History

Saturday, January 21, 2006 11:57 AM CST

Hello again to all my fans out there .... "What Dad?" .... Oh this isn't my fan website? Oh well, with all the attention and love I get, sometimes I get confused.

Anyway, I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year. I know I sure did. As you can see from the picture above, I really love my Lumpy that I got from Aunt Lori and Uncle Andy. I can't wait to meet my new cousin, Jamie, who is due to arrive in this world sometime around Easter. How cool is that? I can't wait to boss him around a little .... What Dad? .... Oh yeah, I mean teach him the ways of the world ... a guy can't have any fun around here! Speaking of spring, I'm really getting excited for the nice weather so I can ride on some of my Christmas presents and go to the park and play on the swings and slides and stuff... Cool huh?

Mommy and Daddy are taking me to the store today and I get to "help" pick out my new big boy bed (that's what mommy calls it) and I get to jump on it and jump off it and land on ..... Alright Dad ! .... jeeezzzz .....

.... alright Mom .... Thank you very much Ga-Ga and Grandpa Jim for helping me get my new bedroom set. I love you both very much and miss you too. I hope you are coming to see me soon because I have to miss the trip to Florida in February, because Mom needs "alone" time. ... did I spell everything right,Dad? .... hahaha

Well, that's all for now and I hope to keep you updated on all my adventures in the near future....

Love, Nathan

Saturday, January 20, 2006 6:39 PM CDT

Hello everyone, it's a whole new year and my Daddy tells me I need to make New Year's resolutions. Does anyone have any ideas? Anyway, I had a great Christmas and got lots of cool things, not too many toys but some cools books and a bowling game where I can knock over the pins like crazy. I got some great gifts for my future which really seem to have Mommy and Daddy pretty excited. Oh well ! I got some great clothes and alot of Spiderman stuff from my grandma (Ga-Ga) and I got a Lumpy stuffed animal ( you know? Winnie the Pooh) from my Aunt Lori and Uncle Andy, which I love to hold and give hugs to, as you can see from the picture above. We spent Christmas eve at my Uncle Pete's house and I got to play with my cousins, Sam and Adam. We played, ate, and watched football. (Of course) We then spent Christmas morning at home where I got a big surprise when I woke up ... there were a bunch of presents under the tree and some of them were for Mommy and Daddy. Believe it or not? We went to my cousin Josette's house later on and I got more stuff and got to play with my other cousins. There is Lauren and Christian, Joey and Julianna, Jackie, Missy and Evan. We had alot of fun because Joey has more toys than Toys-R-US..... and I'm not kidding !!!
My Dzia-Dzia and grandma Jane came all the way from New Hampshire to see me after Chrsitmas and we celebrated New Year's with them at my Aunt Carla and Uncle Phil's house. We partied all nite (I made it 'till 11 pm) until I fell asleep. Mommy and Daddy woke me after the ball drop and I wanted to continue the party but they said "no" ! Ah shucks !!!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and I hope you keep checking back now and then, if you feel like following my journey of love.......

Love Nathan

Wed., July 20, 2005

Thanks for checkin' up on me,

I'm almost 2 and Mommy & Daddy are planning my party as we speak. It's gonna be a Spider-man party and I'm so excited... I just love Spider-man and I watch the movie (believe it or not) almost everyday. I wake up in the morning with Spider-man on the brain.

I love Football, thanks to Daddy, and I know most of the teams by either their logo or their helmet. It's pretty amazing... at least that's what mommy and daddy say. Actually, I love almost any sport and I especially love to swim. Mommy takes me alot and she lets me run under the sprinkler almost everyday.

I'm just learning to ride a bike. My cousin, Joey, gave me his old bike. It's still a little too big and I'm trying to use the pedals and I love to wear my helmet. Boy oh boy, it's great to be spoiled rotten.

Love your FANA buddy -
Nathan Cummings

Tuesday, December 16, 2003 2:33 PM CST

Our thank you list : To our friends who have supported us throughout this seemingly long process. It is your love and compassion that gave us the determination to see this through. Thank you all and well be home soon.

To the wonderful families that we had the pleasure in sharing a lifetime full of memories, in less than a month. The Berras, we only got a few days, but to see the love you have for your children will stay with us always. The Postons, your guidance and upbeat energy still leaves a mark. You shared with us a love for these kids. Thanks AY !

To the Jones, we stood alone for a while and weve come to know you for the wonderful people you are. Take good care of that beautiful little girl, Carolyn. It sounds like shell be spoiled rotten, from your stories of all your wonderful family and friends. God Bless and keep in touch.

To the Surace Family, what can we say that we havent already said. You are very special people and we love you with all sincerity. Many people go in and out of our lives but few stay in our hearts forever. In the short time we had, you have made your scar in our hearts. Thanks will never be enough to explain the memories youve shared with us. May The Love of Jesus Christ shine in your lives. Youve fulfilled the scripture Matthew 19:14 in a way few have. DRLou4Kids = destiny so says Louis. Right on buddy !!!

To Betty and Raffa, for your unselfish hospitality. What can we say, the people you have surrounded us with are the cream of the crop. For your sincerity in making sure we were taking care of , to your knowledge and wisdom of Colombian culture in making our stay the best experience of our lives, next to Nathan. We applaud you !!!!! All our love, God Bless. 1Peter 4:9-11

To Alicia, for the care you provide each child, we thank you for your care, tenderness, and love. You took care of the reason we came here, Nathan. We watched you as you have touched the lives of each child and we watched how they touched you. It was heartbreaking to watch you say goodbye to the children, to only realize youve had to do that countless times. You are a blessing to the truest sense of the word. We love you and pray for you continually. God loves and blesses those who care for his children. Mark 10:14

To Okenis,Jorge Rico,Annette,Guiermo,Patrick,Juan,Maria Antonio,Carmen, for you tireless effort in making our stay as enjoyable as could humanly be, we are forever grateful. The things youve done, from the food (absolutely awesome) to our clean rooms, to the tenderness and genuine hospitality youve shown. You made this the time of our lives. Thanks and God bless each of you.

To our buddy family, Dave,Shari, & Justin Anderson, who were just right on when it came to walking us through the whole stay. From your love and support to the balloons in our face, you will always have a special place in our lives and forever a special place in our hearts. We thank you for sharing the same love towards the children and especially towards Jesus. We Love You.

To the Antonio and Sauer Families, for the faith we share and the mutual purpose we seek through our Lord and Savior, thank you for helping us stay the path. God has brought you into our lives for a reason and we shall be eternally grateful. See you very soon as we prepare to dideicate Nathan back to God, as He has given Nathan to us for His purpose. 1 Cor 12:27

To our special friends at the Federal Reserve Bank of NY, we thank you for all you did for Nathan. For every beautiful gift to every word of encouragement it is so wonderful to know we have have loving people we can call our friends.

To Tom and Faye Eichenseer, my employers, for your understanding and consideration through this life changing process. For your patience as we need over a month of time off, where other employers wouldnt have allowed, you made this possible. Thank you so very much. And to Rosemary, George, Ben and Arick, thanks for picking up the slack while I was away. See you soon.

