New Birth Certificate....Check!

Yep! It's official, Mason has our last name! His first birthname remains the same, so we will have to legally change his first name once we have him home. Which leads to another question many have..."Have you decided on a middle name yet?" The answer: No, we are still discussing it. I can tell you we will be incorporating his birthname though.

Our attorney plans to get the passport tomorrow and will hopefully submit our final papers to the US Embassy early next week. Then we wait for DNA authorization from the USE! Please pray that Pedro is able to get our passport tomorrow and get all our final paperwork to the US Embassy for the 2nd DNA early next week! Also, continue to pray for Mason's health and safety and that the financial needs of the Eagles Nest are met.

Thanks again for all of your love, prayers and support! I am posting some pictures of the "damage" I have done. I am not even kidding when I say that this isn't everything...there have been a few other purchases since the initial "WE ARE OUT OF PGN" shopping spree. Also, I have been stocking up on diapers, formula, wipes and baby veggies. I was able to find out what size/brand of diapers and what forumla Mason is currently using. He is now eating "veggies" at lunch...HOMEMADE baby veggies that is. He is soooo loved and spoiled! :)

Clothes, Swing, Bumbo seat!

More clothes....various sizes...planning ahead (of course)

PJ's (various sizes)

Care Package #5. I sent this pkg down w/ a family who traveled to Guate last week.

My laundry room is functional again! Looks nice and clean now!
"For with God nothing will be impossible" Luke 1:37

Still Rejoicing!

I am pretty sure I have been running on pure adrenaline for the past week! I hope this adrenaline rush gets me through the next few weeks of waiting! I am still in shock and can't even tell you the number of times each day I thank the Lord for the good news we have received. I have had many people ask about the next steps, so here is my attempt to outline them for you:

1. Final Decree. The Final Decree is issued & signed by the Birth Mother for the 4th and final time. This is the day Mason becomes legally ours. DONE !!!!!!

2. Civil Registry Issues New Birth Certificate. Once the Final Decree is signed, a request for a new birth certificate to the Civil Registry where the child's birth is registered is submitted. The Civil Registry will issue a new Birth Certificate showing the child's birth first name and the adoptive parent's last name. Our agency thought the attorney would get the BC sometime last week. Awaiting confirmation.

3. Passport. Once the new BC arrives, a file is submitted to Immigration in Guatemala to request the child's passport. Our agency thought the attorney would have this by today (1/26), if he was able to get BC this past week.

4. Final Package to Embassy and DNA Authorization. The Final Package (translated versions of the BC, Final Decree, PGN resolution, POA, PA, Passport photocopy, & Home Study) is submitted to the US Embassy. Within 24 hours the Embassy issues authorization (the Orange Slip) for second DNA test and Embassy Medical Exam. The passport and Orange Slip should happen 1-2 days from receipt of BC.

5. DNA Sample and Medical Exam. The child is taken to the Embassy doctor for a medical exam & a second DNA sample (to ensure the child is the same child that got pre-approval when the process began). The DNA sample is sent to a laboratory in the States. The test results are sent to the US Embassy. DNA test results are taking about 2 weeks from the date the sample is taken.

6. Visa Appointment Scheduled (Pink Slip). Once the DNA test results are received by the US Embassy, the visa appointment is scheduled and the adoptive parents notified. The notification is called the Pink Slip. The Pink Slip is emailed within 48 hours of the Embassy receiving DNA confirmation. They say appointment dates are approximately10 days to 2 weeks from scheduling, but I have been seeing 2-2 1/2 weeks as well.

7. Attend Visa Appointment. The child is taken to the US Embassy to be sworn in as a US citizen! The following day the child's US Visa is ready for pick up. After that, the child can enter the United States!

8. Breathe! Yippee...Cheer...Sing Praise...Shout...Dance...Rejoice! We will be home sweet home with our little boy!

I am hoping to receive an update from our agency next week...praying they tell us steps 2 & 3 can be checked off the list! I will keep you updated as we receive new information. Oh, in case you're wondering if I went completely crazy and overboard after receiving the news last Friday....the answer is YES!! I did some serious power shopping, and I cut off all the tags & washed everything! I can't even tell you how good it felt! (I will post pictures later).

"For you make me glad by Your deed, O Lord; I sing for joy at the works of your hands" Psalm 92:4

I was right! My husband was nesting!

We are OUT!! Mason's case has been approved by PGN! I received the call from our agency this morning, our case was approved on Jan 11th. We are so excited and full of joy! We have prayed for this day...the Lord has heard our prayers and blessed us!

I already know the next question on your mind....When do you get to bring him home? The answer: We have been told to plan on traveling in the next 4-6 weeks. To be honest, I can barely remember the conversation with our agency after hearing our case was approved. Thankfully our caseworker was kind enough to send me an email detailing the next steps! Off the top of my head, next steps are...Birth Certificate, 2nd DNA, passport and then US Embassy gives us an appointment (or "PINK") which is when we can travel.

Thank you all who have supported us in this process, your thoughts and prayers have meant so much to us! I will post new info as I receive it!

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding" Proverbs 3:5

Thank you, God, for blessing our family!

I think my husband is "nesting"...

Just to give you a little background info first....I work a traditional work week, weekends off. My husband has 3 days off per week, so we have Sunday's off together. His other 2 days off fall during the week, while I am away at work. I can't tell you how many times I have come home after a day of work to find he has taken it upon himself to "start a project". Now, before you think I am being mean or unappreciative, I am not. I appreciate his energy and motivation, it's just sometimes the actual "idea" is not necessarily something I would have come up with. On a positive note, the man is NOT afraid to clean...GOD BLESS HIM for that!

