SURPRISE VISIT!

These were taken on February 15. She is enjoying cereal, fruit, veggies, and meat baby food now. COME ON PINK! The wait is killing me today!

My Friends....

E (and baby A) and T (and baby M) both have PINK now! I am soooooo excited for them. T will be leaving in a week for pick up and I'm hoping that E and I will be at pick up together. Thanks for all of your support you guys, I don't know what I would have done with out you this year. We have to have a beach get together soon. A shout out to A and baby N - COME ON PINK!! N's DNA has been done and I hope we hear soon about their PINK.

Today was a horrible day of refreshing and refreshing the FEDEX tracking site to make sure our DNA arrived. Who would have thought I'd be a Truck Stalker? Geez. Our DNA arrived YESTERDAY and at 4:58pm the Embassy refused receipt because it won't take packages after 3:30pm. So today at 9:30am it got back on the truck AND RODE AROUND GUAT CITY FOR 6 HOURS torturing me and my poor refresh finger. It was signed for at 3:35pm - 5 mins late but Thank God somebody was still there to sign or I don't know what.

This process is a marathon, not a sprint. I was warned of this, I was warned it was an emotional roller coaster like no other - but NO ONE told me I'd become a cyber stalker of all sorts of things. :)

DNA @ USE!

WE SHOULD GET OUR PINK SLIP IN THE NEXT 48 HOURS!!! OH GOD, PLEASE DON'T MAKE ME WAIT TILL MONDAY OR TUESDAY CUZ I WILL JUST DIE!! :)

My guess at a date? I'm betting her appointment is the week of 3/17! Hopefully home for Easter and the boys spring break!

DNA on the Way!

DNA left North Carolina today and is on the way back to Guatemala! I would love to get our PINK slip this Friday, but realistically its probably going to be early next week. I can't wait! The Painter is coming over tomorrow to pick out paint and hopefully he'll be able to squeeze in her room this week. The panic is starting to settle in...

Today Natalie's insurance card arrived in the mail! How surreal! (I took the pic on the computer, thus its inverse).

February Social Visit Pics!

These were taken on February 18. See you soon baby girl!

HAPPY 7 MOS NATALIE!

Today baby girl turned 7 months! Our DNA was received by LabCorp on 2/18 and started its process. Hopefully we'll hear soon that it's on the way back to Guatemala!

2ND DNA is DONE!

We received an update from our agency today that Natalie went in for her 2nd DNA test on Friday the 15th like we guessed. We should be getting PINK around Leap Day! We are so excited, and overwhelmed with unpreparedness (how can that be after this long of a journey?). Still thinking about traveling arrangements since our appointment will be around the Easter holidays. Ugh - I'm a planner and I can't plan yet! Can't dwell though, her room isn't even remotely done, and friends are giving me a shower on the 6th. Lots to do! Here are pics of her first DNA on 8/17, then second DNA on 2/15. She's gotten so big!

08-17-07


02-15-08

ORANGE BABY!!

Natalie is ORANGE! Our credit card was charged yesterday for the 2nd DNA test (which should happen today)! Babies seem to be coming home about 4 weeks from DNA day! WOO HOO!!

More Trip Pics!

Here are some more trip pics - Natalie and Nora had a GREAT time playing with each other!



Happy Valentine's Day!


Happy St. Patrick's Day!




Happy Easter!




Such the Princess!




Amigas!

We got her BIRTH CERTIFICATE!

It's a miracle!  We were told her birth certificate would take anywhere from a month to 4 months. It took about 10 days!!  I flew home from Guat tonight (I'll post more pics tomorrow) totally and completely bummed.  I got through giving her back because I knew it was the last time I would ever have to do it, but the thought it could take until this summer was just a bummer.  You can't imagine my surprise when I got home and checked email and there it was...her birth certificate with our last name on her birth name and naming us as her parents.

She'll now go for her Guatemalan passport.

I can't tell you the relief I feel.....

Pics tomorrow, I promise!

Westin Day 2

Natalie slept for 12 hours and woke up the baby I remembered albeit with a little more ummm should we say "personality"?? She seems to be feeling better and resigned to the fact that I'm taking care of her for now... poor thing, so confusing. Come on you stupid birth certificate! Natalie and Nora have played alot today and hung out with a bunch of - mostly - boys! I'll post a few pics I have so far from today...

Good Morning Happy Baby!


Amigas...












Click Here for Movie Clip!

Westin Day 1

I flew in on Thursday night and got settled (my friend Amy flew in late) and we both decided to get adjoining rooms to help each other out.  On Friday I picked Natalie up at 10am and all was fine.  She is getting 2 teeth in and it soon became clear she was miserable, she wanted comforted and the person to comfort her WAS NOT ME.  Where was my happy laid back baby from all the previous visits?  It was a terrible day and I felt so awful for her...I told David (only half-jokingly) to get his butt on a plane down here.  She pretty much screamed and cried all day with her poor hand shoved in her mouth pushing down on her gums.  I gave her some Orajel and some ibuprofen and she fell asleep at 8:15pm.  Here are pics of Natalie and darling Nora on Day 1.   Natalie is getting BIG.  It's time for her to come home.  Let's just say her legs are big (think tree trunks).  Her legs no longer fit in the Bumbo, so I'm brining it home.  Amy had some Graduate Banana Puffs and this is her first real table food - and thank God she had them because it was one of the few distractions she could stand through her pain...

In the walker I brought her...




Amigas...






Just Perfect That's All...


Tree Trunks...


First Table Food...




Aunt Elaine's Longhorn Lovie...


Legs don't fit in the Bumbo...


Fightin' over the bag of diapers!

Really OFFICIAL Now!!

Today our agency updated us that on Monday, January 28, Natalie's birthmom signed off for the 4th and final time.  The adoption decree was then registered at the civil registry which makes her officially our daughter as of that date!!!

While we've been waiting for this technicality to happen before we really celebrate, it's hard for us to imagine the pain Natalie's birthmom felt signing off for the final time....our hearts go out to her for such a tough decision.

Such mixed emotions...

NORA is OUT!

Natalie's little buddy Nora got the call tonight! She is OUT of PGN!!  CONGRATS!!!!!

Nora's mom, Amy, and I talk almost every day...but we've never met in person.  David and MIL were lucky enough to meet her and her husband in October on a visit trip.  Amy and I are going to Guat together next Thursday - so it's just extra special that we get to PARTAY with our girls who are OUT!!!  I can't wait - I'm counting the minutes!

Here's a pic of Natalie (left) and Nora sharing a stroller in October.