Praise God we are OUT!!

We just got the call at 8:00 p.m. in Guatemala. Our case exited PGN today!!! Robert is legally ours. He will be coming home!!!(looks like the end of January)

Bubba got a haircut!

When I last visited in October Robert's foster mom asked if she could cut his hair. I said sure thinking she was just going to take a little off the sides. Well, she took off more then a little. Check out his buzz. We love it of course and think he looks very handsome. We can't wait to see him again on the December 18th and are even more anxious to bring him home for good. I'm attaching some recent pics. sporting the new dew.

Robert's 4 month Dr. Visit

Robert saw the Dr. this month on October 30th and is still doing great. He is beginning to reach for things and continues to put everything in his mouth. His head control is improving and he is getting stronger and stronger. He takes 6 ounces. of formula every 3 hours and it appears that he doesn't miss a meal. He now weighs 14 pounds 4 ounces. We really just can't wait to bring our son home.

Robert's Case got a KO!!!

We found out on November 7th that Robert's case received a small previo from PGN. That means that the reviewer found a problem with one of hundreds of documents that are needed to finalize the adoption. In this case out of 175 documents that Robert's birthmother's name appears there was a misspelling once. So....it was an easy fix that was corrected that day and his case went back into PGN on November 8th. The bad news is that we go to the end of the line so we start our 6-7 week wait all over again. At least we were only in for 2 weeks and 2 days and not 7 weeks when we found this out. We are praying so hard that his case goes through smoothly now and we exit PGN sometime in December. After his case exits PGN he is legally our son but we must wait another 3-4 weeks to go get him. This is because a new birth certificate must be obtained from where he was born (Mazatenaengo), and then he must get a Guatemalan Passport issued. Next, he must go see a Dr. at the US Embassy and finally a "Pink" slip is issued by the US Embassy which means that they approve of everything. Finally, we must receive an appointment at the Embassy to get all of these documents then we can come home. We are in the final stretch and ask that you continue to pray for speed so that Robert can come home to us very soon.

We are in PGN and Visit Trip Pictures!

It's been so hard for me to post any updates because we were waiting so long to get out of Family Court and not much changed. We found out that our case exited FC on 10/13 and we were really excited but still waiting to enter PGN. My dad and I got back from visiting Robert on 10/23 and found out that we entered PGN that same day!!!!! So now I feel like I have some real news to share. Our agency said to expect 6-7 weeks before we hear anything and to expect to be kicked out of PGN at least once maybe twice. We of course are praying that our case goes though without a KO and hopefully that will mean that Robert can come home some time in January. I am hoping he is home at or before when he turns 7 months. It would be a miracle to have him home for Christmas or at least be going to get him over the holiday. We are not giving up on that idea yet because there is always hope. Our visit trip was wonderful and I feel so blessed to have been able to spend another precious week with our son. His personality is coming out already and it seems very clear even at this early age that Robert will be very different then his big sister Evi. Robert seems very quiet and reserved around people he is unfamiliar with and takes a lot of time "studying" people and places before he is willing to flash his gorgeous smile. He is very sweet (not that Evi isn't) and loves to snuggle. He seems more interested in spending time in quite places with a few familiar faces then hanging out with lots of people. He loves to be held and talked to. He even liked Papi's singing. He is just an all around great baby. Everyone kept telling me that I wouldn't luck out twice and get 2 babies that sleep through the night. But...they were wrong because at 4 months old Robert goes to bed at 8 p.m. and sleeps until 6 a.m.. Then he has a bottle and goes back to sleep until 8 a.m. or 9 a.m. He still naps quite a bit throughout the day and will even sleep up to two and a half hours mid afternoon. He is a great eater as well. He takes 6 oz. every three hours (although I think he can go longer). He definitely isn't missing any meals. I can't believe that Evi was ever that small, how quickly we forget. Evi just seems so big now in comparison. I am posting some news pictures from our visit. I think these really capture who Robert is. Enjoy.

3 Month Update Pics.

Robert had his 3 month Dr. visit on September 20th. He is doing great and getting so big. He now weighs over 12 pounds. I can't wait to get my hands on him again in October!! We are in our 6th week of waiting to exit FC and hope that we hear something soon. We are still hoping and praying that he will be home for Christmas but if he is not Jeremy, Evi and I are going to go to Guatemala for Christmas this year. I don't think I could take being without him on his first Christmas. Waiting gets harder and harder everyday but I know that God has a plan for us and for Robert and he will be home in the Lord's perfect timing,

September Foster Mom Visit

We received update photos this morning! Robert looks the same, he's so beautiful. He is drinking 4 oz. Every three hours and is only waking 2x's a night for feedings. He looks so healthy. I love the picture with him on his tummy. You can't have too much tummy time! Just wanted to share. No news yet on FC but we are 4 weeks post interviews so maybe in the next couple weeks we will hear we are out! That's my prayer anyway.

First day of School!

I know this is Robert's adoption blog but...I decided that it will include all things that go on during his adoption and that means posting about Evi's first day of school. She was so excited to return to the Growing Place Preschool and see all her teachers. She went last year for a little bit but kept getting sick so I pulled her out. I hope that this year will be better and she is old enough to go now too. Last year she was to young for the 2 year old room but I sent her anyway. She did okay. I'm so anxious to hear about her first day. Now on to news about the adoption. We got pre-approval from the US embassy yesterday so that's great. Now we need FC to get moving!! I can't wait to get his 3 month update. I wonder how big he is now?

Labor Day Weekend

In the adoption world weekends are not so great. A weekend means nothing is going on with your case and so no news or movement. We are still waiting for pre-approval from the US embassy and also to exit Family Court. We have been in Family court for 6 weeks and have had our interviews done for 2 weeks. This means that we have like 6 or so weeks to go. That's if we are in a good court that is adoption friendly. If we are not in a "good" court then we may be in Family Court for a long time. It's so hard some days to be without Robert, I can't wait to see him and hold him again. I've got another visit trip planned for October 18-23!! I'm so excited. My Dad will be coming with and Jeremy and Evi will stay home. I can't believe that it's already September and school is back in session. The summer went so fast. Evi is starting 2 year old preschool on Wednesday and will go MWF's from 9-12. She is getting so big. She is now closer to 3 then 2, I can't believe it. Anyway, I just needed to post some more pictures of my beautiful family. I love them all so much and am so blessed to have them in my life.

2 month Update pics.

Robert turned 2 months on August 16th and went to the Dr. on the 21st. He now weighs 11 lbs. 1 ounce. He is doing really well in his foster home. We were able to meet many members of his foster family while we were in Guatemala and they are wonderful people who are loving and caring for Robert in the most wonderful way. We have DNA and FC interviews done so now we wait to exit FC and receive Pre approval (PA) from the US Embassy in Guatemala. The PA should come pretty quick so then all we will be waiting on is our FC exit. Our agency said that it's taking 6-7 weeks to exit once interviews are complete. We are hoping that we can get out sooner and then it's off to PGN. Once we are in PGN we will wait anywhere from 6-? weeks to exit and hopefully we do not receive any kick outs (KO). If we receive a KO we re-enter PGN and wait another 6-? weeks to exit or receive another KO. We are praying for patience and ask that you pray for us as well as Robert during this stressful and emotional time. Evi is asking for a little brother for Christmas and we so hope to have that baby boy under our tree. But... His will not mine be done.

