Two on Thursdays

So she was my date tonight. Pizza and then to the park to feed the ducks was on the agenda for us. We had a good time together.
Since bringing HG home, it has been hard for all of us. We are SO grateful, of course, that she is here. It's just an adjustment for us all. The "big girls" are feeling a little left out and so we decided to have a babysitter each Thursday afternoon/evening for HG (and ironically, her name begins with H as well!). J and I each take a kid and go do something, just the two of us. There will be times when HV and HM have a sitter too and J and I will be having a date. We've got that lined up for next Thursday! So, if you want to "borrow" our big girls for a Thursday afternoon/evening, let me know! It's good for all of us!

3 years for #3!

Well, it is official: HG is now part of our family! The PGN/Attorney General's Office has approved the case and the US Embassy did indeed issue THE document we waited 13 months to obtain! It's been a LONG 3 years and we are SO ready to have her home, as you all know. The wrap up steps are already underway. I don't have an exact "time of arrival" for her, but my guesstimate is before the end of the year! I'm hopeful to have her home by Thanksgiving, but that might be wishful thinking! Wouldn't that be a GREAT Thanksgiving Day to have all THREE DAUGHTERS at the same table on such a day? Oh my! I'll keep you posted as some of the major milestones are achieved!
As you can see, we have updated our "Chip In" widget to the right here. In humility, again, we are in a position of needing help with our fees. If you've been around for a while, you know that we have had to pay, pay, pay during this journey, spending about 6 times the amount we expected to spend on this adoption. We've wiped out our savings account, sold what we can sell, borrowed where we can borrow, and we're still short. The amount requested on the "Chip In" is just a minimum to what we can expect to pay. In other words, I know it will be at least the $5500. If you are so inclined to help with HG's fees, thank you for your generosity. We appreciate it.
If you are new to our blog or story, please feel free to go back and read more about us. In a nutshell, we began the adoption of HG in Fall 2007 when she was almost 3 years old. Our adoption of her is not about us having 3 children but about following God's call to our family. HG has many developmental delays and special needs--she is developmentally only about 2 1/2 years old even though she will be 6 years old in January 2011. She has extreme vision issues (she's technically legally blind) and we believe that many of her developmental delays stem from the fact that she has such poor vision. She began walking at 3 1/2 years of age and while she does have good comprehension (in Spanish), she speaks only in single words, not sentences. We definitely will have our work cut out for us but we are EAGER for this part of the challenge and journey with HG to begin.

Baby Steps

I know I'm being pretty quiet here, but we are making some baby steps with HG's case. Not big steps, but baby steps. I don't care. I'll take forward movement any time over sitting still or lateral movement. I hope to post BIG news soon!

paper update and one step forward

Well, I did get news this week regarding the paper we need. While it wasn't THE news I wanted, it could be worse. And so, we are off working on getting yet another paper. Yep, give one paper, get one paper. Yesterday, we took one step forward in getting the paper we need. Well, maybe it was two steps. BUT, we're on our way, I believe. Thank you, Lord, for your hand in this all.

this week?

Lord, let this be the week that we get news from USC*S.

The Paper and Prayers

Thank you for your prayers and encouraging words this week. I do not know if anyone will "come back" to the blog that visited it during Linny's Crazy Love Prayer day, but if you do, welcome back!
We are still waiting for the paper that we need for HG's adoption. We received word on Thursday afternoon that there would be a meeting on Friday (yesterday) morning to review the decision. Late yesterday/Friday afternoon, I emailed my contact, asking him if there was an update. He said that they were going to need to meet again on Monday and that he would keep me posted. Please continue to pray for this group of people making the decision on HG's visa. It will be a long weekend, but I hope and pray that we have POSITIVE result when this is all done.
A funny thing about fasting: I did fast on Wednesday during the day, praying more than normal. When I would feel a bit of hunger, I would pray. God would take care of my hunger and I would continue on my day. I did eat dinner with my family and I told them of my day of fasting and prayer. I explained fasting to HM and HV and why I did that. Fast forward to yesterday/Friday. We were at the pediatrician's officefor "sick visits" for both girls. The pediatrician said that we should do a blood screen on HV and that she would need to fast. Her eyes got as big as saucers and she shook her head. She thought she would need to fast all day like I did! I laughed and explained to the dr. that I had fasted and prayed this week and so HV thought she would have to do it all. She got a laugh about that too. No, HV. You only have to fast 8:30 p.m. until 8:30 a.m. the next morning. No biggie! That silly girl.

