We are in PGN!!!!

Its official, we have been PGN since December 21st... this is where the Guatemalan Govt agency looks over all of your paperwork... while I'm ecstatic that we are in.. we are definetly going to get kicked out for not having our Pre Approval, the PA arrived on the22nd of december. Our lawyer wanted us submitted into PGN before the end of the year due to all the political turmoil, its better to be safe than sorry. At least our Kick Out will be an easy fix, lets just hope it comes sooner than later. Apparently there are 3 reviewers & a final signature. If you get kicked out from the 3rd reviewer you go back to the first reviewer, at least this is how I think its works, ladies correct me if i'm wrong... So right now i'm praying to get kicked out, I NEVER thought I would be hoping for this, but as everyone who is going through this process knows, this is the ultimate rollercoaster ride & frankly I hope it ends soon LOL.. This portion of the process is usually about 3 months, lets hope its sooner... we should have Rachel home by sometime in april!!!!!!!!!!! Just in time to head to the beach.. yipee!!!!

love
alex & sam

Pre Approval!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today we received our Pre Approval!!!!!!!!!!!! what this means is that the US consulate is allowing Rachel to come into our country. Now we go into the black hole of PGN. This is where the Guatemalan Govt goes over all of our paperwor with a fine tooth comb... almost everyone gets kicked out for one reason or another.. I just hope the Ko's come sooner rather than later, & lets hope they are easy fixes... After we are out of PGN, it will be about a month before we can get Rachel for good...

please pray that we get through PGN quick with no KO's

merry christmas & happy new year to everyone

alex & sam

rachels a ham

We are home!!!

we made it home without any nonsense in the airports. thank god!!! I miss Rachel sooooo much, I wish we could go back tomorrow, but February will be here soon, it will seem like forever.
thanks for everyones support & kind words, here is a little video of my peanut...

our last day pics

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plain & simple, saying goodbye really sucks!!!!!!

well, saturday arrived, & it was nearing the time we had to give rachel back to her foster mother, I woke up crying & I know sam did too!!! We had breakfast with the foster mother, benjamin (from the lawyers office) & edwin out tour guide for the day, he was our translator. breakfast was sad to say the very least, I told the FM that I was going to smuggle Rachel =in the US, she laughed. how funny is it that her last name is Orozco (which is my maiden name). She then went on to thank us for adopting Rachel & giving her a better life than she would have in Guatemala, of course that made me cry too.. she also said that we are sad now but in the end we will be happy & she will be sad when Rachel comes home. I just had a good feeling about her & know that she will take great care of my munchkin... the foster mother even cried when she saw us so upset, she hugged us & told us that rachel will be just fine. that made me feel a little better.

after we said goodbye we went on a tour of antigua, a part of guatemala city. some parts were beautiful & others were just down right & utterly depressing. It was very sad to see how these people are living & all the starving stray dogs made me ILL!!!
We went to a jade factory & rachel has herself some jade earings, hopefully her ears will be pierced by our next visit. It was an eye opener to see how these people are so destitute & how the Guatemalan Govt is fighting so hard to stop adoptions.. they should all walk a day in these peoples shoes.

here are pics of our last morning together (till february) & of our tour..

Rachel Visit

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our last nite together (till February)

well, we just packed all of rachels things to go back. they are coming for her at 9am & will have breakfast with us. Just thinking about it makes me cry.. we all cried at Joanna's give back. Kristi said she doesnt want to be anywhere near me, I dont blame her. this trip was sooooo worth it, I know she is being taken well care of.. We are planning a trip for february.. Whose coming this time??????? ladies??

Rachel is a bit confused, she likes to sleep all day & be up all nite. Hopefully the cereal will make her sleep tonite. She hates the bath, & when sam brought her in the pool, you would have thought we were killing her. My mom said she was going to be like pig pen with the ring of dirt following her LOL.

here are some pics from the last 2 days, will post the rest when I get home

talk soon
alex & sam

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Day 1 Pix from guatemala Visit

We are here!!!!!

we are finally here... Rachel came to us about 4pm. Our friend Joanna saw her first & called me. I couldnt wait for them to call us so I went down to the lobby to meet them. what could I say, shes just beautiful, she has gained about 2lbs, so happy about that.. we had dinner with friends that are here visiting. Rachel warmed up to us right away.. I did find out that she moved foster homes, not sure why, I will be asking maria the lawyer at breakfast tomorrow..carol didnt even know which concerns me a bit..
after sam watches Rachels diaper getting changed i will have him post some pics.
this hotel is beautiful, all decorated foe xmas, we will have more tomorrow

love,
alex & sam