To Cheryls family: Mom, thank you for your love. You have been so good to us through the years. Everytime we have needed you, you have ALWAYS been there. We know that when you come back to Buffalo, youll be there for us again. To Aunt Lori, Aunt Darcy, & Aunt Darlene, thank you for spoilingour child before youve even met him. Thanks To Uncle Andy and Uncle Dennis for not stopping them. To great Uncle Phil and Aunt Carla, thanks for the support and love you have shown time and time again. To Great Grandpa Morse, for your inspiration, in knowing how much you love little Nathan. Just knowing how you feel makes Cheryl very happy.

To Pauls family, from the DiGiacomos to The Cummings, we cant thank you enough. Your prayers were the strength we needed as I dream was made reality. To my Dad and Sandy, sorry it wasnt a girl, but well order one in 2 years. To my Mom, whos excitement and enthusiasm has inspired us beyond measure, we thank you for your desire to babysit Nathan for us. Mom, you have shown me your strength as you were faced with problems that could have only come from Grandpa Pulvirenti. He was the one man that I wanted to be like and I see him in you. I Love You for all your years of sacrifice for my happiness and I pray I can pass that down to Nathan. May God Bless You Always.

To Cheryls Dad, Paul Glinski, a man who gave me the two most precious things in the world, my wife and my son. You have made my life complete in a way I will never be able to express or repay. My prayers for you daily are that someday you will know what you have done for us. Words can never tell the story of how a heart can be changed by love. Only in a lifetime can it be measured. So to you, I am eternally grateful for your sacrifice and pure heart. I ask God for a way to show you the love you have given. May He bless you in the most profound ways. We Love You !!!!

To the tireless workers of FANA, Maria Teresa, Flor, Elizabeth,and everyone behind the scenes, we thank you for keeping families strong, loving the children in ways that no one thought was possible. FANA would not be what it is without all your very hard work and dedication. May God continue His good work thru you.

To Jerri Wegner, not enough is said of the things you do for everyone that comes to you looking for a completion to their home and family. I will never forget the words you spoke at the 1st meeting we atteneded. You said we dont need you. I knew exactly what you meant and it was here where I knew in my heart that Cheryl and I needed to be. You said it was all about the CHILDREN not the parents. It was the children who need a good home and deserve to be loved, not just the parents needing to be parents.
FANA= children and love. Plain and simple. There are thousands of agencies to adopt from, but FANA is special, it is children first. I believe that God has used you to take care of His kids, and for that I thank Him everyday. May He give you the strength to keep up the unbelievable pace you have given to every child. May He bless your life and your wonderful children contunually. I praise you for not only being the representative for FANA, but especially for being a wonderful mother to those beautiful children you have. If I may speak for all the families you have touched, WE LOVE YOU for all you do, but especially for the kind, loving and extremely dedicated person you are.

And, of course, to the person who has made it ALL possible, to the woman who God has chosen above all others, To Mercedes: Your deep devotion to children and love is beyond words. The lives you have touched for over 30 years, through sickness and trial, will never tell the whole story. You have fought battles that most of us will never come close to facing, yet you have continually found the strength and will to keep fighting for what is right. You are a warrior for children. Without you, where would they be? Children and families all over the world would still be searching and struggling to understand the meaning of love and life. To you, we owe everything for completing our lives. We cannot pay you back, but we can join you in this battle for life. May the love of Jesus Christ touch you physically and emotionally and spiritually as you continue your love for children. And now these three remain:faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is Love. 1 Corinthians 13:13

Monday, December 15, 2003 7:53 PM CST

Hello folks, this will be the last night I have a chance to sit down and write a joural entry. Tomorrow night's entry is our THANK YOU letter to everyone who helped to attain the miracle child who is forever ours. Please look for it tomorrow night. It looks as if we have to get up around 3:30 or 4am on Wednesday. Jorge is picking us up at 5:30am to take us to the airport.

We go to FANA tomorrow with the Jones' and put together the presentation to find these beautiful children a home. We'll probably do some last minute things and spend the rest of the night packing. We'll attempt to get some sleep by going to bed around 9pm. I did say attempt you know.

We wrapped up the final paperwork at the US Embassy today so we are officially free to leave the country with Nathan and as soon as we touch down in Atlanta, he will be a US citizen. Isn't that so exciting?

Nothing exciting to note today, we joined Chris and April to the leather district and watched as they purchased so many wonderful Christmas gifts for their family. We came back home to have some dinner, Okenis outdid herself as we had pork chops and a spicy rice medley. Cheryl requested for desert tomorrow night, Okenis' infamous chocolate log. It's so hard to believe that it's almost all over. We have had such a wonderful time and have made so many new and awesome friends here. Colombia and it's people will forever be in our minds and hearts as we will continue the "battle" to find the children here a home. Each and every child deserves to find parents to love them and care for them. So lets continue to do our parts to make it happen.

I'm going to relax and watch Monday Night Football now and enjoy the time we have remaining here. Thanks again to all who visited our site with love and who took the time to write words of encouragment or just words that said "we're thinking of you". It has meant so much to us to know how many of you have cared enough to show it.

Please check the site tomorrow as we would like to dedicate the journal to so many of you. Till' we meet again, Goodnight and May God richly bless.

Sunday, December 14, 2003 9:10 PM CST

Boy oh boy, did I goof up today. It turned out that I got my wires crossed and that FANA production is really on Tuesday. Today, Elizabeth came over to show us some emeralds. Duh ! Oh well, it's for the best, turns out FANA closes at 8pm and we would have to wake the children up to video them. That wouldn't be a very good video I would imagine. Anywho... We were all pretty tired anyway as the Jones' went with Arturo to see his remote control airplanes and helicopters. It seems Chris didn't think to use any sunscreen, uh oh!! They had a long day (9am-6pm) but seemed to have a wonderful time. And we all know how Arturo can be when you go out with him. HaHa.... Cheryl and I, on the other hand, went to the gold museum with Juan and we even brought Alicia's son, Carlos with us. Cheryl loved it and it seemed that Carlos was pretty happy just to go with us. I did not think the museum was all that, but then again, it didn't have football there. Oh well.

After the museum we walked around the local shops there and believe it or not, Cheryl did not buy 1 thing. Really !!!
We then set out to look for a restaurant in the area for some lunch. Juan knew of a place around the corner, but when we got there, it was closed. Weird huh? On a Sunday? At my recommendation, we set out for my favorite spot, the place Jorge Rico took us on the way back from Monserrate, CASA BRAVO. It turns out that Juan has lived here his whole life and has never been to it. We went, the weather was perfect (75) and the sun was shining. After going upstairs (it was busy) we realized it was too hot, and we set out for outdoor eating. We sat on the "pier" for a lack of a better word, to gaze at the most wonderful view of the city. It was gorgeous.... We ate, the food was fantastic, and after we were finished we watched Carlos climb the wall. They had some childrens' activities set up and we waited to see Carlos make it all the way up, twice. He is a very good kid, he's 9, and like I've said before, he has a wonderful, loving Mom in Alicia.

