A True Story

The other night, Matt and I were able to meet with another adoptive parent from our agency and a friend of hers. They were staying in town overnight to be at the airport the next morning to leave for a visit trip. We had a really good time. We went out to eat and just spent the time talking and getting to know each other. All went really well, that is until we got ready to leave. I got up and I have this really bad habit of having a glass of tea or something wherever I am and as we left I was drinking my Dr Pepper when we were leaving. Everything was going great and I went to get into the car when I realized I still had my drink. How embarassing. I had to go return it. I have started to do that before, but Matt always seemed to realize it before we left the restaurant, until now that is. Oh well. We had fun even laughing about that.

Fast forward to today and Anna has had the 2nd DNA test done. The test should be to Labcorp on Monday and Results ready and overnighted to the Embassy on Thursday or so and the Pink Slip 24 hours later if all goes smoothly.

Kristi is in Guatemala visiting with her daughter and is waiting on Pre-Approval from the US Embassy please be praying she receives it soon so she can enter PGN as she has been out of Family Court for awhile now.

For those following our journey and praying for us come Tuesday, December 11, is the vote for the new law. I do know it includes a grandfather clause, but we don't have any clue what that grandfather clause will mean to the over 4000 cases in progress. There are alot rumors running rampant over what that means and at this time we have no clue if any are true. I am not posting anything I have read until I know facts because rumors just cause distress and I dont want that I just want to know what we are all facing. PLEASE continue praying as the rumors are scary for a lot of people. Please be praying that our case and any one else in PGN gets out and that the people waiting for PA receives there's soon. REALLY soon. Mostly just please be praying for us adoptive parents, the Guatemalan Government and ours that oversees this process that decisions will be made for the good of us, them and the kids this effects. Thank you for your continual prayers. Now, if you look after this you will see a picture from the other night. It is Matt and I and Kristi. Left to Right.

We have it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What do we have??? We have PA!!!!!!!!!!

Well, y'all, I have been checking for PA everyday this week and while we were at lunch, yes at lunch and nowhere near the computer we got it!! How did we know, you ask? Our agency gets the same email from the US Embassy in Guatemala as we and our attorney does and when I didnt respond right back to her email, Carol called. Matt was sitting next to me and needless to say we were ecstatic, cloud one million and started calling everyone we could think of. When we got home first thing we did was look for the email from the US Embassy that stated we had it and when we found it it was just a simple statement we had it. So simple for something so fantastic and exciting. Now what, you ask? When do you bring your baby home? Well, first we haven't heard we are out of Family Court(FC), yet. Usually you get out of FC before getting PA (well not all the time but sometime) and until we have that we cant enter into PGN. What is FC? FC is the birthmother's homestudy and the report that her social worker will send out and is one of the necessary documents necessary to enter PGN. Next, when will we bring our baby home? Well, we are ALOT closer. We have to go through and get signed out of PGN before we can give any idea of when we will bring our baby home. PGN is affectionately termed the "black hole" of PGN as we never know when we will get out once we get in. Depends on if there are any previos (kick outs or KO). So still the answer to when we dont know when. We are praying and hoping!!!

Please continue to pray that we will be out of PGN by December 31, 2008. We are praying for our miracle and this would be our miracle.

I told that to a co-worker of Matt's today and she said that we should be praying for a miracle of being out of PGN by December 1,2008. That would be so awesome!!!! I really wish that could be the case. Do I dare ask for that miracle? I dont know if I can. I would be heartbroken if God said not yet, or no to that date and then my mind takes over and says it isnt possible. Remember, all those delays in the beginning. Well, I am still not sure if I want to ask that, but when I can spend some time with HIM in that decision I will post here. It would take all of you praying with us for that to happen as alot of things are happening politically in and between Guatemala and the US Govt pertaining to adoptions now in process which includes us. So, please in the next week or less please be praying about the decision to help us bring our son home. Not just our son but everyone's child home that is now in the process and there are thousands.

For all my friends and family and everyone reading this site please be praying about helping us all and we need the prayers for strength to get through it all, the wait, the ups and downs of PGN and everything else.

We go to visit our son again on October 14-18th and in order to afford this we need to fly standby. Matt's benefits will allow us to fly standby and visit once again. Flying standby means that we get a ticket without an assigned seat and then after everyone else has boarded if there are seats available the agent will clear standby passengers in order of priority. Matt works for US Airways Express and we are flying US Airways so all US Airways employees and family will have priority ahead of us. I miss my son terribly and looking forward to it. Please pray that we will have a seat on the trip there as well as trip back as US Airways flies only on Sundays, Tues, and Thurs to Guatemala and if not on the first flight we wont be going. For the trip back we need to be on it as Matt needs to be at work the next night. God is in control and He knows best so please pray with us.

Today is a great day!!!! Now, to get out of FC and into PGN. Thank you all.

What's Happening??????

Alot of people have been waiting on PA including us and last time I wrote they were at a standstill, but as of Monday they have been coming in pretty quickly, well from what I can see on the message boards. We have seen some PA's come in at 35 days and I am hoping it could be us also. Well, that is just a little of what we are hoping for. The sooner the better as we see it. Please continue praying for our miracle being we will exit PGN by Dec 31, 2008, Lord Willing.

Thanks for listening to my ramblings. Also, Please be praying for all other families as we continue on this rollercoaster ride to bringing our children home.