3-15-08 Invites in the mail

Emma's party invitations are in the mail! Everyone is invited! If anyone doesn't get theirs in the next few days....please e-mail me. We are so excited to have this party and celebrate her first year of life. Here is the front of the her invitation:



Now I have to explain each picture---from top to bottom I will do it in rows.

Row 1
Picture 1- Our first sight of Emma. It is our referral picture. The call came on Wednesday, April 4th at 12:08. Rob and I were BOTH home with the boys (that hardly ever happens during the day). It was Holy Week and we were told by our agency that NOTHING would happen this week and maybe we would get a referral the following week. We were given NO info...just this little girl was available and could we go the next week to meet her and sign POA in Guatemala City. We didn't know when she was born or have any medical information...but we looked at her and fell head over heels in LOVE with her! We prayed she would be part of our family and couldn't wait until we got to go and meet her.
Picture 2- April 11th around 4:00 this picture was taken as soon as our lawyer and foster mom left our hotel room. Emma was so tiny and she was wearing the same outfit from her referral picture. She came to us with her only 3 outfits and 3 bottles.
Picture 3-Here is a picture taken at breakfast at the La Vista in the Marriott. We bought a sling for her to be in because she was so small and slept so much. I think this could be one of my favorite pictures of her. She was so sweet and loved to snuggle and be held. Also, look at all that hair! We were falling more and more in love with her by the second.
Picture 4- In Guatemala, babies are supposed to be very, very bundled. You are also not supposed to use the air! Rob and I were sweating and so hot and there was Emma...layered and layered! I sent this picture home to friends and family and someone wrote back and said "I thought you were in Guatemala not the tundra!" I will have to remind Emma that Gautemala is a nice sunny, warm place...not the frozen tundra that picture might cause her to think!
Picture 5- I treasured this picture. It was taken the evening before we had to give her back to Astrid and return home. It was so hard to leave her. It was the hardest thing Rob and I have ever done. After having 5 days completely focused on her, the thought of months and months without her seemed unbearable for us. I looked at this picture MANY, MANY times over the weeks that followed this visit. I felt like it was a sign from her saying things would be A O K. We loved her so much already.
Row 2
Picture 1- This picture was taken in June when Mom and I went to visit. It was a BIG day for Emma. The day we arrived she was late to come to the hotel. The lawyer called to say there was a small problem and Emma was going to be late. She was having her DNA test done with her birthmom, Liliana, and then social service interviews for Liliana and Astrid. In Guatemalan adoptions, this is the MOST likely time for the birthmom to change her mind. I have to say I almost couldn't breathe when I heard this. I was so afraid that something would happen to keep Emma from joining our family. I had to be strong and say that if this was the Emma that was intended for our family...it would all work out. But if she wasn't, then there was a reason she was brought into our life. After about a 4 hour delay, we got the phone call that she was on her way to the hotel---Mom and I could BREATHE again! I took this picture when she was placed in my Mom's arms for the first time.
Picture 2 - We would sing to her that she was " A pretty senorita with a flower in her hair" I needed to find a picture with her flower in her hair!
Picture 3 - When Mom and I went to visit we would play "Fashion Show"! It was so much fun. We would dress Emma in all her beautiful outfits and then take several HUNDRED pictures! I am not exagerating...we took TONS and TONS of pictures!
Picture 4 - This picture was an all time favorite of MANY of our family members. It was taken inside our hotel room in front of the window overlooking Guatemala City. We loved this picture so much!
Picture 5 - This picture was taken in August when we went to visit for Rob's birthday. He said being in Guatemala with his two girls was the best present he could have! We had gone to Antigua and bought this beautiful patchwork quilt in the background. I always tried to get things that could be brought home that would keep Guatemala alive to Emma. This blanket is beautiful and I hope she will always like it.
Row 3
Picture 1 - We spent a lot of time swimming in the Marriott pool. This picture was taken of Emma in the pool with the Marriott in the background. The Marriott honestly became a home away from home for our family.
Picture 2 - This picture was taken when Mom and I returned to visit in late September. I couldn't stay away. I missed her so very much. Astrid pushed her into the lobby of the Marriott and all we could see was this beautiful smiling little girl coming toward us!
Picture 3 - Emma's first Halloween costume--sorta! We were not there for Halloween but we took this bunny costume Rob and I found at a baby gap outlet. She looked so cute!
Picture 4 - Another family and friend favorite! She was having a wild hair day and Mom and I had planned another "Fashion Show"! We had to use a hat to control her wild hair. I love the dress she was wearing and I think she looked so beautiful in this picture.
Picture 5 - This is our OUT of PGN picture! It was taken Nov 21st. It was our 5th trip and we took the boys to meet their sister and Pap Pap to meet his first (and only) granddaughter for my birthday and Thanksgiving. (My dad later said that he meet both of his girls on the same day 28 years apart!) We had been out exploring Antigua again and came back to the hotel to an e-mail from Joy saying we were OUT and our friends Ed and Amanda coming to congratulate us! Amanda had called PGN that morning and talked to Laura and learned we were OUT. It was such an unreal feeling...to know the end was near!
Row 4
Picture 1 - This picture was taken in December when we went for our extended pick up trip! Emma was so happy in this picture. She was sitting on the couch with Astrid and Sofia and Fabrizio. She was so happy to see them! She had such a great first family....we are so thankful to them!
Picture 2 - Santa brought Jay, Drew and Emma Cleveland BROWNS jerseys! What a great Santa. She was in between her two brothers and holding on to each of them! I love her big smile here!
Picture 3 - This picture was taken in front of Emma's first Christmas tree! The Marriott had such great staff. I called and asked if there was any way we could get a small tree for Santa to leave his gifts for the kids under. (Yes, I took presents down for Christmas...and stockings!) I was hoping for any kind of tree because I wasn't sure what I was going to do to make Christmas morning feel like home. I was so shocked when they came to my door with a 5 foot tree with lights!
Picture 4 - This picture was taken at the Westin the day before we were going to go HOME! Our extended pick up trip got really, really long due to a misplaced file. We were all so excited to get this visa and make our plans to go home! I think Emma was ready to come home and meet the rest of her family and sleep in her room!
Picture 5 - I wanted to use a recent picture of her...this was taken in our living room on Valentine's Day. She was standing by the couch and reaching for chocolates her Daddy bought me.

I have done cards like this for each of my children's birthdays. It is such a neat way to remember and celebrate their first year of life. My family always talks about the invites and really seems to enjoy getting the cards. My mom thinks I should go into the first brithday card making business. She thinks my idea is unique and could be used to make some extra money on the side. (I am not sure where she thinks I would find the time to do one more thing.....but maybe one day....who knows!)

The inside of the invitation has this and the party info.



I am really wanting to give back to Emma's birth country. With adoptions not starting now, there are many birthmoms and babies being turned away by lawyers because they cannot make new referrals. The stories coming from Guatemala are very sad as babies are being left and there is no place for them to go. I am hoping people who attend Emma's party will strongly consider making a donation in Emma's honor to help children and families in such desperate need in Gautemala.