Embassy

Our cordinator told me today that we were submitted to Embassy today. She said we should be traveling in 3 weeks! It still all seems so unreal.
I don't know if we will still be in the states for our baby showers, but that's okay - I'll need stuff when we get home! :)
I'm still freaking out about making the travel arrangements and stuff. I hope it all goes smoother than I think it will.

Unbelievable News!!!

I just found out that Olivia's new birth certificate is complete! It was expected to not be done for a few more weeks, but I saw it - it has our names on it and everything! Our cordinator said she expects to hear about Olivia's passport next week. Looks like we will be traveling this month!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have so much to do, I'm kind of freaking out. Paperwork, her room, baby showers, travel arrangements, clean the house, Rachel's birthday, work, etc., etc. . . .

Another Roadblock :(

Last night I got home after 9:00 from work and checked my e-mail. I had one from my cordinator at FTIA titled "Guatemala City Birth Certificate." My heart started beating faster and I'm thinking "Seriously, that was super fast." Then I opened it and saw that it was bad news instead. I had been told when we got the call that Guatemala City would not be going through RENAP like a lot of areas of Guatemala are. Now it turns out that they are. From what I can tell by the information in the e-mail, it will probably be atleast the end of August when we get the birth certificate. So, I guess it could be closer to Olivia's birthday in October when we bring her home. I had not allowed myself to get too emotional through this process, but when we found out we were out of PGN I finally let myself feel something. I've been beyond excited. I guess that was bad, because now I'm feeling a huge let down.

She's officially ours!

I got word today that last Tuesday the birth mom signed the final adoption decree making Olivia officially ours. So, now we are waiting on Olivia's new birth certificate. It could be a couple of weeks.

Baby Showers

I can't believe we are finally far enough along to have baby showers! My friend Ginger is throwing one for me on July 19 and my family is throwing one on July 26. We don't know where yet for either. I have registered at tons of places (I've had plenty of time). It has given me something to do that has to do with the baby. There is a list of the places at the end of my blog page.
I know everyone is going to want to see Olivia when we get her home. My plan though is to just stay home for about a week before taking her out to see people. Then I plan on having a big 1st birthday party for her and everyone will be able to see her then. It will only be 1 to 2 months after we get home. I'm still jumping for joy that we are going to have her home by her 1st birthday. I had resigned myself to the thought that she would be older.

We're Out! We're Out!!!!

We got the call today that PGN has approved our case! That means we should be bringing Olivia home in the next 6 to 8 weeks!!!! We are actually going to have her home for her 1st birthday. I have so much to get done now. We really weren't expecting to get out for a while with the way things have been going there. I'll post as all of the little things get done that have to happen before we can bring her home.

PGN getting closer . . . maybe

We were told this week that last week PGN interviewed our birth mother. And we were informed that the interviews done last week that included our attorney went well and were signed off on. So, I take that to mean that we have had our interview and the birth mom signed off on it and that is one less thing for me to worry about. I had been getting worried by the day because of things I have heard about the interviews. I know that part of the interview (which includes our attorney, our birth mother, Olivia and her foster mother and some people from PGN) is that the birth mother is supposed to hold the baby during the interview. I cannot even imagine how hard that would be for the birth mother.
We heard from FTIA today that PGN has released a few cases. They really don't know anymore than that. They said most of the cases that were released where KO'd with previos (changes needed), but they are not sure if any of those cases are with FTIA. So, we still wait for news . . .
I'm looking for new measurements for April any day now. I haven't sent the 6-9 month clothes yet, so hopefully she won't be grown out of them before they get there. I also have not called our foster mom yet. I need to find a good international phone card to call Guatemala.

The days drag on . . .

So, everyday that goes by since we found out about the PGN shutdown it all sinks in a little more. I think I have just been numb for the last several days, but the more people who ask about the adoption, the more I realize what it all really means. If the investigations in PGN take as long as FTIA expects them to we will likely not be able to pick up Olivia until the end of the year. I can say for certain that, at this point, it will be no earlier than September. Olivia just turned 7 months on May 9. Last night I went through the clothes I had recently bought that are size 6-9 months so that I can send them on over. I'm still holding on to some hope and keeping the clothes that are 12 month size. Olivia should be just starting to wear the 6-9 month sizes going by her latest measurements. I guess I should also be revising my registries. I have registerd at tons of places just to keep myself busy.

PGN Pain

We found out today that not only the main guy at PGN was replaced, but so was everyone else that worked there. PGN is saying that there will be a hold on cases for a month while they investigate current cases before things start back up again. However, according to FTIA we should not expect to hear anything about our case for atleast two to three months since there will be all new people learning a new job and they have about 3,000 cases to review. We have been in PGN for 51 days and may now be on hold for several months. There are a few things that help me not to be too upset: 1. we are in there with 3,000 other people and 2. there are people in our group who have been waiting in PGN since the beginning of December who now have a longer wait while their babies celebrate their first birthdays.
So, I am upset about the what is going on, but I will find a way to deal with it. I guess I will go ahead and send the 6-9 month size clothes I had bought to Olivia's foster mom and keep sending pictures of us. And I will remind myself that Olivia was blessed with a wonderful foster mom. I still have not called Eva, our foster mom, but plan to very soon. It is much overdue.
On the bright side, we did get new pictures of Olivia. She is 6 months old in the pictures. Olivia will be 7 months old on May 9.

The latest on our PGN status

We were told Tuesday that FTIA got word on Monday that we have been resubmitted to PGN. However, they are seeing cases go in, but none come out. Their theory right now is that PGN is still not reviewing or signing off on cases though.
We should be getting new pictures at some point this week. Probably Friday.