Family Court Interviews Complete

We received an update from our agency today that our FC interviews have been completed! This is really great news and puts us one step closer to bringing Robert home. It will take 6-7 weeks to exit Family Court and then we can move on to PGN. I'm still hoping and praying that we can bring Robert home for Christmas.

Back from our visit trip

We arrived home on Saturday at about 9:30 p.m. It was a wonderful trip. We really enjoyed getting to meet Robert and care for him for the week. He is such a sweet baby and so good too! I'm planning on going back in October with my dad. We are not sure how long it's going to take to get Robert home so visiting again will help. We feel so blessed to have 2 such wonderful children. We are happy to announce that DNA was done on Wednesday August 16th (Robert's 2 month birthday). So we are one step closer to bringing him home. Please continue to keep Robert his birth mother and this adoption in your prayers.

Hola From Guatemala!

So here we are in Guatemala on our visit trip to meet Robert. We had rescheduled our trip twice because our DNA isn't done yet. But... we decided to travel anyway and we are so glad we are here to enjoy these moments with Robert while he is so young. We have had him now for exactly 25 hours and so far he is an awesome baby. He slept last night from 9:00 p.m. all the way to 1:15 a.m. and then slept again until 6:25 a.m. I thought that was great. Big sister Evi is doing great with him and is so caring and gentle. She doesn't like when he cries though. We can't get over how much he looks like Evi at this age, it must mean he was meant for us. Today we spent time at the pool and Evi and daddy swam. Tomorrow mommy is going to swim too. The adoption process can be so stressful and emotional. This week and the time we get to spend with Robert is priceless and makes it all worthwhile.

Robert's 1 month medical update.

We received Robert's 1 month medical update last week and were thrilled to see his beautiful face. He is getting so big weighing in at 9 pounds 4 ounces! I love the way he is filling out. The doctor that sees him in Guatemala says that he is doing great in his foster home and it is obvious that he is thriving. We were suppose to be leaving tomorrow to visit him for the first time, but have changed our travel plans due to a delay in the adoption process. We are now scheduled to leave in two weeks and we hope that things will be back on track so that we can enjoy the week with our new son. Please keep our adoption in your prayers and of course Robert too!!

Robert's New Room

Jeremy finished Robert's room today and it looks great if I do say so myself. We went with a sports theme because, well Jeremy loves sports. I think he's hoping that Robert will be a little athlete. I keep teasing that he's going to take after his mom and be in the band. LOL. I can make jokes like that because I was in band. Anyway, we wanted to share so we hope you enjoy.

Our First Update

So we got an update and pictures. We were so glad to see that Robert received our ziplocks that we sent pre-referral. Our agency gives us the opportunity to send down things for the baby. Most families send clothes, cameras, and bottle systems. He is doing really well in his foster home. He had some thrush but it has cleared up with antibiotics. I'm so glad that he is being well taken care of. Robert turned 1 month on the 16th so we hope to get another update soon. We can't wait to go meet him in 10 days!!!!

Congratulations?

Toronto Bluejay's DH/infielder Shea Hillenbrand was designated for assignment Wednesday evening a few days after going with his wife to participate in the adoption of their second child (being designated for assignment means that the team has 10 days to either trade, release or move him to the minors, and he will likely be traded or released). The team cites irreconcilable differences. Hillenbrand was upset that he was not in the lineup for the second day following his return to the team, and for being called out by the manager in front of the team during a closed-door team meeting, apparently for goofing around during a team workout.

We do not know what the irreconcilable differences are between Hillenbrand and the team, and I would hope that the Bluejay’s organization would not let family leave for an adoption to have played any part in their decision regarding Hillenbrand. However, one of the issues that Hillenbrand mentioned in an interview with reporters this week was that no one from the front office of the Bluejay’s organization has congratulated he and his wife on the adoption of their second child. Which brings me to the point of this post. When do you congratulate a couple on their adoption? When they make the decision to adopt? When they get a referral of a child or are chosen by a birth mother? Or should you wait until the child is home? Or in a domestic adoption should you wait until the adoption is finalized months after the child is placed with its parents? The answer in my mind is… all of the above.

What does it hurt to simply say “Congratulations on your decision to adopt, you must be so excited.” This may seem odd after all this decision would be parallel to a couple deciding to start “trying,” and I don’t think most of us go around saying, “I heard you and your wife were going start trying to have a baby, congrats.” But hey why not. When a couple finds out they are pregnant, that is when they know a baby will be added to their family, when a you decide to adopt this decision means that there will be a child added to your family. Making the decision to adopt is essentially this is like getting pregnant.

What about at referral, or after being chosen by a birth mother? When we recently received our referral for our son, it was shortly after his birth, this was when we first learned about the birth of our son. It is hard to think that this is not the appropriate time to congratulate someone; a baby was born, what could be more exiting. I know some might think, “What if something goes wrong?” or “What if birth mother changes her mind?” Well when you find out someone is pregnant how long do you wait to congratulate someone 3 months? 6 months? 9 months? After the birth of the child? Even with pregnancy, unfortunately, something could happen. Some people might choose not to announce a pregnancy until reaching 3 months or maybe longer, but as soon as they are comfortable sharing this info, it would make sense to congratulate them, even though you don’t know what may happen.

Well I guess that leaves when the child or baby comes home. This is probably the most obvious time for most to congratulate a couple adopting internationally. In many international adoptions this means the adoption has been finalized, CONGRATULATIONS! In a domestic adoption there is still some time before everything is finalized, but still the parents just added a member to their family regardless of what red tape still lies ahead. I know anything can happen, but what are you going to do, look at someone with their brand new baby, or new child and talk about the weather. Of course congratulations are in order.

And what about the domestic adoption or even an international adoption that requires another court date to be finalized? When the adoption is finalized… Congratulations on being DONE, no more red tape, no more worries about “what could happen.” This is a big deal.

So do you have to say congratulations to everyone you know that is adopting at every step of the way. Well, you don’t have to do anything, but the point is this, it is always ok (at least in my opinion) to say congratulations. As a parent through adoption, I’m not going to think, “how dare they congratulate me, were not done yet.” I would think that most adoptive parents just don’t want to think that you aren’t recognizing an adoption at all especially if you are someone that typically recognizes a pregnancy and birth. Does that mean you think an adoptive child doesn’t matter as much as a biological child? If you are taking the time to read this, then probably not.

Finally, to the Bluejay’s, I wasn’t in the locker room, I wasn’t at any or your workouts, so I don’t know what the irreconcilable differences are, but I do know this, you only have 25 active players on the roster this time of year, how hard would it have been to recognize Shea Hillenbrand’s new baby girl. Even if the adoption had nothing to do with your decision you still look bad in this fathers eyes.

