And now we are home...

I am proud to announce that just over 2 weeks ago (May 23rd), Marco and I arrived in Chicago with our precious girl. Jessica is finally home and she is just adorable!

I have to apologize for being so tardy in updating the blog - my sister and her family were visiting from London (they were here to welcome Jessica into the US!!) and we have been busy sight-seeing with them! Jessica has been to Milwaukee Zoo, she has been swimming at our club in Bannockburn, she has visited our summer house in Galena IL, she has taken a stroll at the Chicago Botanic Gardens AND she is now a full member of Kohl Childrens Museum in Glenview IL!!! She really has already embraced a lot of the jewels of living in this great city.

Last week we took her to her first US pediatrician's appointment. She is doing really well. She now weighs 20lb 4oz.... she is on the chart but in the lower 25 percentile for weight and height. Our little pickle will never be anything other than petite!

We are missing our friends in Guatemala terribly - and pray that their cases will move along quickly and they will get better news soon. Especially Debbie and Maria who so deserve good news and to get back into PGN. They are in our thoughts and prayers every day.

April 15th - some pictures!

Since my last post I have had a sickness bug and Jessica has had a mouth and throat infection...but that said we are both now well. So let's be thankful for that!

Jessica and I experienced our first significant earthquake together yesterday, it was horrifying. It registered 6.1 on the scale and shook me in the shower. But again we are thankful that we were not in any real danger. But please God....let us come home now.

Jessica continues to grow up so quickly it is scarey - where is our baby?? Today she managed to chomp on a chicken drumstick - quite a feat for a little lady without a single tooth. It was my proud mother moment of the day:




Here are some photographs of Jessica with a few of her new friends - in order we have the Hughes bunch (our neighbors), Jessica with Mackinley, Jessica with Reagan, and Jessica and Maria hugging (helped along by Auntie Debbie & Mummy)!






Jess and I are off to Guatemala City tomorrow to try and expedite the processing of our new birth certificate. Then in the afternoon we are going to meet Daddy who arrives for a 5 day stay - YIPPEEE! On Thursday we are hoping to go to the Montericco to stay near the ocean for a few days (so I can try out my new bikini that Daddy is bringing for me - and work on my tan!).

More to come in a few days.
xxx

A long-awaited update

Firstly I would like to say a BIG Happy Birthday to our darling daughter! I can not believe Jessica is 1 today - she grows more beautiful, happy, funny and loving each and every day.

So much has happened since my last post it is hard to know where to start. I will do my best to include everything noteworthy.

Firstly I have had 2 more visits from Marco and a visit from my Mum and Aunt Phyllis. All my visits have been wonderful - and it means a great deal that my family and friends have been so supportive during this time away from home. The visit from my Mum and Aunt was actually also very timely, as the day before their arrival I had my left leg put into a cast from the knee down (having fallen down the stairs in our apartment and damaged my left ankle). I am pleased however to announce that the cast is off and my ankle is returning to its normal shape and strength.

Jessica thankfully has remained fairly healthy - she did have an ear infection, for which we are completing a course of antibiotics. But thankfully nothing more serious (although the temperature of 104.6 was a worry for 24 hours...!).

Before Marco's second visit we moved from our apartment to a house at the Santa Rosa apartment area. It is a much better location and there are grass areas and a swing park for Jessica and the other children to make use of. Plus we have all the other fostering families (as well as Debbie who is my good friend - thank goodness for Debbie!) who have become our playmates, counsellors, and good friends!

We have also been able to spend one weekend (during Marco's first visit) at the ocean which was good fun and a couple of weekends with Debbie and the babies in the city. During one city visit, on Valentines Day, we were able to see Iliana - Jessica's foster mum and have lunch with her and visit her home to see Iliana's mother also. During Marco's second visit we were able to spend the afternoon with Gaby (Iliana's daughter) which was also great. They all were missing Jessica so so much.

We held Jessica's first birthday party at the new house. We had it a week early so that Marco could join us. All our friends came and shared pizza, chocolate and banana birthday cake and a huge Winnie the Poo pinata! It was a great afternoon and Jessica had a blast.

