It's Not Looking Like...

Well, yesterday was eventful! Carrie turned 13 months old, first of all. Drew came home by 13 and a half months... but it looks like she'll be a little older than that by the time she gets here. I'm sad... but I'm not going to stop praying for a Thanksgiving with my family together! A phone conversation with my agent yesterday and the realization that the DNA test has not yet taken place (making it pretty much impossible for a November homecoming) was a reality check. So, I face two choices: 1) give up on my dream and stop even praying for it OR 2) realize that God can seriously do ALL things and keep praying in faith. I choose number 2........but I feel a little skeptical, I must admit.

I found a journal the other day and a bookmark from our church's 2005 women's retreat fell out. It says this, "I know, O Lord, that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps." Jeremiah 10:23
I could take this many ways... but I think I'm just going to stop trying to direct my steps, Carrie's steps, God's steps. I think that I'm just going to petition my requests and ask that you join me and then let God be God. I think it's really what I've been doing, MOSTLY... but lately I have been trying to grab that conductor's stick!!! It gets hard to know how much action is my motherly duty and how much is me trying to take control of the uncontrollable.
Bottom line, if she's not home...NO WHINING! God has a time and a reason... it won't be led off course by anyone. SO, keep me in check y'all!
Happy 13 months baby girl... SOON, we'll see you soon!

Three Weeks Later... Where We Are!

Hello!
Today makes three weeks since our OUT from PGN! As you may know, we requested prayers that all of the initial paperwork be completed within two weeks. IT WAS!
What are we waiting for now? The second DNA test to be either performed or evaluated... we're not sure where it is, but we know we paid for it!
This test needs to get completed VERY SOON if there's any chance of having Carrie home for Thanksgiving! HEY...check out the new ticker counting down the days until our little turkey is HOPEFULLY HOME!!!
After the US Embassy in Guatemala receives the results from DNA, they can issue our coveted PINK slip! We have one additional hoop to jump through that requires prayer, however. The National Visa Center! They need to cable Carrie's visa to Guatemala so she can come home. They can take up to one month to process that item! Hopefully NOT!! It only took us two days for INS to process Drew's visa cable, so I know it doesn't have to be a lengthy ordeal! Pray that all of these items can move along quickly. Our agency tells me that they go and get her as soon as she's ready! And that is tremendously good news! I don't know about her, but we are sure READY!! :)

Thanks again for your prayers! We will keep you updated!!

Trick? or Treat?

There was some of both this weekend! See my face(with gum in my mouth, no less?!)? That's the look of a woman who just got mightily tricked by her best girl. Valerie insisted I be home Saturday morning to wait for a "package" she was having delivered to me. I believed her. She called me at 11:45 am and asked if it got delivered yet. Keep in mind that I STILL hadn't showered because the thing STILL hadn't been delivered and with my luck I'd be in the shower when it came... and I PROMISED I'd be there to see it come. She said that the delivery men promised to have it to me by noon. I was in such suspense... what could she be sending me?!

To our enormous surprise...the "delivery men" were Valerie, Bill and Liam! We were so happy and so shocked (as you can see from my face!) and to top it off, they did not come empty handed! Valerie planned and brought an entire "baby shower in a mini-van" for us! She made a shower game, brought balloons, gluten-free desserts, plates, napkins, sparkly stars for the table and PRESENTS!!! We decided to wait to do the baby shower until AFTER I took a shower and brought the boys to a school festival. On the way home we decided to get an early mexican dinner. Drew didn't feel so well on the ride home. Then he seemed okay.........but NOT! One present into the beautiful shower, Drew vomitted like crazy all over the dining room & foyer floor... oh, and me! It was a moment I'll never forget! After cleaning and changing, Drew felt better and we were able to settle the boys down and continue our shower. The gifts were so fabulous and I can't believe how true it is, we have a DAUGHTER!!!! Valerie and I watched Carrie's newest video and I kept realizing, "she's actually MINE now!". How amazing!!!

Valerie, thanks for loving me the way you do! Your trick was a great treat!! Thanks for an awesome shower "in a minivan" that you brought! You are the very best! We had a great unexpected weekend with all of you!! LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Carrie's so lucky to have an amazing aunt like you :) (And I'm REALLY glad it wasn't a pink stork for the lawn! ;)

Moving right along....