Go White Sox, I hope you sweep the Jays August 4th, 5th, and 6th while I’m in Guatemala visiting my new baby boy.

Where We Are At In The Process

Now that we have a referral the fun begins. The first step is to get our POA (Power of Attorney) down to Guatemala and get it translated. Then we can enter Family Court (FC). At the same time we can have DNA done. Once we are out of FC and DNA is done (about 4 weeks) we receive pre-approval and enter the final Guatemalan court called PGN. PGN is going really slow right now (4-8 weeks). We are hoping things pick up soon.

DOB: 6/16/06
DOR: 6/26/06
POA: 7/4/06
DNA Taken: 8/16/06
DNA Match: 8/26/06
FC IN: 7/21/06
FC Interviews Complete: 8/21/06
FC OUT:
PA: 9/5/06
PGN IN: 10/23/06
PGN OUT: 12/28/06
PINK: 1/20/07
HOME: 1/24/07

We've Got the Blues, ... the Good Kind!

This is my (Jeremy) first post to the Babel Baby Adoption Blog. Up until now I have only dealt with the technical stuff (not that I needed to, blogger.com makes it all really easy). But as I told Kerry, I would be most excited after our referral. So first order of business, changing the color of our blog from pink to BLUE! We were both originally hoping for Evi to have a sister, but once we found out that our agency would require us to be open to gender, we both started to really like the idea of having a boy. Not that there aren't a couple of downsides to this, for example I hate to paint, and Evi's yellow baby room isn't going to cut it for little Robert Bernard. And then there are all of the pink clothes that will go unused until baby 3 or 4 comes along. But, on the upside, I can picture a nice leather baseball glove shaped toddler chair in his room, good thing Kerry is lying in bed recovering from her recent sinus surgery right now, I'm guessing that isn't going to fit into her plans for the room, but when I find one on eBay and it gets delivered I guess then it will be. To be honest I could have pictured that in Evi's room too, but Evi is all girl and Kerry has her room looking like it belongs in a magazine for the ideal little girl’s room, so I wasn't going to push it. I can't wait to get out of the house to buy him his first glove (don't think I'm going to forget about Evi on this one, there will be a pink one in the cart for her, too. I just want to make sure I buy his first one, I haven't been too worried that someone would beat me to it with Evi, she has been given hundreds of presents, but no glove). I still remember getting my first glove from my dad for my fifth birthday (Jim Catfish Hunter); in fact I still have it. I can't say I still have number 2, 3, and 4, but they were always my favorite birthday presents. Dad took me with for 2, 3, and 4 and of course we bought them way before my August 3rd birthday so we could get them broken in for the season. Just as there will be special Daddy-daughter days with Evi (like a daddy daughter dance or daddy daughter date night), I'm sure there are plenty of father-son moments that I have to look foward to with little Robert Bernard.

Another exciting thing is black White Sox clothes are much easier to find than pink (but don't think we didn't find plenty of pink outfits for Evi, I'd have her wearing a different one everyday if I was the one dressing he in the morning).

Needless to say I'm excited (well we both are, it just a little harder for Kerry to show it still feeling the effects of the anesthesia, It is a different feeling than when we first learned about Evi, that was clearly the greatest day in my life, now I have two of those days. A daughter and a son, what more could we ask for.

Evi, by the way is excited, too. This morning when she woke up I told her that we have big news, and she ran into see mommy and asked her “Mommy, Mommy, what the big news?” To which Kerry responded, “Your baby brother is born!” Evi’s response “Mommy, what the big news?” So we took her to the computer to show her his picture, and then she was excited about her new baby brother. We gave her a wallet-sized picture that she can take with her to show all her friends, she really liked that.

Well, babelbaby2 has been born and we couldn’t be happier.

Jeremy

Robert Bernard Marlon Babel is Born!!!

Jeremy got the call at 9:30 p.m. I was actually out with a friend making bead bracelets. I knew when my cell phone rang that we must have a referral. I answered the phone and Jeremy said "we have a son." I rushed home to see his beautiful face. I'm still in shock, it doesn't seem real. This is the moment we have been waiting for!!!! Praise God for the blessings he gives us. Robert was born on June 16, 2006 and weighed 6 pounds and 15 ounces. We are so proud. I can't wait to show Evi the pictures tomorrow morning.

171H!!!!!!!!!!

While Jeremy and I were in Kentucky my Dad was gracious enough to come over everyday and let our dogs out. Well, really I wanted him to check our mail. I really didn't think we would get the 171H this week. We hit some snags with our approval so I thought it would take at least another week before we got it in the mail. Well, the Lord is so good because we received it on Friday June 23rd!!! I really needed to go to Kentucky and get away from the adoption process for awhile. It can be very frustrating. I was on the computer all the time and worrying all the time. Right before we left I prayed that the Lord would help me to let it go and give me patience. He definitely answered my prayers because I didn't even call USCIS once while I was in Kentucky. I really didn't even think about it, instead I was able to be a part of a wonderful team of Christians who helped put a new roof on a woman's trailer. I actually worked on the roof quite a bit. I have a new appreciation for that line of work. I could never do it day in and day out. Anyway, now we are ready to except a referral!!! Our Agency told us that it would be less then two weeks after they received our 171H so the count down is on. We are on pins and needles waiting for the call.

Off to Kentucky.

Well, we got good news and bad news this week. On Tuesday I called our USCIS office and found out that they had read our Home Study!!! Yeah!!! But....they needed a correction from our Home Study agency (Catholic Charities). So I spent the next two days stalking our social worker to make sure that the correction was made and faxed to USCIS. I called USCIS again today and they got the correction but still need to review it. ARRRGGGG! I really hope they will review it this next week and give us our approval. Then we will wait about a week to get the actual 171H. Our agency (FTC) said that once we receive it we should only wait a couple weeks (2) at most for a referral. I'm so excited and can't wait to see our sweet baby's face for the first time.

So at the beginning of the week I was a basket case wondering why we are experiencing so many stupid hold ups this early in the process. But I'm happy to report that I have given this over to the Lord. I know he has a plan for us and a baby already picked out. The best part is I'm leaving on Saturday for a Kentucky Mission trip with our church. I'm so excited to be going on my third mission trip (1st in the States) and even more excited that Jeremy is going with this time. I know that getting away for a week is just what I need. Our pastor always says that if you want to get over being mad you have to begin to serve and that's just what I intend to do. What a blessing it is to be able to go to Kentucky and serve the people there that have needs. I hope that the next time I report I'm able to say that I have the 171H.

Waiting, Waiting, Waiting....

So there are a group of women who are from the Chicago land area (or at least Illinois) who are using the same agency as us. We each take turns evey week to call our USCIS office to find out where they are at. The Orphan Officer, as they are called, can tell us about how long it will be until they get to your specific Home Study. Ours was submitted on April 27, 2006 and right now they are reading HS submitted on April 6, 2006. We are getting closer but I was told today that it will be at least three more weeks until they read ours. Then we have to wait to be approved and then they will have to mail us our approval (the much anticipated 171H). What a process!

