He's in the Jungle, Baby

Every day now Camila and Gisele ask when we can go and get Johan Mateo, or "my baby" as Gisele calls him. I'm not sure who is more excited.

All the paperwork is out now, and so we're in waiting mode again, for the I-800 approval and our "encuentro", or meeting date, to be set. Then we can book flights and really get ready to go. Looking most likely at early to mid-March.

The concept of 4-6 weeks does not compute in their little heads, so our best answer to them - and to ourselves - is this: every day is one day closer.

Among the other cute things the kids say about you:
- Every morning as they sit at breakfast, Gisele points over to the refrigerator at the one picture we have of you (with that crazy blue hedgehog) and shouts: "Papi! Johan Mateo!", as if she's just seen you walking by.
- At night, she points to the same picture thumb-tacked next to her bed, and Camila and Gisele pray for you, that you are warm and loved and that God is preparing your little heart to join our family. Soon! (Secretly I pray that the crazy blue hedgehog isn't indicative somehow of your personality. ;-)
- We've been learning more about Caqueta, the state where you're from in the remote southern section of Colombia. One day Gisele walked over to your picture on the refrigerator and said, "He, he, he's in the JUNGLE."
- Camila is excited to show your picture to her Kindergarten class. Gisele also to her pre-K class. And Mami and I are like obnoxious new parents showing their baby pictures. We break out our iPhones with your picture and show everyone and their uncle (the dental hygienist, the checkout lady at HEB, the guy reading the gas meter). They all agree your so cute; and more than a few look crossways at that crazy blue hedgehog.

We have become more comfortable with the fact that we will be traveling to Florencia to get you, despite the security concerns. In fact, we've started embracing Florencia, learning about the beautiful city and state of Caqueta that's the home not only of you, but of beautiful parks, rivers, a big portion of the Amazon jungle, and the mouth of the great Amazon River itself... the "puerta del oro de las Amazonas".

We trust God will arrange everything perfectly. Signs he is already doing so:
- One of your Tia Alejandra's best friends from their church in Bogota has a friend who is opening a nice new hotel in Florencia, opening at the end of February. This may be a really good option for us to stay, better than what currently exists, and will give us great contacts there.
- We have discovered other good contacts in Florencia through other friends.
- Beth and Raul at Gladney have been THE BEST! Their lawyer Nora will be there in Florencia with us. They are advocating for us, guiding us, and we know we are in good hands.

But most importantly, we are in God's hands. We know He is going before us and preparing the way. As his word teaches, perfect love drives out fear. And our love for you has easily overcome any trepidation about going to Florencia. Frankly, we are excited to get to know your birth city.

2 Timothy 1:7 says, "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline."

It is with that spirit of power and love, not timidity, that we prepare to go to "the jungle" and meet you, our son.

Every day is one day closer. All we ask over the next 6 weeks of you, Johan Mateo ... stay away from that crazy blue hedgehog!