Rylan’s Journey Home

Two days off work for both John and I today…… a nice sum of money lost.
Gas driving to USCIS in St. Paul, MN for a 3 1/2hr car ride……. $45.00
Dinner feeding John, Cameron and I….. $29.00
A night spent at the Days Inn to be there for an 8am appt the next morning…….. $90.00
Breakfast in the morning for John, Cameron, and I…… $26.00
All for one free extension of our fingerprints with Immigration (which are set to expire Feb 29th) and took 10 min to do……. PRICELESS!

Oh yes, we just got back from spending the night in St. Paul where we had to have our fingerprints done again.  We did them at the start of the adoption, but they are only good for 15 months.  They expire the end of Feb.  We absolutely can’t have them expire before Rylan comes home, or they will not allow us to finish our paperwork and bring him home!  So, once again we have to jump the hurdle and get it done.  We are just borderline to possibly bringing him home when they are set to expire!

We took Cameron with and stayed at a Days Inn that was $75.00 plus tax.  Cameron was SO excited.  They had a pool and he spent the morning we were packing filling our suitcase with toys, his life vest, and goggles!  Well, we left after work yesterday, got up to St. Paul around 6:30pm, made him eat supper before swimming.  We were all geared up for the pool - dipped our toes in and to our shock it felt like ICE WATER!  The pool was freezing.  I mean so cold Cameron would not even get in!  John braved it for the poor kid and just jumped in and about had a heart attack!  Cameron got in to about his knees on the steps and would go no further.  Cameron is a kid where about nothing would stop him…. but I mean this water was cold.  We scurried out and ran to the hot tub…. which was SO hot we could hardly stand it!  Trust me, we are not complainers at all.  We figured this is why no one else was in the pool.  So we go back to the room, fill up the bath tub, and that is where Cameron spent the next 1/2 hr.  Poor thing.

Good news, fingerprints are done and we are back home safe and sound.  We had a blizzard the night before we left and temperatures at -15 degrees (-45 degrees with the windchill)!  The road were icky…. but we made it!

By the way… I’m mixing up the blog look a bit.  Stay tuned.  I’m not thinking I’m done with the changes yet!

I was having an email discussion today with another fellow adoptive mom.  I was thinking about her comments of trying to go on the computer less so that life can get back to normal.  Normal is something I haven’t had in a really, really long time and that does sound tempting!  That is when I started to realize that my computer and I have a “solid” relationship.  In all seriousness… I’ve come to depend on this hunk of electrical equipment almost as much as the people around me!  When I’m away from a computer, I start to panic.  I start thinking about  what I could be missing… did I get an email from the attorney, some new info from Marco, did something happen with one of the girls’ adoptions, new info on guatadopt, a Dateline report?  Did I check all the blogs of the other families I follow?  Did I check the forums?  Did I do this, or did I do that?  The list can go on and on! 

Honestly though, this is what has got me through the last 16 months.  This computer is one of the better things that has happened during this adoption process (beside Rylan himself of course).  I need to network.  I need to talk.  I need to vent.  I need to help others.  If I don’t, I feel I’m losing my mind.  I try to limit myself, I really do!  Some days are better than others.  Somedays it’s all I feel like doing.

Life someday will get back to normal (whatever that may be for me)…. but for me, it isn’t time yet.  There is still work to be done where I think I can be of help.  We all know when we’ve had enough.  When we need a break.  When our regular lives are being over shadowed by everything else…. and it is time to move on or say goodbye.  So maybe someday, I’ll just be checking and sending emails to see how others families are doing.  Maybe posting an occassional update on the blog.  But for now if there is anyone out there who reads this that is adopting…. and if I can help……. email me ; )   Lord knows I will be checking it!  It isn’t my time yet.  There is more work that needs to be done in Guatemalan Adoptions.

Well, we are on our way to finalizing the last details of the adoption!  Adrian isn’t a man of many words, but what I gathered from his email just a few hours ago, the final decree is done!  This is the first document that is prepared by him after exiting PGN.  It is a decree that he types making Rylan LEGALLY our son under Guatemalan Law.  He signs it as our attorney, then our Power of Attorney (Mayra) signs it, and finally Rylan’s birth mother signs it.  This is the 4th and final signature for birth mom.  This is a very important document!

