Tatman Fam 2.0: Trip to the Beach! (Nathan)

The girls on "Sibling Day." From left: "E," Aubry, "D," and Kayla.

Sorry for the lack of posts during these last few days. Much has happened since our last post. Dylan arrived on Thursday afternoon, which marked the first time we were together as a family of seven. First thing Friday we left for an overnight stay at Punta Leona. Along the way, we stopped for breakfast and to see some crocs, which helped to break up the trips.

One of the things we have noticed, right away, is that the girls are not used to long car rides. Both girls have felt queasy on long trips at different times. Not sure what we are going to do on our 14-hour drive to North Carolina this summer!

We have now been together for over a week, and the girls are doing great. Each day has been an improvement from the previous in regards to how the girls are settling in. We are getting past the "awkward" stage as we are becoming better acquainted with one another. We are enjoying the many "firsts" together as a family. There will be even more once we arrive home.

Yesterday, we said "goodbye" to Julia and Poncho, and settled into our new "Casa" for the next three weeks. While we will miss their generous hospitality and Julia's cooking, it will be good to have our a place of our own and to establish a daily routine. Fortunately, for us, Julia invited us to her house for lunch on Sundays.

Tomorrow we will take another long trip to see waterfalls, rescued animals, and a coffee farm. On Wednesday, we will have our first consulate appointment at the U.S. Embassy. Then Thursday morning we say goodbye to Kayla and Aubry. Our scheduled court date is April 27th. At this time, the adoption is finalized, and we can share names and pictures with all of you. Afterward, it will take approximately two weeks to finish the paperwork (passports, visas, etc.) before we can travel back to the States.