The Happy Five

We are settling into a regular routine--eating, play, eating, naps, eating, play, errands, eating, baths, bed. Sally is trying to acclimate them to her shopping habits and I am trying to acclimate them to the outdoors. Work has gotten into Sally's way and the cold weather has kept us inside. We did have a few warm days around thanksgiving. Always good, especially when friends and family visit from up North.

Eating and Doctors

We were told by the Foster caregiver and facilitator that the girls ate most all fruits, vegetables and various other foods pureed. No matter how many times and things we try we have not found fruits and vegetables to be on the girls list of "willing to try". About all that we were able to get them to eat in Guatemala was scrambled eggs, pancakes, french toast and "coffee" crackers. Neither will even give anything on a spoon a chance. It is like they have never seen a spoon before! This short list of edibles did not leave us many choices.
Upon arrival each had a little bout of vomiting and diarrhea maybe due to the change of formula. The doctor suggested staying on formula, but changing to a soy based formula. The surprise at the doctors office was that the girls did not weigh the 18 pounds that we had been told. Madison only weighed in at 15 pounds and Monroe at 16 pounds. They did not believe that the girls could have lost 2-3 pounds in the short time we had received them.

We Are Home

The trip home held true to the rest of the adoption--nothing was easy or as expected! The flight out of Guatemala took forever to load and when they did they decided they had to inspect the monkey (a package about 4 x 5 feet with duck-taped handle) we were bringing back. As the wheels hit the ground in Miami, Madison lost everything in her stomach onto Sally and all over the plane. Welcome to America little one! Monroe was happy, happy. When we arrived at customs Melodye and Debbie had to fill out forms for re-entry which were not available on the plane. Unfortunately, we then picked a line that took over 45 minutes due to a family in front of us that was entering the country on Visas. Sally and I went to the "adoptions" room where the customs officer proceeded to purposely hold us up so that we would miss our plane. I have never been treated with so much hostility. He was so rude that even the other people waiting empathized with us. Of course, this all set us up to miss our flight, but American couldn't have been nicer. They booked us on a flight to leave an hour later, but arrive at an airport an hour and a half away from home. To top the trip off, in all the commotion at the airport we brought home someone else's bag and left the twins' bag at the airport. We had to spend the next day driving back to the airport to drop the other bag and retrieve the twins' bag. Today we spent the day at home. This seemed to help the girls settle in. They played, laughed and had a great nap. We had a great time watching Myles and the twins interact and play. All seem to adore each other!

Day 12 Waiting to Go

We are so ready to come home--one more sleep! Madison with Sally and Monroe with Terry. Today at 3:30 Sally goes to the U.S. Embassy to pick up the girls Visas. Tomorrow we fly out at 3:30 Guatemalan time.

Handi-craft Market Day 11

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Today we took a taxi and spent the morning at the Handi-craft Market. We found many treasures and trinkets. The girls slept through half of the morning--they got just a little bored with shopping.

Day 10 Embassy Day -- Finally!

Today we had to be at the U.S. Embassy by 7:15 a.m. Madison and Monroe are now U.S. Citizens. We will pick up Visas Wednesday at 3:30 and be on that plane back home Thursday. Seventeen months of waiting has finally paid off!

Day 8 & 9

Yesterday we went with Raul to meet his father Chris and eat tamalies. They were the genuine tamale--they were delicious. We are now spoiled and will probably never find tamalies as good in the US.

Days 6 & 7

Thursday was spent in Antigua. We had a great lunch at a converted monistary the Casa Santa Domingo. A friend Raul drove and toured us around the town. Today Raul took us around to see the sights in Guatemala City.

Day 5

Madison and Monroe on Wednesday morning. We had breakfast and walked around with them in their strollers. The picture was taken in the Family Room; the girls needed to run and play. Monroe's DNA test result is at the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala. Yesterday Madison's DNA test results left Greensboro, this morning left Miami and should arrive at the U.S. Embassy today. We will be trying today to get an appointment now that at least one of the girls DNA is here.

