ya!

Ya literally means "already" in spanish. It is, however, also used as "I'm done already!" too. For example, if you are done playing with something, you could give it back to the owner and say "ya!" This is one of HG's new words and she uses it correctly. When sitting on the potty, she says "ya" when she is done and is ready for you to give her the paper if she can't reach it. Ya actually explains a lot for us right now, you now. Ya is exactly right, my lovie.

Sorry. The "few days" I said it would take for me to write about my trip to Guatemala turned into much longer. My mind. Remember we were waiting for the certified copies and then we got them? Well, after they were submitted to the PGN/Attorney General's Office, we decided I should go down, trying to push it through the remainder of the process in that office. I flew down on Monday afternoon and finally crawled into my bed in Antigua around 12 a.m. The alarm went off at 4:15 a.m. and I was downstairs by 5 a.m., ready to ride in the van. Little HG was coming along with me! She was a little stand-offish at first, but once her foster mom, A, left and HG realized it was either me or no one, she was fine. No tears or anything like that. We went to the US Embassy where I submitted these same certified copies, then off to the Judge's Court for some other certified copies (2 hour wait for 12 total photocopied pages), and then over to the PGN. Lots of waiting, of course, every where we went, but that's Guatemala. At the PGN, we were told that they now needed yet another document before they would release the file for processing. So, my trip didn't accomplish too much except to find out these new/additional requirements, getting the copies submitted to the Embassy, and last but not least, spending some time with my precious HG. There haven't been many new developments since then, sadly. Not much happens in Guatemala right now (at least not in the legal arena) due to Christmas celebrations, but we have some things in the works and I DO hope and pray that they are fruitful.
My time with HG was precious. She did indeed remember me. My name on this visit was often "Ma-Ma-Mee" which was pretty cute. She stayed pretty close to me and even refused to accept a cracker from my translator friend but would only take it from me. Her walking looks GREAT! I only saw the "dandy walker stance" when she was walking barefooted in our hotel room (tile floor). In the past, I would see the stance anytime we were walking someplace completely unfamiliar. I didn't see that this time. Praise the Lord! That means her legs are getting stronger, she is becoming more sure with her movements, and perhaps even she is negotiating better with the vision she has. She does speak quite a bit more now, using more words (even words that I didn't teach her before and yet I could understand her!). She did wet her pants while we were waiting for the copies at the Judge's Court. I take full responsibility, however, because I was tickling her after letting her spin round and round in the office chair. Laughing as hard as she was, I'm surprised I didn't go too because I was laughing so hard at her laughing! She did say "O! Pee Pee!" but it was too late. I had plenty of clothes for a change, but no panties. So, she had to go "commando" for the rest of the day! :) Funny story--the translator asked me after the clothing change if I had noticed a rash or something on HG's bottom. I said no but why did she ask? She said that HG kept pulling at her bottom and scratching. I smiled and told her that HG had no panties on and that I was quite certain that the tag was in her crack! I'd be pickin' my seat too, you know. Anyway, she was a real trooper and would often raise her arms up, asking me to pick her up. She fell asleep in the car on the way back to Antigua and she was OUT! She did wake up to eat a bit of pizza for dinner and then back down for the night. She wasn't as snuggly with me as she was in the past, but that's ok. She wasn't bothered by me being in the same bed as her, so I have no complaints. We spent the day together on Wednesday, just doing things together around the town. We visited her school where we talked with her teacher and I met her friend, Anuk. The foster mom took us to the school and then back to our hotel. When it came time to get out of the car, HG scooted as far away from me in the car and said "Bye Bye!" waving at me but not necessarily wanting to go with me. I picked her up from the car as she was screaming and back inside the hotel grounds. We sat down on a bench where she allowed me to hold and comfort her. After she stopped crying (was a very short time) but with her head still on my chest, she quietly said, "Pachita" and so we climbed the stairs to our getting, getting her a bottle of milk. I was so happy to see her tell me what she needed or wanted AND that I understood. We enjoyed a pasta dinner and an ice cream cone, of course. While we waited for our food, my arm was completely covered with her sweet kisses. That girl. She would kiss my hand and then lift her hand for me to kiss. Then the other hand. We then decided that I would take the early flight home on Thursday instead of the late flight and so HG went home with her foster family. We spent about 40 hours together and it was great. She was delighted to listen to her sisters on the telephone. She was perfectly fine being with me but does prefer her foster family if given a choice. Oh, how I want that girlie home.
I was talking with my sweet friend, Chick-A-Dee, on Saturday afternoon. I told her that I do not know what God is trying to teach us through this, but I know His timing is perfect and that these things are happening for a reason. I, of course, want to tell God, "But, couldn't I learn it in a different way?" I guess not. HG IS being well cared for by her foster family. They love her dearly and she loves them. She IS learning. Words that she could clearly say to me were por favor, sientate, gracias, buenas tardes, hello, hola, bye bye, pachita, ya, doo doo, pee pee, and mas. I know there were more, but these were the main ones. Another funny story--we were leaving the hotel grounds and the "gate keeper" spoke to HG. She didn't answer and so I told him that she doesn't speak much (this was all done in spanish). He opened the gate for us and as we exited, she said "Gracias! Buenas Tardes!" He and I both cracked up. She showed me, didn't she?
Please continue to pray. It is difficult as the celebration of Jesus' birth approaches this week without her here. Yes, she will enjoy Christmas with her family and we will enjoy it here. She does, however, have presents under our tree. I know we will have many more Christmases with her in the future. But we miss her on this one too. The girls wish she was here too. Not a day goes by without one of them saying "Man, I miss her." We do well on most days, and then something will just take the wind from my sail and I'm down. I'm choosing to focus this week on preparing my heart and mind for the birth of our Savior. My savior. Without Him I could NOT do this. My heart does, of course, hurt for my daughter that isn't here. Ya is right. Let's be done with this!