July 31, 2006

Recieved news that the first meeting for the family court has been set for August 7. This meeting will be with the social worker, birth mom, and foster mom. After the family court is over, it will go to PGN (Guatemalan National Court) for review and final approval. It can't go to the PGN without DNA tests which can't be done without US immigration approval.

July 25, 2006

We recieved new pictures today. We did not get the monthly medical update. It will be sent later. Still waiting for our immigration approval.

July Pics

July 13, 2006

Our dossier has been translated into Spanish except for the I171H (immigration). We are still waiting for that piece of paper.

July 10, 2006

We sent Nora a package today. We sent a soft book, a Tedy Bear, a blanket toy, a rattle and two disposable cameras. We hope to get the camera's back when we visit Guatemala. We want Nora to have pictures when she is older.

June 30, 2006

We received Nora's medical update. As of June 23, 2006 she weighed 8 pounds 13 ounces. She was 19.44 inches long and her head circumference was 14.08 inches.

June Pics

June 23, 2006

We received 14 pictures of Nora today. We couldn't believe it. We had been told to expect 2 to 4 pictures a month. What a gift.

We found out that our lawyer, from Guatemala, was in Kentucky and she had gone and taken pictures of Nora and took them by the adoption agency so they could send us pictures. It really is a gift.

June 17, 2006

We received notice that it is time to start parent education.

June 16, 2006

We were fingerprinted today. Carrie told us to get there early because there would be a long line. We were expecting to wait for hours. There was nobody there when we arrived ten minutes early. Del and I went in at 8:00 o'clock and were the first people to be fingerprinted. I asked the lady that did my fingerprints why there were so few people. She said they were wondering the same thing. It was very unusual.

We received an e-mail from Carrie. She had received information about Nora's legal name. Nora's birth name is Dulce Anahi Sales.

June 12, 2006

Carrie sent an e-mail informing us that we do not have to wait for the date on the fingerprint notice to go for fingerprints. We are going as soon as Del can get time off from work.

June 10, 2006

Today we sent our Power of Attorney to the Guatemalan Consulate.

God is looking after us because this afternoon our fingerprint notices came in the mail. Our adoption can continue on schedule.

June 9, 2006

Del had to work today so Lisa went with me to Austin. While on the way to Austin, Carrie called and said because we had not gotten our USCIS fingerprint notice the adoption would be delayed.

We got the Power of Attorney authenticated as soon as we arrived at the Secretary of State's office and then we toured the capital building. After that we went to lunch and started home.

June 8, 2006

We signed the Power of attorney . It must be authenticated and that means another trip to Austin.

June 7, 2006

Early today we called and asked A Helping to begin our adoption. They are sending a Power of Attorney to be sign so a lawyer can begin legal proceedings on our behalf.

June 6, 2006

THE GUATEMALAN STORK IS HERE!

I received a phone call this evening about 5:00 o'clock. Maria from A Helping Hand said "The Guatemalan stork is here". I replied "You must be joking. I thought is was supposed to be two months". She said there should be pictures coming via e-mail because she was sending them as we spoke. I pulled up my e-mail and there were two pictures of a beautiful baby girl. I was so excited my hands were shaking.

I couldn't get in touch with Del because he was coming home from west Texas. It took me over an hour to get in touch with him because his cell phone wasn't getting a signal. When he finally called I told him we had a referral and he said "When do we get pictures". I told him we had pictures and they were waiting for him when he got home. He arrived home at 6:20 and we left for church at 6:30. As we drove to church Del kept saying hold that picture up so I can see it again. I've never seen him so happy.

By then we had been information that she weighed 6 pounds and 6 ounces, was 17.28 inches long, had a head circumference of 13.11 inches and was perfectly healthy. She was born on May 20, 2006 in Guatemala City, Guatemala. We were asked to name her right away so the foster mother could begin using the name. We named her Nora Glenys McCabe. Maria did not yet have her leagal name, so we were unable to to use part of her birth name in the name we gave her.

We were late arriving to church and Del walked to the front and gave our pastor a picture of Nora. He asked "What's this?" Del replied "My daughter". The picture was passed arround and Greg siad a special prayer on Nora's behalf.

When we returned home we started calling family. Our parents were the first people we called and then the phone started ringing with everyone else calling. Everyone else was almost as excited as we were.

May 30, 2006

We sent our dossier to Houston to the Guatemalan Embassy to be authenticated by the Guatemalan Consulate. Del's birth certificate went to the Guatemalan Embassy in New York. They will go to A Helping Hand Adoption Agency in Kentucky from the Embassies. We notified the adoption agency we had sent the dossier overnight express.

May Pics

May 26, 2006

We took our Guatemalan dossier to Austin to be authenticated by the Texas Secretary of State. Then we celebrated by going to Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen. When we got home Del's certified birth certificate was back from Pennsylvania and had been authenticated by the Secretary of State in Pennsylvania. Hard to believe we have all of the dossier finished on the same day.

May 23, 2006

Our home study is complete and we mailed a copy to the USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Service) along with an application.