Leaving

Leaving was hard this time. Much, much harder than last time. It's not like we had any choice. We had to go home, she couldn't come with us yet. We knew this. Accepted it as the way it is for now. No reason to get all upset about it. That's what I told myself last time and it worked very well. Added with the belief that we'd be back to bring her home really soon. Leaving last time sucked but it wasn't horrible. I can't say the same thing this time. None of the facts really changed...we still had to leave, she still had to stay but it was different. Last time I just knew that we'd be right back to pick her up, this time I'm less naive. We don't know when we'll be able to go get her. There is no timeline...can't be really...everything there is too unpredictable to have any kind of timeline.

Last time the trade back to the foster family was quick. We met in a parking lot on our way to the airport. We passed them Avery, she leaned back to hug both of us. She looked well cared for and content with the foster mom. We drove away. Quick like a band aid. Hurt a bit but it was over and done with.

This time the trade to the foster family was long and drawn out. The morning we left there was a protest on the streets. It basically looked like a parade only the people weren't happy. They marched down the street directly in front of our hotel. No way in or out. Pablo and the foster mom had to park several streets way and walk to the hotel. Everyone at the hotel was in a tizzy because they didn't know how they were going to get us to go to the airport since they didn't know how long the protest was going to last. They were calling a taxi, calling the airport to hold the plane, making arrangements for if we missed our flight. It was hectic.

While all this is happening I'm just standing there with the foster mom, who is talking and talking and talking at me in Spanish...which I can't understand. Telling me all about Avery...but I can't understand. Avery is playing around us, angry people in the streets, frantic calls and plans being made. It was overwhelming and the emotions just hit me. I prayed that I could make it to the airport before my melt down hit, check that, I revised my prayer to just get me into the taxi...I didn't want to leave her...I didn't want to miss more of her growing, changing, learning...I want to be her all the time mama now! I made it to the taxi before the sobs began and we made it to the airport in time for our flight. Everything was just so chaotic as we left. It was hard. I know the emotion was all over my face even though the tears mostly waited for some privacy. Afterwards I thought maybe it was good that they saw me upset so they can understand that this isn't easy for us.

As far as the information we gathered while we were there... We had a meeting with a woman named Helen. She is an American but she has lived in Guatemala for her adult life and she's been involved in adoptions for the past 20 years. She was blunt and to the point and told it like it is and that is exactly what I wanted. Basically everything we're going through with our case is normal. It just takes this long now. She said years ago you could pay people off to get your case through faster but now you can't. It just takes as long as it takes. We are at the end of the process. We're getting close but we're not done yet. She said it's not our attorney's fault, it's not our fault, it is no ones fault. There is nothing we can do but just let it work through the process. It was good to hear in a way. Not the fantastic "all you need to do is this and your done" kind of information I was hoping for but it brought us some peace. She was able to give Pablo some tips and suggestions, a few contacts she knows from her years of experience. That was helpful. Besides that we just keep waiting. Take comfort in the knowledge that our case will be completed...we just don't know when.

Avery Maria...

Must Be Quick!!

No nap today so I have to post very quickly because typing with a year and a half-year old in your lap isn´t easy!! No time to recap our meeting with Pablo today. We got some information but nothing huge like we can bring her home tomorrow or anything so it can wait until we get home.

Precious things we´ve learned about Avery over the last 24 hours...

1. She had learned how to give kisses!
2. She waves hello and good-bye.
3. She loves to play keep-a-way with her Daddy.
4. She LOVES spaghetti and eats it ferociously!
5. When you cough she pats you on the back.
6. Daddy believes that she knows how to use the toilet and is totally ready to be potty trained but I think that may be wishful thinking!
7. She thinks Barny is fabulous.
8. Her patience level is about 3 minutes and is up now so I must get going!

Flying out tomorrow! Pictures coming soon!

A Guatemalan Weekend!

Saturday Chris and I woke up around 8:30...before Avery did! I wasn´t planning on that! She´s a great sleeper and she wakes up happy and content. She kicks like crazy in the night , trashing all around and I woke up in the middle of the night with feet in my face but they were precious little Avery feet so it was alright!

We ate breakfast at the hotel. We sit at the same table each meal and have the same waiter so it feels very comfortable. The food it very good. We´ve had bacon, eggs, toast and pancakes for breakfast. They have burgers and fries, pot roast and fried chicken, soups and salads. It is all Guatemalan food but it is similar to what we´re used to eating. Avery eats whatever we get. She loves watermelon. I mean LOVES. She´s hilarious eating it. I brought her forks and spoons. I´m not sure if she uses them here but I don´t think so. She thinks they are great and she tries hard to use them but eventually gives up and uses her fingers.

