What's in your suitcase???

We are packing and re-packing for our trip. Here are a few things making the trip with us this month:

This new bikini is from Uncle Mike...not sure Daddy is ready for this!!!!

Received CNA registration

Awwwh, I can't see the picture very well but looks like our sweet girls hair is getting long! They have it in a bow on top of her head....just how we love it!!! Oh we can't wait to see her!

WE HAVE A BIRTH CERTIFICATE!!!

Just received the email...they have Elvia's birth certificate!!! We are soo happy!!! As soon as I know when DNA is scheduled I will let you all know!!!

Love ya,
Deanna

No news yet

Yesterday when I emailed our agency they said the attorney had not returned yet from his trip to try and obtain this birth certificate. So I was to check back in today and haven't gotten a response yet.

Unfortunately it likely means our attorney was still unable to get it. I just can't understand why these towns make things so hard.

I am praying this isn't some kind of hint that Elvia is not adoptable. Well as soon as I hear I will post again!

Good nite!

Holding out hope for Monday

Our agency said they tried 3 times to get Elvia's stamped BC and were given the run around. So since they sent runners, our attorney is traveling there Sunday night in hopes of having it in hand Monday.

NO BC but the okay to call Elvia!

We still don't have a birth certificate but we did get the okay to call Marta and Elvia as well as email them. So hopefully Brent will have the Spanish teacher help him call tomorrow and let Marta know we will be calling weekly to just say hi and maybe hear a few laughs or monster noises..whatever will make us happy!

A little Celebration?!?!

I know it is way toooooo early to be celebrating, but my agency said our attorney sent a runner to the municipality today to try and get her BC (birth certificate). Since the trip is 5 hours away the runner would not be back in GC until 9 pm so my agency said they would hear tomorrow morning if they had success! Now FINGERS CROSSED everyone!!!

To back up a little bit, they have her original birth certificate but in order to be submitted to the Embassy they need a stamped copy that has to be within 60 days of the date stamped. So since we were not paper work ready when we accepted her referral it had expired and the municipality closed for five months so that is how we got here!

But to celebrate...yes I SHOPPED!!!

Clothes, hairbows, sunglasses, sandals and this....amazing...trying to get one made tot sized for a special 2nd birthday coming up in July!

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5208670&section_id=5306798
from the designer:

Description
I created this Pendant from fine silver to support and celebrate Guatemalan children and the Families who Love them.A simple Map of Guatemala sits upon spanish text that saysA Child is a special Blessing. I also added a small Heart!


This unique Pendant measures 1 inch round and hangs from a nice Sterling Silver 18 inch ball chain. I finished the pendant by hand and added a patina that highlights the details.I will Gladly add a name, initials, short message or verse to the back for you.

A portion of the purchase price will go to a wonderful Family that is adopting a Baby from Gautemala!


Meet the Wheelers!

http://thewheelerjourney.blogspot.com/

OPEN!!!

GO GALLO GO! TO COLONTENANGO!!!

I received an email from the only other person I know in the same situation. She said her agency is getting her BC in the next few days as the Municipality is up and running!!! YEAH!

I sent my agency an email and haven't heard back...starting to get worried my emails are lost!!! Off to send another email!

Happy Valentine's Day! Next year looks like we will have to get a table for 3 at Quacker Steak and Lube!!!

We love you Elvia!

Hi Elvia~

It's mommy and daddy! We just wanted to let you know we miss you very much! We are trying to have a friend of ours call your foster mom and make sure everything is okay since we haven't had an update! We are so excited to be coming to see you in 45 days!!!

xoxoxo~mommy and daddy

Slightly good news! YEAH!!!

So it appears after 5 long months the municipalty will be up and running soon. I will post a link to the article about the problem and police escorting the new mayor to the office! I pray we do not run into this road block again when it is time to come home!

http://www.prensalibre.com/pl/2008/febrero/02/217953.html

Translated article:

