Friday, November 30, 2007
Updated Measurements for Anna Maria
We got updated measurements for Anna. She went to the Dr. on November 23, 2007. Her measurements were: 12 pounds, height; 58cms and Head Circumference 39cms. She is doing great and eating very well. Dr. Lee also wrote us to let us know that "Anna's measurements are fine - her height continues as before at the 10th percentile, her weight is up a bit between the 10th and 25th percentile (was at the 10th percentile for the last 2 months) and her head is also about the same at just under the 10th percentile - better than the 3rd percentile we'd seen for the first 2 months, and about the same percentile as last month".
Spoke with our Lawyer today, to see how everything was going.
Later on, we received an email from Edwin, and our Dossier is still with the 1st Reviewer, and hopefully will be at the 2nd Reviewer next week.
Well, our adoption with Peter went so smooth, who would of thought PGN would of done this with Anna. We entered PGN on Oct 1st and had two kick outs, and still in PGN. Maybe Margaret should send a Christmas card to PGN, to get them in the spirit of the Holidays.
But on a Brighter Note, Margaret & Peter are going to visit Anna after the holidays. The arrangements are still be finalized.
Please continue to pray and send your good wishes for Anna Maria, so Anna gets out of PGN once and for all.
Thanks for your continued support.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
"Miracle on Main Street"
Peter watching the Snoopy and Charlie Brown's Christmas. He just loves Snoopy these days.
Santa's Reindeers where there, they were on break having a snack.
And last but NOT least, good ole Santa Claus was there, or as Peter would say.....Ho Ho Ho! was there.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
We are back in PGN!
Just wanted to say Happy Thanksgiving to everyone, and we hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving.
Today we got an email from our lawyer's daughter (Jackie - thanks!!!) telling us that we were resubmitted back into PGN today. So lets just hope the next time, we are out of PGN for good and Anna can come home.
Hope everyone's Thanksgiving was nice.
Monday, November 19, 2007
A Christmas Package for Anna
Peter helped pick out these gifts. He liked the soft feel to the pajamas - so we had to get them.
Update on our progress
Well, Over the weekend Margaret's patience sort of flew out the window, so she tried to contact Edwin to see when we can expect to enter PGN. Margaret was not able to get through to Edwin. In Guatemala the phone service is very bad. So on Monday Margaret decided to contact Edwin's daughter Jackie about our case. Edwin and his family (except for Jackie) are flying to the US today to celebrate Thanksgiving with a family who Edwin helped adopt a child. With the help of Soni (just in case translation was needed, thanks Soni) Margaret was able to contact Jackie on the phone. We were told that our folder is in the "Relaciones Exteriores" and she hopes to have us in PGN by Wednesday, Thursday the latest. The minimum time in " Relaciones Exteriores" is 72 hours, before you can enter PGN. Jackie told Margaret that either her or her father will email us to let us know when we entered PGN. After talking to Jackie, Margaret felt a little better knowing that their case was still moving along.
Please continue to pray, best wishes, fingers crossed - whatever works for you - that our folder goes right through PGN and we get approval to get out of PGN, so our Anna can come home.
Thanks for your continued support.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
We got Updated Pics of our Anna Maria
An Anniversary Gift for Margaret
Well, for our wedding anniversary, my husband said that I can go to Guatemala to visit Anna. So Peter and I will be going to see Anna again - hopefully sometime in December. I just have to figure out when. We wrote Edwin our lawyer about us (Peter and I) coming to visit and if we would be safe? Our lawyer wrote back and told us - we would be fine and we will be staying at a very safe hotel. Edwin also told us that he would be available to us 24 hours a day, if we need anything. So, now I am checking out when we are going to go - because with the holidays here there are a lot of things to figure out and plan.
I'll keep you all posted on when we will be going. Unless, we get out of PGN real quick, then we'll just wait for a pick up trip.
Have a great day!
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
The Re-done Paperwork is off to Guatemala.............
Margaret called the Guatemala Consulate yesterday to see what time they opened today and to see if it would be possible to wait for the documents, the man and woman (Margaret called twice hoping to get someone to say yes, you can wait) said no, you must leave them and they will be mailed to you the next day. Margaret also found out that Pedro was on vacation for three weeks too - that was the only person Margaret knew in the Consulate. So Margaret came up with the "bait plan".
After Macy's we went to the Guatemala Consulate and it was packed and people were even waiting outside. So Margaret got the "bait" ready with the documents before going inside. Once inside, a gentleman behind the desk asked if I needed help and I told him the reason why I was there. I handed him the 3 documents (Margaret made sure he knew it was only 3 documents, not an entire dossier) along with the Godiva bag with the box of chocolates in it. Margaret then asked him if she can wait for the documents and he said yes, he will do them now and they'll be ready in about 30 minutes.............WOW, that was music to Margaret's ears. So Peter and Margaret waited in the waiting area, where others were waiting too. The little girls in the lobby came right over and started to play with Peter, he is such a lady's man. Peter had fun playing with the other kids while we waited for the documents to get done. The gentleman came out and handed the documents to Margaret and Thanked her for the candies. Margaret was like, OH No, thank you for getting these done for me so I can Fed Ex them to Guatemala.