I'm trying to stay busy doing little things. I have bought the baby's bottles (Dr. Browns) and I pick up little toys here and there. I would love to make the reservations for our visit trip but I can't really do that until we have a referral. We only have a couple of weeks that we can go since Jeremy starts school in August. Evi just moved into her "big girl" room officially yesterday so now I can think about any changes we're going to make to the baby's room. If we have a girl not much will change, but if we have a boy then we will have a lot of work (all fun of course). At this point I think it's more realistic to think we will get a referral of a baby some time early July. That will make Evi and the baby two and a half years apart, a good age difference I think.

We are getting ready to celebrate Evi's 2nd adoption day on June 30th. I can't believe it's been 2 years. We can't really remember our lives without her. Adoption Day is a special day that our children celebrate, it's like a second birthday because it's the day they officially became a member of our family through adoption. We also like to celebrate Guatemala on adoption day so we eat special Guatemalan food and last year Jeremy even made a cake that is loved in Guatemala called Tres Leches (three milkes). I can't wait to see what he is going to make this year!

Anyway, the report this week is 5 weeks down and 3 more to go. I do hope June goes fast.

Legacy of An Adopted Child

We used this poem at Evi's baby shower I just love it so much I thought I would post it on our blog.

LEGACY OF AN ADOPTED CHILD

Once there were two women who never knew each other. One you do not remember, the other you call Mother.

Two different lives shaped to make you one. One became your guiding star, the other became your sun.

The first one gave you life, and the second taught you to live it.The first gave you a need for love. The second was there to give it.

One gave you a nationality. The other gave you a name. One gave you a talent. The other gave you aim.

One gave you emotions. The other calmed your fears. One saw your first sweet smile. The other dried your tears.

One sought for you a home that she could not provide. The other prayed for a child and her hope was not denied.

And now you ask me, through your tears, the age-old question unanswered through the years. Heredity or environment, which are you a product of? Neither, my darling. Neither. Just two different kinds of Love.
author unknown

A Boy or a Girl?

It's really exciting because we don't know if we will have a boy or a girl. Initially we requested another girl. I think it would be great for Evi to have a sister. I never had one and always wished I did. Jeremy wanted a girl so he didn't have to paint or do anything to Evi's baby room. LOL. Oh yeah, and then we wouldn't have to go by any clothes or anything either (yeah right!). When we told our agency that we wanted another girl they explained that we had to be open to either gender since we already have a girl. For some unknow reason girls are more highly sought after in Guatemalan adoptions and so to ensure that only ethical practices are going on in Guatemala our agency likes to place as many girls as boys. So we agreed that we would accept either a boy or a girl referral. It took me a couple of days to get used to the idea of a boy, but now I'm loving it. I know that God has the perfect baby already picked out for Jeremy and I. Plus...I'll get to shop shop shop! There are several families that will be waiting for referrals at the same time as us and most of them are requesting girls, so I'm convinced we are having a boy. Jeremy thinks we have a 50/50 chance. Either way I know as soon as I lay eyes on our beautiful baby my heart will never be the same.

About Guatemala

The following information comes from http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2045.htm

PEOPLE
More than half of Guatemalans are descendants of indigenous Mayan peoples. Westernized Mayans and mestizos (mixed European and indigenous ancestry) are known as Ladinos. Most of Guatemala's population is rural, though urbanization is accelerating. The predominant religion is Roman Catholicism, into which many indigenous Guatemalans have incorporated traditional forms of worship. Protestantism and traditional Mayan religions are practiced by an estimated 40% and 1% of the population, respectively. Though the official language is Spanish, it is not universally understood among the indigenous population. The peace accords signed in December 1996 provide for the translation of some official documents and voting materials into several indigenous languages.