Day 4

Left: Monroe Right: Madison

Day 3

Monday we walked to a few shops and had coffee at the Weston. In the afternoon we took the girls grocery shopping and Mel and Deb got a little sun by the pool. We learned that Monroes DNA test was complete and being shipped to the U.S. Embassy here in Guatemala. Once we can get Madisons DNA completed, which we hope will be today, we can get the appointment scheduled with the Embassy.

Day 2

In our arms forever. The first breakfast all together with Auntie Mel and Auntie Deb. Madison is sleeping after all the food and fun. Monroe is posing for the camera. They are unbelievably beautiful. The first night was sleepless--they slept some, but we did not. Today they are adjusting well. We will post more photos and information...

On Our Way to Guatemala

Look for the next post--it will be from Guatemala! We are going to have the girls in our hands by 6 p.m. tomorrow! See you then...

Girls DNA Has Arrived in NC

The DNA samples taken last Tuesday have finally arrived at the Labcorp here in North Carolina. As soon as the testing is complete and the results are back at the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala we will be able to schedule our appointments and then get them on that plane headed for home.

DNA Authorization

Yesterday the girls were taken to the U.S. Embassy to give DNA samples and Pat at Labcorp sent the DNA paid receipt to Guatemala. Heidi expects the sample to be sent to Labcorp today; Pat is going to let us know as soon as it gets to Labcorp. Possibly the DNA process will be completed and back to the U.S. Embassy by the end of October. If that is the case, we are going to ask for an appointment with the Embassy during the week of November 2.

Continued Drama with Good News

We called our Guatemala facilitator October 15 and she said "I have very good news and bad news"... story line of this entire adoption! We received one birth certificate, but they withheld the second saying that "a copy of a submitted document" was missing (make the damn copy!). Heidi said that she took a fit and they finally offered to try to have it ready if she would return at 5:00 p.m. They did have the birthcertificate when she returned, but they did not give her the Certificate of Adoption that she needed to take to the U.S. Embassy in order to continue with the DNA process. They said that she should return the next day for the Certificate. She did that very early hoping that they would give her the Certificate before noon so that she could get to the U.S. Embassy where the twins were standing in line for the 1/2 hour "open" window. Our facilitator did not get the Certificate of Adoption in time to submit the documentation to the U.S. Embassy during their 1/2 hour "open" window. Now we wait (a loss of 5 more days) until Tuesday (today) to submit the Certificate of Adoption to the U.S. Embassy so that the DNA process can begin.

Elusive Birth Certificates

Well we did not get the girls birth certificates on October 8 or 9--we still do not have the birth certificates. Heidi now says that the files are on the last woman's desk but she is out of the office at a seminar. She does not expect us to get her signature now until Wednesday, October 15. We are really close to my projected October 16 release of the birth certificates. Let's hope that one of us is correct this time.

Thrilled to Be Out; on Pins-and-Needles Waiting for BC

We have been told that we could have the Birth Certificates by October 8 or 9 -- Please, please, please. If so we would be bringing the girls home the first week of November!
We were also told that the girls still weigh 17 pounds and both started walking September 10. Another first missed...

OUT OUT OUT OUT OUT OUT

APPROVED!

We got the word that the girls file was approved today. Next step is that we will be entered into the Civil Registry of Guatemala for the new birth certificates. This should take 17 days or less. Then we can submit paperwork for the 2nd DNA and VISA.

Long Overdue Post...

We have been in Maine and off the computer for a couple of weeks. I will try to provide a comprehendable update here.
The update on August 13 never came. We would call our facilitator daily only to hear things like "still with the 2nd reviewer hope to be at the window tomorrow; call again tomorrow." Finally on August 20 when we called the facilitator (our adoption agency is mute at this point) we were told that the file was picked up, but that it was not approved. Kickout #5! This time the final reviewer did not like that an "n" had been missed and then added by a U.S. Embassy official with his initials verifying the change. The document had to be redone and the birth mother had to be brought back to the city for signature. We were resubmitted on Monday, August 25. Now we wait through the entire process--again. The facilitator pushed the first reviewer as she is leaving this coming Friday. She signed it and now the file sits with the 2nd reviewer. After this signature we have to get through one more reviewer; the reviewer that kicked us out last time. He is known to be difficult. I don't think we will learn anything until next Monday.
We are extremely discouraged, disappointed and angry!