1-4-08 EARTHQUAKE

Yes you read that CORRECTLY! We experienced our first (and hopefully LAST) earthquake this evening. Mom, Drew and I were sitting on the couch making fun of the guy on 1 vs 100 who was about to win $1,000,000 and enjoying our spaghetti when it happened. You never think about earthquakes if you are from Ohio...but it was exactly what I thought it would be like. The building started to sway and shake and it felt like the floor was rolling and rolling and rolling more. The windows rattled, our drinks and plates shook and made noise. Mom and I were PANICKING but trying to remain calm for Drew. I kept saying "the wind is really blowing tonight." He was scared with eye very, very wide and said "it's not the wind MAMA!" Emma was asleep in her crib and never knew it happened.

I felt scared, sick and numb. I kept thinking...this has to stop soon or the hotel is going to start cracking. I guess it is all the TV shows or news reports I have seen where things just start to crumble. I kept thinking how long can this go before something bad happens. It was horrible.

Here are the official details:



Earthquake Details
Magnitude 5.6
Date-Time Saturday, January 05, 2008 at 01:56:50 UTC
Friday, January 04, 2008 at 07:56:50 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location 14.191°N, 91.407°W
Depth 108.7 km (67.5 miles)
Region GUATEMALA
Distances 70 km (40 miles) S of Quezaltenango, Guatemala
105 km (65 miles) WSW of GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala
120 km (75 miles) SE of Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico
1005 km (620 miles) ESE of MEXICO CITY, D.F., Mexico

Location Uncertainty horizontal +/- 6.2 km (3.9 miles); depth +/- 12.5 km (7.8 miles)
Parameters Nst=161, Nph=161, Dmin=446.2 km, Rmss=1.05 sec, Gp= 94°,
M-type=moment magnitude (Mw), Version=8
Source USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)

Event ID us2008lvad

This event has been reviewed by a seismologist.

We are all fine here in the city. The front desk called us to tell us our internet was back on...Mom asked what just happened and she calmly said "It was an earthquake...no need to be concerned." Easy for someone to say that had exerienced them before. We were VERY VERY CONCERNED.

Drew was scared but quickly fell asleep on the couch after it was over. I will keep you posted. We are hoping the people closer to the quake are alright. Some people live in very primative housing. I am sure there will be more news later this evening or in the morning.

I am going to try to go to bed...that was too much excitement for me. We have 11 more days until we are home....and they cannot pass quickly enough for us!

1-4 Ballerina in Training

We had a fashion show this morning!

1-3-07 "double date"

Drew and I went to the Marriott to have dinner with Ed, Amanda and Gabi before they leave. They are returning home in the morning and we needed to see them one more time. Our families have become very good friends. I am so grateful our paths crossed through our adoption journeys. It is hard that we are taking Emma home and they are not able to take Gabi home yet. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers. We need them to get back into PGN and OUT and to get Ms. Gabi home ASAP!

Right before we left Mom told Drew to have fun on his date with his Mommy. He said "it's not just a date with Mom it is a DOUBLE DATE with Ed and Amanda and little baby Gabi!" He was so excited to go. When we pulled up to the front of the Marriott he said "this is our hotel, Mom." He loves the Marriott. We went up to their room to get some baby food and Drew said let me push the button...and started to push 11. (11 is the floor we always went to.)

When we got there Amanda told us we had to go to Tyler's party. He turned 1 yesterday and is about to go home. His Mommy and Daddy ordered him a wonderful cake and a HUGE ELMO pinata. It was a lot of fun.

Here are some pictures from our double date and birthday party. (My batteries were dying so my pictures aren't the greatest.)Emma and Mom stayed at home and rested. They weren't in the party mood---Mom is still sick and Emma went to bed early last night.

1-2-08 Power is coming and going

But so far it has only been off a few minutes at a time--several times but luckily it comes back on. It has been dark and windy and yuckie for the most part of today. We did escape a few minutes in the sun this afternoon in the courtyard but it was way too cold and windy for swimming.













Here are pictures from our window---usually the city is bright and busy...not so much so this evening.

1-2-08 We have a ROOM!

WE HAVE A ROOM!

That says it ALL. Today is going to be better day! We have a place to stay. We are exploring and getting more comfortable with our new hotel. Today we are going to go and explore the shops here and the ones across the street. It is hard to make the days go fast and to not focus on how much longer we are "stuck" here. Today at breakfast my mom said we are "POAs" Prisoners of Adoption. That made me smile and in a way we are. We are stuck in the hotel with not that much to do. We have to put our smiles on and suck it up for Drew and Emma. Yesterday there was talk about us returning to the states (especially if we couldn't get rooms) and then Rob and I coming back down on the 13th and staying till the 16th. The more I thought about that...I just couldn't do it to Emma. She has already been left behind by two moms and I couldn't be the third. And it wouldn't be right to do that to her first family. They were so upset when they had to tell her good bye. I couldn't make them do it again. Emma has bonded so well to me, I couldn't leave her and lose the trust we have already established. We will suck it up and keep marking off the days will we can bring her home.
Knowing we have a place to stay that will not require me moving EVERYTHING again, is helping with my stress. I feel so much better today.
I also talked to Carolina this morning. She said that she will pick me up and take me to the Embassy on the 14th. She will stay with me and then bring me back to the hotel. I have been smiling since that conversation too. I was worried about getting there, knowing what to do, and where to go all by myself. Thanks for the words of support and prayers. They are working. Things are falling in place and I needed this to happen so I would lose my mind.
I will post some pictures of our new hotel and our trip outside the hotel later this afternoon/evening.
(((HUGS)))
Amy

1-1-08

Pictures as promised.
Here are a few from the pool. (Rob got in on Christmas but I didn't have my camera. He wasn't feeling good the day we got in and I had my camera....but he did swim on Christmas and the day after!) The boys got such a kick out of saying they were swimming when Santa came and it was snowing in Ohio!






My browns fans in training! Santa is a GOOD MAN!





Pictures from our move and from today. Our friends came over today to check on me and try to lift my spirits. They are the sweetest people ever---thanks Ed and Amanda!

Happy New Years...sorta!

I promise pictures and updates this evening. It has been a rough couple of days. Mom, Rob and I are still sick....so that makes it hard. We were "kicked out" of the Marriott....there were no rooms at the inn. Rob, Dad and Jay left yesterday and we had to find a new hotel yesterday. We are at the Westin but can only get a room here till the 11th. The government is changing power on the 11th and the hotels are going to FILLED with important government officials. So we currently have no place to stay for the last 5 nights of our trip. Jay cried.....and cried....and cried all morning yesterday before he left. He kept saying "I want my mommy....I want my mommy." He begged me to allow him to stay----saying he would be so good and I called his principal. It was an emotionally draining day. We still have 2 weeks and 1 day here....that is hard to type. I have never been away from Jay (or Rob) that long before and having no place to stay and being sick is adding to the horrible sadness I feel.

I did have a GREAT night of sleep and am feeling better this morning. I have to make the best of the time I have left...my plan is to keep as busy as possible to hopefully make the time past faster. We had friends go to the embassy yesterday morning and were told that there are NO sooner appointments---unless babies are very sick and need to get home to go to the doctor. Thank GOD we do not have that issue to speed up our appointment. We will continue to wait it out...and look for a new hotel to stay in.

Sorry for the delays in posts.....I have just been sad, sick and miserable.

I promise tonight some pictures! I have a few great ones with the boys and Emma in their BROWNS jerseys! Even though we didn't make the play offs a 10-6 season is very GREAT! I am proud to be a BROWNS fan!

I miss you all!
((((HUGS)))
Amy