Our sad sad news is that a few days ago we had a call from Gaby to tell us that a few hours earlier Iliana had died of a heart attack. She was only 56 years old. Jessica and I attended her funeral in the city the following day. It was truly a devasting day. The shock of this and the sadness will never leave us. She was such a wonderful mother figure to Jessica for the first 10 months of her life. We will be eternally grateful for her care of our precious daughter. Now we have to hold Gaby up in our prayers as she comes to terms with the loss of her mother and becomes the sole carer of her grandmother - a huge responsibility at such a young age.

Iliana - God bless you, rest in peace. We love you very much.

Our blessing is that this afternoon on Jessica's actual birthday we were advised that our adoption case is OUT of PGN - it is approved. Thank you God. We were 105 days waiting for this news - and how befitting that we should get our approval today of all days.

So now we are on the final furlong and home is in sight. From now on I intend to dedicate my time here to expediting the final steps and bringing our little girl home to her forever family.

The Gringo Lifestyle

I thought I would post my first update from Antigua! I am here fostering Jessica and we are having a great time. Now I have been here for almost 1 week I can safely say I am far less anxious, already into a good routine (especially at bedtime) and enjoying being a mummy!

At the first part of the week I had Marco to help me get things in order. Now I have my good friend Sarah until Sunday. So from Monday Jessica and I go it alone!

Already she is eating great - she is not a fussy eater at all - and she loves my shepperds pie! She loves the bath and the pool and all the wonderful books we have been given to read. Mostly at this stage she likes to see if she can turn the pages and occassionally she is quite taken with the pictures!

Bedtime has so far been a huge success. She was not used to going to sleep awake - and putting herself to sleep. But now at 7.45pm (ish), after her nightime bottle, bedtime stories, and a quick chat about her day, I lay her in her crib and she happily lays there, sucking her thumb until she is able to fall asleep! This is the biggest acheivement I have made in ages (forget the recent promotion at work - this is HUGE!!). Of course the first night of trying this was hard - I had to literally pace the livingroom coaching myself into not picking her up! But as my sister Vanessa wisely said, it is a parents responsibility to get their baby into bed, but the baby has to learn to put themself to sleep.

I have signed up for Spanish lessons - and had my first 2 hour session. Jessica was great and we spent a lot of the lesson talking in Spanish (using our new words) about Jessica! She was most amused and had fun wiping her biscuit all over the desk!

On Monday I am meeting a couple of other mums at the pool who are also here fostering their babies. It will be the first time I meet them - so hopefully we can strike up a friendship to help us through this journey.

So there you have it - all in all a huge success!

As far as the adoption process is concerned, we are still out of PGN, and waiting for our CNA (central authority) number, like all the other parents in limbo. We hope this will soon resolve itself and we can get back into PGN and finalize the process ASAP. Please pray this will happen soon. As much as it is beautiful here, I can not wait to take our baby home.

Look out for the next post soon!
Lorraine y Jessica xxx

Good news and bad news

The good news...well we are all healthy and God has a plan for us....AND I finally managed to upload our Christmas pictures below!

The bad news...our case got kicked out from PGN.

On January 25th we were kicked out of PGN with 1 previo. Apparently the Barrios did not like our (standard issue) state police clearance letters. They stated that neither of us have any criminal history, were authenticated and all in order and based on fingerprinting we carried out last summer. But for no known reason they decided we need to get new letters. Lord give us patience and strength.

So that means two things - 1. I only have 2 days to sort this out before travelling to Guatemala on Saturday (and tomorrow I am in Minneapolis all day), and 2. we are out of PGN and waiting in limbo to see what will happen next. Despite the fact that the new Central Authority in Guatemala is registering cases, PGN is refusing to accept such cases back. So it is complete shut down and we, along with hundreds of other familes, have no idea when (or if) we will be back in PGN to try once more to complete our journey.