Colotenango. Yesterday they were reopened the doors of the local city hall and of the substation of the Civil National Police (PNC), which they remained closed from September 20, 2007 and March 15, 2003, respectively. In the diligence they been present the justice of the peace, Pedro López Gray; public prosecutors of the Public Department, representatives of the Auxiliatura Regional of the Human Rights (PDH) and of the Commission of Peace of the Congress. To the place a contingent one of the PNC and of the Army was presented, in order to prevent any argument. López Gray cited that the actions were carried out in accordance with an order of the Court of First Instance of Huehuetenango, in relation to the eviction and detention of people that guarded the municipal building. Nevertheless, in the interior of the real estate was found nobody, for which this was delivered to the Council so that comience its management with every normality. The mayor Andrés Pérez said: "This it is an advance to seek the peace for a town that has lived in conflict during the last five months, due to that a group of neighbors occupied the installations for pressure to the previous authorities to that presented their renunciation". It added that now the neighbors will be able to perform its procedures without having that to travel at the head departmental, where was transferred the administration in November of last year. "Is the beginning of a new epoch. We want that the peace reign in the town and that the most urgent services can be lent for the city hall", underlined Pérez. Juana Garcia, of the PDH, indicated that upon being resumed the service also is opened a space for the governability. "With the delivery of the building a conflict is finished and is attended to the neediest people", cited. They reinstall Police The commissioner William López chief of the Precinct 43, affirmed that the PNC took advantage of the diligence ordinate to open the common one, in order to reinstall the police substation, which was closed in the 2003, after the protests of neighbors that rejected the force of the tried Free Commerce. The substation is located to average block of the city hall and will include 18 elements. "We believe that is necessary, to contribute to the governability that had been lost in the locality", the commissioner said. The departmental governor Mariano Díaz qualified as positive the delivery of the municipal building and of the police substation.

CLOSED

Okay not sure that is the appropriate term but the municipality is still not up and running, therefore we wait some more! I actually talked with another family who was approved by PGN in October and the municipality was striking then.

Okay here comes the religious side of me, Lord please let our children come home!

On a postive note we have been registered with the Central Authority so when the time comes we will be ready to enter PGN.

Tomorrow is the day...

Our attorney is sending another runner to see if the Municipality is open. We are hoping for some good news!

A Prayer I found...

I confess, dear God, that I have looked upon people around me with envy, wishing to have their blessings for my own. But You have other plans for me, plans that may test my faith but will ultimately make me perfect and complete and in your timing, which is perfect. I rest in the knowledge of Your sovereignty. In Jesus name .... Amen

by Marie Caldwell C.O.A.P
http://www.christianadoptiononline.com/adoptivefamily/timing.html

Hotel Change

I received an email from latindestinations.com that they could not get us a room at the Westin. So we booked a placed at the Vista Real. Looks pretty...and we booked the Grand Class Suite so we have lots of playroom and best of all...a microwave!!! Oh I can't wait, lots of easy mac!!! We paid a little more to stay here but I guess it all equals out b/c we will be able to take stuff with us to eat instead of paying to eat out for lunch and dinner. Luckily Brent and I didn't get sick on the last trip...we ate lots of fruit which they tell you not to!

another shopping spree???

Yes, I went out again to pick up another birthday gift and ended up with more shoes and outfits for Auri and lots of cupcake stuff for her 2nd birthday party in July!!! I want so much for her to be here with us for her birthday, I guess maybe I should be shopping for extra prayers or miracles.

Everyone please say a prayer that the municipality re-opens Monday and Auri's birth certificate and mother's identification documents can be picked up and added to the file and finally submitted to the Embassy!

I am tired of being sad when I shop and think of her, we need some good news Monday!!!

Update from our attorney:

"Today I send someone to the Municipality of Huehuetenango and was informed that the Municipality [building] was closed. But that elsewhere in town there were two people [presumably from municipality] answering the questions of those who were seeking answers to questions about the municipality and they only told him that the "Corporacion Municipal" [municipal board] is still not meeting there and that possibly Monday 28 they will be meeting in the municipal building and that then they would issue documents. Once again on Monday I will send the same person to confirm what is happening."

PRAY HOPE SCREAM - DO WHATEVER TO SEND THE MESSAGE THAT WE NEED THIS PLACE TO RE-OPEN SO ELVIA/AURI CAN BE WITH HER MOMMA and DADDY SOON!!!

New Stroller has Arrived

Kolcraft Contours Options 3 Wheeler

Target/Walmart about $125 - love it love it love it!!!

We just ordered this stroller from Target and we love it! Of course it also passed the "Peppy" test! Yes that's our cat and if he stays in it as we push it around the house...its a good stroller! I liked it for the fact that you can change the seat so that your little one is facing you while shopping or in Guatemala and you want nothing other than to look at your precious angel's face!!! One other thing for guys...is the handle is very high - perfect height for our hubby's!

Although Brent claims we are taking our umbrella stroller we bought for Roma ~the Kaz child we never got to meet :-( I told him we need to buy a pink one but he likes this uni-sex color! MEN!!! Oh well guess that leaves more money for hairbows!!!

The Westin it is!

After calling the Grand Tikal and learning they are just completely booked up due to the holiday we ended up booking a room with the Westin! Hopefully the weather will be warm enough that we can enjoy the pool. Then it will be lots of momma and dadda bonding in our hotel room. Can't wait!

Of course since it will be Easter, you better believe the Easter bunny will have a special Longaberger Easter basket to fill!

Happy 18 month Birthday Sweet Girl!

