Pre Approval!!!

Our case just officially hit the fast lane!! The Embassy appointment is the final step in the process. Our attorney told us she believes we will be bringing Alexander home in two months instead of six. We are booking Eddy's 48 hour tour for the 17th of this month. When it refers to adoptive parents not travelling prior to their pink slip, they are talking about the final trip to bring the baby home. Below is the notification I received from the US Embassy today:


Name of child / Nombre del menor: Alexander Lopez Laynez
A pre-approval was issued for the above-listed adoption case. You may pick up this
pre-approval at Window #8 at your earliest convenience. You must bring a copy of
this notification.
Reminder: Adopting parents should not travel to Guatemala prior to issuance of the pink slip
by the Consular Section, in order to avoid unnecessary expenses. Travel before pink slip
issuance will not be considered an emergency and final documents will be processed as
usual.
This office will not be giving priority to other cases over those who have complied with this
requirement.
The Consular Section has implemented an Appointment System for the Immigrant Visa.
Please do not travel until you have received your appointment date and time.
La pre-aprovación correspondiente al caso de adopción que esta mencionado arriba
fue emitida. Puede recoger esta pre-aprobación en la Ventanilla #8. Deberá presentar
una copia de esta notificación.
Recordatorio: Los Padres Adoptivos no deberán viajar a Guatemala antes de que la Sección
Consular expida la hoja rosada, para evitar gastos innecesarios. El hecho de viajar antes de
que se haya expedido la hoja rosada no se considerará una emergencia y los documentos
finales se tramitarán de manera regular.
Esta oficina no le dará prioridad a otros casos sobre los que sí hayan cumplido con este
requisito.
La Sección Consular ha implementado un Sistema de Citas para la Visa de Inmigrante. Por
favor, no viaje hasta que haya recibido la fecha y hora de su cita.
Sincerely, / Atentamente,
Adoptions Unit
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
American Embassy - Guatemala
Unit 3334
APO AA34024
Fax 011 (502) 2331-4342
A. SOLARES

Reflecting

Yesterday we met with Dr Figureoa. He was very professional. The clinic he runs is beautiful, clean and modern. Alexander's vaccinations are up to date and he has had all of his well baby check ups.

Dr. Figureoa is really impressed with Alexander's development and special tricks. He was kind and knowledgable. A photo of him and his brother playing doctor at a young age hangs in the reception area. The brother, the other Dr. Figureoa, is the same one who did Alexander's lip surgery free of charge.

After meeting with him we went to Antigua. Carlos drove us in his spotless taxi cab. Antigua is a real jewel of a city. It is a colonial Spanish town, with beautiful cobblestone streets, pastel colored buildings, gorgeous tile work with fountains and flowers everywhere. We stayed at Hotel Aurora which had a scenic central patio and inlaid floors. Huge ornate iron gates adorn the outside.

We visited Caso Santo Domingo, toured the crypts and ruins as well as enjoyed the incredible architecture of the 15th century monastery.

After a great lunch at Cafe Contessa, we hit the artesan market. Women weave intricate designs and sell their handicrafts. Jade, tiger eye and various other stones are crafted into beuatiful jewelry.

Antigua is an international attraction and we ran across people from all over the globe. Carlos picked us up, on time as usual (by US standards) and we enjoyed his company as he drove us back to the city.

When we returned to Casa Grande, we met a delightful trio of Australian grandmothers. They were finishing a two month trip through Mexico and Central America. They shared many stories and laughs as well as great information about Antigua. They were thrilled to meet Alexander when Miriam brought him to the hotel Tuesday afternoon.

Alexander and Miriam stayed with us until Carlos picked them up at 9:30. We shared a wonderful dinner and chatted with other adopting families and guests at the Casa.

We spent time this past week with some very special people; Marilyn and her baby Jhestin, Marilou and her parents who contributed so much as they were very famliar with Guatemala, Jennifer, Braun, Relief and Haydee, Marcos' parents from Missouri and the lovely staff at the Casa.

The nuns and Meridith from the Hogar left a lasting impression. The strong love and fierce protection they show for the children in their care inspires me to be a better mother. The nuns sense of industry and innovation, resourcefulness and the fact that all of them have an intellectual fire that could be used in any capacity, yet they have chosen to serve the voiceless. Truly something special and an experience to be treasured.

Antigua, a city alive with and seeped in beauty and traditon is a place whose memories I will savor.

Friendship and unconditional love and support are epitomized by my girfriends and dear husband as well as the family who have prayed for and supported us during our journey.

Anna's volunteering to come along for the trip, Christine's capacity and cheerful offer to help care for Charlie, Michelle's generosity and the wonderful wardrobe (Alexander is the best dressed kid in Guatemala) , Kelly and Dan's sweet cards, Nicky's thoughtful gifts and listening heart, all of the friends and family who lend a caring ear and encourage us....Rosie's patient second language writing tutorials..... Our parents and Eddy's sister and family who have recently walked the same path... The list of blessings is infinite and this is just a snapshot.

Memories of Alexander are poignant, intense and sweet. His great wide smile, his laugh, content personality, curiousity and the way he strokes my face and plays with my hair. The fact that he will not break eye contact unless he sees a spectacular bird or cloud....his active body and peaceful spirit. He is our little love and we are so grateful for the Lorenzanos committment to give him a better start in life than I even fantasized was possible in foster care. Of course, we are deeply appreciative that his birth mother, Maria Laynez, has blessed us so by his very existence.