Prayers this Week

I read many blogs on the ol’ internet. One of them, www.aplacecalledsimplicity.blogspot.com, is mostly written by a woman named Linny. Linny is a big adoption advocate and is having a special day of prayers for adoptions that are currently underway. She’s calling it The Crazy Love Prayer Challenge and September 8 is THE day for the prayer challenge. Linny’s challenge is asking her readers to pray and fast for those adoption prayer requests listed on her blog. I’ll be joining her and I hope you will too.
As many of you know, we have had such a lengthy adoption journey for HG. So lengthy. Right now, we are waiting for 1 piece of paper. Yep, just one, to wrap up her adoption case and then finalize the paperwork to bring her home. This piece of paper is to be issued by USC*S Guatemala. We have been going round and round with them since September 2009. If you remember, we had a 30 day deadline which ended in the latter part of August 2010 to get them what they needed/wanted. We met that deadline with both a rebuttal letter and the requested paperwork. That was submitted 3 weeks ago. And we still wait. So, specifically on this day, we ask you to pray for the following:
1. Pray that those involved with this process at the US Embassy in Guatemala will have the wisdom and guidance to issue this paper.
2. Pray that the decision/paper will be in our favor. I haven’t spelled out here what it could mean for our family if it is not favorable, but it’s pretty scary, guys. We’ve not given any of the other outcomes much thought because we are remaining faithful that God’s will is for HG to join our family through this avenue. But, it will mean BIG changes for our entire family if it is not favorable.
3. Pray for the right people to be in the right place should questions need to be asked regarding HG’s case.
4. Pray for a speedy issuance of this paper. I know that everything happens in God’s perfect timing and my mind cannot always comprehend His timing.
5. Pray for angels to continue to surround HG’s mind and body. In order for one specific person to agree to obtain/issue the paperwork we needed for the Embassy, I had to agree to allow HG to return to the orphanage where she has not lived since I took custody of her in July 2009. It broke my heart to do it and it breaks my heart to have her continue to live at the orphanage when her loving foster family is willing and able to take her back in just a moment’s notice. I do not fear abuse at the hands of the caregivers of the orphanage or even from the other children there. I fear HG closing her mind to accepting and trusting humans in her life. We have, after all, “abandoned” her at this orphanage, taking her away from her sweet foster momma (or myself). This is probably one of the scariest things to me.
Thank you, sweet friends, for your prayers today (and always). Even if you aren’t up to fasting, will you commit to praying for us as often as you think of us?
Hugs and love to you all!

My silly girl, HG, "washing" her hair (or maybe she's rinsing it?) herself in August 2010 during my visit

Our daughter, HG, on the train at the zoo during my August 2010 visit

If you are new to our blog, you can go back and read about our journey to bring HG home. To give you a super short summary, we began the adoption process for her in November 2007, just 2 months short of her 3rd birthday. It was not about having another daughter. It was about following what God has asked us to do in making HG part of our family. See, HG had been living in the orphanage for almost 3 years and no one had committed to adopting her. She has extreme vision issues and is quite delayed. She is currently 5 ½ years old and is developmentally about 2 years old. She began walking at 3 ½ years of age and speaks much a like an 18 month old, one word or maybe 2 word phrases. My daughters and I made a temporary move to Guatemala last summer where we petitioned the court for custody of HG, having her live with us in a furnished apartment for the summer. When my employer said I must return to work, I petitioned the court to allow her to live with some friends of mine in Guatemala. She has lived with them since September 2009, going to ½ day preschool and learning to be part of a family. We’ve had obstacle after another during her adoption process and are so close to seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Thank you for your prayers!

Yep...

...we're still waiting. No news. Just silence. It's VERY loud, this silent state. Noise? Testing 1, 2, 3? Is this thing on?

Just a Little Baby Toe

More singing fun with Tia N. It's amazing that HG would allow Tia N to touch her toes/feet. That would not have happened 1 year ago.

Please pray this weekend for our sweet girl. Pray that God will surround her with His angels, protecting her mind and body. Please also pray for the decision-making folks at the Embassy, asking for a positive and quick response this week.

Submitted

I have just returned from a trip to Guatemala where I did submit some paperwork to the Embassy for HG's visa issue. We have no word from them as of yet. Please pray for a speedy and positive response from them. I won't elaborate too much here, but we NEED this answer now.
I did spend some time with my sweet girl. Oh how she has changed! She talks 900 miles an hour, with many of her words being only those that a Mama can understand from her own child. She loves to laugh, play in the water, and eat! She will get along great with HM because they both have a great love for McD*nald's! Those golden arches! It's not the toy she is after either. It's those darned nuggets! I miss her already!

20 days remaining

Well, to say I'm scared is putting it mildly. To say I'm sad is putting it mildly too. I have some potential/promises for help on the horizon but my fear and sadness are preventing me from really believing and trusting that it will happen. A small glimmer of hope??? Maybe. Please continue to pray. We need it.
I "talked" to the foster sister last night via Facebook's chat. She told me HG was so funny, singing and dancing while we chatted. Oh how I miss that girlie!

