THEY'RE HERE!!!

10.07.12

My sister is coming....my sister is coming...MY SISTER IS COMING TODAY!!!!  Oh my GOODNESS!!!  The anticipation is killing me...I wanted it to come, but I don't want it to even end!

We left for the DR at 9:30am.  Gracie and Toby stayed back with Brooke so Toby could take his nap.  Gracie really does not like riding int he car at all here unless she has to and lately she has been pretty resistant to most outings just b/c of the bumpy roads.  You know it has to be bad if she didn't even want to go on the day we were picking up Meg and Taylor :(  But it made her feel better, b/c she and Brooke were able to stay back and work on a cake for Taylors birthday (it is on the 11th) and she was obviously thrilled with that and thought that it was WAY more logical for her to do that anyway instead of being crammed in the car and Megan and Taylor not having the room that they needed ;)

We arrived at the border a little before 11am.  After trying to call everyone we knew to ask about where it was ok to park our car at, we finally resorted to asking a white woman we saw standing in the parking lot.  I know, stereotypical right...but what else are you going to do when your creole is less than amazing and you have got places to go and people to PICK UP!  

Anyway, she herself actually turned out to be no help at all but her friend, Felix, knew exactly what we needed to do and where we needed to park and he even agreed to watch our car for us until we came back and walk us across the border in case we would have any trouble (for a nominal fee of course :)  So, for the sake of time we chose to just go with it.  The deal with the DR is that if you are just going across to go to the market or do any other kind of errand, you don't have to go through customs and you don't have to pay the fee; however, if you are going to stay over night and enter the country for a few days then you are required to get your passport stamped and pay.  So we are just going to the market and to pick up the Jessup's.  NBD...we just walk across the border, go to the grocery store and get the things on our list and then grab the Jessup's, head back to the car and drive them to COTP for the 24 hours they have to spend there.  Easy right?  Wrong...

As we were walking across the border we had crossed through the first gate, the Haitian side of the border.  We were a good 10 feet past the gate when a man started yelling at us, "Hey!  Hey you!"  Rob just kept walking so that is what I did.  That only made him more angry :(  Finally, we stopped and Rob walked back (with Felix) to talk to the man.  Let me just tell you that this man looked nothing like an official or anyone who had any right to stop us and tell us to come back...what is even more comical is that the girls and I waited back from the gate a little bit right in front of 3 UN officers who just watched what was happening like they had no idea what was going on.  Despite that, Rob went back to talk to him and the only way they were going to let us through is if we went to customs and got our passports stamped...ridiculous!  But that is what we did...we went back to customs...

However, once Rob got there and went inside, the man at the counter told him how ridiculous it was that they had stopped us and said to Rob, "If they give you any trouble you have them call me, I am their boss..."  Ok, well that is settled.  So we went back to the gate and told the man that they didn't stamp our passports but they said it was ok to cross.  The man ended up getting very angry at Felix for helping us, like he thought he was going to be able to con us into paying money to cross when we didn't need to, and then telling us just to go and get out of his face...ahhh, it was so frustrating!  

But we made it :)  We were hot and tired and sunburned from standing on the Dajabon bridge for way too long through that whole ordeal!  But we were on our way to Super mercado Karla and we couldn't have been more relieved!  I walked right to the market, only having to confirm where we were going once...no need to lead the family astray now that we were on a time schedule!  We quickly got what we needed and fulfilled the lists that the Vander Pol's and Carla/Sheila had sent with us, got our things paid for and loaded up in our suitcase, backpack, and bags and loaded into the taxi that the market has.  We were wondering how far the taxi would take us, but soon discovered that it drove us right across the border, right pass the grumpy gate man and pulled up right at the back of our Jeep (which was still there and untouched-to our knowledge :)  It was perfect.  

We got all of the groceries and supplies loaded into the back with the help (although we didn't ask for or want it) of Felix, who quickly came running over when he saw us arrive back.  There were so many other people around the jeep at this point as well asking for food and for money, so I quickly got the girls into the jeep while Rob finished the loading.  I then left to go back across the border, it was almost time to meet Megan!!!  and taylor :)

It started raining on my walk to the border, but I was determined to walk confidently and act like I knew what I was doing.  The worst part was, I had worn a bright coral colored dress, I was white and we had already made a scene earlier...so I think it is fair to say I stuck out a little.  With my passport stuck in my bra, so I wouldn't lose it and it wouldn't get wet, I quickly walked across the border with my eyes straight ahead, acting like it was NBD.  And PTL I had no problems at all, other than the fact that I was getting soaked.  I didn't see Megan or Taylor yet, so I hurried under a lean to on the other side of the bridge and waited with about 11 Haitian men while the rain began to get thick and really pour down.  After what felt like an hour (or about 10 minutes) I saw a bus pull into the customs parking lot.  I quickly made my way over...

The hug was nothing I will forget anytime soon!  They were here...they were really here...I could almost cry again writing this and reliving that moment!  I was overjoyed and beyond thrilled!  What happened after than really doesn't matter...we got their passports stamped on both sides, ran into our dear friends who were coming back from Puerto Plata, and got in the jeep and headed for COTP!!!  Rob must have also been distracted in talking with them b/c on the drive back he almost lost the under carriage of the jeep when he didn't see two different speed bumps and hit them going way too fast!

Megan and Addy in the car...I had to take this picture like 15 times b/c the roads were so bumpy and I couldn't get it without a little blur :)  Addy was out cold and Megan knew what I meant when I said she was a hot box ;)

Of course we HAD to have a dance party when they got here--wish I could post the video b/c even Toby was busting a move with the best of them!

Mr. DJ was spinning some GREAT tunes!

When we first got back, I had to put the groceries away and the girls took them on the grand tour...it was so cute :)  We then grabbed a quick dinner-sloppy joes that were so yummy-before heading to the back of the property to check out the new family home and the director's house.

Upon our arrival to the family home, we found this calf-his rope had gotten hung up in the pile of bamboo and wrapped around the pillar of the porch.  As soon as we were able to get him untangled, he quickly ran off to join his mother in the nearby field.

This was the view from the back porch of the family home!  BREATHTAKING!

By the time we got to the roof, it was getting pretty dark...but not too dark for a sister picture!  SHE'S HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Megan and Taylor with the girls--I LOVE this picture!

We were also excited to show them the HUGE toads that live out on the back property.  We get them in the front but they are literally everywhere out back!  Rob was testing them out to see if we could find a prince :)

Taylor was eager to get a picture with one on his head...

He did get a few great shots, but the best part was watching it jump off right onto Megan as she was taking the photos!  Hilarious!

After we got back up to our place, it was time for the birthday surprise!

And a true surprise i think it was!  Taylor's birthday wasn't until the 11th so I don't think he anticipated us doing anything

Brooke and Gracie were going to try to make a Broncos cake for him, but with the crazy high humidity levels and the fact that it is just still outright hot here...the design kept melting.  So he got a 'Happy Birthday Taylor' cake in Broncos colors :)

I love this picture--Toby is just going for the cake and yes...Karys is in a towel, ready to get into the shower :)

The dudes

All of the girls getting in there to get a candle to lick clean

The finished product :)  We shared some cake and got the kiddos to bed and then got the chance to just hang out and talk.  In all honesty, I didn't even need to talk.  Just sitting next to my sister and Taylor and just being with them...they were an answer to prayer.  God knew I needed them and he brought them at the perfect moment and as a gracious gift to me...so gentle and so perfect...speaking the love my heart so needed :)  I am so grateful and really looking forward to our time together in the days to come!
But for now...off to bed...