Yesterday, I had an incredibly busy day...but I wanted to wish all the foster mothers and birth mothers a THANKS on Mothers Day (Guatemala) for the care of the children, the sacrifices they have made and the dedication to providing a child with a loving family.
On a personal level, I would like to thank my attorney (and family) and Carol who brought my family together. I would also like to say thank you to ADA and those in Guatemala who have recognized and "stood up" for the rights of our children (to become our children). Without them, adoptions would have effectively shut down with the first attempted implementation of the Hague.
With that said, lets take care of some business.
1 - PGN is now releasing the cases that were held. I am bumping Susana's comment here, so that it is not missed:
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{Posted by Susana Luarca, ADA}
The meeting was positive. It was the first time that the new authorities of the PGN accepted to talk to the adoption lawyers. The PGN admitted that they were waiting for Congress to aprove again the Hague Convention, and that was why they were not releasing the files. Because Congress will not approve the Hague Convention, the PGN will be releasing the files within the next days.
We are confident that the Hague Convention will not be approved again, because to do so would be illegal and the congressmen know it, but in just in case, we are poised to use all the legal actions that the situation requieres, in order to allow the children of Guatemala to find permanent homes.
Susana Luarca
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2 - Please continue to send in your biographies of your family. We are going to bind these and distribute them to authorities in our own government and in Guatemala. The photos ARE important. We have given calendars in the past and recipients have taken those smiling faces to heart dispelling their worries. So we are confident that our collection will make folks think twice about implementing legislation that would hurt the children. You can submit your biography HERE. FYI: It is BETTER if you upload a document with a picture embedded.
Posted by Kelly at May 11, 2006 09:59 AMThank you for the update with PGN. I am sure all waiting families will feel some sense of relief with this update. Happy Mother's Day to all and I will keep praying for our babies to come home. K. Miller
Posted by: K Miller at May 11, 2006 06:44 PMThanks for the update regarding PGN. We needed some good news!
Posted by: J at May 12, 2006 09:14 AMYeah!..Some light in the black hole. Thank you for the news. I wonder..will this mean that the Embassy will have a hard time handling all the cases coming out from PGN, or will the cases be released in a timely manner? No matter. As long as they are released. I'm sure every expectant parent feels that the manner in which they are released does not matter. Thanks again!
Posted by: Gayle at May 12, 2006 10:48 AMI uploaded our story to share but, when I got a notice as to what it would look like, it only referenced the label to the attachment that I tried to upload. Does that sound right? If it isn't correct, could someone let me know. zamorafamily3@verizon.net. Thanks so much for putting together this important book!
Posted by: Sherry at May 12, 2006 11:30 AMIf the Hague is not approved by the Guatemalan Congress, then can adoptions continue with the US? Or, does it have to be approved to continue adoptions with the US. I guess I am confused. Thanks!
Posted by: Gayle at May 12, 2006 09:38 PMSusan:
I am a little confused. You say "We are confident that the Hague Convention will not be approved again, because to do so would be illegal and the congressmen know it, but in just in case, we are poised to use all the legal actions that the situation requieres, in order to allow the children of Guatemala to find permanent homes."
What does this mean for prospective adoptive parents? Will it be business as usual even after US ratifies it in 2007? Or will adoptions come to a standstill?
Thanks,
Manjula
Posted by: Manjula at May 12, 2006 11:01 PMI wish to say Happy Mother's Day to all of the women of our world who contribute to the nurturance and welfare of children! Bless you all!
Today and every day forever I will honor my own mother and grandmother who have helped me to become who I am today. I have always felt loved and cherished. I am so fortunate to still have my darling mother with me, and "Gramma" will always live with me in my heart.
Also today, and every day forever, I honor Veronica M. (in Guatemala or in Nicaragua) for the extreme sacrifice she made when deciding to relinquish her fifth child and allow another woman to have the tremendous joy of motherhood. Veronica, although I know you most likely will not read this, I thank you and cherish you and hope that we will meet you one day. Our daughter is beautiful inside and out. You can be proud to know that she is a loving and kind, very smart and very happy person. She is adored not only by her Mama, but also by her grandparents (who see her every two or three days), aunties, uncles and cousins (who see her several times per month). She is one of 14 treasured grandchildren of which she is second-youngest.
Veronica, I wish I could tell you in person and hug you for this happiness you have given me by allowing me to be a mother to Anarosa (Jade Arleth M.). Until then, know that you are thought of fondly often, and that Anarosa will know of you.
Sincerely,
Lizzie
Mama to the beautiful Anarosa who is "going potty like a big girl" and now has all of her two-year-old molars! Forever with Mama (from Guatemala) since May 26th, 2004.