Please please please pray for us. Pray that we can sort out the State Police Clearance letter situation and get our adoption case back on track in PGN soon.

We really need your prayers and support and this time.

In PGN - praying for a smooth journey!

Apologies for taking so long to update the blog, I can offically confirm that our case was submitted to PGN on Dec 21st and registered on Dec 27th!

So now we are hpoing and praying that we are not kicked out of PGN for any previos and have a speedy and uneventful journey through.

Unfortunately due to the new laws that past at the beginning of this year, all new cases to PGN and any case that have to be resubmitted after a kick out, will now not be accepted by PGN until they are registered with the new body in Guat - the Central Authority ("CA"). The problem with that is that the CA is not just formed and there is no date for when it is likely to be formed. This has created delays and huge concerns for so many families and we pray for all of them now. We also of course pray that our case goes through and does not for any reason have to be resubmitted - if it does we join all those familes stuck in limbo.

On a lighter note I booked my flight today for my stay in Guatemala in February. From February 2nd I will be in Guatemala caring for Jessica until we can bring her home. Never again will I have to leave her there. That is such a blessing. I am renting a beautiful apartment and can not wait to have her with me!

Roll on February 2nd!

We got PA!!!!

Thank you God - we received the email notification this morning that we have received Pre-Approval from the US Embassy in Guatemala.

This is a good step forward. Now we need to hear that we are out of Family Court in Guatemala and have entered PGN. If we can speed through PGN we could potentially be out before year end. Let's all pray for that.

So dear Lord we pray for your help to work through all the people responsible for our case in Guatemala, so that they may handle all paperwork quickly and efficiently and do everything in their power to ensure our daughter is able to come home soon.

Praise the Lord for he is good!

Abuelita Cela - a great lady remembered

I just returned today from Lima, leaving Marco there with his family. On Monday Marco's beautiful mother and Jessica's long awaited abuelita passed away. We buried her on Tuesday afternoon, with the sun shining, a host of loving family members and friends paying tribute and with a full police escort - fitting for such a wonderful lady.

I am truly sad that Jessica did not get the chance to meet her abuelita - but she will certainly know all about her and be reminded often what a great person she was - not only through the man she made her son (Jessica's father), but through her impressions on Rebecca and Sammy and me.

TO LIVE IN THE HEARTS OF THOSE YOU LOVE, IS NOT TO DIE

God bless Marcela, and rest in peace.

Thank you for my dear husband, and all you raised him to be. For him I will always be thankful to you.

1st Visit Trip

We have book out flights to see our beautiful baby girl. We fly out to GUAT on Weds Oct 17th and return on Sun Oct 21st! We will have 4 whole days with her to ourselves! I can not wait...

Now we just need to finalize hotel plans. We are currently booked at the Radisson, but may switch to the Westin.

I had better get all her clothes ready and toys packed! :-))

LabCorp debit to our credit card!

Today at 8.30am I started my ritual of checking the unbilled items on our credit card in the hope of seeing the debit from LabCorp for the DNA test.........and YES it was there - $470!! The entry was dated 9/28. I have never in my life wanted to see a charge on our account so much! Onwards we go.

We are coming to get you Jessica darling - just as soon as we can.

We got DNA Authorization! YIPPEEEEE!

I just received the call today from my caseworker to let me know WE GOT DNA AUTHORIZATION!!!! I am SO happy. Now hopefully within 2 weeks we should receive the DNA match results and a picture of Jessica with her birthmother (which I of course will treasure forever). Then starts the wait for Pre Approval (PA). All being well we will have PA and be in PGN by mid-December. Let's pray we are in PGN before the end of the year...

Secondly the DOS has 'revised' their warning and this new paragraph leaves me with much hope...

"At this time, over 3000 applications for adoption from Guatemala are in process with USCIS or the Guatemala government. The U.S. government is asking the Government of Guatemala to allow such cases, now pending, to proceed to completion without additional requirements."

Today is a BLESSED day. Our God is good.

'Faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, to be certain of the things we can not see' Hebrews Chapter 11 verse 1

Beyond devastated and scared...

