Hardest nut to crack!

Some say the macadamia nut is the hardest to crack, others say the Brazil nut.  I say I just found it here in Africa!  The name of this peculiar specimen is Della Price, commonly called Della.  Her allusive shell will. not. crack.  She refuses to share her inner "meat" with us.   She still hasn't smiled, cried, talked, crawled, or uttered hardly a single sound.  She does reach for us and likes to be held, but if she has any opinions she keeps them to herself.  We were told today that she really likes milk, and will sometimes not eat, just drink milk all day.  We had hoped to meet the foster mom today but nothing around here is certain.

She's feeling better today, fever is mostly gone and she's eating & drinking more.  She's looooves milk!

 

Do you see Doug in the background looking like a caged animal?

We went to immigration today to start the process of getting the exit docs.  Ety (our adoption agency staff) took us, and before we walked into the office he said that many do not like or understand adoption.  He keeps saying "be strong".  The office was crowded and dingy.  They didn't try to hide that they didn't like us.  There was arguing in french between Ety and the immigration ladies.  After it was over Ety told us what was said.  The ladies asked to have the parents say the child's name on the passport without looking at it first to make sure we memorized it and actually knew it.  They argued about do we know how to take care of children, why do we want this orphan and is he sure we are married?  Also, why don't these people have their babies covered, it is a cool day outside, and why couldn't we speak french.  We were told to stand, move, sit, and stand again.  But, a man did give his chair up for Sarah as we waited in the hall.  Ety said it went well and we'll hear back from DGM in about four days.  We still have no idea how long this process will take.  We ordered pizza along with our new friends next door who are also adopting a little girl.  It was delicious!  Doug said the man who delivered it was using a cart that he pushed along the road.

(These are the friends we met next door and shared pizza with, their little girl is 9 months old.)

We aren't allowed to take photos in public, but I'll try to describe to you some of the things we saw.  There are hundreds of people everywhere, in the street on the sidewalks.  Some of them carry heavy loads on top of their heads, we saw ladies skillfully balancing more than 50 oranges in bowls as they walk.  The women's clothing is beautiful.  Every color you can imagine with beautiful bold prints, the more professional dresses look like taffeta and sound like it as they walk past.  The bodice on their dresses are fitted with a flair at the waist and a fitted skirt gathered in elegant waves reaching down to the their ankles.  Their heads are wrapped mostly in matching fabric.  A lot of the men are very well dressed, nice slacks with a button down shirt & fancy shoes.  When the traffic signals turn green everyone goes at once, it's very stressful to be a passenger.  

Here is our hotel...