Adrian said he will present our file to the Civil Registration in Guatemala City tomorrow (and this document is one of many needed), so the Final Decree must be done.  He agreed to fax me a copy.  It is probably sitting in my work fax machine right now!  Hope someone knows what it is and puts it in my mailbox in the morning!  I might want to be early to work tomorrow ; )

I’ll post confirmation of the birth certificate being applied for.  Nothing more can happen until we have this.  Generally speaking it should take about 4-5 business days to get it back.  So sometime next week we’ll receive it!

Anxiety just changes form constantly throughout this process!

We visited John’s grandmother on Sunday and she was doing quite well.  We were glad that we brought her good news about Rylan for once!

Cameron is talking more and more about his brother.  He is so darn cute!  I know without a doubt we are going to have our hands full.   Cute story to share.  The other day Cameron was going on and on in the car about trains.  All different kinds of trains.  He started to tell me about subway trains.  By this point my mind is sort of drifting (this kid can literally talk and ear off - wonder where he gets that from?)…. so he says mom, do you know what a subway train is?  I say yes.  He says mom, you think you do… I’m talking about a subway that a train goes through underground… not the Subway Eat Fresh!  It was one of those moments you just sort of turn your head and wonder what else he hears and picks up on that you don’t know about!  Little did I know he pays attention to Subway Sandwich Shop commercials!  Ha!  Wish he listened more like that to me!

You all have no idea how long I have waited to make this post and how many times I have dreamed about exactly how I would say it!  No need to think up creative sayings…. no need for any of it.  WE ARE OUT says it all!

Marco sent me an email this morning saying that he confirmed our file had been signed yesterday afternoon!  That he was going to PGN to confirm it was at the window today.  I was reluctant to say anything to anyone today because I wanted him to tell me he saw it.  That he actually saw the signature!  Well, that last for 10 minutes before I called my husband.  Then I tried to hold back again.  It lasted for another 5 minutues before I emailed a special group of girlfriends who are also adopting (and that I mention on this blog)…  I really tried to restrain myself, and again another 10 mintues later I was in the car on my way to work calling my mom! 

So this afternoon I’m at my desk at work.  One of the guys in the office walks in and hands me a paper and says I think this for you!?  I saw PGN at the top and said YES!  It was mostly in Spanish but I could make out parts.  It was the form Sr. Barrios uses to sign you out of PGN - the FINAL form.  I was so happy and excited!  I made a few phone calls and then I logged into my email.  I was expecting an email from Marco telling me he sent it….. instead what do I see?  An email from our attorney Adrian!!!  He was telling me that we were out of PGN and that I should confirm whether or not I received his fax! WHAT?!  Adrian???  The attorney who is slower than a molasses?  He had our file already and was preparing it to apply for the new birth certificate on Monday.  I think I was more suprised to hear this than we were out of PGN!  For those of you who have followed our story, you know exactly what I mean when I say this.

So, Marco is done.  His job of babysitting our file is over.  Adrian our regular attorney is taking it from here… and so far, so good. 

Here are the steps (as I know them) from here:

Apply to the Civil Registry in Guatemala City (where Rylan was born) for a new birth certificate (takes about 5 days)
Take that new birth certifcate when it’s done and apply for the Visa (1 day)
Take Rylan for his picture for the Visa (done with the step above)
Take all of the above to the US Embassy and apply for the 2nd DNA Authorization (1 day)
Make the appt to get the DNA done (comparing Rylans DNA this time to the 1st test making sure he is the same child)

As soon as that DNA test is done, it will be sent here to the US for processing.  It takes about 7-10 business days and it will be back in Guatemala.  Once it is received, we get our pickup appt!  That appt is usually 1-2 weeks after the DNA results are back at the Embassy.

I’m expecting everything to be done and the DNA back at the Embassy within 4 weeks from now.  Then traveling over to pick him up about 2 weeks after that…. so maybe 6 weeks from now!

So, this week turned out to be a GREAT week!  My only niece turned 5yrs old, it was my best friend Patty’s 34th birthday, my sister-in-law and her hubbys anniversary, my sister was offered a new (and much better) job, and we got signed out on my only nephews 5th birthday!  Lots of wonderful things happening in our family!  It would have been a great week without this news, so it was icing on the cake.

