New Clothes!

I have been browsing for clothes for Rance for quite a while now, trying to see what was out there, what store had the best prices and where I could find what. All of the stores are tiny and just like the States, have only a few racks of boy clothes compared to the racks of girl clothes! Plus, you're lucky if they have more than one size in what they do have. Top that off with most of clothes being far from cute and me being picky and frugal, well, its been a challenge to say the least!

However, I knew I had to get some things for Rance to wear while here for 10 days before flying home. So yesterday I began by going to the outdoor market in the freezing cold. We got there right as most people were closing up shop so we didn't get to look much at all. Then we hit all but a few of the kids stores in town on our way home. I came home with one long sleeved t-shirt with Spiderman on it. Not that I liked it, but Rance seems to love Spiderman (about the only superhero he knows I think!) so I knew he would love it.

Today's Shopping Start Time: 9:30am.

Today we got up earlier and headed to the clothes market. We got more snow overnight and this morning was the coldest it has been yet. We walked all over the clothes market. I finally gave in and bought a pair of tennis shoes that I liked the best out of all we'd seen in this small town (very small selection!!). By that point in time we were so frozen we could hardly feel our fingers and toes and our legs were beginning to numb, and I hadn't really found anything else I liked, so we decided to call it quits on the outdoor market.

We decided to grab some pizza for lunch and to warm up before continuing our journey! On the way to the pizza place we did stop and buy a coat I had scoped out the day before. Much to our translators embarrassment I think, I had her ask for a discount on the coat twice! I had a really hard time buying a coat, they are so expensive here, and I knew I could get a great deal on one in the States right now. Unfortunately with this bitter cold weather we have to have a coat for Rance now. I ended up paying $48.50 for the coat, and it still bothers me that I had to pay so much!

After lunch we went into several banks to see about getting some cash. We ran out of the cash we brought with us and they sure don't make it easy to get cash here. After checking with several banks we realized we were just going to have to deal with the ATM fees as that's the only way to get money. Just thankful we found an ATM that will let us get more out per day than what we had been using!

We were once again freezing so we went back to the hotel to use the restroom, warm up and rest a bit.

After convincing ourselves to brave the cold again we bundled back up and headed out. We found a pair of Spiderman tights at one store (to go under his pants-its cold here and we are outside a lot!) that I knew Rance would love. Then at another store we got a pair of jeans, the only pair of jeans in this entire city that I found that were plain and not covered with pictures or writing. Jeans are also expensive and I am still getting over the fact that I had to pay $23.50 for a pair of children's jeans!! Our translator wasn't with us because she was working with some of our documents at the notary so I couldn't even negotiate! I would have come back later, but they only had one pair in his size and I wasn't going to lose this pair of plain jeans!

Finally at one last store I found a pair of grey sweatpants that are mostly plain, although they have "savage animal" embroidered on the knee. Not sure what that's all about, but they are about the only pair of sweatpants I have found in his size in this entire city so I gave in and purchased them. He needs something comfy to wear on our 24 hour journey home. At the same store I found a long sleeved t-shirt, a white long-sleeved undershirt and a fleece pullover. All but the white under-shirt were 30% off (bonus!) and I got all of this for only $31.50!! For here, that's a bargain!

Shopping Day Ended: 3:00

We had to end our shopping adventures to head back to the hotel to get things ready for our visit with Rance. We took all of our purchases for him to try on. At the orphanage Rance wears slippers, a pair of tights with a pair of shorts over them, with a long sleeved shirt or two. He typically wears each outfit for at least a week. None of his clothes are his--when he's not wearing an outfit another child is. He couldn't believe this was all for him! He said thank you after each item was pulled out of the sack and was thrilled to wear an outfit for our entire visit! Looks like a completely different kid in real clothes! If possible he is even cuter!!

I still have to find underwear, socks, a pair of PJ's, a hat and gloves, hopefully tomorrow. Matt has already informed me that after two days in the bitter cold shopping he and Cavin are done and will be staying home tomorrow while I finish! 

Only 4 more days until we get the court decree and get to pick Rance up from the orphanage!!


Only 2 weeks until we fly home!! (If everything goes as planned--praying!!)

Here are a few pictures of the outdoor market. After this my hands were too cold to function to take anymore! The market is open Tuesday through Saturday from 7-3. Everyday each booth owner/worker has to cart in their goods, unload them and set them up. Stand out in the freezing cold or hot weather all day, and then repack everything, load it up and cart it back to storage. Not an easy job, for sure.