To our sweet girl,

Today you turned 18 mos! Wow you are growing up so fast and without us! We are praying very hard that you will be home by your 2nd birthday!!! Hope you are missing us as much as we are missing you!

Love ya,

Mommy and Daddy

(and as Lindsey says - STOP GROWING UP WITHOUT US!!!)

Break from blogging

Well we are having some delays in our adoption regarding getting information from a certain Municipality in order to move our case to the Embassy. So I am going to stop take a much needed break from blogging as there is nothing new to report.

Our agency is working very hard and I am sure they are ready to kill me and my million questions, sounds like the Muncipality will be re-opening next week and hopefully by the end of January the attorney will have everything he needs and be submitting our case to the Embassy....keep your fingers crossed!

Time to Pack Again!!!

We are set to visit again March 21-25th! However I am still deciding on a hotel!

Mission birthday gift- turns into baby shopping spree!

Tonight Brent and I set out on a mission to find mix clips for our niece Sidney .... of course these things are sold out everywhere! So as we run from store to store and Brent decides to leave me in Burlington by myself as I check out strollers (I am not sure what stroller I want yet although I think I have narrowed it down) I end up coming out with the cutest little polka dotted dress (& two other outfits and bibs!). I always encourage him to stay with me b/c he ends up talking me out of everything but he felt the need to go to Dick's Sporting Goods.

So our last stop is Target...okay I love Target and esp the baby closeouts! I could have bought a million things but of course Brent talked me down to just a wooden Eddie Bauer high chair for $60. Of course the one I really wanted was slightly different but I think I can live with the different fabric for a savings of $60. Then as we are driving home I realize I had a$5 coupon in my purse...oh well! Too far to drive back and have them take it off!

We were trying to decide if we should even get a high chair but those booster space savers are just too bulky - I would then have to worry about moving it from chair to chair so I think this high chair will work well for us.

Soon...

Hopefully soon we will be on our way to Guatemala for another wonderful visit! We found decent priced tickets but our hotel the Grand Tikal is booked! :-( We are waiting for our agency to email us some other recommendations.

MARK your Calendar - Jan 20th Dateline

This from Guatadopt.com

Dateline Air Date - January 20
I just spoke with the producer of the long awaited Dateline NBC piece. The story will air on Sunday, January 20th.
First of all, for those of you with adopted children old enough to comprehend the show, you may wish to consider taping it or watching it without your children present. I am not at liberty to discuss the exact content of the show, nor do I know al of it. But some of it, IMHO, could be detrimental for children from Guatemala to see if they are old enough to understand it, but not old enough to put it into perspective.
In addition to the broadcast, Dateline will also be devoting some of its website to the Guatemala Adoption story. That won't go live likely until the show airs. Their programmers are hard at work right now building some sort of page where families can submit pictures of their kids and their stories. Once I have more info on that, and the URL, we will post it.
Lastly, I'd like everyone to realize upfront that this will not be a glowing story about the beauties and positives of Guatemalan adoptions. No media organization could do a story on Guatemalan adoptions and keep it all positive. Most of the story (which I have not seen) will most likely not be positive. However, I am very optimistic that all sides will be covered and the perspective, if not the ratio of air time, will be balanced. So be prepared for that.
Guatadopt did aid Dateline's producer with this story. Troy will be making his network television debut.... Realize that what we have found with the media is that while helping them does not make it a story we'd write, it does impact the net result. I have seen how talks I've had with reporters don't up with lots of quotes in their finished stories, but they do influence the overall tone of the story. So in short, everyone will obviously be free to criticize us for participating in this, but know that we did it knowing full well what the end result would be, with realistic expectations. Posted by Kevin at January 10,

Yeah - Central Authority created!!! REGISTER US NOW!!!

Central Authority Announced!
Today, PGN published information about the new Central Authority.
It is located at
32nd street
9-34 zone 11
Colonia Las Charcas, Guatemala City.

God is in Control of My Adoption.

Fear not I am with you...Isaiah 41:10

Frustration and Surgery

I am so frustrated with our adoption. Unfortunately our attorney has not gotten the paperwork from the municipality yet. Hopefully he will have it by the weeks end. I just hate this waiting! To think that we had our documents in to him at the beginning of Nov and here we are Jan...thats 2 mos..we could already be in PGN and waiting 8 weeks for her to get home. I pray she is home for her 2nd birthday and first family beach vacation (that we are going on over her birthday!). PRAY PRAY PRAY for us!!!

By the way my moms surgery went well. Her right knee was a lot worse and she ended up getting two different sized knees...they said they wanted to give her what fit best! She was pretty loopy and tired today so she tried to talk but would just fall asleep. Please continue to keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

Extra prayers for my Mom!