We returned to find Nathan sleeping, and we were surprised. He never seems to sleep, ya right. After his nap, we played and "talked" , he told us all about his day. After Elizabeth left, we went upstairs for the routine bath. He could stay in there all night if we let him. Mommy got him dressed and gave him his goodnight-for-8-hours bottle. Now that's a special bottle. And here I am writing to you and wishing you a wonderful evening, or if you are reading this and it is Monday, a very good day. Tomorrow we are off to the US Embassy to finalize everything so we may come home on Wednesday. We have alot to pack and get ready in the next couple days.

Well goodnight, we have to be up early, we are being picked up around 9am and later on we might set out with the Jones' to go to the leather district. For us it will be our second time, and for them the first time. I could use another leather jacket... ssshhhhh, don't tell my wife. BYE BYE for now.

Saturday, December 13, 2003 8:46 PM CST

So, not many people even noticed that I didn't do the journal last night. Except of course for our buddy family, the Andersons', probably checking up on us in hopes we don't make them look bad. LOL haha

Anyway, we went with Jorge Rico to the south of Bogota to watch the Christmas decorations in the small towns. It was really neat to see how festive the people get, they were walking the streets, selling food, beer, pop etc.. Music was playing and the weather was perfect. It was about 65 degrees out and ready for the big highlight................
Nathan and Carolyn came with us. It sounds great doesn't it?... except for one thing, they slept the WHOLE time. Of course the only time was on the way home when they let us know they were hungry. BIG mistake, we didn't get back until 10:30pm and it was party time. He finally fell asleep for the night somewhere after midnight. He slept until 6 for his morning feeding, and the rest of the day today we set out to put him back on track. Mission accomplished !!!
He was great today, we even had a wonderful evening "talking" to each other. Yes, it's true, I lay on the couch with him and get him to "talk" and boy does he talk. I told him not to "yell" at daddy and he thought that was funny. I didn't realize that I would have to discipline at such an early age. Here we go... Parenting 101.

Today was a relaxing day, the Jones' took off for Via Del Lava while the Cummings' family enjoyed each others company. We, like I said earlier, attempted and succeeded in putting Nathan back on his schedule after Mommy and Daddy goofed. Thank God he is so good, because he was a gem today. When we needed to keep him awake, he did, and when he needed to sleep, he did. Excellent ! While he was napping, Cheryl and I headed out to a place called Artesanias Maku, it's a 4 story shopping haven. Who thinks Cheryl was just a little bright eyed? We got some great Christmas gifts for the fraction of what it would cost back home in the land of the free. As a matter of fact you couldn't find half these things in the US. 90f the stuff is handcrafted. All in all, we have had such a wonderful visit, having met so many wonderful people along the way that will forever hold a place in our hearts.

FYI... Elizabeth called me today and it turns out we are going to FANA tomorrow night to do the top secret mission we have set up. I cannot give any details, because then I might have to kill you... OK, it's not a secret, in fact, it is the complete opposite. I am asking everyone that reads this to make a promise. I am requesting that if you read this, you will pass this on to someone you know, we need so desperately to get the word out. We are going to FANA tomorrow to do a presentation that we can send out all over the world, to find a special family who can take on a situation that most of us would think is impossible. I will tell you right now that with God's grace and our obedience, absolutely nothing is impossible.

There a four (4) siblings and 3 siblings in deserate need of a loving home. I have met these children in person, and they are honestly the most precious kids ever. Mercedes WILL NOT split these kids up and rightly so. So if anyone out there has a heart for children, give me a call and I will personally get you a copy of the finished product. Of course, please wait till' I get home and settled. This is FANA which means we all work together for the children, right? Let take this challenge like our past heroes have, head on and full speed ahead. Please remember, our churches, local gatherings, and of course sharing the story with friends and family is the best way to touch someone's heart enough to want to do something about this. Thank you so very much and May God Bless you for doing the right thing. I ask, of course, in Jesus' name for this to be done in prayer and deed. Goodnight.

Matthew 21:22 says "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." Jesus was talking about prayer according to the Father's will of course, and I can assure you that finding these children loving homes are according to the Father's will !! Thank you again.

Thursday, December 11, 2003 9:07 PM CST

It's getting exciting around here, our minds are racing a mile a minute as we prepare to get all our ducks in a row. We went to get Nathan's new birth certificate today at the notary office. The notaries here in Colombia are a wee bit different than in the US. They pretty much do everything when it comes to any paperwork you need from marriage to adoptions. We received the new certificate in under a half of an hour. They type it out on a typewriter. Can you believe that, I've heard of these contraptions before but I've only seen them in museums, right next to the exhibits of TV's without remote controls. Takes you back a bit, doesn't it? Well, back to the 21st century... We then went to Delta Airlines to confirm and pick up our tickets and even had to buy Nathan a ticket, even though he doesn't get his own seat. What a scam !! At least we requested the bulk head seat on the way to Atlanta, but they couldn't give us our seating on the flight to Buffalo. It seems they overbook every flight with the "no-show factor". I guess this means that if everyone makes the flight, I get to sit with the captain. This will be a wonderful experience for Nathan as he may later ponder a career in aviation. Hey, ya' never know.

The Nathan bulletin states no change in conditions or behavior. He is still a very good boy although he seemed a bit gassy today, must be the iron supplement he is taking. Anyway, he seems to be taking this in stride as he had a wonderful bath tonight, I have to say that I am becoming quite good at giving him a bath. Not to brag or boast but when ya' got it ya' got it. We try to make bath time a pleasureable experience for both Nathan and parents. We sing together and we play, well that's mostly me, Cheryl just gives me that look. Oh well, what are you gonna do.

Tomorrow we are off to get Nathan's Passport and see the US Embassy Doctor for an exam. This exam is for Nathan only and is not an exam for the parents. We already took the psycological evaluations and somehow we pulled through. The exam is to make sure Nathan is able to travel and there is no surprises regarding his health. This is standard proceedure I can assure you, no need for alarm, everything is dandy and we will pull thru this just fine. The weekend is going to be jam packed full of sightseeing and last minute enjoyment as we have to fill our suitcases with more stuff. Monday is back to the US Embassy to get Nathan's Visa and Mastercard, remember he is his Mother's son !!! We are actually ok to leave on Tuesday but we took an extra day as we plan to visit FANA one last time with a special something in mind. There will be a follow-up to that last statement after we return home, so keep posted even after this is all over. I plan to keep this site up and running for a while after our return. So please keep in touch as this will be crucial to some children who are staying at FANA.

Well, that's all for tonight and a goodnight to you all.

Wednesday, December 10, 2003 4:36 PM CST

Sentencia !! Sentencia !! This is it folks, Nathan will be coming home soon. How does Wednesday, December 17 sound to everyone !!! Oh, by the way, it's too late to write us as the final tabulation for Nathan holding is over. For those who did not write as often as you should, shame shame shame, holding Nathan is out of the question. And you know who you are. When we arrive home, visiting hours will be limited and the actual time periods will be named later.

We are so excited and sad all together because we have made some wonderful friends here that we will leave behind. (Thank You Letter will be up the night before we leave, it's more like a novel.) The beautiful friends and beautiful country we are leaving behind will be missed. We were so well taken care of, and when we get home we have no one to take care of us. Otherwise known as spoiling us.