I do have to ask for some extra special prayers though.  John’s grandma is not doing so well.  Her health has been slowly failing.  We are going to see her Sunday, and can’t wait to tell her the news.  We know this will help put her at peace…. she has continually prayed for Rylan and his journey home.

For those of you not in PGN or kicked out waiting to be resubmitted, the Cental Authority is established and they are now passing out the forms to register the cases!  The wait is almost over and you to will be making more progress.  I have NO doubt that the children will come home.  See www.guatadopt.com for more information.

Lastly, if anyone out there reading this has any information on abandonment proceedings and can help my friend Terri - please click on the link to her blog.  You’ll find it in the lower right corner of this blog.  She is desperately trying to bring her daughter Abbie home, but the abandonment proceeding didn’t get done in time to mee the Dec 31st deadline to have a power of attorney files.  If anyone can help her, please email her!

NO news yet!  I’m begining to wonder why Marco even called me Monday.  My hopes have been up since then that we’d hear something by now.  I never dreamed that we’d still not know the outcome of our file.  Don’t get me wrong, at least we do not have a previo for which we would get kicked out of PGN again…. but really…. it is time to give us that FINAL signature!

I was told by Marco earlier today that the Sub Attorney General “Senor Barrios” (who signs the files) that he had left the office early yesterday and did not do much work.  He was there today though and Marco confirmed with his secretary that he WAS reviewing and signing files.  Marco was going to PGN around 3:30pm or so to check the status of his cases.  He told me he’d call tonight.  It is now 8pm and nothing yet. 

I don’t know what to say other than we are disappointed.  We can only continue to keep our hopes up and pray that we get the outcome we all want!

Please, continue praying for us.

I can’t believe Rylan is 18 months old, and still not home.  Never did I dream that he wouldn’t be here with us.  I just read the blog of another adoptive mom.  Her baby waiting in Guatemala just passed away from pneumonia.  This put things into perspective for me a bit.  Although I wish Rylan were here with us, I am truly blessed to know that his foster family is taking good care of him - and so far no medical issues at all.  My prayers go out to this family who are still in shock from the loss of there little daughter.

These past 24 hrs have been a whirlwind for us!  Marco from Adoption Supervisors called me yesterday and left a message on my cell.  I got that message when I went out to my car at lunch.  After nearly rear-ending a semi and having a mild heart attack trying to make it to my mom’s with lunch for Cameron (who she was babysitting), I tried to call him back.  Well, my mom’s international calling got dropped somehow and it wouldn’t let us dial out.  I of course could not find the calling card that is always in my purse!  Without telling you every crazy detail about us losing our minds trying to figure out how to call him back asap….we did finally get through!  He told us that our file was on Senor Barrios’ desk and was the next to the looked at.  Had PGN been open all day yesterday, our file would have had an outcome by the end of the day.  But PGN closed early because of the new President taking office.  So Marco was fairly certain that today we would know the destiny of our case!  Well, I was sort of thinking that it would have been nice to know that destiny a few hours ago at the very lease!  I talked to him yesterday at noon.  It is now 33 hrs later and I’m mentally worn and feeling like I can quit stalking the phone!  Marco is known for late night email correspondence - so maybe that will happen yet?  I broke down and called earlier and was told he was working “out” of the office today.  Imagine most of his day was at PGN and with other clients.  So I guess once he knew something about us I wasn’t expecting him to RUN to the phone….

I’m checking off line for the night.  I resorted to taking a sleep aide tonight!  I don’t like doing that, but extreme circumstances call from extreme measures!  In fact I think they are kicking in…. I’ll apologize up front for any thing that doesn’t make sense!

So, we wait yet another day to hear our fate.  The fate of a small 18 month old boy who’s mommy and daddy need him more than he will ever know.  The days are getting longer and harder to fight off the void in our hearts.  Cameron talks about Rylan all the time now.  It isn’t easy to try to explain to him when he asks why his baby brother isn’t here yet.

My continue thoughts and prayers go out to each child waiting for a family….. and for that family fighting for that child.  It isn’t the easier road, but for either of my boys I would do it over and over again.

Yes, I said it!  I AM looking forward to Monday!  Anyone in the process of adopting will tell you that I am not crazy.  We all think the same.  Don’t get us wrong, we love the weekends too.  The relaxation, sleeping a bit later, shopping, the house cleaning and chores that needs to be done, and mostly spending time with family and friends…. but nothing on an adoption gets done the weekends!  Lets just say that when Rylan is home, I’ll hate Mondays again!

