sorta... yellow. (Stop laughing as I know some of you are.) Someone apparently didn't flush. I grabbed the cup and discovered the bathroom floor was...wet. By the way Gabe had his dress socks on and they weren't dry. As I was trying to clean up the floor I smelled something... you got it... it was Gabe. I looked and he had what we refer to as a "diaper explosion". If you have to ask what that is, you will have to let your imagination guide you as I am not giving you the definition. I stripped him down and he got a shower. Fortunately, we hadn't put on the Gabe's good pants and shirt yet. All this is happening and Lino is waiting to get us to the court by 9:00. After everyone was dressed we had to pack everything up while keeping the kids occupied and clean. I had a slight headache when I got up and it was intensifying now. We finally loaded the car and were off to the court. Fortunately the judge was running late and didn't arrive till about 10:00. All the paperwork had to be verified and corrections had to be made. Right before we went in to see the judge Lidiane's god-mother arrived to say goodbye. She said she would wait till we were finished. We went in to see the judge and he spoke with the children. They told him some of the English they were learning and sang songs for him. As I said last month, it is obvious he looks out for the best interests of the children. There is a picture of him with Gabe in yesterdays update. While the paperwork was being finalized Lidiane's god-mother came in and then both of Pamela's god-parents also came. They really cared for the kids and both said they were glad the kids were going to a good family and home. After they said their goodbye's we finished up with the judge and signed a paper and it was off to get their new birth certificates with their new last name, "Mowry". Once those were in hand it was official. Then on to the orphanage. We were greeted by many of the kids friends. They would come up to me and say in Portuguese "say something in English"... or "what's my name in English?" The kids played with their friends a little till we had a lunch with a few of the caregivers. They told us about the children and gave us more insight. It will help us as we get to know them more and work with them. Many of the kids and workers wanted to see or hold Gabe. He wanted nothing to do with anyone but Rebekah or me. He hung close by us. Right before we were leaving, he finally let a 14 yr old girl hold him. She helps out a lot there and is allowed to stay as she has younger siblings there. Usually they are moved out when the are 12... however they look at each case individually. When we were getting in the car, there were mostly just the workers saying goodbye. The other orphans had simply disappeared. I asked Lino about that. He said "none of the kids want to be there. They know these 4 are gone (adopted) and they are not." There are 2 sisters and a brother (Jhiandra, Jennifer, and Jonathan) who talk to Lino everytime he goes there. They ask, "Do you have a family for us yet?" Lino can only tell them he is trying. These children are left... waiting... waiting for someone to want them for someone to love them. Do you have something to offer these children?? Enough said.
God Bless,
Dave