After the consulate, Margaret caught up with her niece Tami at a Staples and made copies of the paperwork and luckily there was a Fed Ex box right there - so they were mailed out right then. Luckily, Tami was there and noticed that Margaret put the envelope in the wrong compartment to be mailed out, so that was quickly corrected - (Thanks for paying attention Tami). As we speak, our envelope should be heading to a Fed Ex Airplane. Yippie.
Before heading back home, Margaret, Peter, and Tami had lunch - and we even went to the toy store to get Peter a small toy to play on the train - since he was a SUPER GREAT kid these past two days going into the city and spending all day in the city. Margaret was so surprised on how good Peter was, and he was so great on the train.
This evening, Margaret is going to email the documents to Edwin, so the translator can start translating it while Edwin is waiting for the original documents. Edwin hopes to have us back into PGN by the middle of the week, because once he gets the documents translated, he is going to see the Judge about what to do with the "dates not being in chronological order", because the Judge can always remove the last page - which would take care of this problem. And from there our folder gets handed into another part of PGN where they review the new documents that were just handed in and the minimum time here is 72 hours - before we are re-entered in to PGN.
So lets just hope that the Judge fixes this mistake and we go right into PGN and get out quicker than quick!
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Talked to our Lawyer tonight about the paperwork that has to be Redone
I hope the Judge is in a Ho Ho mood, and just fixes it, so we can move on.
It is so unbelievable that all this stuff is going on with Anna's paperwork, and Peter's paperwork was the SAME EXACT and he had no issues with PGN.
So, lets just hope that this is the end of the kick outs.
SIGH! It's been a long day.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Counting our Lucky Stars
Luckily, Margaret thought about re-checking the dossier (good thing for copies) and its a good thing Margaret did, because that "stupid mistake" Suffolk County Clerk's office did on our marriage license they also did on Margaret's birth certificate. So Margaret will be taking care of both things. Lets just hope Pedro at the Guatemalan Consulate is in a happy mood so he gives me that Guatemala Consulate stamp on the documents so I can fed ex them from NYC to Guatemala. Fingers crossed.
Hmmm, it's funny how those who never did a Dossier, always have a comment to make - BUT those who did do a Dossier, don't make a comment - only because they know how much work actually goes into it and how time consuming it is. Yes, Margaret knows if she checked the paperwork, before leaving the Suffolk County Clerk's office we would still be in PGN. But, she didn't. Who would of guessed a person would put the wrong date on the document - and I am sure she put that same date (wrong date) on the rest of the documents she did throughout the day. But, if we didn't get kicked out for this mistake, the reviewer would of just found something else to kick us out for. So lets just hope, this satisfies PGN and the next time we are out - it is for GOOD!
Please continue to pray that our Anna gets out of PGN so she can come home.
Thanks for your continued support.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Peter's new room is finally getting somewhere........
Saturday, November 10, 2007
We spoke to our Lawyer today about the "Previo" (Kick out) of PGN
It turns out that we were kicked out of PGN, thanks to Riverhead Clerks Office making the mistake. Margaret didn't even think to check, because how hard can it be to write the date. It turns out the date on the paper work for our marriage license was not in chronological order, so we were kicked out. What happened............well, Once we got our marriage license, we had to go out to Riverheard Clerks office to get it certified (dated 7/26/07). Since it was a marriage license we also had to bring it to the courts (same building, no biggie) to get the certification that the clerk just did - certified (this was dated 7/25/07). Then we went into NYC to the State Dept. and they did their part (dated 7/26/07), then we went to the Guatemala Consulate and they did their part (dated 7/26/07). It turns out that the court dept. in Riverhead should have put the date as 7/26/07. But since they put 7/25/07 that means I got that certification done before the clerk's certification, and that shouldn't of been - because that shows/means I did not do it in the correct order.
So, what do we need to do now. Well, remember during the summer how Margaret & Peter went to Riverhead with the paperwork, and then took a trip to NYC to get all the paperwork authenticated............... well, we have to do that again. Monday is a holiday (Veterans Day) so Margaret will not be able to do it until Tuesday. So first thing Tuesday morning we will be heading to town hall to get a new Marriage License with the raised seal on it, and then to Riverhead, and then to NYC. This time Margaret will be making sure the right dates are on the paperwork, before heading to the city. Hopefully once we get to the Guatemala Consulate, Pedro will be nice and do our one document while we wait, so I can Fed Ex to our lawyer in Guatemala that afternoon, so he gets it on Wednesday afternoon.
Once our lawyer receives the docuemtns, the next day we will go back into PGN.
Friday, November 9, 2007
Gotta Practice what I Preach!
This afternoon after getting the bad news of another kick out. I came to realize how lucky we are, and how I have to practice what I preach (thanks Pam, Barbara, Soni, and Martina). We have a wonderful son, that just gets cuter by the day, even when he copies Daddy when he snores, or when he thinks our cocker spaniel is a horse - luckily Max doesn't mind it. I have a wonderful husband who cares about us very much. This evening my husband brought me home a bouquet of flowers, because he knew I was having a bad day. We have a great family and friends, who is excited about Anna coming home too.