Nathan has been sleeping all day today, I think he has been awake for about 10 minutes for us. He is now up, but unfortunately he is a little cranky and he is, ready for this one, TIRED. I, for the life of me, cannot figure why babies get so tired. They eat, sleep, poop, sleep, cry (a Little in his case), bath , eat, sleep... Actually that does sound like exhausting work. Anyway , April and Chris took some family shots of us for our signing. I just know in my heart , they are a couple days behind us and will be home in plenty of time for Christmas. Our best wishes go out to them from the flight home to the getting comfy with their new treasure.

Well, we are getting excited about wrapping things up here and getting home to start our new life with Nathan. Altough we know it is extremely hard work, we also realize that there is no greater joy. We count our blessing every minute of the day. We cannot wait to share the joy of Nathan with all of you. See you soon at the airport.

Wedensday, December 17, 2003

Bogota to Atlanta #298 leave 9:15am arrive 2:10pm

Atlanta to Buffalo #5087 leave 5:15pm arrive 7:30pm

I'll be home for Christmas, you can count on me , please have snow, wait, don't have snow !!! Please...

Tuesday, December 9, 2003 9:09 PM CST

Wow-wee, we did some shopping today with the Jones'. Cheryl was as close to paradise as we went to the Covention Center for a flea market x's 100= cheap,cheap,cheap. Everything in this place was handmade and so cheap it would blow your mind. We must have seen around 1,000 we would have loved to have if we could only find a way to get it home. It was astonishing how much cheaper things are here compare to the of the free. (How's that for irony?) Is that irony, i'll have to check Websters. Anyway, we got some great Christmas gifts here. OK OK.......

I should probably start off the journal with the news on Nathan, but then again half of you wouldn't read about us and what we've been doing. It's kinda gettin' boring writing about him because the news is virtually the same...
He is such a fantastic kid. His schedule is perfect and We pray it does not change when we get home. B B B= good nights sleep. How's that for a math equation? Great for us. To some of you it sounds as if we are bragging or boasting, darn right we are... we truly Thank God every chance we get. He answers prayer and this is our testimony. Cheryl and I prayed for a child with a calm, gentle spirit, a good sleeper, a kid with a relaxed personality. This is our way of Praising our God for everthing he has done for us but most importantly for who He is. Having such wonderful people surrounding us with love and care, can only come from a God who is real.

We are so excited to hear that the Surace Family Reunion was a H U G E success. Billy Fuccillo would have been proud. (For anyone who didn't get that, email me I'll explain)
To hear that channel 2 news was there made us think, somebody better have a tape for us. Then it made us think, AWESOME. That was good for them, good for FANA, and good for the children. Once again it made me ponder the thought that there may be someone out there with the intentions of adopting, yet finding every and any excuse why they can't. I pray that they saw the news and changed their mind and forever changed their heart.

We have done so many wonderful things and have seen so many beautiful places, and though Colombia is really a beautiful country, the poverty we've seen would make the strongest man cry. We came to the realization, especially after our Bienestar interview, that Nathan and almost all kids would end up on the streets. We see children doing cartwheels and juggling in front of cars, just so they could "earn" a few bucks to eat. To think Nathan could have been that child, tears me apart to an extent I have ever been torn. As I write this, I'm listening to the song "I don't know why they say Grown Men Don't Cry".(Tim McGraw) Couldn't be more fitting. This is the exact reason FANA does what they do. to read about it is one thing, but to see it with your eyes and heart is another. To say that FANA is a family is probably the biggest understatement ever. Now I see first hand what people from Jerri Wegner to Mercedes herself do, but most importantly WHY they do it. A lot of people talk about it but few step up and do it. These people DO. For every person in the "spotlight", there are 10 behind the scenes. To the drivers, nurses,maids, janitors and anyone I have forgotten, we stand and salute you. Thank you for all you do for the children. Mark 9:41

If it seems I'm babbling, sorry, but when my heart cries out I have to let it flow. Until tomorrow... remember, when you get down on your knees tonight, please pray for the children in need everywhere and the people who are making a difference. If we have not love, we have NOTHING !!!
God Bless as you are all in my prayers. Goodnight.
P.S "I'll be home for Christmas".....
I mean we'll be home......

Monday, December 8, 2003 8:24 PM CST

It has been a somber day here, quiet and serene. We miss the Surace family and all the noise associated with it. Did I just say noise. Believe it or not it was the best noise you ever wanted to hear. The Jones' and ourselves had a relaxing day, as Alicia went home early to enjoy the holiday here in Colombia with her son, Carlos. Before she left for the day we headed on over to the Unicentral Mall right around the corner from Betty's. It was about a 15 minute walk and the weather was sunny and around 75.

We came back to find our 2 little precious kids lying side by side playing with Alicia. It was a sight, but you don't think that anyone here would have been smart enough to take a picture of them. Oh well, win a few lose a few. We spent the rest of the night playing with the children, watching them sleep and then going thru the routine until we put them to bed. It's Monday night football night in spanish. Wathcing and thinking about Barb and the kids home safe and happy. (anyone who went, please email us and let us know how it went, Thankyou !!)

Tomorrow we are off to a Colombian "flea market". It's held at the convention center here in Bogota. The crafts there are supposed to be incredible.

We updated the yahoo site with a ton of pics, hope you enjoy. Sorry about the mix-up, I put them on a couple of days ago but the settings were set for private and not public.

Until tomorrow, God willing, have a wonderful day.

Sunday, December 7, 2003 8:44 PM CST

It's Sunday night and kind of serene here. It's our last night with the Surace family and once again, as with the Postons', we are very glad to see them go home. They deserve so much to be back with Louis and Louie Jr., and to start the rest of their lives together. A hectic life, but a life none the less. The flip side of our joy for them is the sadness we feel for our own selfish reasons. The children were so good and so much fun to be around. What can I say, Francesca is such a well behaved and beautiful girl with a heart of gold. For such a young child (it's easy to forget she's 6) she has such a caring spirit for people. I'll will miss our time together, joking and laughing, and of course playing and learning. (me learning from her). She has taught me so much. As for that little boy Matthew, as I said before, he has a smile that will touch your soul. I will miss lying on the floor and playing with him or just coming down for breakfast and seeing his smiles. I will miss "walking" with him, it's so exciting to know I was a part of his first "steps". I Love You Kiddos. I did not forget Antoinette, although the last week , we only saw her for 2 minutes, her smiles will FOREVER be in my mind and heart. She is so calm and gentle, talk about a perfect child to watch, sometimes we forgot she was there (sorry baby !)
Ode to Barb : From the bottom of our hearts, there is no one finer. Your strength is an inspiration to everyone who has the pleasure to know you, and we are eternally grateful to God for allowing us to be a small part of your life. Being first time parents with so many reservations, watching you handle the enormous amounts of difficulties you were faced with, made our "troubles" seem so tiny. We feel we can overcome anything just from watching you. It is very rare to come across a family with so much love for children, and a family who sees the needs of children and steps up to the plate. It's in your "doing" which inspires so many and for that we applaud you, Louis and everyone of your 16 kids. Thanks for the memories and we love you.
I'm putting in a request here at Betty's for a room in the house be dedicated to the whole Surace Family. Have a safe trip and We pray that God would continue to bless you and your whole family.