HISTORY
The Mayan civilization flourished throughout much of Guatemala and the surrounding region long before the Spanish arrived, but it was already in decline when the Mayans were defeated by Pedro de Alvarado in 1523-24. The first colonial capital, Ciudad Vieja, was ruined by floods and an earthquake in 1542. Survivors founded Antigua, the second capital, in 1543. Antigua was destroyed by two earthquakes in 1773. The remnants of its Spanish colonial architecture have been preserved as a national monument. The third capital, Guatemala City, was founded in 1776.
Guatemala gained independence from Spain on September 15, 1821; it briefly became part of the Mexican Empire, and then for a period belonged to a federation called the United Provinces of Central America. From the mid-19th century until the mid-1980s, the country passed through a series of dictatorships, insurgencies (particularly beginning in the 1960s), coups, and stretches of military rule with only occasional periods of representative government.
1944 to 1986
In 1944, Gen. Jorge Ubico's dictatorship was overthrown by the "October Revolutionaries," a group of dissident military officers, students, and liberal professionals. A civilian President, Juan Jose Arevalo, was elected in 1945 and held the presidency until 1951. Social reforms initiated by Arevalo were continued by his successor, Col. Jacobo Arbenz. Arbenz permitted the communist Guatemalan Labor Party to gain legal status in 1952. The army refused to defend the Arbenz government when a U.S.-backed group led by Col. Carlos Castillo Armas invaded the country from Honduras in 1954 and quickly took over the government. Gen. Miguel Ydigoras Fuentes took power in 1958 following the murder of Colonel Castillo Armas.
In response to the increasingly autocratic rule of Ydigoras Fuentes, a group of junior military officers revolted in 1960. When they failed, several went into hiding and established close ties with Cuba. This group became the nucleus of the forces that were in armed insurrection against the government for the next 36 years. Four principal left-wing guerrilla groups--the Guerrilla Army of the Poor (EGP), the Revolutionary Organization of Armed People (ORPA), the Rebel Armed Forces (FAR), and the Guatemalan Labor Party (PGT)--conducted economic sabotage and targeted government installations and members of government security forces in armed attacks. These organizations combined to form the Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity (URNG) in 1982.
Shortly after President Julio Cesar Mendez Montenegro took office in 1966, the army launched a major counterinsurgency campaign that largely broke up the guerrilla movement in the countryside. The guerrillas then concentrated their attacks in Guatemala City, where they assassinated many leading figures, including U.S. Ambassador John Gordon Mein in 1968. Between 1966 and 1982, there was a series of military or military-dominated governments.
On March 23, 1982, army troops commanded by junior officers staged a coup to prevent the assumption of power by Gen. Angel Anibal Guevara, the hand-picked candidate of outgoing President and Gen. Romeo Lucas Garcia. They denounced Guevara's electoral victory as fraudulent. The coup leaders asked retired Gen. Efrain Rios Montt to negotiate the departure of Lucas and Guevara.
Rios Montt was at this time a lay pastor in the evangelical protestant "Church of the Word." He formed a three-member military junta that annulled the 1965 constitution, dissolved Congress, suspended political parties, and canceled the electoral law. After a few months, Rios Montt dismissed his junta colleagues and assumed the de facto title of "President of the Republic."
Guerrilla forces and their leftist allies denounced Rios Montt. Rios Montt sought to defeat the guerrillas with military actions and economic reforms; in his words, "rifles and beans." The government began to form local civilian defense patrols (PACs). Participation was in theory voluntary, but in reality, many Guatemalans, especially in the heavily indigenous northwest, had no choice but to join either the PACs or the guerrillas. Rios Montt's conscript army and PACs recaptured essentially all guerrilla territory--guerrilla activity lessened and was largely limited to hit-and-run operations. However, Rios Montt won this partial victory at an enormous cost in civilian deaths, in what was probably the most violent period of the 36-year internal conflict, resulting in about 200,000 deaths of mostly unarmed indigenous civilians.
On August 8, 1983, Rios Montt was deposed by his own Minister of Defense, Gen. Oscar Humberto Mejia Victores, who succeeded him as de facto President of Guatemala. Rios Montt survived to found a political party (the Guatemalan Republic Front) and to be elected President of Congress in 1995 and 2000. Awareness in the United States of the conflict in Guatemala, and its ethnic dimension, increased with the 1983 publication of the book I, Rigoberta Menchu, An Indian Woman in Guatemala.
General Mejia allowed a managed return to democracy in Guatemala, starting with a July 1, 1984 election for a Constituent Assembly to draft a democratic constitution. On May 30, 1985, after 9 months of debate, the Constituent Assembly finished drafting a new constitution, which took effect immediately. Vinicio Cerezo, a civilian politician and the presidential candidate of the Christian Democracy Party, won the first election held under the new constitution with almost 70% of the vote, and took office on January 14, 1986.
1986 to 2003
Upon its inauguration in January 1986, President Cerezo's civilian government announced that its top priorities would be to end the political violence and establish the rule of law. Reforms included new laws of habeas corpus and amparo (court-ordered protection), the creation of a legislative human rights committee, and the establishment in 1987 of the Office of Human Rights Ombudsman. Cerezo survived coup attempts in 1988 and 1989, and the final 2 years of Cerezo's government were also marked by a failing economy, strikes, protest marches, and allegations of widespread corruption.
Presidential and congressional elections were held on November 11, 1990. After a runoff ballot, Jorge Serrano was inaugurated on January 14, 1991, thus completing the first transition from one democratically elected civilian government to another.
The Serrano administration's record was mixed. It had some success in consolidating civilian control over the army, replacing a number of senior officers and persuading the military to participate in peace talks with the URNG. Serrano took the politically unpopular step of recognizing the sovereignty of Belize. The Serrano government reversed the economic slide it inherited, reducing inflation and boosting real growth.
On May 25, 1993, Serrano illegally dissolved Congress and the Supreme Court and tried to restrict civil freedoms, allegedly to fight corruption. The "autogolpe" (or self-initiated coup) failed due to unified, strong protests by most elements of Guatemalan society, international pressure, and the army's enforcement of the decisions of the Court of Constitutionality, which ruled against the attempted takeover. Serrano fled the country.
On June 5, 1993, the Congress, pursuant to the 1985 constitution, elected the Human Rights Ombudsman, Ramiro De Leon Carpio, to complete Serrano's presidential term. De Leon, not a member of any political party and lacking a political base but with strong popular support, launched an ambitious anticorruption campaign to "purify" Congress and the Supreme Court, demanding the resignations of all members of the two bodies.
Despite considerable congressional resistance, presidential and popular pressure led to a November 1993 agreement brokered by the Catholic Church between the administration and Congress. This package of constitutional reforms was approved by popular referendum on January 30, 1994. In August 1994, a new Congress was elected to complete the unexpired term.
Under De Leon, the peace process, now brokered by the United Nations, took on new life. The government and the URNG signed agreements on human rights (March 1994), resettlement of displaced persons (June 1994), historical clarification (June 1994), and indigenous rights (March 1995). They also made significant progress on a socioeconomic and agrarian agreement. National elections for president, the Congress, and municipal offices were held in November 1995. With almost 20 parties competing in the first round, the presidential election came down to a January 7, 1996 runoff in which National Advancement Party (PAN) candidate Alvaro Arzu defeated Alfonso Portillo of the Guatemalan Republican Front (FRG) by just over 2% of the vote. Under the Arzu administration, peace negotiations were concluded, and the government signed peace accords ending the 36-year internal conflict in December 1996. The human rights situation also improved during Arzu's tenure, and steps were taken to reduce the influence of the military in national affairs.
In a December 1999 presidential runoff, Alfonso Portillo (FRG) won 68% of the vote to 32% for Oscar Berger (PAN). Portillo's impressive electoral triumph, with two-thirds of the vote in the second round, gave him a claim to a mandate from the people to carry out his reform program.
Progress in carrying out Portillo's reform agenda was slow at best, with the notable exception of a series of reforms sponsored by the World Bank to modernize bank regulation and criminalize money laundering. The United States determined in April 2003 that Guatemala had failed to demonstrably adhere to its international counternarcotics commitments during the previous year.
A high crime rate and a serious and worsening public corruption problem were cause for concern for the Government of Guatemala. These problems, in addition to issues related to the often violent harassment and intimidation by unknown assailants of human rights activists, judicial workers, journalists, and witnesses in human rights trials, led the government to begin serious attempts in 2001 to open a national dialogue to discuss the considerable challenges facing the country.
National elections were held on November 9, 2003. Oscar Berger Perdomo of the Grand National Alliance (GANA) party won the election, receiving 54.1% of the vote. His opponent, Alvarado Colom Caballeros of the Nation Unity for Hope (UNE) party received 45.9% of the vote. The new government assumed office on January 14, 2004.

GOVERNMENT
Guatemala's 1985 constitution provides for a separation of powers among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government. The 1993 constitutional reforms included an increase in the number of Supreme Court justices from 9 to 13. The reforms reduced the terms of office for president, vice president, and congressional representatives from 5 years to 4 years, and for Supreme Court justices from 6 years to 5 years; they increased the terms of mayors and city councils from 2-1/2 years to 4 years.
The president and vice president are directly elected through universal suffrage and limited to one term. A vice president can run for president after 4 years out of office. Supreme Court justices are elected by the Congress from a list submitted by the bar association, law school deans, a university rector, and appellate judges. The Supreme Court and local courts handle civil and criminal cases. There also is a separate Constitutional Court.
Guatemala has 22 administrative subdivisions (departments) administered by governors appointed by the president. Guatemala City and 331 other municipalities are governed by popularly elected mayors or councils.
Principal Government Officials
President--Oscar Jose Rafael BERGER Perdomo
Vice President--Eduardo STEIN Barillas
Minister of Foreign Affairs--Jorge BRIZ Abularach
Minister of Finance--María Antonieta del Cid de BONILLA
Ambassador to the U.S.--Jose Guillermo CASTILLO
Ambassador to the UN--Jorge SKINNER-KLEE
Ambassador to the OAS--Francisco VILLAGRÁN de León
The Guatemalan embassy is located at 2220 R Street, NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202-745-4952; email: INFO@Guatemala-Embassy.org). Consulates are in Washington, New York, Miami, Chicago, Houston, San Francisco, Denver, and Los Angeles, and honorary consuls in Montgomery, San Diego, Ft. Lauderdale, Atlanta, Leavenworth, Lafayette, New Orleans, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Juan, Providence, Memphis, San Antonio, and Seattle. See the State Department Web page: http://www.state.gov/s/cpr/rls/fco/