As for the "practice what I preach" - With our first adoption and this adoption I have always told my friends going through the adoption - "To think Positive" it will happen. That was always my motto. So I have to continue to "THINK POSITIVE", because Anna will be coming home soon. And in the meantime, we have lots to do here to get ready for our little girl. This weekend, we are working on making Peter's room. We got rid of the dining room (only used it on Christmas eve, so no biggie), and we are building a wall - so Peter will have a nice room so his baby sister can go in the nursery. Hopefully my husband and his friend will be able to handle it, while Peter and I go out and do some more Christmas shopping. I wouldn't want Peter or I to show up the men on how to do it.
As for the "kick out", our lawyer emailed us at 10pm this evening, he just got home from a long day and was getting ready for dinner. We are going to call him tomorrow to discuss it, but it something that the translator in Guatemala is going to have fixed by Monday morning and we will be back in PGN Monday afternoon. Lets hope the reviewers in PGN have the holiday spirit this time around.
thanks for listening and thanks for your continued support.
Margaret
Another letter from a Congressman
Lets just hope, adoptions continue.
thanks for your continued support.
Kicked Out Again! :(
So now, Margaret just added something else to her Christmas List - A Visit trip to see Anna!
Please continue to pray, keep your fingers crossed, best wishes that all of this is resolved and Anna comes home real soon.
thanks.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Guatemala Adoption Information and News
Guatemalan papers are reporting that committees of Congress met yesterday on the adoption law. This was NOT the vote on the amendments. But based on these reports, Guatemala will postpone implementing the Hague until April 1, 2008 in order to better coincide with the US's likely ratification date. Interestingly, one paper quotes US Consul General John Lowell as saying this is unnecessary.
In addition, one paper is reporting that the Ortega Law's effective date will be bumped back to April 1 as well. One story also mentions that one amendment to be voted on is to permit singles to adopt.
Once again, this all coming from Guatemalan papers. If you would like to see the newspaper articles in full, please visit http://www.guatadopt.com/ website. (there is a link to their website on the right margin).
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Received a Letter from our New York State Assemblywoman.
Please continue to Pray, send good wishes, fingers crossed - whatever works - so Anna comes home real soon.
thanks for your continued support.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Colom Wins Presidency - Guatemala will have a New President.
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/11/05/america/05guatemala.php
It is really unsure, his opinions on Adoptions, so I guess time will tell.
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Got an Email from our Lawyer today - Yippie!
Margaret was quite surprised to get an email from our Lawyer on a Saturday. We know our lawyer likes spending the weekends with his family and NOT work. So it was a nice surprise to get this email. Thanks for taking the time to email us Edwin - it is greatly appreciated.
Our lawyer told us that he checked with PGN last week and we were with the 2nd reviewer, or as he would say - they are called "asesores".
So that is good news, now let just hope we go to Barrios desk and get signed off - that would be soo soo great!
Our Efforts have Paid Off! Thanks so much!
"Through our collective efforts, the Guatemala 5000 Initiative has resulted in 203 Members of the United States Congress supporting the completion of all in-process adoptions via their signature on letters being sent today, October 31, 2007 to Guatemalan President Oscar Berger, UNICEF Executive Director Ann Veneman and UNICEF Guatemala Director Manuel Manrique. The 203 Senators and Representatives represent the largest number in the 22 year history of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption and the first time the Coalition has addressed UNICEF.Joint Council thanks the thousands of adoptive families and their friends who made calls, sent faxes and emailed their Congressional representatives. We also extend our considerable appreciation for the efforts of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute for their tireless efforts, to the National Council for Adoption for their support and to the Co-Chairs of the Congressional Coalition, Senator Mary Landrieu, Senator Norm Coleman, Congressman James Oberstar and Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite for their vital leadership.The text of the letters along with all signatories will be available on Friday, November 30 2007 on both the Joint Council and CCAI websites. It is our continued hope that these letters will result in the development of a legal, transparent and expeditious process by which the thousands of children currently in Guatemalan orphanages and foster-care will find their permanent, safe and loving family.As we have stated many times, Joint Council will continue our advocacy on behalf of the Guatemalan children until each child needing a family has found one."
Thank you all for your continued support, prays, & good wishes.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Just an Update
A few of you have been asking what is going on with Anna. Well, we are in PGN. This is the waiting stage. PGN is closed until Tuesday (closed for All Saints Day, closed Monday due to the Presidential Elections on Sunday), so we will not be hearing anything - if anything until next week. Hopefully, we'll be on Barrios's desk (reviewer #3, last person) and he'll be in a good mood after a long weekend off and sign us OUT! Positively thinking of course. :)
Please continue to pray & send your good wishes, for Anna Maria to get out of PGN so she can come home.
Thanks for your continued support.
Today is All Saints Day in Guatemala
All Saints Day is a very religious day in Guatemala, where most places are closed. Even PGN is closed today.
Just to give you an idea on how big the kites are - look at these pics. They are so amazingly big. Guatemala also makes their pinatas big for party celebrations.
I saw these pics on another adoptive family blog, and I just had to show them to you all.