For those of you who are considering witnessing this wonderful homecoming, They will be arriving in Buffalo via Delta Airlines (#5087) at 7:30pm. Please make every effort to be there, this will be real special memory for everyone.

Back to the Nathan journals, he is awesome. And that's not just parenting pride, he truly is a wonderful kid. God is Great. We went to church today and brought Nathan with us, we put him in the harness carrier and he slept the whole time. He fell asleep before church and woke up when we returned. He was in Mommy's loving arms the whole time and didn't even make a peep. The rest of the day was relatively uneventful and we did our nightly routine around 9:00pm... Bath, quiet time, bottle, bed. As Joe Walsh said;
"Life's Been good to me so far"...

To all our friends and family, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your love and support. Nathan would not be ours if it wasn't for you. May God Bless !!!
Until tomorrow.

Saturday, December 6, 2003 6:25 PM CST

Well here we are, it's another Saturday night and we just finished dinner. The Jones and ourselves enjoyed a wonderful day at the Salt Mine Cathedral (zipaquida). It was unreal. It was dark with lights sparatically placed in throughout the tunnels of the mine. We took some video but I'm not quite sure it'll turn out. The Jones brought their digital camera and some of the pics turned out pretty good. They set the cathedral up to take you on the journey of the last day of Jesus. The culture down here is rich in old world Catholocism. This is just my opinion and I certainly do not mean to offend anyone, but there was a ton of religion and so little God. Rich in tradition but no real living power. The Jesus I know and love is alive and living in His people. He is the one who has blessed us beyond measure.

Enough history, Jorge Rico then took us all to lunch in this little town near the cathedral. It was a traditional Colombian restaurant with culture and it even had a spanish singer. We had some more Colombian food. It was good and Cheryl went off the charts and had.......grilled chicken. Take a walk on the wild side. That's my adventurous and "risk taking" wife. We then did some shopping (more like looking) and Cheryl bought a poncho. She also changed my name to "Honey, I Want"... I don't know when that officially happened. But go with the flow...

OK OK I know, you all want an update on our little bundle of joy. Well, he is eating, sleeping, pooping, binky chewing, sleeping, eating, ... Are you surprised? Oh yea, he is giving smiles occasionally and cries a little when he doesn't have that stupid thing in his mouth. But we love him despite his faults. Haha !!! Did I mention he is a very good sleeper and loves his bath. Most importantly, he loves his Daddy. We take walks around the house and we play on the floor and we get belly rubs too. He loves to be in daddy's arms and anytime he can work with daddy, he jumps at the opportunity. My son !!!
Ok, you thought I was going to leave out Mommy, well he loves her too. Before I get in big trouble, get real, she is in most of the pics with Nathan, so you do the math. she is good with him and he seems so very comfortable with her. It's her true nuturing spirit that makes this bond so strong and unbreakable. Love in the truest form.

Tomorrow we are off to church in the morning with the Jones' and we are going to an english speaking Catholic church. We are going to take Nathan with us, and this will be the second time out of the house. (Bienestar was the 1st) We are off to spend the last day with Barb, Francesca, and Matthew. Unfortunately we will only be able to see Antoinette for a brief goodbye as she will not be back from FANA until the morning of departure. We will have to make this a day to remember as we will be sad and happy to see them go. They are so looking forward to going home to see daddy and Louie Jr. I'm sure the airport will be jamming (IT BETTER BE). So I encourage whole-heartedly for anyone who is able to be there Monday night, that includes our friends and family Too. Please, this will give you a first-hand glimpse of what FANA is all about. The support and love we receive from one another is one of a kind. The people are genuine and deeply love children and this is the best opportunity to see it in person. The Surace family is the epitomy of what a FANA family is. You will not regret going and seeing this event. They are truly the finest people you will ever meet and their children are just amazing. PLEASE GO if you are able, I will post their arrival time on this site, you just need to park in the upstairs ramp and wait in the lobby, the scene you will witness is something of the Pope arriving. People everywhere waiting as patiently as possible. Remember,there will be a very special FANA guest arriving with them. We wish we could be there for this, Barb promised I will get any and all video footage. Please remind her of that promise to me.

Another day over and one more closer to home. Everone and everthing is wonderful down here but we can't wait to be in our own beds and to see all of you. But for now, we are truly enjoying a country and it's people to it's fullest. There is so much to see and do here and really, too little time to see it in. Sounds weird doesn't it? Next week we have so many things planned with the Jones'. We're treated like royalty around here. Stay tuned for tomorrow's journal as I will have the updates on the Surace family arrival to Buffalo for Monday night. Once again , please make every effort in joining this special group in their joyous celebration in bringing their 2 new, very amazing kids home, being escorted by their very beautiful sister (Francesca) and that VERY SPECIAL FANA GUEST. You will treasure this memory forever, I Promise you that.
Dios Los Bendita ( May God Bless You ).

Friday, December 5, 2003 1:09 PM CST

Well it was day 37 for the Postons and we finally "kicked" them off the island. We hated to do it but we knew it would be best for their sanity. We will truly miss their upbeat, on the go attitudes and their wonderful way of making people feel comfortable. We hope and pray that the trip will find them safe and snuggely at home to Canada amist probably 3 feet of snow... Happy skiing.. See you soon at the next FANA function. Our love to Julia and that smiley little princess, Alexandra. xxxxooooo

Well, to everyone keeping score out there, I missed last nights log as I was busy devoloping the second edition to the Surace family collection. For those of you who know them , they have like 16 kids now, so you could only imagine how many pics they have. It seems everytime Barb visits FANA she comes home with another child. LOL
I know she keeps saying that 4 is all, but get real, we know how much love that family has to give, so I'm making a prediction of at least 2 more. Anyone with me ?
It's gonna be awful quiet around here next week, as the Suraces' FINALLY get to go home. For those doing the math, that leaves the Cummings' and the Jones' families left here at Betty's Place. With only Nathan and Carolyn left as the only children in the house. Our only fear is that they will become extemely spoiled with all the attention they will receive between the parents and of course, Alicia. Have I mentioned how wonderful (an understatement) she is.

Yesterday, we joined Betty as she so gracefully brought us to a place calle Crepes and Waffles, (guess what they serve?) Actually they had a few other menu items including ice cream. We had a wonderful time as we had a nice last day with the Postons.

Today we had a baby class at FANA with the head nurse Elizabeth. She was wonderful and we learned so much. We saw the children waiting for a loving home, it'll break your heart to see their faces, they look at you as if to say, "are you my Mommy and Daddy". It'll touch you deeper than you could ever imagine you could be touched. I have been asked to produce a video and slideshow presentation to make an attept to place 4 children (2 brothers & 2 sisters) with a loving family. We need a couple to "step up" and make an eternal difference in their lives. They are well behaved with faces that will melt your heart. If you are the ones or if know anyone who has the heart and means to make this happen, PLEASE contact me. Word of mouth is absolutely the best way to "get the word out".

This weekend Cheryl, I and the Jones family are planning to do some sightseeing and light shopping for memories. Until tonight....