I share this article with you as it clearly articulates my fears around today's DOS announcement (http://travel.state.gov/family/adoption/country/country_389.html). It is written by Hannah Wallace, president of Focus on Adoption.

Focus On Adoption Deplores DOS' position on Guatemalan Adoptions. Today, September 25, 2007, DOS announced several reasons why prospective adoptive families should not commence an adoption from Guatemala. Not least among them was the purported intention by unnamed Guatemalan officials that the Guatemalan government intends to ignore the clear requirements of the Convention and intends to disallow in-process cases from proceeding under existing law.

Any first year law student can read the Convention and immediately grasp why this "information" is, at best, misguided and, more likely, part of the consistent pattern of the existing (and soon-to-depart) Guatemalan administration's open hostility to constitutionally protected notarial adoptions in Guatemala. DOS is keenly aware of the provisions of article 46 of the Convention and is therefore likewise fully aware that this so-called "plan" is fundamentally at odds with the processes required by the Convention for its applicability. Yet, rather than identify and challenge the patent inconsistency and illegality of the "plan," and in lieu of consulting with the agencies that are left to manage the panic the warning will inevitably produce, DOS instead chose to publish this "plan" as part of "warning." Why?

In issuing this warning, DOS, the "Central Authority" of the United States, has acted wholly contrary to the interests of U.S. adopting families. DOS should not be "warning" of this plan; DOS should be resisting this plan. American families who are already in process have the right to expect their government to do everything within its power to protect and preserve their rights as reflected in the Convention that the U.S. has been working toward implementing for over 15 years now. DOS's assertion that it is "working closely" with others "to support Guatemala's transition to meeting its obligations under the Hague Convention" is belied by the utter failure of its "warning" to announce U.S. resistance to a "plan" the implementation of which would be in clear violation of the Convention and would directly affect thousands of American families. Why?

Indeed there are changes happening in Guatemalan adoption. Currently, there are two bills pending in the Guatemalan Congress that would bring Hague compliance to Guatemalan adoptions. One, Bill 3635, would retain much of the current architecture, including many salutary features, of the Guatemalan adoption process, while bringing needed reform to parts of the process that all agree should be reformed. Another, the so-called "Ortega law," would render intercountry adoption theoretically possible but practically impossible. The mysterious "plan" that DOS warns of is fundamentally inconsistent with the Guatemalan Constitution, as it is only the Congress who can pass legislation and determine when and how this legislation will take effect. So far the Guatemalan Congress has NOT passed either proposal into law. However, it is a matter of interest to child advocates that DOS and the Hague are strongly promoting the Ortega Law, # 3217 and the Guatemalan congress is reporting on great international pressure to pass a law which includes no funding plan or possibility of practical implementation. Yet, DOS fails to so state. Why?

FOA challenges all adopting parents to flood the U.S. Government, in all its various forms, with questions for our "Central Authority" – Why? Why? Why? Why is DOS ignoring the clear requirements of the Convention? Why is DOS failing to protect the interests of Americans who have undertaken a process in good faith? Why is DOS failing its mandate under the Convention to ensure that adoptions proceed expeditiously and according to the terms of existing law? Why is DOS supporting passage of a law which will hinder adoptions and place children in jeopardy?

Please write to your two U.S. Senators, your U.S. Congressperson, the President
of the United States, and directly to DOS. Hold DOS accountable.
You can find your US Senators and Representatives at: p://www.congress.org/congressorg/home/
You can write to DOS at:
Main address:
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520
Main Switchboard:
202-647-4000
TTY:1-800-877-8339 (Federal Relay Service)

Now I am running short of patience...

I know all good things come to those that wait....BUT...I am now tired of checking my credit cards unbilled activity 8 times a day to see if the DNA test fee has been taken. We were told to expect this to happen approx. 2 weeks after the date of our I-171H and no longer than 3 weeks. Well we are now at 4 weeks and still no debit - and no updates from our attorney with the reason for the delay. To say I am on the edge of my seat is an understatement.

