Tuesday

Today is Tuesday, so we only have three full days left before an early flight on Friday morning. The cool thing about being half way around the world is that I live life 12 hours (if you're in the eastern time zone) ahead of you. So if you want to know what happens Tuesday morning, just ask.

IFL has been the perfect place to spend our first days with Rex. There are so many children around for Rex and Asia to play with. It's also very safe with lots of staff members. So we feel very comfortable letting Asia run around with her friends. It's a blessing for her to be here. It's also good for Rex. He's not left alone just with our family. He can ease into life with us while still being around fun friends to play with.

IFL folks have been so accomodating to us; we feel a bit spoiled. We're eating very well (I've actually gained weight), we have air conditioning and purified water whenever we want. We're around some of the coolest people you could know. Actually, Pat Capwell, the director of IFL is one of my favorite people in the whole world. This place is wonderful to be at and I'm so glad we stayed here longer than go to the resort we were planning to.

Yesterday morning we went with Pat to the Riverside Community, which is a village built alongside a riverbed. IFL is starting a feedig program there and so they were weighing children, diagnosing their health and deciding which children were malnourished. They will particpate in the feeding program, with the goal of getting them healthy. IFL will provide food for a season and also teach princples of agriculture so they can grow their own food to sustain their health. We'll post pictures of our experience there. Asia and Rex stayed back at IFL when we went there.

Rex seems to be adjusting well, although it's still so early in this transition and IFL will not be his normal environment. Rex can point at pictures of us and say, "Mommy, Daddy and Asia." It's evident that his foster family prepared him for us! Asia and Rex play well together. When she brushes her teeth, so does he. When she showers, so does he. She kisses him all the tiime and tells him she loves her. It's so fun to see them together.

Rex painted watercolor yesterday and enjoyed it. He loves playing with toy planes and cars. He laughs easily when he plays. When we put him to bed last night, he said "good night" and waived a kiss and made a thumbs up sign. It's such a joy to interact with him. God has been so good to bless us with him!

Thanks to everyone who sent or posted messages. I wish I could reply to every one, but I can't.

Bless you!

Chris, Colette, Asia & Rex