We have been approved for a visa! Thanks to good paperwork and working completely within the legal system of Guatemala, we were approved without any problems. We know that God took care of this just like He has everything else. He is the one that provided the paperwork! We pick it up on Friday at 11:00! God is never late, rarely early, but always on time!
Today's visit with McKenna's family was wonderful. Unfortunately, her half brother found work for a few days and took it because they needed the money so he did not get to come. But we did see Norma, Veronica, and baby Bertita! The baby was absolutely adorable and muy gordita! That means chubby. We spent several hours together, and then they left to head back to their town. Veronica, McKenna's half sister, began to cry as they left and went to kiss McKenna on the cheek. She was always stand-offish and sort of angry before. Her personality was always very different...as if she didn't trust us. Today things were different. I am sure her tears were happiness for McKenna and sadness of not being with her more...of sadness that their life is so much harder than ours and that she wishes Berta would have that kind of life...but mostly I think she was touched to know we care so much about them. When you suffer the hardships that they must endure to just survive, knowing someone loves you and cares about you changes your life completely. I have watched this family transform through these years. We have helped them along the way (not so much as to ruin their lives by too much interference and help) but by providing medical care and small amounts of money to just help them survive. We now sponsor them through Asofamilia (a charity to help birth families) so that they have nutritional support, healthcare, education, 4 visits a year from staff, and a way to communicate with us. Well today, full circle 7 years later, we sat and swooned over this beautiful baby who carries nothing genetic in our family nor anything that would tie her to us other than the precious gift that was given to us 7 years ago in our precious McKenna. Now we love this baby like she is part of our family....it is an amazing God given gift of adoption! I know some people like to keep adoptions closed but I cannot imagine not loving this precious family that is part of us now!
By the way, Norma (McKenna's birthmom) loved on McKenna the entire time...just like I do, stroking her hair and pampering her. McKenna had burned her hand earlier (every finger has blisters) so she had ice bags for pain relief. Norma would keep ice in them for her even emptying her glass into the bag. And the hair....oh my goodness...anyone who knows McKenna knows that she loves her long hair and refuses to cut it (even a trim sets her into a crying fit). Norma took her hair clip out and there it was hanging to her waist....long, beautiful black hair. Again, look what we would be missing if they weren't a part of our lives! Norma is very intelligent and is an incredible mother and grandmother. She would swoop her grandaughter onto her back, tie her on, and in minutes the baby was sleeping. She is really an amazing woman. My worry for Cintia is that she doesn't have this same legacy. I pray God gives her something equally as special so that she doesn't feel jealous of McKenna for this gift in her life.
Enjoy the pictures...Cintia posed for the cross-eyed picture when I asked her to do what she did for her visa photo session. Of course, she obliged! I couldn't resist sharing it. I told Kenny that we should have taken one like that to the embassy so she would look like there was something really wrong with her instead of picture perfect like she is! What a hoot! The other picture is obviously Berta (or Bertita as her Abuela (grandma Norma) calls her). She was named after McKenna's maternal grandmother who died before McKenna was born.
We offer many prayers of thanksgiving (especially after Kenny almost hit another motorcycle today...but thankfully his backseat driver yelled out in time!) and for everyone who has prayed for us along this journey!
Many Blessings to you all!
April
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