My mom (Maureen) is having double knee replacement surgery tomorrow! Please pray that everything goes smoothly..no PERFECTLY!!! I am a little freaked out over this surgery but she says she has to do it as she has arthritis very badly in both knees and she needs to be able to chase after Elvia/Auri when she gets home! (okay we are torn on the name again...I am calling her Auri, Brent is calling her Elvia. Regardless of the name she will be loved and will be a HEINRICH!) When my mom had a hysterectomy back in 2002 - she gave us a scare with a small blood clot...the docs promise they will monitor this and she is on coumadin...but in any event I still worry! My mom is my best friend and I don't know what I would do without her! Love ya Mom...I know you are reading this!

Well say an extra prayer for her tonight and tomorrow morning!

Cleared to Foster!

Just talked with our agency and if our family is not complete by June, Brent will be traveling to Guatemala to foster Elvia...I am soooo jealous!!! But lets pray it does not come to this and she is home sweet home - way before that! We miss her soo much!

Visit in March or hold off and Foster if need be?

Brent and I don't know what to do? We miss our little girl so much...but it is just so expensive to fly... I fear that we fly down to visit, get back home and have to fly out again. Things are really getting tight as we now are paying for our Kaz adoption loan that we have nothing to show for.

In the event they do halt our adoptions, we plan to have Brent go and foster in Antigua for the summer, and I will travel and stay with them for about a week. So I guess maybe we will wait a few more weeks before booking tickets for Brent's spring break.

As for the lost money for our first adoption...you can claim a failed domestic adoption but not an international one on your taxes. Technically we did not lose any money for international fees so I am trying to see if I can claim the 8850 under the adoption credit...since it went to a US agency that closed down...what do you think????

Wwwhat?

January 4, 2007

Joint Council can confirm that PGN is no longer processing adoption cases with the exception of those that have already been approved. All other aspects of adoption processing have been stopped.

This is a result of the new adoption law requiring the registration of cases with the Central Authority prior to cases being reinitiated. Joint Council continues to advocate for a position solution to the situation.

TOWA Gifts!

Andrea

Olivia (Marisol), Hudson & Lourdes

Carmen & Monica

Okay I am sending the blog out to my TOWA family! Here are the gifts we took down...Tammi I had yours in a big bag too but it broke!!! I hope you all enjoy the blog! If anyone is traveling close to Valentine's Day please let me know as we have a few gifts to send down!

Happy New Year!

Praying 2008 brings our family together!

+

=

Shopping for a Valentine's gift

Auri loved the Backyardigans while we were in Guatemala. So we wanted to find her a gift that had something to do with them. Brent threw out the idea of getting her stuffed Backyardigan, I was like boring...even though she loves her little teddy bear my co-worker Ruth got her. Since we need to find something fast so we can send it down with the next family with our agency that travels to Guatemala we decided to stop at Kmart on our way to get groceries...we found it...exactly what Brent was looking for:


Perfect for any Backyardigans™ fan, this cuddly and plush Singing Playpal Tyrone from Fisher-Price® will sing a song and say several phrases when you give him a hug!


Now please help me find a super cute V-day outfit...I can't find the perfect outfit anywhere!!!

As she sleeps...

Okay I thought I was doing great but maintaining my composure as we left Auri( I think I am going to now refer to her as Auri instead of Elvia)...but as I flipped to a fellow bloggers website and saw the time 10:24 (thanks Jill!) I got tears in my eyes! Thinking about our precious baby girl sleeping beside us in bed, pulling my hand to her tummy or rubbing her feet together and touching me in the process...oh mascara and tears is making my eyes itchy! Mommy and Daddy miss you so much...as soon as I can persuade Daddy to let me charge another visit, we will be there baby girl!

Teachers and Quads

So Brent calls me at work this afternoon and informs me he is on his way home from the hospital...uhm great I think, the last time he went to the hospital he cut part of his thumb off! He informs me he and Carl where out in the woods and Brent went off for a ride on his own and the front of the quad went down in a ditch and he went up over the front of it!

Of course I start screaming at him! I wasn't concerned if he was okay I was just concerned of his lack of responsibility as an adult as we wait to bring our daughter home! I continually warn that he best not do anything that could stop Auri from becoming a Heinrich! Once again I fear that one of us will die and the three of us, well five of us(Chloe & Peppy), no six but one currently removed (Tyrone T Cockatiel living at Grandma/Grandpa's) will never become a family!

Well Brent is okay, just sprained a joint and it was his lucky day--- 5 dollars off his co-pay @AVH...I am sure it is accident time with the students or should I say teachers off for break!

Christmas cards and a chicken bus!

Wow! Our agency is amazing! Can you believe we got a Christmas card from our agency??? Heck AIP prob used my FedEx account to send out their cards to their friends and family!!!

Just another shot with Daddy!