POLITICAL CONDITIONS
Portillo's 1999 landslide victory combined with an FRG majority in Congress suggested possibilities for rapid legislative action. However, under the Guatemalan constitution of 1985, passage of many kinds of legislation requires a two-thirds vote. Passage of such legislation was not possible, therefore, with FRG votes alone.
The government increased several tax rates in 2001 in an attempt to meet the target of increasing its tax burden (at about 10.7% of GDP, currently the lowest in the region) to 12% of GDP. However, protestors took to the streets massively when the government sought further increases in August 2001, declaring their opposition to any new taxes until the Portillo administration provided better accountability for the taxes it already received.
Violent harassment of human rights workers presented a serious challenge in 2002 and 2003. Common crime, aggravated by a legacy of violence and vigilante justice, presented another serious challenge. Impunity remained a major problem, primarily because democratic institutions, including those responsible for the administration of justice, have developed only a limited capacity to cope with this legacy. Guatemala's judiciary is independent; however, it suffered during 2003 from inefficiency, corruption, and intimidation.
In early 2003, the government accepted the Human Rights Ombudsman's proposal for a U.N.-led commission to investigate possible links between illegal clandestine groups or security forces and attacks on human rights defenders and organized crime. By the end of 2003, the agreement was scheduled to be submitted to the Congress for ratification in January 2004. The UN Verification Mission in Guatemala (MINUGUA) ceased its 10-year project of monitoring peace accord implementation and human rights problems in November 2004 with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan declaring Guatemala had made “enormous progress in managing the country’s problems through dialogue and institutions”. The United Nations and Guatemala agreed to open an Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and form a special body to investigate clandestine groups. That operation began in January 2005.

ECONOMY
Guatemala is a signatory to the Rio Pact and is a member of the Central American Defense Council (CONDECA). The president is commander in chief. The Defense Minister is responsible for policy. Day-to-day operations are the responsibility of the military chief of staff and the national defense staff.
An agreement signed in September 1996, which is one of the substantive peace accords, mandated that the mission of the armed forces change to focus exclusively on external threats. However, both former President Arzu and his successor President Portillo used a constitutional clause to order the army to temporarily support the police in response to a nationwide wave of violent crime.
The accord calls for a one-third reduction in the army's authorized strength and budget--already achieved--and for a constitutional amendment to permit the appointment of a civilian Minister of Defense. A constitutional amendment to this end was defeated as part of a May 1999 plebiscite, but discussions on how to achieve this objective continue between the executive and legislative branches.
The army has gone beyond its accord-mandated target of reducing its strength to 28,000 troops, and numbered 15,500 troops as of June 2004. Not only was this the most profound transformation of any Central American military in the last 50 years, it also illustrates the effective control the civilian government has over the military. President Berger has tasked the Defense Ministry with increasing the professional skills of all soldiers. The military is equipped with armaments and materiel from the United States, Israel, Serbia and Montenegro, Taiwan, Argentina, Spain, and France. As part of the army downsizing, the operational structure of 19 military zones and three strategic brigades were recast as several military zones are eliminated and their area of operations absorbed by others. The air force operates three air bases; the navy has two port bases. Additionally, recent steps have been taken to redefine the military’s mission--the military doctrine has been rewritten, and there has been an increase in cooperation with civil society to help bring about this reform.

FOREIGN RELATIONS
Guatemala's major diplomatic interests are regional security and, increasingly, regional development and economic integration. Guatemala participates in several regional groups, particularly those related to trade and the environment.
The Council of Central American Ministers of Trade meets on a regular basis to work on regional approaches to trade issues. The council signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) with the U.S. in 1998, and was part of the negotiations that led to the creation of CAFTA. Guatemala joined Honduras and El Salvador in signing a free trade agreement with Mexico in 2000, which went into effect the following year. Guatemala also originated the idea for, and is the seat of, the Central American Parliament (PARLACEN).
President Bill Clinton and the Central American presidents signed the CONCAUSA (Conjunto Centroamerica-USA) agreement at the Summit of the Americas in December 1994. CONCAUSA is a cooperative plan of action to promote clean, efficient energy use; conserve the region's biodiversity; strengthen legal and institutional frameworks and compliance mechanisms; and improve and harmonize environmental protection standards.
Guatemala has a long-standing claim to a large portion of Belize; the territorial dispute caused problems with the United Kingdom and later with Belize following its 1981 independence from the U.K. In December 1989, Guatemala sponsored Belize for permanent observer status in the Organization of American States (OAS). In September 1991, Guatemala recognized Belize's independence and established diplomatic ties, while acknowledging that the boundaries remained in dispute. In anticipation of an effort to bring the border dispute to an end in early 1996, the Guatemalan Congress ratified two long-pending international agreements governing frontier issues and maritime rights. In 2001, Guatemala and Belize agreed to a facilitation process led by the OAS to determine the land and maritime borders separating the two countries. National elections in Guatemala put a temporary halt to progress, but discussions will resume at a bilateral meeting on the margins of the Summit of the Americas in early November 2005 and a Foreign Minister-level meeting November 14-15, 2005 in San Pedro, Belize.

U.S.-GUATEMALAN RELATIONS
Relations between the United States and Guatemala traditionally have been close, although at times strained by human rights and civil/military issues. U.S. policy objectives in Guatemala include:
Supporting the institutionalization of democracy and implementation of the peace accords;
Ratification of a free trade agreement, together with the other Central American countries;
Encouraging respect for human rights and the rule of law, and implementation of the Commission for the Investigation of Illegal Groups and Clandestine Security Organizations in Guatemala (CICIACS);
Supporting broad-based economic growth and sustainable development and maintaining mutually beneficial trade and commercial relations;
Cooperating to combat money laundering, corruption, narcotics trafficking, alien-smuggling, and other transnational crime; and
Supporting Central American integration through support for resolution of border/territorial disputes.

