Dinner to celebrate

To celebrate our PINK and Embassy appointment being scheduled, we went out to eat with Ed, Amanda and Gabi! Mom and Dad kept the boys---we ordered them a pizza and they were excited! We went to the Westin and had dinner at a very nice Italian place. It is amazing to be around many adopting parents...hearing their stories, seeing the way they interact with their babies. Many were sad as they were only visiting. I hope that the fact that we are being able to take Emma home this trip will help them keep the faith that their babies will come home. I told one lady who had already given her baby back that I know how hard it is to have to hand them over....but to keep her chin up and know that one day---hopefully soon--she will return and get to pick up her baby!

Gabi is an angel. She is so happy and content always. She played, smiled and giggled during dinner. Her mommy and daddy made her a bottle and she ate it with no problems and went right to sleep on Amanda's lap. She couldn't have been any better.

Emma on the other hand... she needs to have her things EXACTLY the way SHE wants them. We couldn't get her bottle the perfect temp---I held it over the candle trying to get it warmer and then we requested a glass of HOT water to put the bottle in to warm it up. NOPE she refused to eat it even though she was STARVING and way over due for a bottle. When we got home (yes, I call the Marriott home now) she couldn't get her bottle down fast enough. People at dinner kept saying how beautiful she was. We got lots of "what a pretty baby" even when she had her not so happy face on. She is perfect and we love her so much!

Here is a picture Amanda took of us before we left.

12-29--this says it all!

EMMA IS PRETTY IN PINK!

We have PINK....not as early as we had hoped...Monday January 14th at 7:15 am. Her Visa will be ready on Tuesday January 15th and we will be searching for flights for WEDNESDAY JANUARY 16th! Emma is COMING HOME..... in 18 days and counting!

(Now there is still the SLIM chance that our congressman's office can work to get our appointment moved up.....that would be great as the Marriott bill is quickly getting out of control...but worse case scenario EMMA WILL BE IN OHIO on Wednesday JANUARY 16th! She is SO WORTH the WAIT...I promise this little girl will NOT disappoint those of you who are anxiously awaiting her arrival!)

We are BACK!

It was so much fun. The ride to the lake was LONG, BUMPY and CURVEY...but being able to experience more of Emma's country was amazing. I promise to post more tomorrow...but here are a few pictures from our 2 day trip. These pictures do not capture the beauty of the lake for the amazing feeling of the area. Standing inside the bottom of HUGE volcanoes is something we will never forget.

Merry Christmas from Guatemala ! ! !

We had a wonderful morning and are off to the pool! Can you imagine opening presents and then going for a swim in the pool. No white Christmas for us. We love Guatemala!

Tomorrow is a big day. We leave at 6:00 am to go to the lake. We are spending the night and then coming back on the next day. I will not have my computer but will take LOTS and LOTS of pictures and will post as soon as I can!

Merry Christmas from Guatemala!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

We have BIG NEWS....SANTA shipped a Wii and tons of GAMES to Bob and Floyd's! (I told Rob to bring the Wii stuff in his carry on because I was afraid that someone might be too tempted on Christmas Eve if it was in his bag being checked. Well when they went through security, they made Rob unpack it and checked all the parts---with Jay standing there saying "Is that ours...I wanta play i... NOW!" So he had to fess up and say that Santa was afraid he couldn't find us in Guatemala and sent the stuff to Dad's work. They have been playing it all evening...and seem to really like it.

They will be surprised to see that Santa has been in our room. Right after Emma went to bed and the boys went to my parents' room to go to sleep...we had a visitor!





We hope each of you have a wonderful Christmas!

Merry Christmas EVE!

The boys made it! We can start our Christmas celebration! We are getting ready to go to dinner but I will get some good pictures of Daddy, Pap Pap and Jay with Emma. Here are a few that were taken while we waited for them to arrive.







We miss each of you and it is hard to be away from home for the Holidays. For so many years we have done close to the same thing on Christmas Eve and Christmas. This year is totally different. We are thankful to all be together but are sad too that we are not home with our families. Keep those trees up! We are going to have CHRISTMAS again as soon as we are able to bring our baby girl home!

Merry Christmas!

12-23 Getting ready for CHRISTMAS

I called down to the front desk today and asked them if there might possibly be a little tabletop Christmas tree we could use. I explained to them that I was going to have a 4 and 6 year old that needed a tree for Christmas. The lady at the front desk said she would have to talk to management and they would see what they could do. I was praying for something I could sit on the round table and put their presents under after Santa visted.....but instead I got this...









I had brought ribbon that worked great. We went downstairs and bought some Guatemalan ornaments (the weaved animals) and the wooden painted angels. I am so excited about the tree. Drew and Emma even helped! The bulbs are plastic so she can pull them off and we just have to put them back on!