Noise

Well, the silence has ended. USCIS did indeed issue the Notice of Intent to Deny HG's visa. Boo. We have 30 days to submit our rebuttal paperwork. Yuck. If we don't meet the deadline or if what we submit doesn't meet their needs, it's over. :( So, please pray daily for the following:
1. For clarity on what process we should take to rectify the request(s) made
2. For speed for those needing to prepare the paperwork to submit
3. For patience and understanding with USCIS
4. For our "angry level" to not be too high
5. For wisdom for everyone involved

Thank you, sweet friends. My heart is heavy and my eyes are weepy. Prayer and God's divine intervention can get us through. My brain knows these things. My heart....

Another Day...

of silence from Guatemala is another day of time away from her.

Still Quiet

Nothing today. I didn't expect anything but of course I had hoped for something. I did send off some emails to four other contacts that have helped other families. We'll see what happens with that next week.
Trying to stay busy this weekend! Thanks again for your thoughts and prayers. We oh so appreciate it!

Today

10:45 a.m.--the paperwork was accepted but we do not know yet if they will approve of the format used. The scenario listed yesterday did not happen--the judge was too busy to sign her name on the copy. I hope they let me know today, like they did yesterday, if they approve of the paperwork or not.

11:30 a.m.--got an email from M confirming what was stated above. I learned the above info from a phone call from C. I think I have hit "refresh" on my email box about 50 times since then. It was about 1:30 p.m. yesterday when the Embassy emailed with their disapproval of the document submitted yesterday. Oh please accept the one you received today!

rest of the day--silence
So, this could mean either they "accept" the document and are reviewing/revising their initial request for more documentation OR they are preparing their "sorry, you are screwed" notice to me. They only work 1/2 day on Fridays and I typically never hear from them on a Friday. So, we will see what happens tomorrow. At least tonight we can try and rest?? I'm exhausted and I know J is too.

THANK YOU for your prayers and support today. I do feel a bit more at peace tonight. I know it's God's hand on me. It's the only way to explain it.

3...2...

Well, things didn't go as planned today with the document. :( Tomorrow, of course, is the deadline. The Embassy did confirm that they will accept the document tomorrow BUT there are problems. It is possible that it will happen and everything will go off without a hitch. I am fearful, however, that it won't go that way. Here's what needs to happen:
1. Z, the clerk, needs to show up at the judge's office at 6:30 a.m. to prepare the document we need (the document is prepared but we need a certified copy which can only come from the Court).
2. C, the sworn translator, needs to pick up the document from Z by 8 a.m., get back to her office and finish the translation of the document into English.
3. At the same time, M has to go to the Embassy at 6:45 a.m. to get in line to get a number to submit documents. They are supposed to give out numbers at 7 a.m., but they are usually at least 1/2 hour late. After she gets the number, M has to go get the translated document from C and back at the Embassy by about 8:50 a.m. If she isn't back in time, she will not be permitted to enter the Embassy. And then we. are. screwed.
Oh, I'm just sad tonight, guys. We've come so far and yet OUR government (yes, this is the US Embassy) is possibly going to stand in the way of us bringing our sweet girlie home. I will keep you posted tomorrow on here. You know I will be on pins and needles, waiting to hear what happens. Please pray that everyone involved tomorrow morning will be calm and peaceful, being able to get their portion of this crazy thing done, just like clock work. Please continue to pray that those at the Embassy will be able to review the paperwork with a clear and open mind. Please pray for peace and calmness for J and I. We're a mess. A big mess.

A sweet friend called me the other day, telling me that this whole mess with the Embassy didn't make sense to him. He's right. It doesn't make sense. I don't want to discuss all of the particulars here on this forum, but for the life of me, I cannot figure out what is up with this thing. Oh my.

Breathe in. Breathe out. Good night, friends.

I should...

be sleeping, but I can't. My mind is racing, like a mouse running on his wheel. And so, I'm up. Out of bed. Again. Tomorrow we (not really me but those working the case) are submitting a document to the Embassy. I pray that it is accepted and that it gives them the information they need. My friend, M, has said she will email me as soon as she is done. I'll post as soon as I have news. Please pray over the next few days that those reviewing the document will have a clear mind, patience to look it over, and wisdom to know what to do next.

I just can't stop thinking about my sweet girl. I'm even sleeping (or not) in her room tonight. Thank you, friends.

3 days left

Come, Lord Jesus. Come.

14 days left

and I'm SCARED TO DEATH! I have NO idea what's going on in Guatemala surrounding this US Embassy issue. No idea. I know that fear should not be part of what's going on with me because God tells us to not fear for He is with us. My brain knows it. I really do. But, my heart? Well, it needs to clue in.
During this process, I have struggled with where I need to let go and let God do His thing. I have control issues. :) So, I have wondered if part of my learning curve with this current issue is that I am not supposed to do anything. God is going to take care of it, but not with my "help." I'm not sure, but all I know to do is to keep praying for guidance, direction, and peace.

21 days...

and counting. My stomach is churning. Not sure of the status of "fixing" this mess. Please, Lord.