A Little Story

As we wait for more news and pictures, I thought that I would introduce a every good friend of mine and her adventure, with her permission of course...

I meet Ginger though an adoption forum, she like myself is a single women adopting a beautiful little girl from Guatemala. She is ahead of me in the process. She accepted her referral the first week of December, when the child was only a week or so old. She gladly accepted the referral and now is in the waiting period for Berali Grace... I have seen Berali grow over the past few months, and I watched in love how Ginger has been bonding with Berali. She and her best friend has already gone for a visit and bonding. Ginger has been keeping me up with her adoption, and has been tremendous support, with me through my ups and downs. Along with the rest of my support system. She and I have been communicating since I started my process. She has shown me how to just take the hard balls as they come, and work it out and move on. Anyway back to Little Ms Berali Grace... She is a beautiful little Angel, that will be GRACING us with her present soon. I have told Ginger when we are going to Guatemala, and now she is planning a trip to go see Berali at the same time, on the same plane and in the same hotel! We will finally get to meet each other face to face, and our girls will be able to meet each other, in their own country. This will most definitely be a Kodak moment. Something all of us will treasure for the rest of our lives. Ginger and I have discussed how wonderful it would be to keep in touch and to have reunions with the girls. Even trips back to Guatemala when they get older. I feel that our friend ship will last forever and the girls will always have a connection. I am including some pictures of Berali for you viewing pleasures. To keep myself busy as I waiting on news of Angelena, I created some picture art for Ginger! Enjoy...

PACKING MY BAGS

We are going for a visit in Augest. They wanted me to go in the beginning of July, but mom will be in California. I will not go without her, my dream has to have my mom with me for the first time I meet my duaghter... So with that, mom comes home form CA on 7/31, and we fly out to see Angelena on 8/2. I just can't wait. Cousin Liz will be joining us with the trip. We just purchased our tickets and are set to go.

On another note, I was told that I will be getting a video and more picture in the next week or 2, once I have them, I will post more for your enjoyment!!!

I knew of you before your birth,

I loved you before we ever meet.

I prayed for you day and night,

Thankful your birth mother had chosen life.
The waiting is anxious and hard,

You already hold a place in my heart.

Weeks go by, and sometimes I cried.

Finally one day I will get a call with good news.
Tears of joy will fall on my cheek,

I wait for the first time I will hold you,

Precious Angel, so tiny and sweet.

I'm thankful your birth mother had chosen life.

Rocking and singing sweet lullabies,

You will bring much joy to so many lives.

I'll love you forever, sweet little one.

Memories to treasure, a new life begun...

WE DID IT!

I am approved.... I am approved.... I am apporved for 2 kids. I recieved the I171H form today! Yep, you heard me right, 2 kids. I always wanted 2, but, I am only getting 1 for now. But, everyones knows that all kids needs a brother or sister... Coming from a family with a lot of kids, you always need sibilings. I have up to 18 months to decide if I want to get another. The agency told me today, all I have to do is say the word and they will let me pick another....

With me being a single mom, if I had 2 kids I would have to be a stay at home mom, cause I can't afford a babysitter.... UNLESS someone want to move to TEXAS and babysit her cousins... Do you here me SHANNON? SO what are you waiting for???

We have all the paper work done except for 1 thing.... MY birth certificate. It is currently at the IL Guatemala Consulant getting their approval, and they are sending it out to me tomorrow.

Now, the DNA authorization and testing will begin. So, we wait for 6-8 weeks, then we can go and visit her. Then wait again, for 2-4 months after that and then BRING HER HOME!!!

Just wanted to share this with everyone!

HUGS

WHAT A DAY

We went to Homeland Security Monday Morning! Mom is now certifiable and has passed the Immigration portion of the journey. We should be getting the I171H by Friday, and will be should be completely done with all the paper work, (until we go to Guatemala). But, the worst is behind us.

When I sat and watched the Presidents Address last night, all I could think was look at all the stuff I had to go through to make Angelena a US Citizen, and who his address was solely on Immigration procedures and keep people out the states that don't belong here. Granted he made some good points, or at least whoever wrote his speech... Anyway that is another story.. All I am saying is becoming a US Citizen is one long and hard thing to conquer, but it is so well worth it! The people at Homeland Security, and very nice, and they help and explain everything in detail to you so the process will go quicker...

So with that...OUR DAY was very eventful and OVER!!

We Have the Vitals!


May 10th medical
6 lb 10 oz
Length 51 cm (20.1 inches)
Head 34 cm (13.4 inches)

Totally healthy..
bloodwork negative for everything!

OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!


You see this picture on the side, that is exactly how I felt today... Today was complete waist of time and engery. To make a VERY long story short, we didn't get to get mom's finger prints done. We were told "They have exhuasted their resources in doing her prints, and we would have to go and visit the Orphan Officer in the main office.... So off we went there, and found a line 1/2 mile long. I talked to the Deputy at the door, (any excuse to talk to him) and he said the line was for people that didn't have apointments, and they were going to start taking them till 1pm.... To say the least we left and I went to work, and Cindy took mom home...