Avery likes everything just so. When she decides she´s done playing with a certain toy she cleans it up and puts it away in her toy area (aka the nightstand). It´s her way of telling us she´s done. She´s made a place for her books all stacked together and all her blocks go back into the caring case. Any little piece of trash she finds she puts in the trash can. She is very observant and she likes her things to be neat!

We only have a shower in our room so that has made bath time a little difficult! We´ve just had to do showers but she doesn´t love them. She tolerates them and she really is a champ about it but we had so much fun at bath time last visit so I´m sad we don´t get to take baths this time!

The hotel has a little courtyard we discovered yesterday while we were exploring the hotel. We went outside to play after lunch and Avery loved it. She likes to run and skip and play peek-a-boo. She loves when Chris chases her and she´ll run and wrap herself around my leg. She has the most beautiful smile and her laugh just melts your heart!

On Saturday we were supposed to have breakfast or lunch with Pablo and his mom. He called at some point and asked if we could make it dinner instead because he still wasn´t feeling well but then called later and rescheduled for Sunday. Hopefully he´ll be feeling better soon. Chris was a little worried that he wasn´t that sick but was really avoiding us but we went out for breakfast on Sunday and everything seemed okay so he feels better about it now. It was frustrating to be waiting on him all day Saturday. By dinner Avery was fussy because it was so late. Chris and I were pretty fussy too! Dinner was a bit difficult since we were all three hungry, tired and annoyed. It wasn´t the best dinner of my life but we made it through. We went back to our room and settled in for the night. We were all three able to relax and Avery feel asleep easier than the night before.

Sunday we got up and got ready because Pablo was picking us up for breakfast. Again we were waiting and we were a little worried that he may cancel again but he didn´t. We went to Applebee´s for breakfast, which was an experience because it looked just like an Applebee's at home but the food was different...I guess since our Applebee's doesn´t serve breakfast it´s hard to compare the food! The food was good and it was nice to be out of the hotel. We went to a nearby plaza where they close off a main street on Sundays for people to walk, ride bikes and skate on. There was music and lots of people. It was very pretty and the weather is beautiful so we really enjoyed ourselves.

We talked about our case over breakfast. We asked Pablo if we could go to CNA tomorrow because that is what the Guatemalan Embassy in Washington DC advised us to do. He said that we could and that hopefully they will be able to help us. CNA is in control of new adoptions but it hasn´t been involved in old adoptions. CNA recently released a communication that stated they will help any cases currently in the process if we contact them with our information...so that´s what we´re going to do. I don´t know exactly what help they can give but we will take any help at all! Pablo said that things are difficult because the people working under the old adoption procedures are going out of business and so they are asking for more and more money. He said it is very difficult. He said that bringing Avery home is not a question...we will bring her home, period. We just don´t know exactly when yet. I´m glad that the Guatemalan Embassy and CNA are getting involved. Hopefully tomorrow will bring more information...

We're Here!

We´re here and safe! We arrived on Thursday night around 9:00pm. We were supposed to get here at 7:00 but we had delays in Dallas and then it took forever to get through customs in Guatemala. It wasn´t difficult, there were just long lines because two large mission groups were on the plane we flew in on.

Pablo and his mom, Carine, picked us up at the airport. Pablo said that he was very sick and that they thought it might be better for us to stay in a hotel this time so we didn´t catch his illness. He had made all the arrangements so it was no big deal. We went out to eat together and then checked into the hotel and crashed! We were hoping to get Avery immediately but since our plane was delayed and we arrived so late Pablo suggested we get her in the morning. I think that turned out for the best since we were so exhausted from the long day of traveling.

Friday morning we got up and settled into our room. It is a beautiful old house that has been turned into a hotel. It´s right by the US Embassy with a gate so we feel very safe here. There is a restaurant so we can eat all our meals without having to leave the hotel.

Avery arrived around 10:00. She has grown so much! She´s so tall and her hair has gotten so much longer. She´s just beautiful! She let me take her from the foster mom immediately and wasn´t scared of me or Chris. The foster mom was very nice and it is clear that Avery is very well taken care of and loved.

Later Pablo told me that he originally planned for him and his assistant to pick Avery up and bring her to us without the foster mom because they live pretty far away from the hotel and Pablo´s office so he didn´t want to have to drive the foster mother all the way back home before returning to work. When Pablo arrived to get Avery, she refused to go with Pablo so the foster mother ended up having to come as well. He said that he was worried that Avery would have a hard time going to us after that and he was very pleasantly surprised that she took to us with ease. Pablo and the foster mom stayed just a few minutes and then it was just us.

