Two Steps Down, One to Go!

DNA went off without a hitch this morning. Well, that's if you don't count Gabi screaming through it. She was not thrilled with them swabbing her mouth thoroughly 4 times. I can't believe Ella stood for that. Anyway, we got it finished and it's on its way to the lab.

Not only is that finished, but we were able to go directly upstairs to one of the Embassy-approved doctors for her visa checkup. He was lovely, as were his nurses. We were in and out. Every time that Gabi cried, she reached for me. The doctor even said that she wants her mama for security. Is there anything better than that? I don't think so.

Gabi was an absolute doll despite the fact that she missed her morning nap and really needed it. The nurse said she was such a cute baby. And the doctor said that she was in the 50th percentile for head circumference and the 3rd for weight. She's between the 5th and 10th for height. She's 27.5 inches long and 17 lbs. 4 oz. He said not to worry about her weight since she's such a great eater. He could see how active she was.

Now, the greatest part of all of this is that those were the last steps we had to complete before we go to the Embassy for our visa appointment. I can enjoy the next couple of weeks in Antigua with no worries!!! That's huge!! And by the way, we closed on our house this morning in Houston. Edward is on his way back to Illinois now. We are homeowners again. Woohoo! Let the blessings flow!!

DNA Test Tomorrow!!!

Our DNA test is scheduled for tomorrow morning at 9:30. I cannot wait. The only thing left to do after that is wait for our appointment. I'm ecstatic that we are moving forward.

In the meantime, Christy and I went to brunch at Santo Domingo today. Santo Domingo is a beautiful monastery turned resort in northeastern Antigua. It is like an oasis, truly. There are beautiful flowers and gardens everywhere, countless fountains and lovely pathways and rooms to wander through. It's very Old World and I love it. I first went there with Kristin and Ryker in 2005. The brunch was delicious and we wandered around for another hour just admiring the place. It was a lovely day.





I've downloaded some pictures onto Christy's computer so I could post. Basically, Gabi's Grumps is berating me into posting. He wanted to know if my camera was broken. So enjoy... (Really, I just like to keep Gabi's fans waiting.)

No DNA test

We did not get to complete the DNA test today. There were no appointments available. We will go on Monday morning to get this step completed. I'm just hoping that we don't have any problems getting the test back.

Christy and I are having a great time exploring Antigua and getting to know the area. Tonight we discovered another hotel where we can go swimming. They also have a playground. I think Gabi was in a swing for the very first time. She LOVED it! It wasn't enough to be swinging, she had to bounce too. She was giggling and playing and loving it. So fun!! We'll go there tomorrow to swim and let the girls play.

We're ORANGE!!!

We have DNA approval from the U.S. Embassy for the 2nd test. This test ensures that Gabi is the same baby who started in this process. We were hoping to do the test today, but it looks as if it won't happen until Monday. At that point, the sample is sent to the lab in the U.S. who did the original testing, compared to that first test and results returned to the Embassy in Guatemala. The Embassy will then issue our visa appointment through e-mail, called e-pink, and we will know when we will be home.

Please pray for the rest of this process to go smoothly. Today, Christy and I took the girls swimming at Hotel Antigua (which is lovely, by the way) and we met even more mothers who are fostering their children here. Some of them are at the end, some are still in PGN and some are stuck in this awful process. I know how many of you have prayed for Gabi. Please pray for these families as well. These families want their children home as much as we want Gabi home. They've made an incredible sacrifice to live here. Please help them go home.

Happy Birthday, Gabi!!

I cannot believe that we have a one year old child. It boggles my mind. And she couldn't be more perfect for us. She is lively and sweet and charming. She has a sense of humor that emerges more each day.

Yesterday, Gabi learned how to give "high five." It's very funny how she picks something new up every day. She, unfortunately, is not in the best of moods on her first birthday. She is not feeling well. Kyra tells our patients who are in the hospital for their birthday or a major holiday that they get a do-over. I think Gabi is going to get a do-over.

In light of her not-so-wellness, I took her to the local hospital here in Antigua. Frankly, I've never had a lovelier experience in a doctor's office/hospital in my life anywhere in the world. I walked right in. They provided a translator. He saw us immediately. It cost $20 for the consult and I picked up her medicine on my way out. He was gentle and kind and Gabi did so well. When she got a little nervous, she would reach for me, but she didn't really cry. It's incredible how good it feels to be the one she reaches for when she's sick, or sad, or playful. I love it. We got her medicine and came home in less than 40 minutes. Can you imagine that happening anywhere?

She took her medicine easily and promptly threw it back up when she had lunch. Lesson learned-- no meds on an empty belly. She's napping now so hopefully that will help. What a doll we have been blessed with this year. She is our dream come true.

Terrible turn of events

My computer jack is dead. I cannot plug my computer in and my battery is dead. I'm not sure what I'll do considering my life is on my computer and this is my link to home right now. I have to figure something out. So be patient about the posts. I'm doing the best I can.

Still no DNA test.

Snotty-Nosed Kids

We have two very cute girls-- both with runny noses. Poor Lucy is teething and not very happy about it. Gabriella's nose is running like a faucet. Christy and I both said that we didn't want to be those moms with the snotty-nosed kids... yet, here we are.