I talked to the Adoption Agency, and she gave me an email address to the orphan officer, so I emialed her and explained everything. She replied very quickly, and said that mom will have to do a FACE-TO-FACE interview, and need to bring any record clearance of anywhere she lived in the past 5 years...

So of course, I had to contact California for record clearance, and they said she needed to be there and be finger printed to get the clearance.... OMG.... WHAT THE HECK IS THE DIFFERENCE between here or there. I them emailed the officer again, and told her what they said, and she said to go to the local police in CA, cosidering we were in that town for more than 10 years, and get a clearence form them.

I called the Vallejo Police Department, and now were are office to writing letters, notarizing them, FedExing them to CA, and oh ya, I need a Money Order.... IMAGINE THAT!!

So, I am writting mom the letter and sending it off Tomorrow... AND THEN......

WE WAIT!

AGAIN!!!

DRUM ROLL PLEASE!!!!


We received word from the INS/IMIGRATION/HOME LAND SECURITY!

Guess what... MOM didn't pass the FBI background check... Imagine that... We have a criminal in the household.... No Just kidding... They were unable to read her fingerprints, so she has to redue them. We will be heading to imigration first thing in the morning. The results will be back in 3-4 weeks, in which, if they can read them we will receive the I171H form. We are still waiting for the vitals and blood work on Angel. We are also waiting for the extra stuff that the OTHER agency didn't have me do. But with fast working friends, and loved ones, we are getting the stuff quickly.

It is just another... Hick up the process, but it is all in a days work. Mom is disapointed, and feels that it is her fault for the hold up... But, I look at it as, IT is NO ONES fault and we just need to get it done so we can get past it.

We are having Torando Warnings, so, I think I will get off the computer now.

Good Night!

PICTURES ARE HERE!

There are no words that could express the feeling I got when opened the email I received from the Agency. I got the call first and she said, I want to send you some pictures, which address do you want them sent to, work or home... At first I said home, because I wanted mom to be with me when I opened them, then I said no send them to me here at work, then I paused a little, then I said send them to both places! Once I received them, I called home and had Cindy and Mom go into my email and pull them up, and we all looked at them. It was an amazing feel. Now, I keep looking at them and start giggling to myself. "This is MY daughter" ... I can't seem to realize that this is really happening! I keep saying to myself... MY DAUGHTER>>> MY ANGEL... MY BABY....

We are still pending the vital information on her, all we know is her birthday. April 27.. 2 Days before Auntiee Kathy's... There is just something about my family that keeps having kids on or close to someones birthday. I think it all started with my mom's parents...

Mom's Birthday is 12/25, with 1 sister that is 4 years younger than her on the same day, and another sister yet younger 2 weeks later... It must have been the Irish in my grandparents... They CELEBRATED St. Patricks Day.... LOL, Then My mom had Kevin (my brother) on my Dad's Birthday, and Kathy(my sister) had her son Joey on my Dad and Kevins birthday. 3 Generations on 1 day. And Kathy has a daughter born 2 days after Coco's (my other sister) birthday... AND THEN, Coco had Timmy, 1 day before my birthday, and My niece had a daughter 2 days before Johns (her dads) birthday. AND THEN.... Shannon had Daisa 6 days after my birhtday, and Coco had John in Aug too! What is so funny about all this, I was the only person in the family that had a birthday in August, and everyone always forgot it.. Then once Timmy was born (Coco's) everyone starting remembering.... Then once Johnny was born (C0c0's) everyone remembered Timmy and Johnnies, and forgot about mine! Which is JUST FINE WITH ME.... Cause I AM NOT GETTING ANY OLDER!!!!!

So you see.... The family birthday thing.... How could we not keep the tradition going! Well that's all for now. Love to all, and I will post more when I here more.

Ellie

YOU'RE FIRED

Well.... A little step back...

I have some news to share with everyone. I have fired the Adoption Agency, due to their inconsistency, lies, misconstrued, and ignorance. (To put it nicely) There are too many details to put in, and I have the utmost concerns for friends that I have meet though the agency, that can't back out as I did. I can only pray for them and their children that everything works out and their children come home.

I have signed with another agency, and they have indicated that we should be hearing something within the month. Once we identify Angelena, they will do the DNA testing, and once we get the results; 6-8 weeks, we will be going for a visit to Guatemala. Then it could anywhere form 2-4 months after that to bring her home. So with that said. We are looking at the end of July, beginning of Aug, for the visit, and anywhere form Oct-Dec to bringing her home. And this agency HAS, I say it again, HAS had successful adoptions from Guatemala! Unlike the other agency... The name that must not be spoken... LOL.. Ya so I am a Harry Potter Fan...

Anyway... Hope all is well with everyone. Blessed to all and to all a good night!