Papers arrived in Manila

Hi on Tuesday morning in Majuro 6/16/09! We learned yesterday that Boston's paperwork has arrived in Manila! Hurray! The paperwork left Honolulu on Friday 6/12/09 and went to California, Alaska, Guangzhou China, and then to Manila. You have to love Fed Ex and their efficiency! Tracking the documents on the Fed Ex website - I appreciate all the detail when it tells me moment by moment where the packet is - in the sorting facility, on a delivery truck, and finally signed for by the person at it's destination. It could be a couple weeks of processing in Manila - but we are hoping and praying for the quickest turn around. Once the papers arrive back here - we can leave for home.

Yesterday morning we drove around the island a little bit in our rental car. No more tuna can rental car - now we have one with a failing muffler - but the price is right! The two pictures below are from us pulling off to the side of the road, and following a path down toward the water on the oceanside.

Peter got a hair cut yesterday morning - our friends Gordon and Marissa have a salon here and we had gotten to know the main worker there. Well it was the longest (time-wise) haircut Peter ever had - (the kids and I were waiting outside at a picnic table and I kept thinking he must be chatting after the haircut because almost an hour had passed) and probably the shortest his hair has ever been. It looks good - but he is ringed in white skin all around his neck and ears - where he has tanned, and now the hair is shorter than that - so he has a white outline! And, would you believe it was just $10 for the cut. Maybe we'll all visit there in the next weeks ahead!

While Boston napped in the afternoon, Peter and Jacob stayed back with him in the room. Hannah and I went and met with the birth mother of friends from home, and got to deliver some gifts to her. I realized this is the fourth set of birth families that we have taken to the Tide Table restaurant. They have been very welcoming of us and all our guests!

For dinner last night we went to "Special Restaurant". Isn't that name great!? Someone had recommended it for their fried fish with brown sauce. We were the only ones there, the server phoned the chef, and he walked in the front door and started cooking. The kids and I had ramen (boring but safe) and Peter ordered their signature fish dish. I should have taken a picture! The whole fish was lying on his back - with his head up and mouth wide open. The fish's belly was open with veggies and sauce there. The kids loved looking at the fish, his eyes, teeth, etc. Peter said it tasted good. I was content to just look at it!

The picture below is of the kids while we waited outside for Peter to finish up....they had finished their food and were ready to get going. Boston looks a little squished between the kids - and he was hot and sweaty...but we were having a good time. While we were out there, the chef came outside and walked up to a little store window in the same building and bought many ramen packets. I guess we bought out his supply and he needed more.

Bye for now - Love, Lois