I really am finding myself getting more and more excited for this week to happen.  Each day that passes I hope is one day closer to that final signature we need!  Please, OH, please…. give us our little boy soon!  I am realistic about the situation though.  I do understand that we may get issued a previo.  I know that is a possiblity.  I also know that maybe we won’t get signed out this week, but next week instead.  I know ALL this.  I still can’t help but get excited and supressing the anxiety, worry, and excitement is getting more difficult.  So, lets roll the dice and see what happens, shall we?  I will keep you all posted of course!

A huge congratulations going out to Michelle who flew to Guatemala today to pick up her daughter Lexie.  She was stuck in the same agency mess as me, but fought her way through it.  After that, she has had a pretty smooth process… but as we know, even the smoothest of adoptions are STILL stressful.  I can’t wait to hear how everything is going for her!

Sonja and Sean got their correction fixed on the previo from the 2nd reviewer.  As soon as the new “Central Authority” is up and running, and the case can be registered, they’ll be back in PGN.  I have a feeling from the sounds of it this could happen this week too! 

Anna is waiting patiently to be issued her previo!  She wants to be kicked out as she was entered in PGN before the Dec 31st deadline without US Embassy pre-approval.  They now have that pre-approval slip, so they must get it in their file.  The only way for that to happen is to get kicked out, register with the Central Authority, put the pre-approval in the file, and run with it back to PGN!

Terri and her family continue to enjoy little Isaiah who they recently brought home from Guatemala.  He is just adorable!  However a huge piece of their family remains missing…. as Abbie is still in Guatemala.  If anyone who has kept up with our process thinks we have had it hard, it’s a walk in the park compared to what this family is going through.  I continue to think of them daily and I pray that somehow, someway…. Abbie will be led home to them.

So we all have reasons to be anxious for this week to start.  Let’s keep the positive energy rolling!  Happy 5th birthday to my niece Eryn!  Happy Anniversary to my sister-in-law Carol and her hubby Dan!  And congrats to my hubby on passing one kidney stone!  See, we’re off to a good week so far ; )

Yahooooo, we passed reviewer #2 in PGN!  I can’t tell you how excited I am to FINALLY be on Senor Barrio’s desk awaiting a FINAL signature on this adoption.  Once we get this signature, Rylan is legally our son under Guatemalan law!

I was thinking we had passed his desk, but received the final confirmation today.  It appears we arrived on the “big guys” desk for a final signature this past Monday.  From what I am told we could be out by the end of next week!

Now, there is a chance of getting kicked out by the Sub Attorney General himself (aka: Senor Barrios/The Big Guy).  He could find something he wants done or looked at, so I need to remember that.  However if we do get kicked out, we fix what he wants and we go right back to him.  There is a lot of movement lately in PGN, so we have truly been blessed.

If we would have got kicked out now with the 2nd reviewer (after being on his desk 6 wks), we would have had to fix the paperwork and go back to the bottom of his pile.  This could easily have been another 6-9 week wait to get where we are today!  All I can say IS THANK GOD!  Keep those prayers coming, we aren’t quite done yet… but we are so very close.

I am still in shock and disbelief.  I ache all over as I’ve been waiting for 24hrs for this confirmation!  Headache, body aches, and my stomach in knots…. but who the heck cares now!  I might have to crack open a bottle of wine for this!

I’ll continue to keep you all posted on the progress.  We did receive word today that PGN announced The Central Authority where all adoptions in progress will need to be registered.  This was in record timing in my opinion!  I do not have specific details on the how and when part - but where have the where!  Hang in there to those of you reading this in progress.  More details will come soon I’m sure.

Well, and update from my yesterday’s post.  I just got home from the hospital with John (6:00pm) and he has not passed the kidney stones yet.  He had been in the hospital since Friday night and they finally released him.  He is not having discomfort so they gave us strict instructions to follow and some things to watch for like fever or chills.  He needs to follow up on Thursday with a doctor from the clinic and then will meet with a Urologist also.  He’ll have either an ultrasound or body scan to see what is going on.  Needless to say we are all glad to be home.  Entertaining a 4yr old at the hospital for over 7 HOURS was not easy today.  Cameron was pretty good over all but I think we spent about $50 this weekend feeding him food, desserts, and snacks from the cafeteria!

