JOURNAL Updateposted on 10/20/2007 We just received an update from Sally... She says Aby has told her we are just waiting for our PA(pre approval)... YAYYYYY!!!!! Then we can move on to PGN.... I know so many people that want OUT of there and I just want IN!!!!! sounds crazy right???? but you have to go into the BLACK HOLE to get out!!!! I sent Sally another email to confirm we are out of FC(family court) and have not heard back from her as of yet... I pray we are or at least close!!!! We could be in PGN by mid Nov... and that would be GREAT!!!!!! Comments (0) To all our Guest, Family and Friends posted on 10/14/2007 Please feel free to sign the guest book, leave a comment on a photo or on a journal entry. And thank you to everyone for their comments here, We love to read everyones responses!!!!! This is a very emotional journey and when I read things friends and family leave on a post it brings a smile to our faces and sometime a tear... Renee, I'm praying this is your week to hear something about your OUT!!!! Comments (0) WOOOHOOOOOO!!!!!!! posted on 10/11/2007 We received a email from Labcorp today, IT'S A MATCH!!!!!!! Now we wait for PA!!!!! com'on PA!!!!!! We was just told yesterday they had our samples, and today the results!!!!! How could this be??? I don't care really, I just know we have waited forever to get to this point!!!!!! Now if we can just exit FC and get PA quickly as I have seen some in as little as 1 week lately!!!!! praying we can be this lucky too!!!!! PGN we are on our way baby!!!!!! Comments (1) New Update posted on 10/11/2007 We are OUT of FC (family Court)!!!!!!! now we just wait for PA.... then we enter PGN!!!!!! YAYYYYYYYYY There was a freind of mine that her girlfreind was 1 week ahead of us with PA and she just received heres today (day 19) so HOPEFULLY we hear something soon!!!!!! We are on day 12 today.... Hopefully we have it by Nov 1st and we can enter PGN the dreaded "Black Hole" it is running about 8 weeks with no KO's (kick outs) If we are lucky enough we could be out by the end of Dec... and maybe have Zackary home by Valentines day.... I know this is wishful thinking.... I still say it will be late March early April... But one can hope!!!!! Comments (0) GREAT NEWS!!!!! posted on 10/09/2007 WE ARE SO EXCITED!!!!!! I got home from work today and Steve said "there is an email you should read I think it will make you smile" Well of course I went straight for the computer...... There it was an email forwarded from Labcorp..... the DNA has arrived!!!!!!! YAYYYYYYYY!!!!!! Results usually take anywhere from 7-14 days , then its on to the PA wait.... LOL We are in FC (family court) and entered early last month. We are praying the the SWI was done at the same time as the DNA. This way the BMother doesnt have to make another trip back to the city. I was so worried about her seeing Zack for the 1st time since his birth, this is usually the point they change their minds if they want to keep the baby. So as of right now we have 3 of her 4 signatures(if SWI was done too), we only need 1 more from BM at the end of the process.... and YES she can still change her mind at anytime. Please pray that this process speeds up some as we are VERY eager to get this case moving to bring Zackary home!!!!!! Comments (2) Zack's room posted on 10/06/2007 Well I have started Zackary's room, now have all the walls done. just have to still cut in on the green. The mural will be here next week so I hope to have that started by next weekend. After I'm done painting Steve is going to lay carpet in there. Then it will be time to put all the furniture together. It's coming together slowly.... Will post more as we get it more together. Comments (0) Just booked our 2nd trip!!!!! posted on 10/05/2007 We just booked our 2nd visit trip!!!!! YAYYY!!!!! We will leave Thurs Nov 29th and come home Dec 3rd. 5 wonderful days with Zackary!!!!! We can't wait to see and hold him again!!!! We also found out Zack is in Family Court waiting for our Birthmother interveiw and DNA appointment!!!! His birthmother couldnt make the 1st appointment so we have to try again hope and praying she makes this one. Aby said we are next for an interveiw appointment.... please pray for us that we get it soon!!!! And we have started on his room, I'm going tomorrow to get all the paint. The mural I found for the wall will be here next week and then I can get that started as well. (it is so cute) We already have all the bedding and furniture. After I am done painting Steve is going to lay new carpet . We just can't wait for Zack to finally come home!!!! I know things in Guat are really up in the air right now, but I have to stay positive!!!! And keep praying he WILL come home!!!! This is the mural we have decided on, Isnt it cute? LOL
Comments (0) A Call to ACTION posted on 09/29/2007 Dear Family and Friends, As many of you know, Steve and I have been pursuing adoption of a little boy from Guatemala. His name is Zackary and he is 3 months old now. We started this process In February 2007, going through considerable hoops, such as an extensive homestudy, police and FBI background checks and fingerprints, much, much paperwork, lots of documents that had to be notarized, certified at the State level and authenticated at the Guatemalan consulate in Chicago. I don't want to make this too long, because even if I did, it wouldn't convey in writing how long and how many requirements on our part it took to even qualify as adopting parents. The whole process has been long, very stressful and right now is very painful. We got a referral for a 3 week old baby boy on July 12, 