Wednesday, December 3, 2003 8:40 PM CST

I'm baaacckk !!! Did anyone miss me? I didn't think so, I know it's Nathan that everyone wants to hear about and see pictures of. We're parents now and we know that means it is not Cheryl and I that people want to see, it is always that little boy. Knowing this ahead of time really helped us make the adjustment quickly.

We had another uneventful day, Barb rushed around getting last minute things ready only to find out that she will not be home until Monday as a precaution to Antoinette's health. She is taking this news like everything she comes across, with strength and dignity. What a person to admire. The Postons are now officially set to go home on Friday. We will miss them truly, but we are excited for them as we know that they deserve to be home with Julia and their new little baby, "Alexandra Robin Postons that is her name". The Jones had their Bienestar today as they left the house at 6:45am, everything went fine and they came back exhausted. They took an 8 hour "nap". OK i'm exaggerating a bit but they did get a few hours in. Cheryl spent most of the day with Nathan as I diddled with my movie-making software. As I went to bed last night, I was ticked-off as I could not understand why we couldn't see the pictures clearly. Needless to say, in the morning, I figured it was the quality of the pics. I had to spend half the day downloading the pics again in higher quality but some of them could not be fixed. Regardless, they turned out really nice as I mixed movies with a slideshow presentation with music for the Surace family and the Postons family. They seemed to enjoy them as we sat around after dinner and viewed them on the DVD player hooked to the TV. We are plannning on doing one for Nathan but we want to gather some more pics before we finalize the DVD. We are planning on making one for the Jones' family, and once again we will compile more shots of Carolyn before attempting one.

We do have a pretty big weekend in store for us, we plan to see the Salt Mine Cathedral, the Gold mines, a huge craft show at the convention center here in Bogota. Friday, we will say goodbye to the Postons whom we will miss dearly, they truly were great to us with so much advise and all the fun we had in a short period of time. We wish them safe travels and happiness as they head for Canada, AY ! Sometimes bad news can have a positive spin, Barb and the kids will not be going home, as I said, until Monday. Without sounding selfish, we are very glad to have them here for a few more days. Each of the children have left a permanent scar of love deep in our hearts. It's "funny" but on the Postons movie, I put the song, "Thank God For Kids" as the background to the slideshow. And how true is that!!! We thank God each and everyday for the miracle of love in the little package of Nathan and all the children in our lives. His Supernatural gift of parenthood can never be explained in words, only in a life-long pursuit of showing our children their purpose according to His will. "Awesome" is an understatment.

Well, we have a few new ones of Nathan, but I thought I would share some pics of the families we are staying with down here. They are wonderful people and we hope you enjoy.
A little better than Cheryl's post , I hope....

Tuesday, December 2, 2003 10:47 PM CST

OK - Paul is off tonight to be a video maker, so I'm going to give it my best shot.

Today was uneventful, the Jones family & us played with our children. The Suraces & Postons were out and about getting things organized for their leave this week. They will be missed. Paul & I went to Pepe Gonga (like a K-Mart store) around noon to buy Nathan some clothing. We then met up with Caroline & Julia Poston at the park around the corner from Betty's Place for a while. Then went to Jacques for some latte'. And off to Betty's Place again.

Well hope tomorrow will be eventful and Paul will be back to be a writer. I stink !!!! Sorry no pictures, we'll post some tomorrow.

ADIOS ...... to be continued

Monday, December 1, 2003 8:10 PM CST

Today was a special day, in that we had the pleasure to be a part of the presentation of Chris and April Jones baby extravaganza. They are the couple from Rochester, Minnesota. They were given a special little package by the name of Carolyn. She is beautiful with a full head of dark hair. Carolyn was presented to them by Francesca Surace and I have to say it was a very special moment. The Jones' got a chance to share their special day with a couple from Norway, whom were receiving their second child, Sebastian. To make their day even more awesome, it was April's birthday today, now that's what I call a happy birthday present. We came back to Betty's place to get acquainted to the newest member of the FANA family and of course to have some playtime with our Nathan. Once again and for the 3rd night straight, 8-9 hours of peaceful sleep. Who could ask for anything more. Our routine has been the same for the last few nights and so far so good. God does answer prayer, He says 'we have not because we ask not'. I asked alright.

Today was picture fest, thanks to some smiles and lots of cameras flashing. With the help of the Jones' digital cam we got plenty of wonderful shots. And yes, Daddy finally got a chance to be in some, I had to wrestle Cheryl away from Nathan. Thanks to all who helped pry her from him, and oh yea, duct tape. Did I mention he is "talking" up a storm. I am pretty sure he said "DADA" several times although I do not have any witnesses. I'll just go on believing. I hear Cheryl secretly telling Nathan "mama" not "dada", but my boy knows better than that.

We found out today that we are in Court #10, which is an average court, speed wise. This just means that they have 5 business days to sign and move to step two, which is actually approving the adoption. From step 2 to step 3 they have up to 10 days to "sentencia" (signing). After sentencia, it usually takes 2-3 days to wrap up and go home. So we will absolutely be home for Christmas, with our son by our sides. Hooryay!!!

We enjoyed dinner tonight with Paolo & Francesca, the couple from Italy who received their baby boy, Allassandro, when we received Nathan. They are a wonderful couple and we agreed, along with the Jones', to do a little sightseeing.

We have an update on Antoinette's condition, she is now at FANA, where she is receiving IV and TLC. She should be back on Wednesday so they could see the US embassy doctor and get on home, God willing. We will continue to pray for her and the whole family as they so deserve to be home with Louis & Louie Jr. and their loving extended family. Although we are all dreading them leaving, we know deep in our hearts, that home is where they need to be. They will truly be missed.

The Postons' got passed a few little snags, a couple more things to do, and they should be home to Cananda on Friday, Ay !!! I'm sure that Julia is just "dying" to be home with all her friends and cousins and family. she has been so good considering her circumstances here in the topsy-turvy world of Colombia. We wish them the best and our love as we will hate to see them go, they are wonderful people with hearts of gold. We just know that Julia will be so helpful with her little sister, Alexandra Robin Postons, that is her name. For those who do not understand that last line, Craig sings to her the Doors song, Hello, I Love You. Anyway, thanks for being our tour guides, mentors, and friends.

Tomorrow has nothing planned but I'm sure we could find a few interesting things to do here in this beautiful city. We are making plans to see the SALT cathedral. It is a cathedral built in the salt mines underground, obviously. We have been told by so many that is spectacular. We are so looking forward to doing a little more shopping and possibly taking Nathan outside. They do not recommend taking him out alot but we can under certain conditions.