The United States, as a member of "the Friends of Guatemala," along with Colombia, Mexico, Spain, Norway, and Venezuela, played an important role in the UN-moderated peace accords, providing public and behind-the-scenes support. The U.S. strongly supports the six substantive and three procedural accords, which, along with the signing of the December 29, 1996 final accord, form the blueprint for profound political, economic, and social change. To that end, the U.S. Government has committed nearly $400 million to support peace implementation since 1997.
Although almost all of the 230,000 U.S. tourists who visit Guatemala annually do so without incident, in recent years the number of violent crime reported by U.S. citizens has steadily increased. Increases in the number of Americans reported as victims of violent crime may be the result of any combination of factors: increased numbers of Americans traveling to Guatemala; increased accuracy in the Embassy's reporting of crime; more Americans traveling to higher risk areas of Guatemala; or more crime.
Most U.S. assistance to Guatemala is provided through the U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID) offices for Guatemala and Central American Programs (USAID/G-CAP). USAID's programs support U.S. foreign policy objectives by promoting reforms in democratic governance, economic growth, and the social sectors, with special emphasis on the rural indigenous poor whose lives have been most seriously affected by the internal civil conflict. In addition to earning low incomes, these populations have limited economic opportunities for economic advancement, lack access to social services, and have limited access to, or influence over, the policymaking processes. Totaling $45 million annually, USAID programs pursue six objectives. These are:
Supporting the implementation of the 1996 peace accords;
Aiding the improvement of the legal system and assisting citizens in its use;
Increasing educational access and quality for all Guatemalans;
Improving the health of Guatemalan women, children, and rural families;
Increasing the earning capacity of poor rural families; and
Expanding natural resources management and conservation of biodiversity.

USAID's largest program is the support of the peace accords. The accords require major investments in health, education, and other basic services to reach the rural indigenous poor and require the full participation of the indigenous people in local and national decision-making. They also call for a profound restructuring of the state, affecting some of its most fundamental institutions--the military, the national police, and the system of justice--in order to end impunity and confirm the rule of law. Finally, they require basic changes in tax collection and expenditure and improved financial management.

✵Information on this post came from www.info.please.com

About our Daughter Evi

Evi is 2 years and 4 months old. She is the light of our lives and brings us more joy then we could imagine! We feel so blessed to be her parents. We decided to name her Evelyn Cecelia after Jeremy's dad's mother. When we were deciding on girls names I couldn't get Jeremy to agree on anything. He can be pretty stubborn. LOL. Unfortunately Jeremy never had the opportunity to meet his grandmother on his father's side of the family because she went to be with the Lord long before he was born. Anyway, he heard stories of her here and there from both his dad and his aunt Sandy. One day I asked Bernie (my father-in-law) what his mother's name was (I had forgotten), and he told me Evelyn Cecelia. I liked the sound of that. Later that night as we talked again about girl names for our future baby I suggested Evelyn Cecelia and Jeremy went for it right away. At that point I knew I couldn't go back. How do you break your husbands heart? So that is how Evi got her name, or at least part of it. We knew right from the start that we would call her Evi. Mary I. (Jeremy's sister) a.k.a. Tia later came up with the perfect spelling. Now when I look at her today I can't imagine her as anything else. But...Evi wasn't always Evi. Her birth name is Paullet and that is why her second middle name is Paullet. We think it's a beautiful name and of course she is a beautiful girl. We really like that her name combines special meaning and connections from both her birth and adoptive families.
Ephesians 1:5
He Predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ Himself, according to the kind intention of His will.

Preparing our Dossier

This is the part of the process where we have to gather paperwork that must be submitted to our agency and then forwarded to Guatemala for translation.
The dossier documents have to be notarized as well as certified at the Secretary of State, and then authenticated at the Guatemalan Consulate. Some of the paperwork that must be included in a dossier includes:
Certified copy of the Birth Certificate
Certified copy of the Marriage License
Certified copy of the Divorce Decree
Certified copy of the Death Decree
Employment letter for each applicant
Medical reports for each applicant
Two letters of reference
Power of Attorney
Home Study and the valid home study agency license
FBI clearances for each applicant
Affidavit of names (list all your names used in any documents)
Witness Statements
Photos
INS Form G-28
INS Form I600
Approval letter from USCIS (171H)
Passport

The Guatemalan Adoption Process

REFERRAL AND ADOPTION PROCEDURES
A woman who wishes to place her child for adoption contacts an attorney – directly or through an intermediary, authorizes the attorney to pursue an adoption, and assigns the attorney custody of her child with her Express Consent. The birth mother provides evidence of her identity to the attorney through her birth certificate, cedula (official photo identification card), and thumbprint, and provides records of the child’s identity and birth (hospital records, birth certificate). Copies of this information become part of the case file. The attorney places the child in foster care or a privately run orphanage.
The child has a basic physical examination by a pediatrician, and receives any required immunizations. The birth mother also is evaluated by a physician, and blood is drawn for HIV, hepatitis and syphilis testing.

REFERRAL The attorney or adoption agency refers the child to the (prospective) adoptive family with the following information: the child's and birth mother’s names, basic social and medical data (as available), and typically a photo of the child, his/her birth certificate, and the results of the birth mother’s blood tests.

POWER OF ATTORNEY The adoptive family accepts the referral and assigns Power of Attorney (POA) to the Guatemalan attorney to permit him/her to act on their behalf during the adoption process. Under Guatemalan law the same attorney may represent the interests of the birth mother and child, and the adoptive family.
The attorney registers the adoptive family’s POA with the Archivo de Protocolo, and the family’s completed dossier, translated into Spanish, is verified by the Minister of External Relations

FAMILY COURT The attorney submits the adoption file (dossier and POA, child’s and birth mother’s identity and medical documentation, birth mother’s signed Express Consent) to Family Court, and petitions the court to assign a social worker to investigate the case. The Family Court social worker reviews the dossier, interviews the birth mother, schedules appointments with the birth mother and foster family, and may visit the child in foster care or the orphanage. During the interview with the birth mother, the social worker explains that: (a) the adoption is irrevocable, (b) she will lose the patria potestas and guardianship of her child, and (c) she may never see the child after the adoption is final. The social worker asks the birth mother if anyone in her family can care for the child, and determines if the birth mother has voluntarily, freely, definitively, and irrevocably granted her express consent for her child to be adopted. The social worker writes a report that summarizes the facts of the case and attests to the birth mother’s reasons for deciding that she cannot parent the child. In most cases, the social worker recommends that the Family Court judge approve the adoption. The court reviews the social worker’s report and makes its recommendation. The birth mother appears before the notary and signs her second consent to place her child for adoption.

US EMBASSY – DNA TESTING. The US Embassy has required DNA testing since October 1, 1998, for all relinquishment adoptions of Guatemalan children by US citizens. After reviewing the adoption case file, the US Embassy authorizes DNA testing of the birth mother and child to confirm their biological relationship. The DNA process is as follows:
· The attorney presents all documents, photos, and medical test results to the US Embassy.
· The Embassy reviews the file and gives approval for the DNA testing, which is carried out by authorized medical personnel and analyzed by an approved laboratory in the US, under strict chain of custody procedures.
· The birth mother and child are escorted to the embassy-approved doctor where their identities are verified and saliva samples are collected for DNA analysis. The child’s thumbprint is taken and put into the adoption case file. To verify the child’s identity, US Embassy personnel compare this thumbprint to those taken when the birth was registered or when the birth mother signed custody of the child to the attorney. The birth mother’s identity is verified through her original cedula (photo identification card), a photocopy of which was entered in the adoption case file at the time the birth mother relinquished custody of the child to the attorney. The birth mother’s thumbprints are also taken. A polaroid photograph is taken of the birth mother holding the child on her lap and is attached to the DNA file. The birth mother and foster mother sign forms attesting to their identities, and the birth mother signs her consent for the DNA analysis.
· The laboratory sends a copy of the DNA test results (with photos) directly to the US Embassy in Guatemala, and to the adoptive parents and adoption agency.
· The US Embassy reviews the test results and all supporting documentation. If all documents are in order, the US Embassy/BCIS provides the attorney with the Consentimiento (consent form), which is required before the PGN will authorize the attorney to prepare the final adoption decree.