In other news, Gabi is very funny. She is in the best mood at night after dinner. She is very talkative at that time of day. I've successfully gotten her to take one long nap in the afternoon and a short one in the morning. Before, she was taking one in the morning and two in the afternoon. This schedule seems to be working for her. It also means that Lucy and Gabi are sleeping for about the same amount of time in the afternoon.

Gabi is still eating like a horse and burning it off during the day. She eats everything I put in front of her and a lot of it. I know this probably won't last, so I'm grateful she's this way for the time being.

I've met a couple of other moms in the area who are fostering their children. That's a nice comfort to know that other people understand this process.

Finally, the most recent exciting news is that Kristin and Reagan will be coming to join us for a few days next week. I'm so thrilled to see them. Reagan was 9 months the last time I saw her. Gabi was just 2 months when Kristin met her before. I know they've both changed so much. We're determined to make sure that our kids know each other.

Monday Events

This afternoon, Christy made a delicious meal for us and the girls got to play outside. We realized that today was the first time that Lucy has stood and walked on grass on her own. She just started walking this winter and there isn't much grass in Chicago this time of year. Today she set foot on her first blades of the green stuff in delightful Antigua.

Gabi sat outside and played on her blanket that Aunt Kristin made her. She loved being in the fresh air and it gave her a change of scenery. These girls are such little loves. They also played in the laundry hamper for a while.

Dave and Savannah were stuck in Miami today and are still not home. Ed returned home just fine and even got to see his sister and family at his parents on the way back to C-U.

Moved to Antigua

We moved to Antigua yesterday with the assistance of Dave and Savannah. We have more stuff than any 2 adults and 2 children should have. But we're set up and that's what matters.

My apartment is awesome!!! It's a tiny studio with a fireplace, small backyard, laundry and fully stocked kitchen. It has pink walls and such charm. I couldn't be happier.

After we got settled in yesterday, Dave, Savannah, Christy, the girls and I all went traipsing around Antigua. It was a lovely Easter afternoon and most of the town was gathered to see the last of this year's processions. We had beautiful weather and we toured a former convent.

This morning, our girls were up at 6. We let them play and eat and then we headed out to the grocery store and around town. It is an overcast day with a bit of drizzle, so we came back early. The girls are down for a nap now and we'll see how that goes. They are on different schedules, so we are trying to sync them up.

I don't have new pictures from yesterday because I forgot my camera. I'll post more later.

Happy Easter and Happy Early Birthday "Labi Sol"!

Happy Easter everyone!!! We had a party for Gabi's birthday yesterday and we ordered a cake and everything. There were several other families that joined us. Unfortunately, instead of the cake saying Happy Birthday Gabi Sol, it said "Labi Sol!" Pretty funny. Gabi wasn't too sure about it anyway, so I don't think it mattered. She had a lot of fun in the end and she looked soooo pretty in her birthday dress.

Here are some pics from the party.

Just Chillin' at the Marriott

Today is Aunt Kristin's birthday! Gabi is blowing you a kiss all the way from Mala-mala. She says she loves you and can't wait to see you again. We wish you happy birthday too! Have a wonderful day with your family.

We had breakfast this morning and then the crew headed to the Handicraft Market. I stayed here because I haven't been able to shake a terrible headache I've had since last night. It must have worked because I feel much better now. Gabi got to spend the morning with her daddy and they had a great time with Francy and family.

Here are a couple of pics from this morning. We are having a birthday party today for Gabi with some of the other families. I'll post pictures from that later.

Good Friday

Thursday in GC

Dave and Savannah went on a climb of the Pacaya volcano and Savannah's shoes melted. They had a great time and said it was incredible seeing and feeling the activity. So cool!

Christy, Ed, Lucy, Gabi and I all hung out at the hotel. Since it's Holy Week, there is a lot going on at the Marriott. I've actually never seen so many people here. I'm so used to it being fairly empty in the morning at breakfast and by the pool. Instead, everything is full. Today there was a DJ and a band by the pool. It was loud and fun, but you can't escape it. Even in your room, you can still hear the music. Lucy and Gabi played in our homemade bullpen. Lucy chased Gabi in the walker and occasionally had her feet run over. These girls are very busy!!!

We missed Madison's birthday party because Gabi wouldn't wake up from her nap. We put her down earlier thinking that she would be up in time and she slept another hour. We finally made it down and the kids played in the lounge and we enjoyed some delicious cake.

Gabi's newest trick is clapping. I've been trying to get her to do this for a couple of months, but she just wouldn't. There was a soccer match between Guatemala and Honduras on TV and the restaurant was very into it. Gabi finally joined in and started clapping. So cute!!!

Gabriella also impressed her visitors with her bedhead this afternoon. She looked ridiculous. She is completely unaware of the affect her hair has on people.

Antigua Trip and Other Happenings

We went to Antigua today and just under the wire, apparently. Since it is Holy Week and Antigua has the largest Easter processional in all of Guatemala, Antigua is overrun with tourists. It is a beautiful town, but there were too many people and that can spoil a beautiful place. According to a local shop owner, what we saw today was nothing.