Well we hope you enjoy all his new pics and hope to hear from some more people soon, 2 a day is absolutely unacceptable. We are keeping tabs on who writes and who doesn't. This WILL affect your Nathan-holding status. I can assure you of that. Bye Bye

Sunday, November 30, 2003 7:27 PM CST

Here we are again, it's Sunday night, I have the two most important people in my life by my side. Life is good , even when things are rough. Pretty weird day,it started out with a power outage, so we went to LaFantana, a hotel down the road where they have an outside "cathedral" where mass is held. After the mass, they set up tables and it becomes a market. They have all sorts of crafts, food, and music. Kinda like when Jesus went to the temple and turned over the tables. (for all you bible lovers) Anyway, when we got there it started to rain and then turned into downpours. Needless to say, shopping was over, so we decided to see if it would lighten up so we had lunch. While we were eating, a fire broke out inside a part of the hotel and they cleared everyone out into the pouring rain. We had to take a "cab" back to Betty's. Shortly thereafter, we found out that Antoinette wasn't able to hold down any formula. Barb then gave her Pediolite (?) to see if she could hold that down, and unfortunately she could not. Thankfully, she just needs anti-biotics and an IV for fluids. She should be fine in a couple of days. We truly thank God for that. Some positive came from this wacky day, we got a few good shots of Nathan which we added to the Yahoo site. Once again, he slept a full 8 hours thru the night. This is a dream come true. He seems like he wants to talk, he probably has so much to say to us. Things like, what a wonderful daddy he has. He probably has to say somethings to mommy, but it would be inappropriate to repeat them. I do know that when Nathan is around, she is unaware of who I am. Unless there are chores to do.
Well I'll make this night brief, we had 2 people sign our guestbook today.. whoopy !!! Tomorrow we are going to FANA to see the couple from Minnesota, the Jones', receive their little girl. Her name is Carolyn. Boy is she a cutie. If you would like to see her, www.caringbridge.org/mn/studinskijones
Well have a wonderful work week, just think of us as we are suffering greatly here in Bogota. I have no idea how we do it. See ya.

Saturday, November 29, 2003 10:21 PM CST

Well, we made it through almost 1 full week here and I can honestly say it is the best experience of my life. Nathan was absolutely wonderful as he slept a full 8 hours. Happy days are here again.... I actually had to wake him up to feed him. I TOLD YOU he was a good boy !!! We are praying for the same output tonight as we did the same routine as last night. Bath, quiet time, Bottle, bed. As you can tell from the photo, Nathan so loves his mommy, she has a way of comforting him in a manner I have never seen before. He just stares at her lovingly. I, on the other hand, am his big play thing. It's party time and I reap all the rewards... SMILES !!!! We've tried so hard to get a photo of his smile, but he likes to play games, he won't do it !! He already knows how to "work us". He is the "binky" king as he sucks away on that thing a mile a minute. The only time he cries is when that binky falls out, which seems like every 10 seconds. He's getting better. I was not a big fan of the pacifier, but after consulting with Barb, she told me that Lou is a pediatric dentist and that if he sucks on his fingers (man does he) that it would be better if uses one. Live and learn goes the expression and there is so much truth to that statement. Enough with that little brat. Now on with the show. We did some more sightseeing, and this time we went to La Candelaria, which is Bogota but it is called the "old city". Check the yahoo site in the Nov29 folder to see the part of the city. I know this probably sounds more like a travel brochure than a site created to keep you updated on Nathan, but I have always said this is a vacation with a baby as your reward. We went to the leather district which is an area in the city with close to 25 shops that sell leather. It is so cheap, we may come back with a store of our own. We went to lunch at a cute little place, don't even ask what the name was. We went to have coffee at a little coffee shop in the leather district and all six of us had cappuccinos, cookies,& cakes. the grand total was just under $9 US. I decided that I would be the generous one, and splurged and pick up the tab. Please hold your applause. Tomorrow we are heading to church at LaFontana, where it is an outside chapel. The service is held in a "cathedral" in which the building has no roof, and only 3 wides. After the mass, they have a band playing and plenty of food, now that's a nice worship service. The Jones family just arrived as I am typing this. They are set to receive their daughter on Monday. They seem pretty tired which is really no surprise. they are from Minnesota, so I will assume they have a pretty long day. Well, it's now past midnight and I'm pretty tired. Cheryl and Nathan went to bed early. 'Till tomorrow... Good night and God Bless.

Friday, November 28, 2003 9:22 PM CST

Well it's day 14 and we're still going strong, oh wait, it's only day 5. Oh how time flies !!! Anyway, it was a beautiful day here in Bogota as Cheryl and I set out for some sightseeing with our driver, Jorge.(Hor-hay) He took us to a part of the city called Monserrate. It is a mountain south of Bogota and the view was breath-taking. We took a cable car to the top where Jorge told us we were 10,000 feet above sea level. Bogota is arounf 6,000 ft. above sea level so that should give you an idea how high we were. We took some fabulous pics of the view. (click link to yahoo site) We created a yahoo site for pics (Thanks Caroline) so we could put more than a few for you to see. Now back to the novel... We saw a church on top of the mountain and it was beautiful. 90f the country is Roman Catholic and very religous. They have a room where people make a 9 week journey to church in where people walk up the mountain for 9 weeks and ask God for needs. After the nine weeks if their prayers are answered, they dedicate a plaque to God for providing. He always provides according to His will. Awewsome !!! We then went to lunch north of Bogota at a place called CASA BRAVO.(strong house) Jorge ordered for Cheryl and I and we had real Colombian delights. Believe it or not, Cheryl actually ate it. (She had roasted chicken) The view was spectacular. We truly enjoyed ourselves and Jorge was the best. We came back to Betty's Place around 3:30pm to find Nathan in very good hands, Alicia once again with her loving care. What a beautiful place. We then found out that the Postons have reached Sentencia (signing). They have hit a few snags but should be leaving to go home to Canada next week. Congrats Craig,Caroline,Julia,&Alexandra ! We can never repay you for all your help. thanks again !! We will surely miss all your valuable guidance and wisdom. As for Barb Surace, the "mom" and "doctor" and strength to everyone is receiving a helping hand as she plans to head home on Wednesday with a family that is truly blessed. I will try not to spoil the surprise so if you really need to know, you'll have to visit their site www.caringbridge.org/ny/surace. We will truly miss her and those special children. Francesca is in 1st grade and is as smart as she is beautiful (& she is gorgeous). Matthew is the most precious kid I have ever been around. He is the biggest ham and will most certainly give his big brother, Louie Jr., a run for his money in being the greatest "kissing bandit". He will touch your soul with his smile. And of course, sweet smiling Antoinette. What a cutie pie, she lights up a room with a smile. (and that's honestly not cliche')we wish you a safe journey home and we hope to see you again soon. Thank you from our souls for everything. (Tear Break) ........
Dinner time was left-over festival, turkey day too..
After dinner we brought Nathan into the family room to attempt to keep him awake so we could have at least 2 straight hours of sleep, you see he seems to think that 4am is "Happy time"... and dopey Daddy played right along. BIG mistake. I'm learning on the fly so give me a break. We then took him up for bath time and he LOVES his bath, Thank you again Lord. Cheryl then took quiet time with Nathan as I rushed off to do the bottles, laundry, and journal time. She fed him around 9:15 pm and put him to sleep, he really loves his Mommy !!! We have a wonderful day planned tomorrow with the Suraces' and the Postons' to go to a city near Bogota, whose name has been told to me 1,000 times and I still cannnot remember it. Anyways, we are going to the "Leather District" in where you can buy a hand-made Leather jacket for around $50 american. Needless to say Cheryl would like to buy a cow pasture full of coats. It's insane, the cost of things down here are ridiculous. We did buy a few "memory" items in our tour today and I'm sure we shall pick up a few tomorrow as well. And so are the days of our lives... Stay tuned for more in the exciting adventures of Nathan, colombian boy extrordanair.