We went back to the room and Avery didn´t cry but she looked a bit uneasy. We held her for a little while and talked, then we got out the play doe and started to play. She was hesitant at first but once she started playing she seemed very comfortable. She loves the little people we brought and the Blues Clues DVD. She´s very curious and into everything. Like I said, I had gotten us settled into the room before she got there but I had not settled in thinking about a one and a half year old! Needless to say I had to baby proof the room!

After a while we went to lunch. They offered us a highchair but she prefers to sit in my lap. After lunch she took a good nap. (Which is what she is doing now so I have time to post! We just discovered the hotel computer lab last night!) She woke up happy and had a snack. We ready books and played some more. She loves books! She ate a good dinner. Her foster mother told us that she likes everything and she was right! At bed time she got a little anxious but her foster mother also told us that she usually cries at night so we were expecting it to be a little hard at bedtime. She didn´t cry but one big crocodile tear slid down her cheek and it broke my heart! She wanted to lay on my chest...which I didn´t mind one bit, and she fell asleep after a little while.

There are two full sized beds in our room so it was a tight fit with Chris, Avery and me all in one bed so we pushed the two beds together so we´d have lots of room. This may have happened after Chris moved to the other bed in the middle of the night and then Avery rolled out of the bed right onto the floor (crap...there goes my mother of the year award) but I can´t be clear on our motivation. One big bed is suiting us perfectly now!

So that was our Thursday and Friday! I´ll try to post again while we´re here but I´m not sure what we´ll be doing exactly. Assuming nap time continues like it has the past two days I should be able to! Love you all and miss you! We can´t wait for you to meet our sweet, precious girl!

P.S. I can´t post pictures but I can´t load them to this computer so you´ll have to wait until we get home...sorry!

P.S.S I also can´t spell check so please ignore all my typos and misspelled words!

Visiting!

We're going to Guatemala...tomorrow! That's right! We've known for a little while but I have been so dag-on busy I haven't had an extra second to post (babysitting precious little Henry, school stuff, helping Missy pack and move, ummm...lots of other really important stuff too!). I promise, I'm not just holding out on ya! We decided that we wanted to visit so that we can try to get some information from Pablo and perhaps get things moving while we're at it! I'm not sure if we're going to be able to do anything but we're going to try. Of course we're going to get to see Avery so the trip is already a success!

I've got our bags pretty much packed and ready to go. I'm basically bringing everything she has and I'm going to leave it there. Last time I took some things and even brought a few things back because I thought that she'd be home any minute but then an entire season went by and now she has stuff she can't use so I'm learning from our experiences and I'm just going to leave it all there. She's got TONS of clothes and I got her some pretty cool toys. I wanted to take some that speak English...just because and I found some cute yet small ones. My favorite is a little CD player...we had the record player version back in the day and it was coooool.

So anyway, I've go to get off here and get everything finished up. Get yourself ready for some adorable pictures coming soon! Everyone send us happy thoughts and lots of prayers!

8 Years!

Yesterday was our 8 year anniversary! In some ways that seems so long but in other ways I can't remember a time without Chris in my life. Maybe that's because Chris has been in my life for more like 17 years when you combine the time when we were best friends, the time that we dated and the time we've been married. Yeeeees, 17 years seems more like it. Over HALF my life. Wow. But then 8 years of marriage! That's a long time people! Okay, okay, not like 32 years of marriage long but 8 years is totally past the newlywed stage. Totally in the solid wedding building years stage. Weird because it doesn't seem like I should be old enough to have been married for 8 years. Crazy how a number can feel short and long at the same time...

So we celebrated our anniversary yesterday. Chris took off work so we had the entire day together, which was awesome because we rarely have the same days off. We slept in and had a relaxed breakfast together. Then we headed to school. What? That doesn't seem anniversary-ish...well you're right but since I am moving rooms this year and my room was ready and Chris is really strong, I needed his help so I told him that could be my gift this year...helping me in my room (we don't have much extra money so I wasn't really expecting a gift beyond a day together so I totally made out in this deal!) (but I also know he would have helped me regardless but it made it more fun and anniversary-ish to pretended like it was a present!!) So after working in my room we went to dinner and a movie. Chris let me pick cause he's cool like that so I choose Outback (I was in the mood for steak...it was delicious!) and the movie Hangover (I wanted to see something funny and it was very funny. Laugh out loud funny...we recommend you see it). We totally enjoyed both events. Then we came home and I baked us cookies for dessert and gave Chris a foot massage (my gift to him). It was a great day and tribute to 8 fabulous years together! Love ya, Babe!

