Dec 21 -- 4 days til Christmas!

It was a really good day today. The girls stayed with Valentina while we went to work, and then we came home at 3:00 for a meeting with our social workers -- Kidsave requires a certain number of meetings during the holiday visit. The girls were wonderful during the meeting -- they served us a full play-doh dinner of arepas, chocolate candies and soda water, complete with a post-it for us to review the meal and choose our favorite item! Afterwards they got to open one of their first Christmas presents, from KIPPTia Alaina:

They loved the hoodies and scarves and the coloring books were also a big hit. Then, we made cookies for the KIPP 5th grade play cast party.

After a "rico" taco dinner, the girls read some books with Padrino, watched 2 Kittys, and off to bed! Tomorrow they will come to KIPP for the morning and then stay with Valentina for the afternoon while I am at school for the 5th grade play. And then, Wednesday, my last day of work until we return from Colombia! Chris and I felt that it was just too hectic for the girls to spend another week shuttling around as they have been since they arrived for the holiday visit. So I am officially beginning my leave on January 4 and hope I will return to work in early March, assuming the court process goes smoothly and the girls transition well to school etc. here when we get back.