Finally...right?!

So as you remember, our plan was to get the heck out of Mali and spend some time in Senegal while awaiting visa interviews. Honestly, the last month in Mali really really sucked. My SO was probably at his lowest point. Plus, his mom came to visit (who he hasn't seen in 12 years) and this pushed him back into teenager-dom and he was even worse. She kept trying to control his actions and he resisted by drinking more and being out more. So it was a huge relief to get out of that situation. The girls and I flew to Senegal and I worked my butt off those first few days to find an apartment and school for Rokia. Within 2 days, I had found an apartment and 2 days later we moved in. After the weekend, Rokia started school.

The apartment is great. It's furnished and has internet/tv so we didn't have to set anything up. There are security guards and a pool, which we used a ton those first few weeks and now we haven't used it in awhile because it's too cold. We'll probably have to wait until February to go swimming again.

Rokia is in school which is really nice (for me haha). It is tough though because every morning, on our way to school, she starts talking about how she has no friends there and so on. It's got to be hard being the new kid in a new country and I'm proud of her for being brave. The mornings are rough but everyday when I pick her up, she has a huge smile and talks about how good it was. Go figure.

Amina is wonderful. She is such a big girl now I can't believe it. She is so communicative with baby sign language, blabbering, and head nodding/shaking. I can't believe how much she understands in English and Bambara! She is so independent too, toddling all over the place and playing by herself and with Rokia. But she is still a baby (don't ever grow up, Amina!) and still needs me (thank God haha).

On to my SO. He got here December 1st and I was so freaking nervous. And the first few days were shit. He managed to find friends in the first 24 hours and we barely saw him those first few days. And then something changed. And now, for the past 2+ weeks, things have been so different. He is home like 90% of the time. He goes out once or twice a week to see friends and is always home before 10 pm. We are doing things together (watching movies, going to the mall, going out to eat, reading together, etc) for the first time in over a year. Of course, he still sleeps more than I wish he would and he does less with the kids than I wish he would. But he is making progress and I am thankful for that. Now it's only been like 2.5 weeks so I don't want to get overly excited. I am always nervous that things will go back to the way they were. But for now, I'm trying to just enjoy how things are and how happy I am.

It looks like we'll be here another 3-4 months. His police certificate from the Ivory Coast took forever. Finally got to the US a few days ago and I had to translate it. Then, my good two-shoes parents wouldn't forge my signature on the translation so I had to send that via DHL as well. My dad will be hopefully sending in the package this coming week. So another 2 months to get that approved (that is IF we don't run into any problems) and then another month or so until an actual interview. It's a bummer but on the bright side, my parents are thinking of visiting in January or February which would be amazing!

Hugs to you all!

EDIT:
Lucybelle so graciously asked me to put pictures I was going to originally and then figured you are all my FB friends so you're probably sick of baby pics! But here are a few that aren't on FB (I think?)



Sisters


I see this face dozens of times per day- when Rokia is too rough with her, when you take away her super fun toy (like a piece of chalk or a computer cord), when she falls, and when you force santa hats on her)


Baby's first shoes!