Chicken Bus

Oh a runny nose!!!

Tonight we developed most of the pics from our trip...and some of the pics from the last night turned out the cutest but...Elvia has a runny nose!!! It was so dark down in the lobby we never noticed while taking the pics! So just pretend you don't see it when you get your Christmas/New Year card...and yes they are coming, I just haven't found the time to order them!

Oh do I miss her!

Beautiful Girl!

Will update the blog!

Hey everyone! I will try and update the blog soon! We had a great time in Guatemala with Elvia! Our foster mom thinks she will be home in Feb but I don't see anyway that could happen! She said they plan on pushing all the cases under the old law out asap to begin processing all new cases under the new law. Let's pray this is the case!!!

We do plan on changing her name to Auri Elizabeth Elvia Heinrich but we will wait to do that once she is officially a Heinrich! Geez - Elvia already got Christmas gifts and she doesn't even know it! We def need a bigger house! Santa even left books and dvd's for her and Grandma (she will be hanging with grandma and grandpa B while we are at work).

Elvia got the biggest Piggy Bank I have ever seen from her Grandparents and Uncle Dave already made a contribution! Uncle Mike got her the softest white little teddy bear and a baby gap card(can't wait to go shopping!). Elvia loved going through her suitcase while we were there and pulling out all her clothes! Think she will have no problem shopping with me! Aunt Michele, Uncle Jason, Sidney & Madison got her a memory game, little teddy bear, playdoh play set (which we took one can and Elvia thought it was cool to throw little pieces all over the floor), bathtub toys and a little people's house. Grandma and Grandpa H got her a Dora knows your name doll, Dora talking phone, dancing Santa which she loved to shake her booty to, Dora rolling backpack and Dora bath towel and wash cloth. Aunt Sue sent her pj's, robe & slippers, princess overalls and denim jumper with a pink shirt and matching tights. Grandma and Grandpa B sent her a ball popper, Dora cell phone and Peppy Lepito (sp?) book. (lots more gifts given ...will update later)

We got a ton of other gifts that we took to Elvia and some still here at home! I will update you all later!

Merry Christmas!

Trying to keep Elvia on schedule!

Marta told me to make sure Elvia gets a bottle at 6 am ...so she wakes up and wants no part of that! She did go back to sleep until 9. Then only decided to take her bottle once Brent acted like he was drinking it! Then we went to breakfast...she ate pretty good but wants nothing to do with her fork. I don't think Marta wants her eating with her hands but if that's the only way she is going to eat then I am all for it! So she had eggs, bannanas, chocolate fruit loops of some sort and lots of strawberries! I also gave her some strawberry bannana yogurt which she insisted on deeping everything in!

Last night she chowed on chicken nuggets and french fries dipped in barbecue sauce from McDonalds! And watched the little girls next to us with their Happy Meal toys from the movie Bee.

We will prob be heading down to the pool soon and then later we need to try and get a picture developed for an ornament for Marta.

Love ya guys!
Deanna

Abner Brent Elvia and Victor

Claudia Gestember Marcos Abner Elvia Brent Deanna Marta

Pool Party!!!

Today we used Victor which many of you are familiar with from the yahoo chat groups to translate for us when the foster family came! Victor was great and I highly recommend him!
This morning we didn't have breakfast, Elvia just had some snacks and a bottle...well I guess she likes to eat cause she was very fussy. When the foster family came the questioned what we fed her...ah oh! Bad mom!
No really we were waiting for them b/c I want to see what she eats so she does not choke. Well she eats everything and her two favorites are hot dogs with tomato sauce and grapes...okay these are complete no - no's in the use for a 17 month old!
So we took them all to breakfast - total 600.00-- but that is in their money! But it was well worth it! Then it was off to the pull! Elvia loved splashing everyone and the youngest Abner really took a likening to Brent and his hairy arms and legs!!!
Here are some pics:

Slept through the night!

We put Elvia down in bed with us before 10 last night and she is still sleeping! I of course didn't sleep well b/c I was too worried about her - Brent rolling on her, her suffocatting, etc! Brent hates this thing I do with my feet, rubbing them together all night and usually they end up touching his leg in the process...well Elvia does it too!!! She was so cute when she woke up around 6 ish...open her eyes - looked at me then crabbed onto my arm and cuddled it and went right back to sleep!!!

So now I need to hop in the shower so we can get ready to meet the foster family again!!! I am really nervous! Not sure if we are going swimming, eating, shopping or just hanging out here!

Update you later!