I just need news. Just give me something God to show me that this is progressing - albeit slowly. I do not even want to contemplate the alternative.

I have to believe for whatever reason we have hit a 'busy' time at the embassy for the DNA authorizations. That is all.

Please pray with us that we will see some progress soon.

A note from Auntie Ness - 9/1/2007

Dearest Loz, Marco, Sam & Rebecca,
With lots of love and so many congratulations on your new baby girl. We long for Jessica's safe and swift arrival home to her forever Mummy and Daddy. May God bless her and you and all those that he has chosen to help bring her home.

With so much love,
Auntie Nessy, Uncle Andre and Cousin Charlie xxx

"A baby will make love stronger,
days shorter, nights longer,
bankroll smaller,
home happier, clothes shabbier,
the past forgotten,
and the future worth living for" Anon

Family Court

We have still not received official confirmation on entering family court (each attorney has different stages they communicate on), but have been advised by our agency coordinator that we are most likely now in family court in Guatemala.

With respect to the US immigration side of things, we are still awaiting the debit to our credit card to show us that DNA testing has been authorized...this is quite possibly the first time I have prayed to see a debit posted on our credit card!

The elections in Guatemala are held on Sunday (Sept 9th). It is going to be very interesting to see the repercussions for international adoption based on the results. Let's pray whatever candidate is elected, they will have the children's best interests at heart.

Medical Report

Jessica's latest trip to the pediatrician yesterday went well. At 4 months and 23 days old she weighs 12lb 6oz, her length is 60.5 cm and her head circ. is 40 cm. She has good muscle tone, reflexes are normal, hearts and lungs are normal, she rolls, smiles, explores everything, puts her hands in her mouth and babbles! Not to mention she is ADORABLE.

I am such a proud mother!

Comment Field

My friend Francis asked me to open our blog today, so that viewers can leave comments. So be it! Please feel free to leave your comments after this and any future posts.

Quick Update

OK so today we received a DVD with some recent recordings of Jessica May from when our agency coordinator visited Guatemala a couple of weeks ago. Apparently she is a really happy baby - very sociable and has lots of big smiles!

Oh my goodness she is absolutely BEAUTIFUL. We watched the DVD with Sam and Rebecca and all agreed that she is incredibly cute. The other comforting thing is that her foster mother seemed so wonderful on the DVD - very kind and sweet.

We also received the hard copy notice of our I-171H. And straight away this was faxed to the main agency in Florida. So I have been told this will be with our attorney in Guatemala by Monday, and the DNA authorization should take no longer than 2 weeks. So we are willing that to be completed very soon.

With our POA registered hopefully early this week, and the DNA authorization to be issued in a couple of weeks we will feel much safer.

Ziplock Bags

So despite my valliant efforts I was not able to convince my agency to take more than the strict 1 2-Gallon Ziplock bag of goodies to Jessica when they visit Guatemala in October...bummer.

That said on a positive note, what I had thought were 2-Gallon bags were actually only 1-Gallon bags, so now I can squeeze more clothes and toys in than I had originally thought.

So today I went shopping for some 2-Gallon bags. It seemed like an easy quest, but alas Walgreens and Ace Hardware do not stock them. So I had the manager of Ace put a special order in for me that will arrive sometime next week!

A good day...

Today we received I-171H approval notication via email (with the written notice to follow in the mail). Phew...this is one big step forward. Typically this is taking 4-6 weeks to receive and we only submitted our home study just over 2 weeks ago, but with a couple of emails and some outright pleading...I was able to have them expedite our case. My motherly love instinct is definitely kicking in....heaven help those teachers at Jessica's school in years to come!

Also I was able to send the fully legalized POA to our agency - which also is a big step forward. Now if we can register the POA and complete the new DNA testing we can move into family court. The DNA testing may take up to 3 weeks so please pray that we can expedite that in order to move forward in the knowledge that Jessica is more formally assigned to our family.

"Be anxious for nothing, but by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7)