We're legally a family now!

Today was the day the we had been waiting for all these years. Today we signed the adoption decree or 'sentencia'. Today we became the Martin-Rivera Family.
The day started as follows. The girls got up and got dressed and ready. They all wanted to wear their new outfits. We put towels on them during breakfast so they would not mess up their outfits. They could not eat, they were so excited about visiting their friends at La Casita. Alex went with three of the girls to get cakes for La Casita and the Courthouse. I waited here with Milena and got ready. Vicky came to pick us up and we went straight to Casita. The girls were so excited, they had brought gifts for their teachers and for the kids. They wanted to see their friends right a way so we went across the street to see them. Only the kids that go to school in the afternoon were there. There were hugs and tears and gift giving. The girls showed us around Casita, where they stayed were they studied, the teachers and helpers they had grown close for the past two years. We met some of the older kids who are waiting to be adopted and the babies. So many babies! We were impressed with the level of attention and care that these women give these children. We met a few volunteers that come to Casita, a doctor and some of the nurses. I saw a premature baby girl that a nurse was holding. She was beautiful. We could tell the women there loved their job and the kids are well taken care of. Casita is not fancy but has the essentials. The most important being love and attention. We know that the money given to us to give to Casita will be used wisely. The girls have great memories from here, this also tells us that they were well taken care of. From our experience so far we can tell that they do a very good job for preparing the kids for being adopted. We would recommend to anyone adopting kids from La Casita de Nicolas, Medellin Colombia. There were no surprises. We wish we could post some pictures of the girls with their friends, but because some of them are going to be adopted in the future. After the girls went to see their friends they met with the director, psychologist, social worker and two board members. They went on an on talking about all the things that we have done together. The adults could not get a word in edgewise. The director talked to us for a little bit too. Some gifts were given and then they went across the street for the final goodbyes. One of the teachers that was there was the one that studied with them every afternoon. She cried and hugged the girls. All the teachers, nurses aides and workers said that they were missed. They all loved these girls and were very happy that they had finally found a family. Alex stayed with the board members and they asked him about the process of the adoption. What he liked what he didn't like. They were actually asking for criticism. Alex said that the only thing he did not like of the Colombia part of the process was the restriction of us talking about the girls and the girls interacting with other people at the beginning of our time together. Alex said that he felt he could not talk, and was acting like the ugly American, not being sensitive to the Latin Culture. The problems we had were before we came to Colombia.
It seems like La Casita is having similar problems with process in the United States. This is also due to the fact that they work with European countries as well such as Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Italy and Spain. The process in these countries is much more streamlined and faster. Just the fact that we have to do a fingerprint check for the FBI (which now takes 13 weeks to clear) and Homeland Security (about a month for the same process). --By the way as I mentioned before all black babies at La Casita go to Scandinavian countries. They all want them.
After Casita we went for lunch at Frisby's a fried chicken joint. I liked it. Alex thought it was too fatty. My favorite part was the yellow plantain with cheese and guava paste. Yum! I had passion fruit juice and Alex had fresh lemonade. We will miss the natural juices here that are not full of sugar. We have learned that the juices that many restaurants served are actually fruit pulp and water.
Then it was on to the courthouse. We met our lawyer and paralegal there. We went up to "Juzgado #7" or Judge #7 of the Family Court. There we also met the family defender that had taken the girls from their foster care to La Casita. We took a picture with her. The judge wanted us to bring cake and soda to celebrate the adoption signing or 'sentencia'. We found out this is never done in Colombia. Usually adoptive parents sign the papers without meeting the judge. But in our case he wanted to meet us. He gave us a little speech read from the documents had us sign and his secretary served the cake and soda. He does this celebration because he wants to see the more positive side of family court.
We did not do anything else after this. We were hot and tired. The pool was closed.
We were still full from lunch the movie we wanted to see had already past and wasn't showing. The girls spent time looking at their foster care books (like scrapbooks) and were enjoying looking at them since Yesica and Mirellen foster parents did not put as much effort into a book for each of them, theirs ended up being a combined book. Since they each wanted one of their own, they started separating the pictures to make their own book. They spent the afternoon and evening drawing,talking and eating melted cheese. We talked to Millie and family who wished Mercedes a "Happy Mother's Day". That was our day.