Fortunately, we had gorgeous weather, the little girls were well behaved and we saw a lot. Before we arrived in Antigua, our driver took us to a nearby town called San Antonio. It's a lovely village that has been there since 1528. Shortly after we arrived and shopped for a bit, we were able to see the townspeople assembling the beautiful flower path for the Easter processional to pass over. They use flowers to create "rugs" on the ground and the float (for lack of a better word), depicting Christ carrying his cross, is carried over it. Music is played as the parade passes through the town and into the local church. It really was beautiful. We felt so lucky to have stumbled upon this processional without really planning it.

Once we arrived in Antigua, we ate lunch and hit the shops. We walked through some boutiques, visited a church, saw a market and enjoyed the hustle and bustle of this lovely town. I marvel at the kindness of the Guatemalan people. They smile and talk to the babies and ask about our journey to Guatemala. They're so warm. And to top it off, I think Savannah really enjoyed our adventure today. It isn't easy to satisfy adults, and 18 year old and toddlers all in one sweep. Apparently, Antigua has it all. I can't wait to get back there on Sunday.

Gabi has not really been appeasing us in the saying "mama, dada" department. But today, on several different occasions she said both of these. And even when she doesn't say it, when one of us says "mama" or "dada" she smiles like she knows what it means.

Finally, we took Gabi down to the baby lounge to expend some energy tonight and there were several families in there. We put her in the jumperoo contraption and she held court. She jumped and twirled and when everyone oohed and aahed, she laughed and did it again. So funny!! She's quite the ham. It's so funny to see what makes her proud. Her balance is getting better every day. She actually stood unassisted for several seconds today. I really think she'll be walking before she gets home. She loves to be on the move!!! Enough chatter... here are some pics.

I'm an Incessant Blogger

I'm sorry I keep breaking up these posts. We're busy with this little person and I try to post when I get a minute. We had a hectic day, so these are just a couple more pics.

Have Passport, Will Travel

That's what Gabi said right after she took her picture for her very own passport. Usually it takes about 20 minutes total for this process. For us, it took 2 hours. Of course it did. But we didn't care. Gabi was so good and didn't cry even though she was very hungry and tired. We met our other attorney and spoke to him regarding the rest of our process. All is well.

That's all for now. But we have it in print that Gabi is an A!!!!

Birthday Wishes and Friends Arrive

Happy Birthday, Paige! Today is my sister's 36th birthday. She's very old and will probably be committed to a nursing home in the next year or so. She has never gotten due attention (according to her) on her birthday because it always fell on spring break. Well Paige, we're toasting you in Guatemala with a couple of Gallo beers and a smile. We wish we were there to celebrate with you. Gabi blew her Aunt Paige a kiss.

In other news, Christy, Dave, Savannah and Lucy arrived last night. All went well with their travels and they're off gallavanting around GC today. Christy and I coined the phrase "Francy" for friend-aunt. Gabi has already decided that her Francy is wonderful. Gabi has been a bit apprehensive about strangers over the last few days. But she must have known how much Christy has loved her and prayed for her. She went right to her and smiled really big. She also likes her new friend, Lucy. Lucy likes to share her things with Gabi and gave her a kiss at the breakfast table this morning. Is there anything sweeter? Dave and Savannah have a lot of plans for adventures all over Guatemala this week. This is both Savannah's (18) and Lucy's (15 months) first trips out of the U.S. We're delighted that they chose Gabi's birth country as their first international adventure.

In just a little while, we'll head to the immigration office to get Gabi's passport. Don't worry, Robin. I learned my lesson when you forgot your camera. We've got it in the diaper bag. We think it's so cool that we're here for these steps of the process. We are beyond thrilled that Gabi's passport day are happening on her Aunt Paige's birthday.

I'll post more later. Did I mention what GORGEOUS weather we're having? It's about 75 degrees and sunny. It just doesn't get any better than this.

If You Have a New Last Name, Raise Your Hand

Our attorney got Gabi's new birth certificate today. He is going to pick us up tomorrow afternoon to get her passport. Once we have that, we can be submitted to the US Embassy for 2nd DNA authorization.

We are ecstatic! Since Dave, Christy, Savannah and Lucy are on their way to GC right now, we put a locator at the front desk. This tells the front desk where we are in the event someone calls or visits without us knowing ahead of time. When we were finished with dinner, we headed to the Baby Lounge and I called down to change our location. A few minutes later the phone rang and it was our attorney. He does not speak English. It's a struggle to communicate with him, but we always get through it. He said that he will pick us up at 1 p.m. tomorrow. Ed got off the phone and said, "Do you know what this means? We have a birth certificate!" Naturally, we were jumping up and down and celebrating. Gabi joined right in! She thinks it's awesome that she is finally an A!!! We do too! The above is a pic of that moment. Excuse my Asian appearance-- it's really me.

I might die when I see our last name on these very important papers. I welled up when I saw Ella's copy of her passport last month. It's such a big deal that we've come this far!! Woohoo!