Just poking in to say "hi"

Nothing new to report really. I do want to apologize for not getting pictures up yet. My laptop died a couple weeks ago and I am having trouble coordinating Ryan's laptop and getting pictures uploaded.

I will say that that updated video we got from our agency on both kids is so very sweet. Annie is walking alone and Gideon is crawling and pulling himself up to a stand. Part of me delights in seeing these things and part of me screams "no more." I hate missing my babies' firsts!

All in all though I am still feeling pretty positive about everything. Yes, things are moving painfully slow, but they are at least moving. Annie has been in PGN for over 4 weeks now. The average stay is probably 6 to 10 weeks. I am just completely praying she has no knock outs. I know KO are very common, but a recent poll I saw said that 45% of people do indeed get out of PGN with no KO's. Plus, her attorney is so good that he rarely gets KO'd because of a paperwork error on our side. As for Gideon, I am just hoping he is back in PGN now. He has already had one KO, so maybe when he gets back in, it will be a short stay.

When I first started these adoptions I really anticipated being further along at this point, but it is what it is and my optimism is really helping me pull through (thank you God for that!).

I actually bought another high chair last week. I have been extremly hesitant to buy anything until the kids are out of PGN. Words cannot describe what it was like to get back from Russia empty handed to a room full of strollers, cribs, etc. But, it was a great deal I found at a garage sale and I bought it. So, we now have 2 high chairs and I still need one more. I think I will buy one of those ones that clip to the table. I just don't want to be stuck with 3 full size high chairs in a year or two.

A couple other things I am mentally pulling together are cribs and a stroller. I am going to borrow a couple cribs from friends, so that will be great, but a stroller had me a little stumped until recently. I kind of need a triple stroller with 3 kids within 9 months, but I really do not want to have something that big, especially when I can use my single and a double when we go out as a family. I do however feel the need to have something I can use alone as I do like to venture out sometimes. So I found this:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2535057&cp=&sr=1&f=Taxonomy%2FTRUS%2F2255957&origkw=joovy&kw=joovy&parentPage=search

To be honest I have really had my eye on a couple side by side double strollers, but I just think the above stroller will more meet our needs (even though it is pricier than I was thinking I'd pay).

So, I guess I am finally starting to plan a little for Annie and Gideon. I am still taking it slow and don't plan to do any of the major purchasing until they are OUT, but I am getting excited.

Oh yeah, we shoudl be doing a big room switcheroo soon that will allow me to get Annie and Gideon's room ready. Ryan and are are moving into our new room (downstairs) and Logie is getting our room (with a coat of paint) and the babies are getting Logie's room (which I do not have to do anything to). I still have the really cute gender neutral bedding that I bought for the twins, so I will us that with the borrowed cribs and call it a day. Eventually, Gideon will move in with Logie (when he's big enough for a twin) and Annie and Maddie will share a room, but that probable won't be for another year or two.

Well, this was a pretty long post for having nothing really to say. Thanks for letting me babble! I will post pictures ASAP and of course post if I have any updates!

God Bless!
Julie

Update!

Well, I got an update via e-mail today. Annie entered PGN on April 24th. So, 2 1/2 weeks are down. That is good! We had to send a new name affidavit in for Gideon and it is being translated right now. So, hopefully we will be back in PGN with him very soon! Our agency sent out our videos today, so I get to look forward to getting those.

I really want to poat some pictures, but my laptop is dead and I just haven't been able to get things working on our regular computer. Soon though, especially after I get my disc.

I got a medical update on Gideon and he is doing well, weighing 18 lbs and 4 oz. He was crying again in the pictures, but he is still such a cutie!

Well, that is it. I will try and post pictures this weekend when I have access to Ryan's laptop!

Julie

Annie is One!!!

May 9th is Annie's first birthday. When we first got her referral we were hopeful she could be home by now, but as life tends to go, it was not to be.

The kids and I got up in the morning and made her cupcakes. We used little rubber ducky cupcake liners. I made some frosting and the kids helped me make little signs for each cupcake that said "happy 1st birthday Annie." We passed them out off and on all day. I got pictures of everyone we gave one too so that Annie can have that in her baby book and know how much we all missed her on her birthday.

And, I did miss her. Sometimes it feels like getting our kids home is just a pipe dream that has no intention of coming true. I have hope, so I don't mean to sound too down, I just so badly would have loved to have her home (both of them).

I will post some pictures as soon as I get them loaded.

As for an update, well, I don't have much of one. Our agency coordinator just got back from Guatemala and sent us all an e-mail letting us know she will be handing out updates and sending out videos this week. So, that will be great. I am excited to see exactly where are cases are at. Both kids should be in PGN.

I have been seeing a decent amount of "Outs" from PGN lately. That is encouraging. Most timelines are running 5 to 10 weeks. Although I have see a rare 4 weeker. I know that Sr Barriors (the dude that does the final sign off of all cases) is on vacation, so I guess he has someone signing off in his stead. Let's hope the new guy or gal has plenty of pens!!

Another noteworthy mention is that the ADA (the adoption defense agency in Guat.) has filed a constitutional challenge against the Manual of Good Practices that everyone is so concerned about. Here's the link:

http://www.adaguatemala.org/English/news/2007/04/constitutional_challenge_again.html

Also, I have heard that the ADA is filing charges against PGN for not processing cases within their legal timeframe. I don't know if this is true or not, but they filed charges in 2003 for the same thing and did speed up PGN for a time.

Well, that is all I have. Please, please continue to keep us and our babies in your prayers. My heart is aching for this to be over with and for my family to be complete.

Julie