WE HAVE PA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am so so excited! We just got the email from the US Embassy saying that they
have reviewed our file and issued the Pre-Aproval. This means that our lawyer can pick this up this week and we can enter PGN. This is the final step in the Guatemalan process. Man I am so thankful to have this PA! After the past few days it is so good to get positive news. I saw the email and all 3 of us were jumping and screaming with joy. A happy memory at the end of a hard week. I just looked back at this blog and saw that on Sept 7th I posted that I thought it might take 2 more months. WOW It is still Sept! Thank you all for your support.

Don't Give Up, You Are Loved

This a great song and fitting for us all trying to adopt our babies.

Please help us and other waiting families

This week we recieved some bad news from our agency. It seems that the President of Guatemala has announced that as of Jan 1, 2008 adoptions from Guatemala will be suspended. This is the date that the Hague Treaty goes into effect. This is a long and completed issue that I can not fully explain here. When we started Anika's adoption anyone who had an adoption in progress when this went into effect was going to be allowed to finish their adoption under the old rules. This week this seems to no longer be the case.

There are many many talented people working to make sure this doesn't happen. Another possible outcome is that Guatemala wouldn't put the Hague Treaty into effect until the US does which would be in the spring of 2008.

The end result of this is we are not certain anymore that we will be able to complete Anika's adoption. This is a worse case situation at this point but very possible. I have cried all the tears that I can and now is a time for action. Please help us and all other families that are hoping to adopt by signing this petition. There are currently 5000 children " in process" in Guatemala with very uncertain future's and families here that already love them. Thank you for helping us all.

http://www.petitiononline.com/foafoa1/


http://www.jcics.org/Guatemala5000.htm This is a good summary of the situation and what we can do to help.

There is a chance that we might be out of PGN in Guatemala by the end of the year and that is what we hope for but it is just a chance and many many people are not as far along as we are.

Thank you!
Tracy

Updated measurements!

Today we recieved our monthly update with Anika's updated information from her
visit to the Dr's the begining of September. She has gained almost 2lbs since the beginning of Aug. She is almost 15lbs. It is so nice to get these updates. We got an email from our agency that was explaining that one of the lawyers that they were working with for a time and still has families in process with does not send updated medical info or pictures! WOW my heart hurts for those families who wait with no further info on their babies and also have to see the rest of us get updates. This is such a hard, hard process in many ways and that is just adding to their stress. I am very thankful for this information today and I feel for those who won't get this gift today.

5 Months!

HAPPY 5 MONTHS!!!

ANIKA MARIA IS 5 MONTHS OLD TODAY.

WE LOVE YOU

xoxoxo

Mom Dad and your Big Brother

Interview with my son :)

I saw this list of questions over on Sandra's blog http://www.jazzieandtahlia.typepad.com/ a few months ago and her girls answers were so cute I decided to try it with Kboy. He was so excited that I wanted to "interview" him. The look on his face was priceless enough. If you have kids give this a try. It was so fun...

What is your favorite color?

Pink ( this was a surprise)

What is your favorite outfit?

Winnie the Poo shirt

What is your favorite thing to do?

play trouble (the board game)

What is your favorite food?

cookies and candy

What do you want to be when you grow up?

A palentologist (he loves dinosaurs can tell you so much about the different kinds etc)

What makes you giggle?

funny faces and jokes

What makes you happy?

hugs and kisses from Mom (wow)

What makes you mad?

when people say something that is not true about me

What makes you sad?

when I see things that make me cry or when I hurt someone that I didn't mean too ( he can play rough at times)

Where do you want to go on vacation?

To Guatemala to see the volcanoes

What do you like to do outside?

blow bubbles, play soccer and run around

Is there anything else that you want to say?

No :)

A New Day

Today I am feeling much more excited about the news we got yesterday! It really is a big step

forward. Also there are 3 families that have recieved pre approval today after waiting around 48 days!! Congratulations to all of you. This means that there is a chance we will have ours sooner than I thought just yesterday. I am so excited today.

We had a nice day. Friends came over and Kboy got to play with one of his best friends. They are both in K but go to different schools since our small town switched to all day and didn't have enough room in the school for all the classes. She lives about 3 blocks from us but they go to different schools. They had a blast.

Family Court Approval!!!!!!

We just got an email that we are out/approved by the Family Court in Guatemala!! We got word that our case was approved on Aug 24th. We get updates on friday's when our attorney sends a progress update on his cases to our agency. This is really good news and it means that the Social Worker has completed her review and we will be able to move on to PGN in Guatemala once we get the Preapproval of our case from the US Embassy. That will be in another 2 months most likely.

Funny how I was so excited for a few minutes and then got bummed that our DNA test was not done sooner. These two months are going to be long.... I do appreciate the fact that waiting and doing the test and family court interview on the same day meant that Anika's birthmother only had to come once and not twice. I can't imagine how hard that day must have been for her. I am so thankful that she made an adoption plan and I am blessed behond words that Anika will be here and next year these extra two months won't matter much. I know that but in my heart it still hurts not to have that PA so we can go into PGN. Kboy was 5 months and a day when we got off the plane from Guatemala and he met his Grandparents and Uncle. That day in Anika's life is Sept 18th. From that point on I know this is going to take all my strength not to focus on her being older than that.

I am going to end this pitty party for myself and concentrate on the fact that we got GOOD NEWS today. GEESH I need to refocus. I am going to check and see if any of my "blogfriends" got good updates today. I hope so!!!!

Thankful

Kboy is really loving school this week. He was not excited about it on tues saying he was bored last week. This week he is not bored and loves to go. I am so thankful that he is happy about it. It is hard for me to send him and his jumping up and down with excitement as the bus comes makes it much easier to watch the bus go down the street. That being said it is a huge change for me. I am lucky to be a stay at home mom. My life the last 5 years has been with him. I got together with a few friends this week without our kids. It was strange for us all.

I had to email Kboys teacher last night. He has not been getting milk at lunch. I am not sure why I have been sending the money and he brings it home saying that he can't figure out how to buy it. I send water now to make sure he is not thirsty. Any how his teacher is going to make sure he has it today and also said this "Kboy is a lovely and great boy! I feel so privileged to have him in class. He is a very good boy in school and he is bright...."

I am so proud of him!! I am very thankful he has a teacher that likes him so much. What a wonderful blessing to get that email. She knows how hard this has been for me. I am so excited that he is doing well.

I love you my star and I am so thankful that I am your Mommy.

Boy and a Bike

Kboy just loves his new bike helmet. We went on a ride yesterday and it was so much fun. He was very excited to get on the bus again today but not all that excited about school. I am missing him like crazy today. :(