Just a reminder to all our friends and families, we cannot express enough, how much your "letters" to this site make our day. We look forward to winding-down at night and ease our home sick blues. Please write, even a little something gives the encouragment we need. In case you were unaware, you can read all the past journals we have written by clicking the link below. Also, keep up with all the pics we continue to compile at our Yahoo site, once again the link is below. Happy trails, until we meet again. good night and God Bless.

Thursday, November 27, 2003 9:13 PM CST

We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving, I know we did even though we were not home. We had the opportunity to be a part of a very special moment here at Betty's Place, we witnessed a presentation from Barb Surace to Mercedes on behalf of FANA Families of WNY, a check in the amount of $80,000.00 to be used for the medical staff and medical equipment and a promise of another $50,000.00 by the end of the year. Needless to say it was very emotional to see the expression on Mercedes face. She seemed overwhelmed. She is truly one of the most "beautiful" people I have had the pleasure to meet. She has a heart for children that is absolutely unmatched. And on to the Nathan diaries..... I'm not sure if I have ever said this, but he is an awesome baby. He is so good I can't believe he really is real. Going into day 5 we are finding out more and more the little kinks of parenthood. We have solved the sleeping positions, and now we have solved the eating difficulties. He was eating 5oz. at FANA but when we got him he was only eating 2-3oz. Everyone told us it was the "new" situation and the "new" environment etc... but count on Alicia (our wonderful nurse) to realize that the holes in bottles were not big enough. Nathan seemed to be eating faster than a dog at the dinner table, but was getting nowhere. It seemes that the nurses at FANA "powerfeed" the babies there because there are so many babies and not enough help. Well let me tell you, Nathan is now eating to match his look. Only kidding, I know he's beautiful but you have to admit, he's appears to have a good healthy appetite. He is now eating 4-5 oz. on a consistant basis. He slept most of the day away as we prepared for Thanksgiving, man oh man is he a good boy. At times it seems so surreal that he really truly genuinly is our child. I look at him with Cheryl and it just seems so right. (for a lack of better words) He looks at her with such love and deep peace. Last night I actually had to pick him up to feed him at 5 o'clock in the morning. He didn't make a peep, he just opened his eyes and looked at me, he hadn't eaten in 6 hours and didn't even "complain". But anyway, the jist of the story is that Cheryl wanted to feed him, and I just layed there and watched him just "stare" at her with such love and "need" in his eyes. Every once in a while giving her a little smile. In other words, it was AWESOME !!!!! I haven't slept the first few days because I guess I'm the worry wart. but there is nothing to worry about because like I have said maybe once or twice, he is such a good boy. So as you can see, I have so many things to give God my praise and worship. Our God is a good good God. Goodnight and till we meet again. Or at least until I write again. Oh yea, by the way, Cheryl and I are going with the Postons' to do a little sight seeing in La Candelaria which is other wise known as the "old" city here Bogota. As I have said before, we got it rough here!!!!! PS. I noticed that people have been visiting this site but not many are writing us. Please do so, You have no idea what it means to us to read little notes from everyone. Cheryl and I look forward to "hearing" from all of you. Even if it's just a brief hello, although we prefer a nice long letter. Thanks for the memories. More good new, click on the link below to see more pics of Nathan.

Wednesday, November 26, 2003 9:58 PM CST

Day 3 with our precious little boy... We could not ask for a better child, Nathan is just so special. I know parents all think that their child is the most special but sorry to say that Nathan has cornered the market. We had our Bienestar today and it went perfectly. Nathan was so good, not a peep from him until food time. Check out his little Bienestar outfit on the next picture page. Well, think we'll make it a little short tonight as we have a big day tomorrow as we are having Mercedes and the whole clan from FANA for Thanksgiving dinner, American style. We hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving, although we will miss everyone, we have so much to thank God for right here in Colombia. Hopefully Day 4 will be more eventful. Until then, May God continually bless everyone of Nathan's many supporters. Good night !!

Tuesday, November 25, 2003 7:48PM CST

Well, we made it through our first night with Nathan and boy was it fun, NOT ! We just found out why he wouldn't sleep, Elizabeth informed us that he sleeps on his stomach. At least we found out after only one night. Today was uneventful on the Nathan front, he basically slept all day (up all night), except for his first bath. The fun came with Matthews first birthday party at FANA. To see all those beautiful children just waiting for someone to step up and show them the love they deserve, was gut wrenching to say the least. But to see the joy on their faces because of the love from the nurses and doctors and everyone at FANA was spectacular. Every single child looked at you with a smile that could melt your heart and we know that they did to our hearts. We took some wonderful video of the whole birthday and Matthew and all the kids had a wonderful time. Cheryl was just wonderful as she and I were helping some of the orphans eat their cake and ice cream. Tomorrow we go to Bienestar (Colombian social services) to meet with them and this is the beginning of the waiting game. It was so important to have this scheduled for Wednesday because this means there is a great chance we could be home within 3-4 weeks, maybe sooner but we are not holding our breath. We are truly having a wonderful time because of the special people that are here with us. We have to get up around 4:30 am and bring Nathan with us to Bienestar, so we are going to bed very early tonight. We are praying for a good night sleep. We were told that sleep as we knew it was now officially over. How right they are. Hopefully more pictures will be ready for tomorrow's posting. A special hello to our wonderful buddy family, the Andersons', for all their guidance and wisdom for this journey. Thanks guys. To Sam & Barb Antonio, your cards have been delivered and everyone was wonderfully and joyfully surprised. Especially Alicia, she seemed overwhelmed by your jesture. Stay tuned.....

Thursday, November 20, 2003 10:39 PM CST

Hello everyone, thank you so very much for all your blessings as we make our travel plans to go get our little precious Nathan. It makes us feel so wonderful to know we have so many beautiful friends and family. We will be in Bogota on Sunday, Nov. 23 and we will be presented to Nathan on Monday. We should be back in time for the most special Christmas ever. We'll keep you updated as often as possible. Thank you again, hope to see eveyone soon and May God Bless.

Friday, November, 14, 2003

To our shock, at 10:30pm on Friday, November 14 our wonderfully sneaky buddy couple, Dave & Shari Anderson, literally gave us the surprise and blessing of our lives. Nathan was given to us at God's perfect time !!! You guys are awesome, and sorry to Justin who could not survive the 4 hour wait it took to surprise us, Sorry about that !!!! We praise and glorify our Lord & Savior, Jesus christ for providing once again. Our hearts go to Cheryl's Dad (Paul), for making this possible. Through his selflessness, he is giving to us the greatest gift someone could ever receive. We pray that Nathan is a constant reminder of what love is truly about. Words will never express what this means to us. Thanks to every single family member for helping us thru this seemingly forever journey. And to our friends, who seem to be more excited about Nathan than we do, (NOT possible). We love you. Last but not least, Jerri Wegner, Mercedes, and every single unbelievably, awesome person that makes FANA what it is, the Miracle working organization !! Thank You All !!!

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