Love, Deanna

Daddy's Little Girl

Seems that Daddy is the go to guy!!! Elvia did great!
Our flight got in late, so we didn't make it to the hotel until prob 3ish..we met another couple on our shuttle using the same agency! They were actually meeting a lot of the baby boys still waiting!
So after checking in and going back down to ask where the microwave is since all I have for Elvia to eat was Gerber Graduates...(which they advised no one has a microwave!) I told Brent I wanted to walk the long way around to the elevators to see all the baby boys they brought in from our agency and wouldn't you know it...I spotted little Elvia and Marta sitting in a chair!!! We were so exhausted! Of course Marta speaks no english! So I asked her to come to the room and I would try and pull up the translator page...of course we can't connect to the internet( later we paid 1o (a day) to be able to access the internet!) So Brent called down to the front desk and had one of the workers come up and translate...then later the atty's daughter came up to help!
Elvia didn't shed a tear with Marta left and didn't cry until about half an hour ago when I said no to her for trying to open the fridge!!! Guess No means no in most languages!!! Then she is all excited for a bath, well then decides when it is actually time to get the bath -- she is going to scream at the top of her lungs!!! Of course Daddy comes to the rescue! Then when I laid her down with a bottle, Maur kept popping into my head saying not to do that!!! So I took her out in the sitting area and of course she spotted Brent and off she went to him! So now they are in bed together!!!
Well here are some pics!!!
I will post more tomorrow. Marta and her family are coming at 10 to hang out!
Love you all!

Waiting in Pittsburgh

We made it to our gate...now we are just waiting until we can board at 5:25!

Love you Mom and Dad! Hope Peppy and Chloe aren't being too much of a pain!!!

Brent is listening to his Ipod and sleeping! I am getting ready to tear in to the goody bag from the crew!

We have the BEST Friends!!!

Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!

I can't talk long as we have 43 minutes til we head out and I am sitting here with my head in a towel and need to paint the toe nails yet!

But thank you so much Sarah, Brooke, Justin, Carl and Uncle Rossi!!! You guys are amazing -- it means so much to us to have such caring and supporting friends! We can't wait for Elvia to meet you all!!!

I will write more later!!! (and I think a little someone may get her first pair of Crocs from a special Uncle!!!)

Love you all!
Deanna (& Brent)

Elvia's to be dropped off between 4 and 5...

So looks like you will all have to wait till after dinner to catch the first glimpse of her with mommy and daddy!!! I was hoping they would have her there at 1...I would have never scheduled us for such an early flight if I knew they would wait so long to get her to us! Well I need to take Peppy and Chloe to my parents, get passport copies, finish drying my clothes, take a nap, and pack the last few things and off we go! To a b-ball game, then a Steeler/Christmas party at our friends and then to the airport!!!

I will post again tomorrow when I get a chance..maybe from Houston!

Love you all! Pray for us ... and wish us luck!

Deanna

6 suitcases, a laptop and a Vera Bradley bag!

No I have not decided to stay in Guatemala a month! After trying my hardest to persuade Brent this was the best thing for me and little Elvia, I could NOT convince him!!! We are taking gifts for 6 other families. I am hoping our agency sends the little cuties so I can snap a few Christmas pics for their families back here in the US.

Anyway back to the bags....can you believe we are going to have to cart all of those bags everywhere?!?!? Brent is now just putting the locks and ribbons (to identify our suitcases easy) on the last suitcase. Of course my swimsuit is MIA so I still need to try and find that tonight as we plan to do a lot of swimming!

Well I better get a move on it and find that swimsuit and a few others gifts I misplaced!

Nerves are setting in!

In four days we will be in flight to Guatemala! I hate to fly! Not sure I can do this!!! I would love to be one of those people that fear nothing...but I fear EVERYTHING!!! I have this huge fear of dying...lately when the roads have been bad I have asked Brent to drive me to and from my second job because I wanted to be able to make it to see our daughter! Sick I know...but that is just me!

Dear Elvia,

Tonight Daddy and I were talking about how excited we are to coming to see you in 5 days!!! We can't wait to hold you so tight! Sooo tight that we decided to leave the stroller at home because we are just going to fight over who gets to hold you as we walk through the mall as we shop, visit Santa and ride the kiddie rides!!! We have completely fallen in love with you and hope you do the same!

Once you are old enough we will share our journey to becoming family. You may be confused as we referred to you as Elvia and Auri. Well as we will always tell you, you have two moms, your first mom named you Elvia and we plan to name you Auri Elizabeth Elvia Heinrich...however we decided to wait until we meet ya because we are sure we will then know!

Legacy of an Adopted Child

Once there were two women who never knew each other.

One you do not remember, the other you call mother.

Two different lives shaped to make you one.

One became your guiding star, the other became your sun.

The first one gave you life, the second taught you how to live it.
The first one gave you a need for love, the second was there to give it.

One gave you a nationality, the other gave you a name.

One gave you emotions, the other calmed our fears.

One saw your first sweet smile, the other dried your tears.

