Cintia is now ADOPTABLE!!!!! We retained custody and were granted adoptibility. Honestly, it was soooo hard and sooooo emotional. I wanted to throw up the entire time! I can't put in words what your mind and body experience when you know that you could lose your child in an instant...other than to say....I wanted this to be over and be safe at home with Cintia rather than nose to nose with strangers who carried our fate in their hands!!!! It is a long way from being over...actually we are now at a new beginning.
Please pray for the next step which will be the CNA (the folks in charge of all adoptions) to make the match between us and Cintia. Please pray that they accept us as her adoptive family and let us proceed with special needs status. International adoptions are still suspended. We hope to either be grouped in with some test cases that should proceed soon or as a special circumstance adoption in compliance with the Hague treaty. It is very complex but I will simplify it by saying that we will have to inch our way through the process not knowing what the next step will be until we take it. We also have no idea how long it will take. God does and we trust that He will walk us through it.
Gotta go catch my breath....I am physically and emotionally spent!!!
Blessings to all!
April
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Friday, August 6, 2010
Well...at least we would have been early!!!!
Since October, I have thought that our hearing is next Wednesday August 10th. My husband reminded me it is on the tenth... but that is next Tuesday. Sooooo, I changed our pre-plan of drivers, translator, and childcare to next Tuesday. Well guess what??? It is Wednesday the 11th! Thankfully, we would have been a day early! Having to be there by 8:30 a.m. means leaving our house by 7:00 a.m. because of traffic. So, we are really happy to only have to do it once on the right day!
We left our house today at 2:15 and arrived at the hotel at 3:15 (15 minutes early) because traffic was bad. Our attorney then showed up late because he forgot which hotel he told us and went to a different one. Thankfully he remembered and showed up a bit late. The meeting was very informative...specifically the date! He explained some things in detail of what we should expect next week and what we need to do to proceed after that. I will do my best to explain.
First and foremost, I was concerned that PGN would ask to delay the resolution again and ask for another hearing. They are notorious for delays so I sort of had that in the back of my mind. Our attorney reassured me that will not happen. He read our official court decree where the judge specifically stated that they had failed to do their job prior to the hearing in October when they were told to provide reports to the court regarding the search for the birth mother and family of Cintia. She put in the resolution that this hearing will be a final hearing, and if they don't provide the reports that she will file legal charges against them for contempt. On top of that, he spoke with them last week and the PGN apparently has done their job. They sent someone to each town mentioned on Cintia's birth certificate and no family has loooked for Cintia. There is also a registry that was started by the first lady (I believe...or some govn. entity) where orphanages register kids and where birth families can list their names when looking for a child. Again...Cintia's case was clear. Basically, the abandonment hearing should be a formality. Since our judge ruled in Cintia's favor in October, I don't expect that she will have changed her mind. She said that Cintia's rights have been violated and the only way to restore those rights is to enable Cintia to have a family through the process of adoption. The PGN attorney was the one who said no...not yet. Even if the judge rules in our favor and grants the adoptibility (which is the same as the legal abandonment), this does not start the adoption process. This court cannot do that. However, this is the court that determines custody which we fully expect to keep and they also grant adoptibility. Really good news was that once she is deemed adoptible (which means getting positive resolution in court on Wednesday) we have to wait 3 business days and the resolution will be completed. We can then submit it with our paperwork to the Central Authority or CNA (who does have control over the adoption). That will be when and where the adoption process can begin.