P.S. No adoption news.

P.S.S. I was going to put up a picture from our wedding but did you know that 8 years ago nobody used digital cameras? No normal people anyways! So I have no electronic pictures from our wedding that I can share. Maybe by next year I can scan some for ya! :)

Summer Break...Kind Of!

**We're still optimistically waiting over here. No word from Pablo, PGN, or RENAP. Just doing our best to be patent and trust that in time our case will be completed!**

In other news, school is out! Well kinda out. Out as in I don't have students coming everyday and I don't have to plan or teach and I don't have to get up at 5:30 in the morning...so that's summer right!? But I still have to go to school everyday and work. We're adding a couple new teachers to our building for next year because the kids just keep coming! To make room for the new girls a few teachers have to relocate within the building. I have the honor and joy of being one of those lucky teachers. Yay! (Okay, the enthusiasm might be a little over done but whatcha gonna do!?)

In serious happiness though, one of the new teachers is going to be my sister-in-law, Gayla! That's super cool and I really excited about teaching together. Kinda together since she's going to teaching 3rd grade and I teach 2nd grade and we won't really teach together at all but we'll be at the same school so you understand.

But back to me....yesterday I worked on packing and moving my entire classroom. It's very similar to moving to a new house considering how many supplies to takes to mold young minds into geniuses year after year. Plus I teach all subjects so there is just a ton of stuff. Plus I have a lot (A LOT) of storage in my current classroom so you know how you just keep stuff and spread out when you've got the room to do so? So needless to say, I had to seriously clean out and prioritize.

The good news? Miracle really! When I left school yesterday I was completely out of my old room. Everything packed and moved! Wohoo! This may not be viewed as a true "miracle" to some of you dear readers but trust me it is. I have a lot of stuff! When I went to bed last night (and when I say "went to bed" I mean collapsed into a coma at 8:30) I had over 20,000 steps. Wow is right!

Today I get to get my hair done, which is always exciting but is extra exciting this time because I'm going to Tony, my fabulous hairdresser that I had to leave because I couldn't afford his prices any longer even thought he was worth every penny but if you don't have the pennies you kinda don't have a choice. But after two new hairdressers that just weren't up to par I heard that Tony might be in my price range now that I'm not getting highlights. That's all I needed hear to run (seriously run) to the phone and make an appointment. I didn't technically confirm his prices when I made appointment. Maybe because I'm chicken and if the rumor I heard wasn't true then I would have been forced to NOT make an appointments so I'm just going on the fact that the rumor prices are good as gold and I'll just confirm when I get there. You don't see a flaw in this plan do you? Good, I don't either! After that it's back to school to start working on my new room! Aaaa, summer!

Contact but No News

Not much in the way of new information but I did talk to Pablo this week. Chris and I called and got a hold of him on Tuesday. He was calm and reassuring, as always. He said we didn't need to worry...seems much easier said than done! He said that the building he is working out of does not allow access to his gmail account so he hasn't gotten any of my recent emails. I might not believe that but my work computer blocks access to certain places so I'm sure his could too. He was supposed to call me back this week with real information but of course he didn't so Chris and I are going to try to get him on the phone again this coming week. He said that he sees Avery every two weeks and that she is doing great...which is what's most important. He also said that our case is not back from the mayor's office yet so we're not in RENAP yet...which is very annoying. Plus there is some big to do with a murder that is being blamed on their president so there are strikes and marches going on all over the country. It just seems never ending. Pablo said he would go to PGN after I talked to him to get a copy of our approval papers because I've asked for them several times. I tried to get them directly from PGN but they don't have their case files up to date at this time. Surprising? Not really!! He also said that he was going to go to the mayor's office to see why we haven't been released yet. So contact was made but we didn't really learn anything new. We had our home study updated this week and that went really well so there's a positive for ya! And the waiting continues....

Just A Quick Update

No word from Pablo...of course! He is certainly trying my patience! It is time for us to send our monthly foster care money so I sent him an email telling him that I'm not sending it until I hear from him. Hopefully that will get him to a computer! I don't know if we're in RENAP or not. He also promised pictures several weeks ago but I haven't gotten them yet. Hoping for a positive update this week!

Sarah, Nick and baby Henry are doing great! They are home from the hospital and they are getting settled in at home. Henry is the sweetest thing I have ever seen!!

13 days of school left!! Yay!