One sought for you a home that she could not provide.

The other prayed for a child and her hope was not denied.

And now you ask me through your tears

The age-old question, unanswered through the years.

Heredity or environment, which are you a product of?

Neither, my darling.

Neither.

Just two different kinds of love.

Love ya! Mommy

Almost done shopping!

Last night before my work Murder Mystery Christmas Party at Spaghetti Warehouse, somehow starring my husband as Elf 2, we picked up a special gift for our foster mom Marta/ Elvia/Auri's Nany Marta...a digital camera! Not only will Marta be able to capture all the wonderful moments we are missing of our little girl but she will also be able to capture the moments of her three boys. I also just finished writing out the Christmas cards to Marta and her boys...although Elvia still needs to sign them when we get to Guatemala!

Rumor has it the chocolate isn't so good there so I picked them up little boxed Hershey kisses for each of them. Still working on a stocking filled with goodies for all of them, so far I have light up Christmas ring pops, post cards of Pittsburgh, Christmas pencils, a tin of Ghirardelli chocolate squares, an ornament, a photo ornament I need to put a picture of Elvia in, Christmas tea towels, those tubes of neon light sticks for this kids...and any other suggestions? I am giving each of the kids spending money since I have no idea what to get them.

As for Elvia, she has a million gifts from friends and family...but we wanted to give her something a little bit special to open on Christmas day....but what do you get a 1 year old?!?!?! I wanted to get her a little locket but realistically she's too young to wear it with the whole strangulation issue (just recently Brent's co workers little boy somehow strangled himself in the blind cords...so it does happen...luckily his mother resuscitated him and after they brought him out of a medically induced coma he is doing just fine! ( he was adopted too!)) I decided to get her a little heart bracelet...similar to the Tiffany & Co one. Also since she loves cats...I wanted to get her the Fur Real kitty, but Brent decided we needed to get her the FurReal dog so she is prepped for Chloe (our boxer). I also know how much my nieces love their little purses. First I thought I would just get her a little purse and put somethings in it but then I reminded myself again she is only 1! So after a lot of shopping online I found her My First Pursue at Target filled with age appropriate purse necessities! So lets hope the bracelet and pursue make it here before Thursday!

3 Down 3 to Go

We are still packing! We are taking care packages for 6 other families. We have already received three and hope the other 3 will be here soon! I just get overly stressed for no reason! I just want to make sure all the other kiddos get to have a special gift from their parents for the holidays since nothing can compare to a visit trip! So if need be, I will leave a few of the many many many outfits for Elvia/Auri here for our next trip in Feb or March!

Ortega Passed

New Guatemala Adoption Law Approved
By JUAN CARLOS LLORCA – 48 minutes ago

GUATEMALA (AP) — Guatemalan legislators approved a new law Tuesday to tighten adoptions, while allowing pending adoptions — mostly to U.S. couples — to go through without meeting the stricter requirements.

The legislation had upset thousands of would-be parents who had invested their savings to adopt a child from Guatemala, which is second only to China in sending adoptive children to the United States. Many feared thousands of children would be left in limbo.

However, the law approved by Congress stipulates that pending adoptions, some 3,700 children already matched with prospective parents, will be allowed to move forward without being subject to the new rules.

The law, aimed at cleaning up an adoption process that critics say allows birth mothers to sell their babies, will take effect next year. It requires the signature of President Oscar Berger.

"Starting Dec. 31, the business of adoptions is over," said lawmaker Rolando Morales, one of the measure's biggest supporters.

Adoptions in Guatemala are now handled exclusively by notaries who work with birth mothers, determine if babies were surrendered willingly, hire foster mothers and handle all the paperwork.

Notaries charge an average of $30,000 for children delivered in about nine months — record time for international adoptions. The process is so quick that one in every 100 Guatemalan children now grow up as an adopted American; Guatemala sent 4,135 children to the U.S. last year.

Check out the elves!!!

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1294895196

Could our adoption ever be easy?

Rumor has it they are supposed to announce tomorrow who is to be grandfathered in under the new adoption process. Of course that would not include us, only cases currently in PGN. I pray it is only a rumor as we cannot handle any more disappointment!!!

Keep us and all the future guatemama's and dada's in your prayers!!!

Make a postcard!

TWO WEEKS TWO WEEKS TWO WEEKS!!!

I can hardly wait!!!

Timelines

Just posting this here since I keep losing it with these free christmas lay outs that don't permit you to post add'l info on the side. As you can see I tried to place it under our summary and it just looks horrible!!

TIMELINE
09-16-07 Contacted Agency
09-21-07 Contract to Agency
09-21-07 Accepted Referral
09-22-07 POA to Consulate
09-30-07 Homestudy Visit
10-09-07 I-600A Filed
10-15-07 Dossier to Sec of State
10-26-07 Dossier to Guatemala
11-07-07 I171H Received
11-07-07 I171H to Agency/Guatemala
11-15-07 Updated Medical Received

UGH!