Back to court on Wednesday, we are suppose to present all of the specifics of Cintia's care to the court during the hearing in order to build a case. This will include a report from us and DVD to show some of the therapy and medical things Cintia has to do each day. This is not to convince them to let her be adopted by us but rather to impress upon the minds of PGN how important it is to support the adoption. Apparently, the CNA can ask PGN their opinion and it can help expedite the process for special needs or at least confirm the match of our family with Cintia. The CNA has to be the ones who match her with our family but they can ask for opinions from people involved in the case. Which brings me to how the process should move forward....we will be proceeding as a special needs case instead of a normal adoption under the new law. The new law is now published, but Cintia's case is too complex to really fit there. So for now, it looks like she will fall outside the new cases and outside the old cases as well (those are the ones that are being grandfathered in under the old law because they are adoptions started prior to Jan 1, 2008). International adoptions have not resumed although they were suppose to start around 40 test cases in July...yes last month. It did not happen...no surprise there. He said the laws that were just published were (by law) suppose to be published in 16 days and that was over 2 years ago ....they were just released. Ugh! Do you get the picture of how things run here????Sounds scary doesn't it? As a special needs case, Cintia will be considered as a special case adoption (something even the Hague treaty allows). This means that it will not be processed like an in country adoption or an international one. They require similar paperwork but the process is different as is the visa. His words to us today were that cases that medically don't compare to Cintia's have been approved as special needs, and for lack of a better way of saying it...this is a no-brainer in his eyes. He said not only would Cintia not have the financial and medical care she needs in Guatemala, but she would not have the love of our family who she has taken as her own. It would be cruel to take her at this point. He said the love we have for her is shown not only in how we have cared for her but our willingness to do whatever it takes to continue doing that. It is not going to be an easy process but it is one we can proceed with in faith....one step at a time.
In the same way we have walked through the last two and a half years, step by step we will move forward. Faith and patience.....that's all it will take! Faith to walk the path in front of us when we don't know the next step. Faith that Cintia will hang in there medically while we go through the process. Faith that God will guide the process and show us the way. We don't no how to do what has to be done....but God sure does and we are trusting Him to do it in His perfect timing!
Blessings!
April
We left our house today at 2:15 and arrived at the hotel at 3:15 (15 minutes early) because traffic was bad. Our attorney then showed up late because he forgot which hotel he told us and went to a different one. Thankfully he remembered and showed up a bit late. The meeting was very informative...specifically the date! He explained some things in detail of what we should expect next week and what we need to do to proceed after that. I will do my best to explain.
First and foremost, I was concerned that PGN would ask to delay the resolution again and ask for another hearing. They are notorious for delays so I sort of had that in the back of my mind. Our attorney reassured me that will not happen. He read our official court decree where the judge specifically stated that they had failed to do their job prior to the hearing in October when they were told to provide reports to the court regarding the search for the birth mother and family of Cintia. She put in the resolution that this hearing will be a final hearing, and if they don't provide the reports that she will file legal charges against them for contempt. On top of that, he spoke with them last week and the PGN apparently has done their job. They sent someone to each town mentioned on Cintia's birth certificate and no family has loooked for Cintia. There is also a registry that was started by the first lady (I believe...or some govn. entity) where orphanages register kids and where birth families can list their names when looking for a child. Again...Cintia's case was clear. Basically, the abandonment hearing should be a formality. Since our judge ruled in Cintia's favor in October, I don't expect that she will have changed her mind. She said that Cintia's rights have been violated and the only way to restore those rights is to enable Cintia to have a family through the process of adoption. The PGN attorney was the one who said no...not yet. Even if the judge rules in our favor and grants the adoptibility (which is the same as the legal abandonment), this does not start the adoption process. This court cannot do that. However, this is the court that determines custody which we fully expect to keep and they also grant adoptibility. Really good news was that once she is deemed adoptible (which means getting positive resolution in court on Wednesday) we have to wait 3 business days and the resolution will be completed. We can then submit it with our paperwork to the Central Authority or CNA (who does have control over the adoption). That will be when and where the adoption process can begin.
Back to court on Wednesday, we are suppose to present all of the specifics of Cintia's care to the court during the hearing in order to build a case. This will include a report from us and DVD to show some of the therapy and medical things Cintia has to do each day. This is not to convince them to let her be adopted by us but rather to impress upon the minds of PGN how important it is to support the adoption. Apparently, the CNA can ask PGN their opinion and it can help expedite the process for special needs or at least confirm the match of our family with Cintia. The CNA has to be the ones who match her with our family but they can ask for opinions from people involved in the case. Which brings me to how the process should move forward....we will be proceeding as a special needs case instead of a normal adoption under the new law. The new law is now published, but Cintia's case is too complex to really fit there. So for now, it looks like she will fall outside the new cases and outside the old cases as well (those are the ones that are being grandfathered in under the old law because they are adoptions started prior to Jan 1, 2008). International adoptions have not resumed although they were suppose to start around 40 test cases in July...yes last month. It did not happen...no surprise there. He said the laws that were just published were (by law) suppose to be published in 16 days and that was over 2 years ago ....they were just released. Ugh! Do you get the picture of how things run here????Sounds scary doesn't it? As a special needs case, Cintia will be considered as a special case adoption (something even the Hague treaty allows). This means that it will not be processed like an in country adoption or an international one. They require similar paperwork but the process is different as is the visa. His words to us today were that cases that medically don't compare to Cintia's have been approved as special needs, and for lack of a better way of saying it...this is a no-brainer in his eyes. He said not only would Cintia not have the financial and medical care she needs in Guatemala, but she would not have the love of our family who she has taken as her own. It would be cruel to take her at this point. He said the love we have for her is shown not only in how we have cared for her but our willingness to do whatever it takes to continue doing that. It is not going to be an easy process but it is one we can proceed with in faith....one step at a time.
