Video cuteness and the best Christmas Ever

Dear Friends.  Tom here, interrupting Caleb's excellent blogging coverage.  He is sound asleep in bed where I need to get back to myself.  Had some network challenges getting videos uploaded, but they are ready now.  Switched them to my Vimeo album because we were having some other technical glitches with uploads under his album.

Every father should be this lucky!

Moon Angel from Tom Lococo on Vimeo.

Miss "J" demonstrating her awesome fine motor skills.

Julia New Ring Stacker from Tom Lococo on Vimeo.

Miss "J" doing what she really enjoys the most - biting things.  Not in a bad way, just in a way that gives her some comfort and allows her to explore things orally until we can get her little eyes better focused.  We see glasses in someone's near future.

Ring Stacking and Biting from Tom Lococo on Vimeo.

When our luggage was delivered tonight our facilitator confirmed her passport will be available Friday which means the last remaining impediment to Gotcha Day is just about clear.

It is looking increasingly likely that Gotcha Day will be Christmas Day, the day that Jesus Christ was incarnated as man, yet still God, in the form of an innocent baby in Bethlehem.  It reminds me of our Lord's words that we will see him most clearly in the eyes of every poor child or person we serve.  This Christmas I am seeing that most clearly in the deep blue eyes of this little baby girl in Eastern Europe.  Thanks to Him for this moment, and to the heart of a mom for orphans that would not rest until justice had been done for at least one of the "least of these".

Merry Christmas to all.  We are looking forward to being amongst our friends and family in the US soon to start a whole new year together, with blessings beyond measure.  May God bless you all this Christmas.

Patience and Miracles

Hello Everyone. Hope you're all in the Christmas spirit and ready for the day to come! Over here we are making ourselves our own little set of Christmas celebrations for the day, and it feels very much like Christmas at home, just without our precious family :(

Today's visit with Julia was one of the best, but at the same time one of the shortest and hardest. We got there a little late as our driver needed to get our facilitator to a couple places as well, and pick up the Winkles so they could visit Bohden and Yuri. By the time we got there, the Winkles and us had already lost about half an hour of our time. Julia was in a very happy and interactive mood today, and just as we were really (and I mean, wholly and entirely) getting comfortable and playing really really great with her, her caretakers came in a half an hour early to get her for lunch.

While it may be better that she got her meal when she did, it was very sad to have our visit halved today. We so wish we could bring her back to the apartment with us. We really totally want to be able to play, laugh, and be with her all day. But for now, we are learning a lesson of patience and trust that God will take care of it. On the plus side though, cute videos and pictures abound.

Julia: "Your hanging me upside down 20 minutes after  giving me cheerios? Gee, the workers are right. You Americans ARE crazy."

Another positive note: Julia's passport will be back from the country's capitol tomorrow and we could indeed be looking at picking her up Christmas Day or the day after. Please pray we can have our sweet little Julia in our arms soon!

P.S. - Our luggage arrived today!!!! Now we have American food to eat and clothing for our baby girl.  Yeah!