Here are some more pictures from late this afternoon and dinner. I need to celebrate my smiling little girl after the Browns lost...I hate when they lose...but hate even more when they lose to the HORRIBLE Bengals! Grrr YUCK!

I hope these pictures will lift your spirits as much as they did mine!

12-22

Another day down! Today was fun. We spent most of the day around the pool with a family from Seattle. They are adopting thier first child and they are waiting out pink too and brought Isabel's grandmother. They are a neat family and it helps to pass the time to talk to new people.
I am off to bed early tonight. My browns play tomorrow and I have to be well rested to cheer them on from Guatemala. There is a chance it will be on the CBS network...if so I am in HEAVEN. If not, then I will be following the real time blog and listening to it on the NFL team radio network. (Yes I paid to join the network on another trip when the Browns were playing the RAVENS....it has been worth EVERY PENNY!) GO BROWNS!

Here are a few pictures.

12-22 (early morning post)

Emma got up for her 3:00 am bottle and I cannot go back to sleep. So what better thing to do than update her blog and add some new pictures.

Yesterday was really pretty good after we dealt with the fact that our DNA results were lost and we are going to be MUCH here longer than expected. I truly believed we would all come home on Dec 31 with the "boys". I thought we would be starting 2008 introducing Emma to everyone who is so so so excited to meet our little angel...but it looks like God has other plans for Emma's arrival home...and it is OK. She is coming home and I have to be patient (those of you that know me well know patience is NOT one of my virtues) and sit back and enjoy the end of this amazing journey. I am now wondering at $145 a night - with no end in sight - if leaving my job was the best choice for me?! Maybe I needed to stay on full time to pay my hotel bill that is quickly turning into a NIGHTMARE BILL! It will all work out...and I have no idea how I could leave Emma to work full time. She gets upset when I leave the room to go to the bathroom without her! I am seeing some of that classic 9 month old separation anxiety...and honestly what did we expect? Of course, she is going to panic and worry when I leave...so many others have had to leave her and not been able to return.

I am not sure who will stay with me after the 31st. We are just going to have to see what the next week brings and then make the best decision for everyone. We are so excited for the boys to arrive. Drew is counting down the days till Jay is here to play. Jay keeps saying how much he misses his brother. (I am going to remind both of them this after Jay is here about 2 hours and they are fighting over something---I am a realist I know it is going to happen!)

Here are some pictures.











I will continue to update with pictures but there will be no more "PINK related" updates until the first of the year. I am not sure if the lab was able to get the resend the results yesterday or not. EVERYTHING is closed in Guatemala next week....so January 2nd will be our next waiting date for more case related updates about Emma's returning home. We have a great week planned and I refuse to focus on the disappointment of the Embassy's mistake any longer!

12-21 2nd DNA----MIA

Yep...you read it correctly! Our congressman's office has confirmed that our DNA (although it was signed for and delivered Monday at 4:41p.m.) is not there. They will gladly schedule me an appointment as soon as the proper paper work arrives....or maybe they sould say as soon as it arrives AGAIN!

Does anyone know if the Easter Bunny comes to Guatemala? It is feeling like we are going to be here MUCH longer than expected.

I am trying not to panic.....but COME ON. I just want to BRING EMMA to OHIO!

While typing this I got an e-mail from my agency. They are contacting the lab to resend the results. GRRR about 2 more weeks wasted!

On a happy note...today is my grandfather's birthday! Happy Birthday PAP...I hope you have a great Pizza Party!

12-20 Evening

I took Emma to the doctor this afternoon. We wanted to check her throat and ears to make sure there was no infection. She also woke up with a rash on her back this morning. So we thought a check up was in order.

It went well. Emma didn't have strep or an ear infection. She just has respiratory issues that require two new meds and nasal spray. (She HATES her nasal spray!)The rash is because her skin is so sensitive. We were given special soap and cream for her back. So hopefully these meds will get into her system and she will feel much better tomorrow. Even when she isn't feeling 100% she is still so good and so happy. She really is one of the happiest babies I have ever seen.

After the appointment, Drew and I went to the pool. He needed some alone Mommy time. It was fun. Mom read a magazine and Emma napped poolside. If I am going to be down here for WEEKS and WEEKS, I will return to Ohio with a wonderful TAN!

Here are a few pictures and a video from today.





Emma isn't really crawling but she can get anywhere she wants by rolling and scooting.


No pink today....but maybe tomorrow. I hear there could be some issued on FRIDAY...and tomorrow is Friday so I am praying that our turn is close!
I will post as soon as I know more!