In the same way we have walked through the last two and a half years, step by step we will move forward. Faith and patience.....that's all it will take! Faith to walk the path in front of us when we don't know the next step. Faith that Cintia will hang in there medically while we go through the process. Faith that God will guide the process and show us the way. We don't no how to do what has to be done....but God sure does and we are trusting Him to do it in His perfect timing!
Blessings!
April
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Praise God from whom all blessings flow!!!!
This morning I received an email by from my attorney, and praise God, I can tell it was actually him! They have closed their office, opening a new one, and don't have phones yet. They even closed their website. I still have no address, but I am assuming they have a very good reason for closing down a huge practice and making this move. Maybe safety????? Maybe financial reasons??? Don't know...but don't really care because we have our attorney!!!!! We are meeting tomorrow at 3:30 Guatemala time at a hotel in the city. Tons of traffic on a Friday evening but...we'll make it!
Today, we hope to go to a movie with the kids leaving Cintia here with Jessica for a trial time. We thought by inching her into the process of Jessica being with her most of the day without us, it will be easier when the time comes in a couple of weeks. I will update again tomorrow night with the results of our meeting.
Thanks for the prayers!
April
Today, we hope to go to a movie with the kids leaving Cintia here with Jessica for a trial time. We thought by inching her into the process of Jessica being with her most of the day without us, it will be easier when the time comes in a couple of weeks. I will update again tomorrow night with the results of our meeting.
Thanks for the prayers!
April
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Two weeks in Guatemala
Today is our two week mark. It seems that we have been here longer, but that is the way time is here. It just moves slower for some reason. The kids are doing great...just a little board because we have been staying busy getting the house together and getting Cintia situated. All the American kids are basically at home in the US for vacation. Everyone should start returning next week or the week after.
Cintia's new nanny started Monday. Jessica is beautiful inside and out, and Cintia really likes her. She has witnessed Cintia's temper (spitting included) and handles it very calmly. She knows what she is up against, and praise God she is eager to do her best with Cintia! Somedays we survive and other days we thrive....praying for smoother days ahead!
Now for the big news...drum roll please...we have hit a bump...not really a bump....more like a huge pot hole in road! We have a great attorney. Both he and his partner are completely ethical, Christian men. Having said that, suddenly I can't find them. Their website has been closed under construction. There email address is closed, our attorney's cell has been turned off, there is no one answering the phone at the only office number we have, ...shall I say "good grief" at this point? Last month, I finally got a response to an email. It came from an odd email address basically saying that many clients were not getting replies to their emails so a new email address was being used and the other would be closed. It was not signed by either attorney. I then got a personal response that was suppose to be from my attorney yet it wasn't signed with any name...and the spelling and grammar were not consistant with that of our attorney. I assumed he was having his legal secretary answer the email because he was busy. In the past, however, he would copy her and me and say she could help me with that information...and she would sign her emails. I know that the last time a friend of mine spoke with him (which was in June), he was traveling a lot inside of Guatemala working on cases. Since adoptions suspended at the end of 2007, many attorneys are struggling for work. Not struggling like the poor people of Guatemala, but struggling to keep their lifestyle. Without maintaining a higher level of lifestyle, I am sure they would not get to work with good clients....meaning those that pay and/or are safe to represent. I am honestly just guessing at "why" the above things are going on when honestly I have no idea exactly the circumstances we are facing.