The sweetness of Charlie's embrace when I came home and her loving spirit and spontaneous affection, her little upturned face as she said "Mama, I missed you when you were in Guatemama". I do not think life gets any sweeter.

Eddy's enthusiasm and eagerness to hear all about the trip, his trusting spirit and adventurous attitude... Mostly his capactiy for love.

So, this trip was one of the most moving experiences of my life, along with my wedding and Charlie's birth. I could not have planned anything, even the rough spots, more perfectly. So, so sweet. I do not remember which literary type talked about sucking the marrow out of life, but I get what he was talking about in moments like these.

Going to the orphanage today was surprisingly uplifting. it is run by five nuns of the Orthodox church. These very resourceful women have created a nurturing environment for children with tragic stories.

Upon entering the Liturgy we heard 80 little voices singing "Hallelulia". The children were wonderful during the two and a half hour church service. Then Meredith, who has been a missionary for a year, gave us a tour. Then we ate lunch with the missionaries. There was a pool, a garden a playground , a gym, dorms, nursery, and a cafeteria.

Tomorrow we are going to visit alexander's doctor. then we are leaving for antigua in the afternoon and will spend the night.

Foster mom Miriam came over with Alexander today for 9 hrs. Miriam is vry committed to Alexander and loves him deeply.

Today was a day many tears and lots of emotioal conversations and getting to know one another.

Foster brother Carlos took Anna to the main market downtown in his taxi. Guatemala city is very similar to Mexico City with the exception of the unusually kind and gentle Guatemalan people.

Today Alexander really showed us a lot of his unique personality and love of washcloths, cold baths and rolling around. He is very content, peaceful, and laughs and smiles a lot. He waves, shakes hands, rolls over repeatedly in all directions, tries to crawl, and has a deep and full laugh. He is very curious and is constantly observing his environment. Alexander enjoys watching the clouds, the birds, and prefers being outside. He is a very loving baby boy.

Tomorrow foster brother Carlos is taking us to church and an orphanage. Thanks for reading.

Today I met Alexander , Miriam, Carlos, and Marilena. They all came to the hotel. It was love at first sight at least on my part...maybe more like unrequited love at first sight. Actually alexander was very loving and patient with me as I got to know him. Anna is a spectacular friend and helped in many ways. when she was not organizing our room, she was warming a bottle or fetchnig a diaper.

Alexander has a wonderful personality and loves music. He has a big wide grin and likes to play "super baby".

Alexander stayed with us for 8 hrs and his foster mom and brother returned to pick him up tonight. We asked them to spend the day with us tomorrow, and we look forward to getting to know these lovely people even better.

Trip Information

Well this week is the week! Anna and I are off to meet Alexander and his supporting cast!! Below is some trip information.

Flight Info:

Thu, May 25, 2006

Departs 2:14pm, Arrives 8:26pm
American Airlines 327 / 2195
San Antonio, TX to Guatemala City, Guatemala

Wed, May 31, 2006

Departs 9:25am, Arrives 3:15pm
American Airlines 2196 / 1906
Guatemala City, Guatemala to San Antonio, TX

We will be staying at the Casa Grande:

http://www.casagrande-gua.com/

US social worker's email: baasadopt@yahoo.com
Guatemalan attorney's contact info:
Marilena's cell phone is: 011-502-5-202-6327
Her e-mail is: maryvarelap@hotmail.com
Madre Ivonne: nunivon@ufm.edu.gt

General information about Guatemala:

http://www.visitguatemala.com/site/home/index_3.html

"Owwkzaner's" Case is in the Courts!

Our case is in the courts! Now it will move through the courts, to the PGN, then to the civil registry and finally to the Passport Office. The estimated time frame is six months from now. This will put Alexander here around his first birthday. That would be nice.

C. Calls Alexander "Owwikzander". She does not know the details, only that I am going to visit a baby named Owikzander in a place called "Guatemama".

She asked me where I was going as I was packing diapers and bottles. She seemed satisfied with the explanation that I was going to visit a baby and bring him things. She even picked out a little stuffed dog for him at Target. Her concern was that she wanted to go to Guatemala too and she gave me a big hug. I told her she may be able to go some day. I did not add the part that she may go someday as a big sister!

DNA Test Results

Our DNA test results are back and Maria is, indeed, Alexander's birthmother so we are officially ready for the courts. So, provided no one spills their coffee on our documents, the Fed Ex guy does not decide to abandon his truck roadside in order to realize his life long dream of being a musician or a seagull swoops down and snatches our documents away from the court clerk , we should be entered in to the civil registry SOON. This means our case is officially in the courts.

We have one more form called the Personal ID form, that I will take with me because I see more of Jacob, or Fed Ex guy, than I do my own husband. Oh, that is an exaggeration, but it feels that way. Do not get me wrong, I like Jacob and all, it is just that my daughter recently told someone " I have two daddies". I am pretty sure she was talking about the Fed Ex guy! heh

The Personal ID form is not needed until our case hits the PGN, the last phase of the adoption process. We are just getting our plans for our visit squared away. I hear raves about Antigua, so we are planning to go there for a day trip,