PGN REVIEW AND APPROVAL The attorney submits the adoption case file and a petition for approval of the adoption to a notarial** officer of the PGN. A PGN notary reviews all documents in the case file and, at his/her discretion, may independently investigate one or more aspects of the case. PGN may reject the file (issue a previo) any number of times for a wide variety of reasons that range from serious (e.g., irregularities in the birth mother’s or child’s identity documents) to minor (e.g., minor spelling errors, expired notary seals). The attorney for the birth mother and adoptive family corrects the problem and resubmits the case to PGN. Ultimately, the PGN typically concurs with the Family Court’s recommendation and issues its approval for the adoption to proceed.

ADOPTION DECREE. The attorney then prepares the final adoption Protocolo or deed, and meets with the birth mother for her to sign her final consent to the child’s adoption. The executed Protocolo is filed with the Archivo de Protocolo. At this point, the child is legally the child of the adoptive parent(s) under Guatemalan law.

CIVIL REGISTRY AND PASSPORT. The attorney presents the required documents to record the adoption at the Civil Registry where the child’s birth was recorded, and requests that a new birth certificate be issued to reflect the adoption, and to change the child’s surname to that of the adoptive family. The attorney then takes all documents including the new birth certificate and applies for the child’s Guatemalan passport. The child is again fingerprinted to affirm his/her identity.

US EMBASSY – FINAL APPROVAL AND VISA. The attorney presents the case file with the child’s passport and new birth certificate to the US Embassy. The Embassy again evaluates the file and, if all documentation is in order, issues a “Final Document Approval” or pink slip. (Note: Guatemalan passport is NOT required to submit the REQUEST for the pink slip, it is however required to PICK UP the pink slip from the US Embassy.) After the attorney receives this approval, the adoptive parents and child appear at the US Embassy for final verification, and an embassy official then issues a visa for the child’s entry into the US.

Our Decision to Adopt

August 6, 2000.
I'll never forget that day. It was sunny with patches of rain. I woke up knowing that this would be the day I would become Mrs. Jeremy Babel. Jeremy and I dated for over three years before we were married. Our wedding was spectacular and our marriage continues to be a source of strength and love for both of us. Jeremy and I always talked about having kids. I knew from day one that he would make an amazing father; after all he had a great example.

February 22, 2001
Out to eat at a Mexican restaurant we decided that we were going to "start trying." This always sounds so silly to me, but of course this was an exciting time in our lives. If any of you know me, you know that when I want something I want it now. Having children was going to be no different. I was told that I should have no problem getting pregnant, so of course I settled into the idea that I would soon be buying maternity clothes and knitting booties. Okay, you're right I don't knit, but I can shop.
After a few months of "trying" I decided to go into the Dr. I just didn't understand why this wasn't working according to my plan. After a consultation we decided that I should have surgery to correct a blocked fallopian tube. We figured that had to be the problem since I did have surgery on my ovary when I was in 8th grade (thank you cheerleading fall) so maybe there was scar tissue blocking the tubes. I had surgery in April of 2002 and during this operation the Dr. discovered that I have endometriosis. I didn't really understand what that meant but the Dr. soon started talking about aggressive fertility drugs. Jeremy and I went home in a daze. I couldn't believe that this was happening to me. I had wanted to be a mother from the time I could remember. It wasn't supposed to be this hard. After much thought we decided to go to a fertility clinic to see what they could do. After several months of IUIs combined with fertility drugs Jeremy and I knew this wasn't the road for us. So....

October of 2002
We decided to adopt. It was such an obvious choice for us. We began to see that God had plans for us that we didn't even know about. You see, up until this point in my life I had everything under control, my control. Having children is just a natural progression in life but it wasn't until this point in my life came and became a struggle for me that I recognize God's will for my life. I can’t say that I suffered much with infertility; we only did about 4 months of treatments. But I can say that because of this trial in my life I developed a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I can also say that the Lord is so good and I could have never seen the amazing blessings that he had in store for me if I hadn’t surrendered my life to Him.
As we learned more about adoption and the many choices we had, I became more involved at my church and joined a Bible study. God began to work on my heart in amazing ways. At first we wanted to adopt from Russia but felt it was too expensive. We made a plan to save for a Russian adoption and figured it would be at least a year before we could begin the process. We saved and saved and prayed and prayed. In July of 2003 we heard about Catholic Charities and their foster care program. I decided to call and see what they were all about. I was told that they were accepting families into their infant program, but we probably wouldn’t get picked. The woman said I could come to the informational meeting that was being held the following night anyway just to see. Jeremy and I went and filled out the form. We didn’t expect anything to come form it but the very next day we got a call that we could start the PRIDE training next month. We were so excited. God began opening doors. We have our reservations about domestic adoptions but felt that this is the way to go since we could afford it. Plus we really had a desire to be foster parents. So we went through the classes had our Home Study and we were ready to go on the list in September. We really didn’t think we would wait long for a referral. In November we got a call that a birth mother would be reviewing our file. We couldn’t even sleep. Later that week we found out she chose a different family. About this same time an opportunity came up for me to join my father on a mission trip to Honduras. He felt the Lord calling him to go and I was looking for ways to serve the Lord too. So in January of 2004 I arrived in Central America for the first time. Immediately it was clear to me that the Lord had plans for Jeremy and I. Over time our hearts had been changed. Where once we questioned our ability to parent a child of a different race, we were filled with the knowledge that God had a baby for us in Central America. The trip was eye opening in many ways, and was the beginning of many trips I would take to do mission work in Central America.

February 4, 2004
When I got home I told Jeremy that we should adopt from Central America. He said okay let's do it, get started. I was looking on-line at a photo listing of available children in other countries. I immediately went to Guatemala’s page and couldn’t get over the beauty in the children I saw. I found a baby girl that was just born that I thought was so beautiful. I decided to call the agency that was listing this child. They answered right away. I was told that the baby I was interested in was already matched, but a beautiful baby girl was just born February 1st and is available. She e-mailed me the pictures, and I knew right away that this was my baby. I e-mailed Jeremy and we accepted the referral of Paullet Mejia Car a.k.a Evi that night. In just 2 short months we went to visit her and three months after that we brought her home. Our lives will never be the same. The Lord answered our paryers in ways we couldn't even dream of. So now we have a beautiful daughter that we love so much and are ready for number 2.