Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Okay, an update is LONG overdue and I apologize! We have been home 2 full weeks and it is WONDERFUL. The flight home was completely uneventful. We left the hotel at 11am and arrived home at 8pm (7pm Guat time) and the babies, niether of them, fussed a single moment of the day. They were just fabulous: napping, eating and giggling when awake.

Something amazing has occured because it seems with child #3 and 4 there is no adjustment period. We are tired but no more than we always have been. I think our 4 year olds, with their full of life and spirited personalities, wear us out much more than the babies. Aaron is just a delight. He smiles a lot, has started babbling. His first week home, he sat up for about 1 minute - unassisted. He is still waking up 1 to 2 times per night for feedings and I was pretty sure that I had read that by now it would be 1 time per night. So, either he is still very hungry, not grown out of that yet or I am doing something wrong. We'll work it out soon enough though. Kya and Autumn have adjusted fantastic and I truly beleive it's because of our visits down to Guatemala. They love the babies and there has been no jealousy or new behavorial issues. They have truly been wonderful big sisters to the babies. The only fits the big girls seem to have is when the babies go down for naps. Then they cheer when the babies wake up.

Aaron had is first U.S doctors appointment already which was also his 6 month check up and he did wonderful. He is on target and doing well.

This is the end of this blog. Time to say goodbye to the adoption websites and start an at-home forumn. Within the month I will send out a link to the new location.

Thank you for your prayers, for joining us on this most amazing miracle to bring these babies home!

Enjoy the photos.


Our last night in Guatemala


Aaron's plane ride home!


Meeting his Meema and Aunt Hope as big sister Kya delights in his homecoming.


First night home, first family dinner (Thanks to Dawn's mom!!!)


The kids are ready for bed, their first night home. Their Aunt Hope and Uncle Joel are spending the night as well.


Aaron's first nap at home on day two. What a sweet baby boy! We are so blessed.


The babies are sharing a room. This is Aaron's side.


First bath at home.


Sweet baby boy in his new exer-saucer. He loves it!


First Sunday home. All our children - all ready for Church! What a blessing!

Monday, January 7, 2008

Embassy Day

Our Embassy Appointment was at 7:15am. We left the hotel around 6:30 and were back about 10:15. Aaron's application to become a permanent US Citizen was approved today! His IR3 Visa will be ready tomorrow. Woo Hoo!!!!!

Today we had a late breakfast, long nap, a little shopping and an early dinner. Dale and I also called back home and spoke to our two 4yr olds today, Kya & Autumn. We miss them SOOOOO much! It's never the same without them around. They add such joy to all our memories and we look forward to getting home to them. We are trying to make the most of our final days here and make some memories with our new babies in their birth country. Here are some pictures of our day.


Bath Time for Aaron



Happy Embassy Day my beautiful baby boy!


So happy having bananas


Hangin' out at McCafe (McDonald's coffee shop - so nice!) No Starbuck's here. Starbuck's doesn't compare to Guatemalan coffee.



Doing a little shopping for Kya & Autumn

Sunday, January 6, 2008

GOTCHA! Woo Hoo!!!!!!!

WE HAVE OUR SON! Aaron Gabriel is officially and legally our son. He was placed in our arms forever and ever in the lobby of our hotel in Guatemala City at 2:30pm, January 6, 2008. Today Aaron also turned 6 months old. We are overwhelmed with emotions. We are thanking Jesus for our son, our miracle.




We would also like to thank and remember the woman who cared for him the first 6 months of his life, Mirna, His foster mother. Thank you Mirna for loving our son as your own.

Thursday, December 27, 2007

Monday, December 3, 2007

Pictures from November

Here are some pictures of our baby boy. We took these on our November visit trip. We look forward to the moment he's placed in our arms for good! It has been fantastic to be able to visit him and create these precious memories with him at such a young age.

Click on the thumbnails to enlarge the collages.


Sunday, November 25, 2007

Hi Everyone, We finally made it to an internet cafe. It's a beautiful city here in Antigua. We are enjoying our much unexpected family vacation. We have eaten so much that we are about 50lbs heavier each! The food is here is SOOO good! There is no shortage of places to hang out and eat and places to shop.

Tuesday we arrived safely and on Tuesday evening we received an email that our that Aaron's birth certificate should be ready on Tuesday the 27th (the day we leave). After we have both bc's, they can be submitted for their 2nd DNA test and then once the results arrive at the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala, they will issue us an appointment to come in with the babies to receive their Visas. That is when we get to bring them home. Just a few more weeks!!!

Wednesday morning the babies were supposed to arrive at 9am. Aaron arrived about 11:30 because his Foster Mom's bus had a flat. Then Lily arrived sometimes around 1pm. We rented a 15 passenger van (yes! really!) to take just our little family and all our luggage to Antigua, Guatemala for the week. It was about a 45 minute ride and through some mountains. No air in the bus but the windows opened and there was a nice breeze, all the kids napped on the way. The hotel is a little nicer than I thought it would be. It's very quaint and quiet here. We have a very large room. We have 2 queen beds, 2 baby beds and still tons of room for the girls to kick a ball, etc. Breakfast is part of the deal here (it's a bed & breakfast) and it's a choice of 3 meals. You can have them pool side or on the table outside your room on the balcony....each option overlooking the beautiful volcano and swimming pool. The coffee here is wonderful.

Aaron is doing great and is eating some eggs & stage one baby food now. He's been such a happy baby nd showing a little more personality. He's sleeping well in the baby bed this time. He wakes about 1:30 and 5:30 for food and goes right back to sleep. He's up at 7:30 and naps again about 9am.

On Thursday, Thanksgiving, we took some photos of all the kids together, the kids napped a little. Then we went out for a little sight seeing and lunch. We strolled through their central park, went to a little grocer, a park-side cafe and then for ice cream, then the kids napped some more. We were going to go to a traditional Thanksgiving dinner but the kids were all very tired. Even Autumn fell asleep for the night at 4:30. Dale went next door and ordered dinner for us and Kya. Dale and I have had a few chances to sit out on the balcony after the kids are in bed. We have a dessert from next door and a bottle of wine by candlelight over looking the 3 volcanos surrounding us.

Friday was Kya's big day...she turned 4. We had a party pool side complete with Tinker Bell decorations and a pizza. We didn't get the ice cream cake. Dale had taken her and Autumn to Central Park for a carriage ride. Afterwards we took her to the local market to go shopping. Each of them go to pick out something ( a drum ) and on the way back we found another bakery. Kya ended up ordering cake from there. And that night she wanted Thai food, which was actually not THAT great.

Saturday is when the Mayan's set up a street side market on the ground. We bought a few trinkets from there and found the cafe I'm sitting at now.

We head back to the city at 1pm tomorrow and check back into the hotel there for the night. The babies are going back to the foster mom's at 4pm. Our flight is our early Tuesday. We'll post pictures next week when we get home.

Lots of love,
Dawn