So I try and change things up and this new layout deletes all my timelines, tickers, etc!!! I guess I am going to have to find sometime this weekend and fix everything!

Extra Prayers Needed Please!

I have some friends and family that need some extra prayers right now over the holiday season!

Please pray for:

The Wheelers and a speedy I171-H (Guatamala)

The Meenachs and an extra special Christmas gift and LOI (Kazakhstan)

The Schaefers and a Holiday trip to Poland and a court date (Poland)

and US...DNA authorization! I emailed our agency again today to see if our attorney obtained the certification needed to get her DNA authorized...no response yet! We just can't imagine having our hearts broken in the event we spend time with our precious little girl and then be unable to adopt her!

And wishing Jeff, Jill, Alli and Mario Lesko a Very Merry First Christmas together!

...and I didn't forget about all my other blogger friends and family...have to save some holiday cheer for later posts!!!

WOW - 2 weeks and five days and we are off!!!

I just looked down at my ticker and can you believe we are leaving so soon? It seemed so far away when I booked it, now I feel like I don't have enough time to get everything ready!

Brent put the outside lights up last week but we still haven't found the time to put the tree up! Guess we should get moving! Santa has a lot of presents he needs to try and fit in our suitcases too!

Hold up on DNA

I emailed our agency to see what the hold up on the DNA was. I was advised our attorney is waiting on one last certification from the municipality in Huehuetenango which has been closed on vacations. As soon as they reopen and reissue it they are ready to ask for authorization.

They are confident they will have her DNA completed prior to our visit.

Just as I sit her missing her...

I get suprise pictures...

I can't wait to hug and kiss my sweet baby girl!!!

Yeah! Updated medicals!

I just got an email from our agency with updated medicals! I can officially say we have a little peanut! She is almost 16 months and she weighs 18.4lbs and is 69cms. I found an age and weight chart on the internet and well according to this one she is not even in the 5th percentile! But her doctor's note said she was developing appropriately for her age...guess maybe I need to find a chart for Mayan children.

Now maybe I can get them to give me her shoe size on the next visit!!! haha

Hair bows, hair bows & more hair bows!!!

So Brent and I just got back from Walmart and I came to realize I have a hair bow addiction! Is there any help? I have quite a few from ebay, Gymboree, H&M and now Walmart! I hope our precious baby girl loves her hair bows!!!

Always something!

Our I171 H finally arrived and as I am trying to scan it (but was unable to as my printer refuses to work when one of the cartridges is out of ink) I notice they forgot the New in front of Kensington on our address!!!

So I still ran it over to Staples and faxed it...hopefully tomorrow I will have a corrected copy faxed to me!

Where are we now in the process?

Many people have asked me where we are in this process. While our agency informed us our dossier is registered with Foreign Affairs, our POA is registered and our dossier has been translated.

Once they receive the hard copy of the I-171H our attorney can renew all the paperwork and get it ready to submit to the Embassy. It could take a couple of weeks depending on all the municipalities.

Crib/Toddler Bed has arrived

After spending the evening doing a little Christmas shopping and trip shopping for little swimmies, more hair bows, gerber graduates, etc. etc. we came home and saw 2 large boxes and two smaller boxes! Our red crib, dresser, toddler bed railing and bumble bee and lady bug pics have arrived! Time to convert the nursery..of course I already have the big girl room stuff that she will likely be sleeping in and using 6 mos after she is home!

SWEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

From: Warner, Susann [mailto:susann.warner@dhs.gov]
On Behalf Of Orphan, PitSent:
Tuesday, November 06, 2007 9:23 AM
To: Deanna HeinrichSubject:
RE: Heinrich - PIT0020080000

Hi, the new application has been approved and approval notice will be sent out this week. If you wish to do a one time free change of country just send in a request for the change of country and with it a copy of I-171H and state the new country you wish to adopt from. Thanks.

Trying to get that I171-H sooner!

Okay the Pittsburgh immigration office has to be sooo annoyed with me! I just emailed them again to see if we can just change countries on our original I171-H in hopes to get it back faster. She emailed me back stating we can do that but did not say if it would be quicker or not. However she did ask how our Kaz dossier was lost...so I explained...maybe she will feel bad for us and just change our prev approval...doubt it though!!!

A Christmas to Remember!

I am so excited and so scared!!! I just booked our first visit trip over the holidays December 21st- 24th! I can't wait to meet our precious baby girl and spend Christmas, well Christmas Eve and then bring all the pics and hours of video's to share with the rest of the family on Christmas Day!!!

Come on I171H and DNA!!!