How many of you actually SMILE when you get a bill? Well, we did last night when our agency emailed us an invoice for Carrie's DNA test!!!
Hallelujah...things are moving right along! This MOST LIKELY means that we have her new birth certificate already. And THAT means that her birth mom signed off for the very last time. Carrie is completely OURS!!! Happy Day! :)

Thank you, Abigail Elizabet.... you are in our hearts and our prayers forever. Our gratitude cannot be put into words. What are happy days for us may be extremely difficult ones for you. We pray that the knowledge that your daughter will be and is already loved immensely will help heal your wounds over time. Your sacrifice is amazing.

Today was VERY special!

Click to play | Make your own Smilebox

WE ARE OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh my goodness! What a morning! I was on the phone with my bff Val (talking, not texting ;) when we were interrupted for the very best reason imaginable...........my case manager had AMAZING NEWS! We are OUT OF PGN!!! Carrie's adoption in Guatemala is done!!!! THANK YOU JESUS and thank you Sr. Barrios!! Thank you, thank you, and THANK YOU!!!!

There are a few more steps before Carrie can hit American soil. Her birth mother must sign off for the last time. We need a new birth certificate listing us as her parents. Carrie needs her passport and visa... oh, and one brief DNA test to make sure she's the same child as the first test. Then we just need to arrange for her escort HOME!

All I can do is smile this morning!!! And think about how much needs to get done around here before she gets here! Gates, high chair, outlet covers... oh my! Lots to do.... oh, and I need to clean all my summer shoes and clothes up off her floor! A storage area no more :)) Hallelujah!

THANK YOU, everyone for your prayers and support these past months. We know it has been a rollercoaster ride! We could not have managed without you! Even when you haven't understood the process or the timeline... you've been so wonderful! We feel truly blessed!! Please continue to pray that Carrie will make it home by Thanksgiving!!!

To our friends who are STILL waiting. We continue to hold you and your children in constant prayer! We cannot wait to hear your good news and are certain it will come!!!

MYan Indian!

Discussions about "white men" vs. Native Americans ("Indians") have been a pretty common event in our home the past few days. It's all been spawned by a variety of things including a recent viewing of Peter Pan. Please pardon how politically incorrect this may be... it's hard to discuss all of this with a child and since he is not Native American, but Mayan it makes it all the more difficult to explain the appropriate terminology.

Here are a few of our recent conversations:
Drew: So, are we "white men"?
Mom: Well, Daddy and I are.
Drew: And what am I?
Mom: You're more like a "red man", or Indian.
Drew: speechless

Two days later:
Drew: Am I an Indian?
Mom: Well, you're Mayan Indian, actually.
Drew: I'm YOUR Indian?
Mom: (giggling to herself) Yes. You are MY Indian.

Two days later:
Drew: Am I YOUR Indian?
Mom: Yes you are!!
Drew: Well, you're MY white person!! And I love you very, very more!
Mom: speechless :)

October Prayer Requests

Well.... there's a lot to say that I've not mentioned on this blog yet. It's too confusing and unimaginable, really. It would seem that because of a lot of international adoption "stuff" and Guatemala's need to become compliant with it ..... Guatemalan adoption as we know it will be changing. In order to work through these changes, they may be ceasing adoptions with America for some time. The president of G. has made a statement that as of Jan. 1 American adoptions will stop and there is currently no "grandfather clause" for those of us (potentially 5,000 of us) who are in the process. Groups in the US are promising to do what they can to encourage G. to allow these cases to go through to completion...... but it would seem no one can know the outcome right now.
That being said, PRAYER REQUESTS:
We are asking for fervent prayers that our case is completed in PGN NOW! We are asking for fervent prayers that all final paperwork is completed within next two weeks. We are asking for fervent prayer that our daughter is HOME before Thanksgiving.
We also have many friends in the process. A good number of them are seeing home-comings this month. We are thrilled for them! But there are others not even as far along as we think we are... some who did a TON of paperwork and have not even gotten to accept a referral of a child and now may be too late. It's heartbreaking!! There are so many children that are suffering and will probably die......and so many families that would love to call these children sons and daughters.

I'm adding these as well:
That the new laws in G. would include a grandfather clause to allow ALL children currently in process to come HOME.
That there would be wisdom as those in G making the laws and decisions would operate with the best interests for the children in mind. They are considering undoing foster care and placing children in orphanages... which are not even built and there is no money to run! It's not looking good... but God is bigger than all of this!

Thank you for your prayers. We're existing on them right now and on our faith that God will bring us through this process in His way and in His time. He constantly reminds us that His ways are not ours... and that His are better.