Hello all, I was just wondering if anyone had their case come out of PGN since last weeks meeting. Our agency has had none and we are becoming very upset. We hate not knowing what is going on, as I am sure everyone does, but I am looking for any information or suggestions in dealing with all the emotional highs or mostly lows. Thanks K. Miller
Posted by: K. Miller at May 16, 2006 07:03 PMIt does not seem as if many (if even a few) cases are being released since last week's meeting. I was so thrilled to read that the director was going to start signing off, and waited to see the "wave" of exits, but nothing. Yesterday was an exceptionally bad day for me with regards to the emotional lows. I cried at the drop of a hat and every time my 2 1/2 year old looked at his favorite photo album, and talked about touching his brother's foot (we visited our baby last month), I cried. Today, our agency sent photos of our baby that they took when they visited last week. Our baby is looking great but all I could tell my son at home was that "he [his brother] will be home soon." I feel like I am lying to him.
Why can't the reviewers of PGN still have a heart when it comes to their jobs? Why do they lose their caring?? Regardless of what their take is on adoption, don't they even CARE that these children find permanent and loving homes?? Yes, their foster mothers/families love them, no doubt, but these are ultimately transitional homes - don't the PGN reviewers and director realize this? The longer these children are in foster care, the harder the transition to their adoptive family is going to be...
Okay, I'm done.
Nadia H. Ortiz
We had been in PGN since March 21st without hearing a thing. Then, that last little rush of movement 2 weeks ago, sent us out with a previo. We were back in last week and are wondering how long it may till we hear anything else, as there "seems" to be very little movement. We were hoping to see a great coming out of cases because of last week's meeting. Maybe it is coming yet! Would love know what is happening-
Posted by: Connie at May 18, 2006 08:23 AMGosh, what a wonderful site to "Fall" upon. My husband and I are at our wits end with our adoption agency. We have had NO pictures since 2-11. I feel these are very important to an adoptive parent. It's ALL we have to put in a book on their younger years. We entered the PGN in March and have heard nothing, but it's VERY slow and it may be another 4-6 weeks before we hear anything. We have had to be re-fingerprinted because of the time.
I am so glad that I stumbled onto this website and realize that I am not alone
Does anyone know the difference in time for a birthcertificate when the child was born IN Guatemala City compared to if the child was not? WE are hearing that it is very different
Thanks and have a great day
Michelle
Nadia, God bless you! I am in the SAME boat as you. My husband and I have been in the PGN since 3-13. We were told it would be 4 weeks, TOPS, and it has been almost 9. We have had no pictures since 2-11. I have called, emailed and prayed but NOTHING!! I am really starting to struggle with this. It just seems like this is such a sensitive issue and the people who need to be at the top need to have a heart
Best of luck to you!
MIchelle
Hi,
Have you thought about asking your agency if it would be ok to send a disposable camera? I brought my daughter home at 6 1/2 months old. I received one photo of her at 5 weeks (the referral photo) and a second at 13 weeks, then nothing. This was very, very hard, but now I realize that my agency did not spend time on things like photos and long communications to the families--they instead were putting all of their time into getting the cases completed. They did allow me to send a disposable camera and a small gift for the baby. It had to fit in a gallon ziplock back as it was transported there by another family who was traveling there. On the pick up trip, I was given back the disposable camera that I could take and have developed. This was soooooo nice to have, plus in the background are the rooms of the hogar where she lived. Worth asking?
Take care,
Lizzie
Mama to the beautiful Anarosa who asks Mama every day for a baby sister and today asked for a baby sister AND a "little puppy".
This is a nice site to visit. In reading the comments I feel others are experiencing the same frsutrations as we are. We supposedly went into PGN 3/6 and there has been no news of anything. Monday will be 11 weeks in PGN , and on 5/24 my paperwork has been in Guatemala for 7 months!
Posted by: Kim McGee at May 19, 2006 02:31 PMHi Lizzie,
Thanks so much. No, I hadn't thought of that. What a WONDERFUL idea. Thank you so much. I realize and feel awful that I am pushing for photos when I would really like to just bring her home, but I'm thinking of the now and not the long term. Thanks for the positive thoughts. IT's much appreciated
Michelle
Hi Kelly,
Will it be too late to get a biography to you by this weekend?
Lilian
Posted by: Lilian at May 19, 2006 03:51 PMHi Kim,
My husband and I are on the same timeline as you. On 5-24 our paperwork will also be in Guatemala for 7 months. We have had no pictures since Feb. I am a basketcase praying everyday to hear of something. Hang in there!
Michelle
Can you please tell me how I would get ahold of this Susan Luarca at ADA
Posted by: Sandy Markelonis at June 6, 2006 09:46 AM