Now, to finish my story. Last Monday I came home to find our office in complete disarray, a complete mess. He had taken everything out of the desk, closet and file cabinets...stuff was all over the office floor and guest bedroom. He decided it was time to "get organized"....I jokingly told him I thought he was "nesting". He was puzzled by that term, so I had to explain to him that pregnant women often "nest" right before giving birth. Anyway, the office is FINALLY put back together.

Fast forward a few days to his next day off, Sunday. It was time to "organize" the nursery, so we started going through the many piles we have shoved in there over the past few months. Note: this project is still a work in progress). Fast forward again, to today. I came home to find that he had completely pulled everything out of our laundry room...and I mean everything. Guess where he put it all? Yep, in our basement living room. I am not kidding....storage, litter box and all. Guess what he has "plans" to do? Finish the laundry room....sheet rock and tile floors. You know the best part about all of this...he goes back to work tomorrow (Note: it's now after 6pm). ;) HE IS SOOOOO NESTING!! Don't you think?

In all seriousness I write this post to be funny. I really do appreciate his motivation and the fact that he helps so much around the house. It's become a joke between us...I never know what project or home decorating binge he has gone on. I truly hope he is nesting...we want nothing more than to hear Mason is coming home soon.

This was once part of our bsmt LR, more commonly known as the "Poker Room". More junk piled up...
What was once the laundry room...he still doesn't know what to do w/ this stuff! YIKES!
Let's just call this one..."Real men DO housework"!! : )
Please pray that our case receives final approval soon! We are praying confidently and expecting God to answer.

"I have called upon Thee, for Thou will answer me, O God" Psalm 17:6a

Well, Calm and Smiles Alot!

This is exactly what our health update for January indicates....wonderful news. His weight is up to 13# 12 oz. This past week as been a little crazy, so I'll give you an update. Mason turned 6 months old on January 5th. Can you believe we have already been watching this sweet little boy grow for 6 months? Better yet, can you believe that I haven't had a nervous break-down in the last 6 months??!!

As far as we know our case is still in PGN...this is good news! Please hold us close in prayer...specifically that our case receives approval soon and that we do NOT receive any kick-outs. The "new law" is in effect in Guatemala and things are NOT running smoothly. Cases "in-process" are supposed to be grandfathered in. However if you receive a kick-out now, your case CANNOT be resubmitted to PGN. It's hard to explain and I am just praying it's an issue we don't even have to deal with. Basically if a case gets a KO now, it has to be registered with the Central Registry to continue to be processed. The problem you ask? THERE IS NO CENTRAL REGISTRY! Are you picking up what I am laying down? There are already several cases in this situation....and nobody has the answers yet.

Needless to say I am completely on edge. As for other news... we have officially registered! We took the plunge and registered at Target and Burlington Coat Factory because a couple of dear friends are planning a baby shower for us in Feb. While this is super exciting, it also has me stressed out. I know it probably sounds silly, but the entire time we were registering I found myself letting go and then turning around and guarding myself. In my head I was thinking "what if?" What if we run into major delays and it's months before Mason comes home? I am trying to allow myself just to enjoy this! God has heard our prayers for a child...God has delivered Mason to us with purpose...and I believe it's His plan for Mason to be part of our family.

"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

Welcome 2008...Happy New Year!

It's hard to believe another year has come and gone. We received an email over the weekend from our caseworker, and found out our case was resubmitted to PGN with PA on Nov 13th! I just pray our case continues smoothly and quickly through PGN with no KO's!

2007 will always be a memorable year...for several reasons, but above all it was the year we felt led to adopt and were eventually introduced to our son. Although our introduction has only been through pictures, I feel a bond and love that is strong and real. I can't even begin to describe the way I feel when I receive new pictures of him....my heart is full of joy and torn with ache all in one moment. The ache I feel is unexplainable....I just have this urge to be with him, hold him and never let him go. I trust the day that he will be ours forever will come in His time.

In 2007 I was forever changed. My spiritual maturity has grown and changed in ways that I have never experienced before. In ways that I am so very thankful for. Before we were led to adopt, we were led to attend a new church. Prior to January of 2007 we didn't really have a "home" church as a couple, as we are both still members of our childhood churches. We have now been attending the same church for the past year and both feel "settled". We are grateful and forever changed by the new experience and new people we have met.

I am thankful for the journey we started in 2007 and can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for us in 2008. I pray we will be united with Mason as a forever family very soon. Oh, and speaking of blessings....how about the great families we have met through adoption! A very special family went to visit their daughter at the children's home over Christmas. They were kind enough send us more pictures of Mason. Thanks again King family!

I will end this post by wishing you all a very blessed 2008! If "GIVING MORE" happens to be one of your resolutions for 2008, I would strongly urge you to check out the website for the EN. There are currently 11 children "stuck" in the system because of the changes in Guatemala's adoption laws. These 11 children currently do NOT have forever families waiting on them, as referrals to new families are on hold until the future of the new adoption system is known. Although new referrals are on hold, the lives of the children in need are not on hold....they continue to exist, they continue to need the love, support and safety that the EN can offer. The EN is gracious enough to continue to care for these children, even though their funding has been severely limited. It costs approximately $250 per month to care for one child. Check out the EN website by going to http://www.eaglesnestint.org/ and click on "Adopt-A-Child".