Back in

Well, supposedly my file has been resubmitted to PGN(no later than 6/19). And for some reason I am beyond nervous today. I don't know why. My stomach is doing flips. My brain can't stay focused. I guess in some way I am afraid of getting another previo. Maybe the emotions of the weekend are getting to me. My friend Sue ran Grandma's Marathon on Saturday. Maureen, Jane, Dan and I went up to Duluth to cheer her on. This was her first, and she says last, one. She finished it in 5:05:28, not at all bad for a first timer!!!! (this is me and Sue after she finished) Matter of fact I find it quite impressive. Or maybe it's got something to do with the fact my adoption friend, Angie got her OUT/approved on Friday. We have always been only days apart in each step of this process. So I think I'm "expecting" to get OUT soon. And I know all too well that in the international adoption world you can't expect anything. You know as soon as I do hear anything, I'll let you know.

sara

Resubmit ???

I know that my updated employment letter has been received in GT. According to my case worker it has been translated and gotten the necessary stamp. My file should have been re-submitted yesterday. There have been a LOT of people posting OUT's the last week or so. I am soooo hopeful that once I get back in it'll only be for a short stay :-)

As soon as I hear ANYTHING, I'll let you all know.

sara

Closer to re-submit

My updated employment letter has been authenticated at the Guatemalan Consulate in Chicago. It was overnighted to my facilitator yesterday. She is sending it off to my attorney this afternoon. Once my attorney has it tomorrow (6/11), it has to be translated and authenticated in GT. I should be re-submitted by the begining of next week at the latest. I am daydreaming of getting OUT- approved of PGN by Monday 6/23.

It's the next step that has me worried and concerned. Charlotte was born in Mixco. Birth certificates from there have been issued in as little as a few days to some are still waiting 4+ months later. :-( And now there is a centralized government agency Registro Nacional de las Personas (RENAP). I am waiting to hear if I will have to go through this or not. I was hopeful that it would be better and faster but that has not been the case thus far.

There are days I don't know how much more I can take. Patience is a virtue but for me it is dwindling. Hopefully I will hear some solid good news soon.



sara

A good then BAD day

Well, my attorney did get my file re-submitted this morning. Yeah!!! But then guess what??? I got ANOTHER previo!!! Yes, you read that right. I was notified at 2:30PM.

This one is a tad more time consuming to fix. You see PGN now wants an updated employment letter. I know I work for my dad. That's not the hard part. You see he needs to sign this letter have it notarized and then it goes to the MN Sec. of State for an apostille (authentication of notary) and lastly to the Guatemalan Consulate in Chicago for authentication of the authentication. Fortunatley, Ken was already back in the cities from a conference in Brainerd and I just had him meet me at the bank for the notary. I then drove like a wild woman to the SoS office for the apostille. I am now putting it in an overnight envelope to a courier service in Chicago (consulate won't accept overnights) who can take it in for me and pick it up on MONDAY (6/9) She will then overnight it direct to my facilitator who will ship it to GT. I end up losing a whole week!!!! Needless to say, I am NOT happy but there's nothing I can do.

Please keep praying for us.

sara

Update

Wow, what a ride the last 24 hours have been. Shortly after I posted the pix yesterday, my facilitator called me to tell me that my file had been picked up at PGN for a previo. It was and is an unbelievable issue. You see, the BM has to show identification when she fills out her forms (the intial ones not during the recent interview) and then this is recorded in a book -- I envision some old dusty leatherbound book --- and a GOVERNMENT official then signs off in the book that the ID is current, correct etc. Well, the ID is current, correct etc., it is recorded in the book but the GOVERNMENT official forgot to sign off!!! :-( So, today at 11:00AM GT time my attorney had a meeting at PGN. I was just told it went very well. She was there for over an hour. She now has to write a letter explaining this and their meeting, have it notarized and then can submit it along with my file tomorrow. My file should go back to the 2nd reviewer, where it was when issued the previo, and he/she should now sign off. Once they sign off, it would then move for final signature!!!! This is as good of news as possible. Today is a very good day!!! I really and truly feel that I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I know that many of you who read this are the same ones I sent a prayer request to earlier today. Again, I say thank you for the prayers. I know it is faith and prayer that has gotten me this far. And I do believe that prayer is what is moving my file right now. It means the world to me. THANK YOU!!!

Love Ya,
sara

New pix finally....

I got some new pictures Sunday via email. My attorney and her daughter took them in the foyer of her office. You can see just how much she's grown. It's kind of hard to look at them because she's been 6 months in my mind for soooo long. I am thrilled to see her growing and developing normally. You can also see that she's a petite little peanut. Her ears are pierced as is culturally the norm down there. And my sister-in-law Karen thinks she looks like she may have a devilish streak. I also love the fact that her foster mom is in a couple of the pictures as I will have those to show her. Now, if I can just get her home.

I took a big step this weekend and painted her room. My dad and I did the main/base coats on Friday. I had my 8 year old niece, Emma over Friday night to help. We painted the room like a flower garden. (it's kidish/cartoonish, the walls are blue down to about 2 foot off the ground and from the carpet up it's slime green grass. there are flowers and bugs too.) Emma will gladly tell you she painted 4 flowers and the wings of one butterfly. Now that the painting is done, I'll take a few more pix and maybe I'll post a couple so you can see it.

As for any news on the process, I don't have any particular news on my case. I do know that 50+ files were released last Thursday and Friday. Of those, only 10 were approved/done. The other 40 were issued a previo. I find that rather discouraging since we have all endured a month long stoppage along with birth mother interviews. I wonder, seriously, how much more scrutiny must these files endure?????

But for me, I'm happy, I have new pictures :-)

sara