I know that one week from yesterday we will show up at court with or without representation. I know that a friend of mine will drive to their old office address in the morning and see if they are there anymore. I know that I am choosing not to worry about all of this because I know that God has it all under control. I know that this is too big for me but not for Him. I know that by giving it to Him I can focus on what is happening today...like surviving life with a little girl who has bigger battles to face in her life than a court hearing next Tuesday. And those battles...well, they are the ones I can help her face today, tomorrow, and beyond. Why worry about tomorrow when today has enough worries of its own! Next week is huge for Cintia...it is the step that makes her adoptable and gives her a chance for a secure future....but we know who holds the future, right???? So no worries! He will WORK IT OUT!
Blessings to all!
April
Cintia's new nanny started Monday. Jessica is beautiful inside and out, and Cintia really likes her. She has witnessed Cintia's temper (spitting included) and handles it very calmly. She knows what she is up against, and praise God she is eager to do her best with Cintia! Somedays we survive and other days we thrive....praying for smoother days ahead!
Now for the big news...drum roll please...we have hit a bump...not really a bump....more like a huge pot hole in road! We have a great attorney. Both he and his partner are completely ethical, Christian men. Having said that, suddenly I can't find them. Their website has been closed under construction. There email address is closed, our attorney's cell has been turned off, there is no one answering the phone at the only office number we have, ...shall I say "good grief" at this point? Last month, I finally got a response to an email. It came from an odd email address basically saying that many clients were not getting replies to their emails so a new email address was being used and the other would be closed. It was not signed by either attorney. I then got a personal response that was suppose to be from my attorney yet it wasn't signed with any name...and the spelling and grammar were not consistant with that of our attorney. I assumed he was having his legal secretary answer the email because he was busy. In the past, however, he would copy her and me and say she could help me with that information...and she would sign her emails. I know that the last time a friend of mine spoke with him (which was in June), he was traveling a lot inside of Guatemala working on cases. Since adoptions suspended at the end of 2007, many attorneys are struggling for work. Not struggling like the poor people of Guatemala, but struggling to keep their lifestyle. Without maintaining a higher level of lifestyle, I am sure they would not get to work with good clients....meaning those that pay and/or are safe to represent. I am honestly just guessing at "why" the above things are going on when honestly I have no idea exactly the circumstances we are facing.
I know that one week from yesterday we will show up at court with or without representation. I know that a friend of mine will drive to their old office address in the morning and see if they are there anymore. I know that I am choosing not to worry about all of this because I know that God has it all under control. I know that this is too big for me but not for Him. I know that by giving it to Him I can focus on what is happening today...like surviving life with a little girl who has bigger battles to face in her life than a court hearing next Tuesday. And those battles...well, they are the ones I can help her face today, tomorrow, and beyond. Why worry about tomorrow when today has enough worries of its own! Next week is huge for Cintia...it is the step that makes her adoptable and gives her a chance for a secure future....but we know who holds the future, right???? So no worries! He will WORK IT OUT!
Blessings to all!
April
Monday, August 2, 2010
My apologies
Following a CRAZY week of moving in and much to do with little time, I have been a terrible blogger! We had no internet access this weekend nor the previous (besides a few seconds here and there) so we are looking to purchase a new router to eliminate the problem. Until then, we fall victim to technology once again. We are alive and well and I am planning a complete blog post tomorrow or Wednesday. Cintia's new nanny, Jessica, started today and tomorrow I will be teaching her how to do Cintia's therapy. In between I hope to have time to blog. Yesterday, I completed Cintia's medical report for the court...3 pages typed...and sent it to my friend to be translated before next week. Honestly, it had to come before blogging. We also have 5 more hours of an online class that we must complete (both Kenny and I separately) by next week so that our papers can be given to our attorney to submit (prayerfully) to the central authority as soon as possible. This is the next step for the adoption when the CNA (cental authority) approves a match between Cintia and us. We hope for that to be made in the coming months (yes grandparents...weeks would be better but I am trying to be logical here). Which brings me to the most important thing coming up....next week is Cintia's final abandonment hearing! Woo Hoo! We are ready for that...it means Cintia will be adoptable if everyone shows up having done everything they are suppose to. Any blip in the everyone and everything means going back into the book for another court date. This one took 10 months of waiting and it was the next available....so pray it goes off without a hitch!
Much more to come...gotta go feed the herd!
April
Much more to come...gotta go feed the herd!
April
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