April 3A

It is early in the morning when I first get up. We spent our first day together yesterday and had a great time. The two girls are asleep on the blow up mattress, the older one having Hogged the blanket during the night. I take my blanket to cover the younger and just as I do the older girl opens one eye and gives me a smile.

We are still on first impressions. But my first ones are that the two girls are everything we could want. They get along well with Ashley. They are funny, they are thoughtful and considerate. They have likes and dislikes.

We have changed interpreters. Interpreting is hard to do. This new interpreter is a girl so our girls feel more free to talk. She is young so it is like an older sister. They open up and talk about there feelings. One shares something pianful, I do not know if she wittnessed this person who should have protected her do this or if it was told to her as a reason for why they have gone? I reach out and take her hand and tell her we will Love her and to please let us be her family. I am sitting across the table so I can look her full in the eye. She does not cry but I can hardly hold it together. I have to look away to break the thought.

We went to the Fair Ashley wrote about. Boy that one ride with the 30 ft, rusty chains, each with a seat on the end. The one that spins so you go out to the side, flying free in a big circle. Boy did I get my money's worth. Ashley was pretending to be sick (convincingly). I did not want to be a dad on the sidelines. I screamed the loudest.

I have found their term of endearment. First choice is not dad, daddy, or father. It is papa which means to them dad, daddy and father. Now I am papa. My grand children call me this and I prefer dad but if it is what will allow their hearts to best attach to me then papa it is.

After the fair and orphanage we stoped back at the flat to get ready for Saturday night church. (may be doing to much) I had a cultural surprise in the food department. For many years I have enjoyed caned sardines. No One will eat them with me. Susan and Ashley do the EUUUGH! and the I Hate the smell routine.
So Susan is heating some water for soup and I do not think we have enough so I decide I will open a can for me. I show one of them the can while signing "Do you like to eat" I expect the EUUUGH or at least a shy no thank you. But no. Oh we love this! Do you have crackers?  So that is what we had, siting on the floor. Sardines and crackers. They even left the last one for papa; saying they were both to full when I offered it to them.  I think that also says something about them. Dont you?
Dave b.