More news

We received news this week that the "lawsuit" that was filed against the PGN for these birthmother interviews was not successful, but they have appealed it. If we want to go forward with the birthmother interview we would have to sign a waiver saying that our agency (and the lawyer who is the director of the orphanage that Rosalia was at) are not liable if the PGN decides that something is not right during the interview and wants to remove Rosalia, etc. After talking with several people, (and some restless nights) we have decided to proceed, since most of the other lawyers and adoptive parents are doing so. We also won't go anywhere until this interview is done. The appeal and court stuff will take too long. From our reports MOST of the interviews are going well, although there is always the chance that the birthmother can change her mind and if she doesn't answer something to the satisfaction of the interviewers they can ask for further investigation. If the interview goes well, reports are that "most" cases are being released within 2-3 weeks now.

Kind of scary, but we thought it best to try and get this hurdle out of the way so we can try and get home sooner. Hopefully we will hear more this week.

Rosalia and I have been able to get to know some of the other adoptive parents and their children in the apartment complex. Still raining everyday.. mostly in the afternoons. Rosalia is still walking while holding onto things. She has been a little more verbal and is doing the cutest scrunch of her nose when she smiles. She is the cutest girl.... IF I must say so!!

I will let you know when we find out when our interview will be. We will need all the prayers we can get. Miss you all!!!
Linda and Rosalia

3 Months today and no end in sight

Well I landed in Guatemala 3 months ago. It seems like I just got here and like I have been here forever!?! I feel very blessed to have been able to be here with Rosalia and see her grow and change... truly an experience. She is pulling up on everything and walking, holding onto moms fingers. It has been a little harder since it is raining every day and cooler.. (we can't go to the swimming pool which was our most exciting outing of the week.) She still has only one tooth at 13 months! (I think another one is coming though on top.)

We got word from our agency yesterday that during one of the birthmother interviews for a child at the orphanage (one that Rosalia was at) the PGN ended up removing the child and again no one knows where. Supposedly there was a woman who claimed the child was hers. The director of the orphanage asked for them to do a DNA test, but they refused it at that time. Our attorney has filed an "ampro" with the courts to challenge these interviews and request that the DNA be done in 5 days. Supposedly, they have decided not to go to any more birthmother interviews if called. Soo.... we are waiting to hear how it turns out in the courts. We had not heard anything about our birthmother interview and now who knows when??? (I really wish we had ours done.)

It is hard to incorporate all the news that we hear about the things going on in PGN. There are some that say their interviews went fine and others have had their child forcibly removed and not told where they have placed the child. There doesn't seem to be a real system for when they release files/cases. There have only been a handful approved from what I have seen online and from what our lawyer says. Anyway, every day it seems like there is more craziness and frustration. It is impossible to relay everything.

Thank you for your prayers and please continue... God will get us home when he has planned.

Love to all and missing everyone-

Linda and Rosalia

A new month, a new place

Rosalia scooting around the new deck.

On a clear day you can see several of the volcanoes.

Street next to central park -celebrating the feast of Corpus Christi.

We moved this week into our new apartment. It is a 1 bedroom and smaller, but has some great views. We are also closer inside Antigua, so we can get anywhere pretty quick. There are a couple of other fostering moms in the complex as well, so we will have some others to play with.

On Friday we learned that PGN released some cases... so things are starting to move, but WE will still need a birthmother interview (different from what the social worker has already done.) We have heard in some of the interviews the mothers have been coerced into changing their minds, but most of the time they stand their ground with their decision to give the child up for adoption. If the BM is nervous and doesn't answer a question right, or they think there is anything questionable, they have "seized" the child and placed him/her somewhere without telling the BM or attorneys where till they investigate further.

It has been crazy times here and we have heard of several orphanages closing because there is no longer money to take care of the children. There are also many stories that I can't relay here. There are a lot of anxious parents (as you can imagine), but at least we saw some movement of things moving forward and hope to see more this week.

Rosalia has been pulling up on everything and loves to walk holding onto mommies fingers. Hope everyone has a great June. We have had rain every day the last week.

Love to all. Linda and Rosalia