Nothing new really on the adoption news yet.  Marco from Adoption Supervisors did email me back.  He confirmed that PGN “temporarily” is not accepting cases into PGN whether new or ones being resubmitted.  It is hit or miss on whether they continue to work on cases they have in the building though.  They had a meeting last night apparently and expect to make an announcement tomorrow or Tuesday.  I truly do believe they are just confused about what to do with the existing cases now.  They just need to “get their ducks in a row” and carry on.  We all had to expect a slight delay with implementing the “Central Authority” where our cases need to be registered.  Let’s just hope it goes quick and with the most ease possible.  I’m not worried, but will continue to watch it closely.  We are SO close to the end now.  No more kickouts…. please!  Marco, work your magic!

My friend Michelle goes to pick up her daughter next Sunday.  She entered PGN on a Friday and we went in the following Monday.  Fortunately she got through without a kickout… where as we were out for 3 1/2 weeks to fix some paperwork.  There is all the hope in the world for those of us remaining.  She has been a huge sign of what IS to come for the rest of us.  Congratulations Michelle! 

Anna (who I went to Guat with in May, adopting Libby) got into PGN just before the end of the year.  She was missing her pre-approval though from the US, but has since received it.  Her file will get kicked out, and then resubmitted with that document.  This is the one and only time you pray to get kicked out fast now so you can go right back in!

Sonja was kicked out of PGN with Kayla (I’ve been to Guat with her twice now).  She fixed the document in record time as it was on the US side and will go back in as soon as PGN accepts files again.  Luckily for Sonja the kickout was with the 2nd reviewer and happened right away.  The document is also enroute while the PGN delay is going on… so no major time loss.  If there was a good time to the boot, this was it!

Terri’s abandonment is not going well with Abbie.  Terri started her adoption just a month before us, and Abbie is just a month or two older than Rylan.  She continues to do everything in her power to bring this child home, and we continue to do what we can to help.  Encouraging words and support somedays doesn’t feel like enough.  I wish I could do more.  I believe that whatever the reason they were led to Abbie, and Abbie to them.  They have an awesome attorney representing them in Guat and if anyone can bring this child home to them, she can!

Lots of other families all waiting for children…. and I continue to read some of their blogs daily!  We are not alone… and I believe that unity with one another and our faith will continue to bring children home - one by one!

Happy New Year everyone!  Let’s hope 2008 brings us all health and happiness.  I know that I am looking forward to the new year, and all the good things to come!

Nothing new on the adoption front as far as our case goes.  We are still with the 2nd reviewer and not kicked out, so I’ll take that as a blessing.  We’ve completed 13 weeks in there (counting our 3 1/2 week kickout) and our 6th week specifically with the 2nd reviewer.  We are not out of the ordinary, although to me it always seems like we are!  We hold our breath continously!

Along the lines of adoption, we are hearing some issues with PGN processing the cases (where our file is).  It sounds like they may temporarily stop working on cases until the new central authority is established.  This was the only stipulation put on existing adoptions before the new laws went into effect come Jan 1, 2008.  PGN wants all the cases registered so they can continue their work…. but the catch is that there is NO central authority yet.  There is a new congress coming into term on Jan 14th and apparently they are to establish this.  So we might see some minor delay in case processing.  But who knows, nothing is ever for certain!  Just pray that we and all the other families get through this!

We had our company Christmas party last night.  During it John said he was feeling a little sick.  He was going to go to my mom’s who was babysitting Cameron, get him, then come back for me.  I agreed not thinking it was serious.  Maybe just a tummy ache.  Well he got out to the car and doubled over in pains so much so he couldn’t get back in to get me.  He drove to my mom’s stopping several times on the way because the pain was so bad.  When he got here my dad took him to the ER and my mom stayed with Cameron…. then my dad came to get me as I had no idea this was going on.  Long story short, he has kidney stones and is still in the hospital this morning (thye got him into a room at 2am).  Cameron and I will be on our way out shortly to see him.  They do not know if he passed the stones yet, but he is on some GREAT pain meds. 

It is always something with us.  Never a dull moment!  Sorry I missed your birthday party lastnight Cyndi!