2007. We fell in love instantly, and from that day he was "our son". We sent a Power of Attorney to Guatemala for an attorney to work on our behalf. Because Guatemala has NO INFRASTRUCTURE to take care of unwanted children, the mothers who chose an adoption relinquish their children to the attorney, who places the child in a private foster care (in most cases excellent care) or private orphanages (also very well run). The attorney then refers the child to an agency in the U.S. who works with prospective adoptive parents (PAPs), like us, and refers the child to them. From then on the foster or orphanage care for the child is paid by the PAPs who accepted their referral until the adoption is finalized. The process takes many steps: U.S. Embassy issues DNA authorization - the birthmother (birthmom) and the baby have to meet at the Dr's office for a DNA test. A picture of the two of them is taken at that time (remember, this is several months after the birthmom relinquished the baby). The mother is also interviewed at that time by a Guatemalan Family Court social worker who then writes and submits a report concerning whether her relinquishment of her baby is voluntary and not coerced. The test sample is sent to a lab in the U.S. Results are sent back to the Embassy. If DNA testing shows a match, the U.S. Embassy issues a Pre-approval (PA). Then the case goes to the Guatemala Attorney General's Office (PGN) for their approval of the case. According to Guatemala law, this is supposed to take 3 days. No case has been out of PGN in less than 2 months, some have been stuck there for 6-12 months. They scrutinize everything, and if there is a typo, they kick the file out, it has to get fixed and run through their mill again. Another 2, 3, or 4 months. Right now we are waiting to be assured DNA has been taken and if we are in FC, wait for PA then on to PGN and praying we receive no KO's. After out of PGN, a new birth certificate with our names as parents has to be issued by the Civil Registry in the place the child was born. Recently, the wait in "our" municipality ranges from 1 week to 4 weeks. Then the baby's passport is issued. U.S. Embassy authorizes a 2nd DNA test on the baby alone (ensuring no baby switching took place), and if the match is positive, visa appointment is scheduled and PAPs can bring their child to the U.S. Throughout the process, the birthmom has to sign-off the adoption 4 times (the final time is after out of PGN). Some birthmom have changed their mind during that time and taken their children back. Actually, NOW it gets WORSE. The situation is very complicated for me to explain in detail here, but you can gain insight by reading the links below. There are huge political battles within Guatemala. To boil it down - Guatemala wants to shut down Intercountry adoptions. UNICEF is dangling several millions of $$ in front of the lame duck President Berger. He gets the money, if Guatemala gets "Hague compliant", which will effectively shut down adoptions. The President said few days ago, that not even cases in process (like ours) would be not grandfathered in after January 1st 2008. So, if we don't get out FC and PGN very, very soon, we won't make it! Remember, there is NO WELFARE SYSTEM, NO INFRASTRUCTURE in Guatemala today. So what is going to happen to these children? The President didn't say. (More explanation is in the included links below) We have visited our baby once and will be going for another visit in Dec. The thought of not being able to bring Zack home is more than devastating. It is absolutely unbearable. And you that know us know that we would do anything to be able to bring our son home where he belongs. Legally he is not ours yet but he is OURS in our hearts, and we LOVE him so much. So here is how you can help. Please sign the online petitions and follow the instruction of the Guatemala5000 initiative (http://jcics.org/Guatemala5000.htm ) We need to put pressure on the politicians. The Guatemala government is always asking U.S. for money, and the U.S. government should be able to put some pressure on them at least to let in-process cases finish! There is strength in numbers. I understand, you might feel you don't know enough to put your name on this. I am including links, where you can read more to understand it better. Also, please don't let the bad media reports influence you. All they do is put out sensationalistic stories that will give them good ratings. Last week's NPR story had a UNICEF rep say that there are no requirements to adopt a baby from Guatemala other than having $25K-$40K. As you can tell from our experience above, he is LYING!!!!! here are the links to the petitions: http://www.petitiononline.com/41203gm/petition.html http://www.petitiononline.com/foafoa1/petition.html Link to the Joint Council on International Children Services with "how you can help" THIS IS THE IMPORTANT ONE TO DO!!!!!! http://jcics.org/Guatemala5000.htm LInks to "Families without borders" with explanation of UNICEF's stance (very good, especially the second link to the sponsor letter, where it is very well explained why UNICEF is being so harmful): http://www.familieswithoutborders.com/ http://www.familieswithoutborders.com/FinalCampaignLetter.htm READ THIS ONE, EXCELLENT INFO!!!!!!!! Please help us and thousands of others in the same boat to bring our children home! Our children have nowhere else to go, but get stuck in a non-existing welfare system by a dysfunctional and corrupt government! Thank you for your help. This is the only thing we can do. Comments (0) |
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