Happy Birthday, Isabella! You are 3 Months Old Today!

The Guatemala 5000 Initiative!!!

Joint Council on Children's Internation Services is fighting for us. Please consider taking part in the call to action today. Click on "call to action" for more information. Please feel free to copy and paste this post into your own blog. We need to get the word out on how to fight this fight~ and bring our children home!

Please Sign This Petition/ PLEASE PRAY

On Tuesday, September 25th, the US Dept of State came out with a warning saying people should avoid adopting from Guatemala. We went into this knowing changes could take place, but the US Dept of State and Guatemala both had agreed that in process cases as of Jan 1, 2008 (like us) would be "grandfathered" in and safe. The US is now saying they aren't sure this will happen. Meaning, Isabella (and other children like her) may never come home.

Here's the deal...Guatemala's President Berger wants to stop all Guatemalan adoptions as of January 1, 2008. Even those in process with a POA (power of attorney)and a 171H will not be able to proceed with their adoptions. We have been told all along that when the Hague happens in January, we would be grandfathered in under the old laws because we have a POA in place. Now it doesn't seem like that will even matter! President Berger will be out of office on January 14th, and our prayer is that the Hague will not be implemented by then.

So please take a minute to sign this online petition. They only need your name and email address for verification. We need to let the US know that it is not okay for them to allow Guatemala to ignore the rules and disallow inprocess adoptions from continuing. Thousands of children, like our Bella, would be left in orphanages instead of having permanent loving homes. First, please take a second and PRAY FOR BELLA. Second, click the link below and sign the online petition.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart,
Stacy

http://www.petitiononline.com/foafoa1/petition.html

Last Day of Visit Trip Two

I have the best mom in the world! Thank you for going all the way to Guatemala with me!

Hi, Daddy & my big brothers! I wish you were here with Mommy and me!


My pretty girl!

Day Three in Guatemala

I am lovin' her long eyelashes!
Grami is the BEST in the whole world!
Isabella asleep in her crib at the hotel... I just want to kiss those cheeks!!!
Mom and Bella spend another afternoon at the pool. We met so many wonderful couples who are also adopting. It is encouraging to exchange Guat adoption stories with them. I have gotten some wonderful insight. I hear that Guatemala is doing all they can to speed up their end of adoptions before January 1st. It sounds like quicker timelines might be happening. I can only hope and PRAY!!!

Day 2 of Second Visit Trip

My Mom, Isabella and I hanging out at the pool
Bella asleep in Grami's arms

Day One of Second Visit Trip

When we picked Isabella up from her hogar, she was all dressed up in her prettiest outfit and matching blanket that I had left for her. I was so surprised to see how much she had changed and grown since last month. I remember her as such a newborn on our last visit trip in August, but now she is all smiles and coos. She even has long eyelashes! She is pure JOY, and I am so thankful to God that I get to be her mommy.
She is especially all smiles and coos at... 3:00 AM!!!

Count Down

Only one more week until I get to see you again, Bella! I have been busy shopping for you and
washing your new clothes. You are getting so big...so I got to go out and buy more pretty things for you. Grami tells me that she and Grandpa bought you a few things, too~ but they are keeping it a secret from both of us.
I think about you all day long and never stop praying for you!
Love,
Mom

Pictures From Isabella's Hogar

This is Bella's hogar. It is a privately run temporary home for relinquished and abandoned babies and children. Babies ages 0-4 months play upstairs, while the other babies play downstairs. The children ages 2-6 years were in the other building doing there school work. We originally saw this hogar and our attorney on Discovery Channel's "Adoption Stories". We saw it in person just a few weeks ago. It is so well painted and organized. All the children are loved and very well taken care of.

Weighing Bella

Some ropita (baby clothes) out to dry

This is Isabella's room. She has two foster moms who are taking great care of her. I love this picture because it's the first time I held her. What an AMAZING day!

Funny Fountain in the Center of Antigua

We laughed when we saw this fountain! Maybe you'll get a chuckle out of it too?

Baby Bella at Five Weeks Old

Beautiful Poem

Not flesh of my flesh
Nor bone of my bone,
Yet still miraculously my own.
Never forget for a single minute
That you weren’t born under my heart,
but in it.

~Author unknown

Our Trip to Antigua, Guatemala

Here is a picture of Bella and a few pictures from our trip to Antigua. It is such a beautiful city with amazing architecture! The two men with us are our Guatemalan attorneys, Feliciano and Omar. Feliciano owns and runs the hogar where Isabella is staying. We had so much fun with them. They got a kick out of the fact that I called them our two "guarda espaldas" (body guards). We had the BEST dinner in a little restaurant in the heart of Antigua. We definitely want to go back!

I Can't Wait!!!

Two weeks from today my mom and I will be getting ready to board our flight to Guatemala to visit Isabella. I can't wait!!! The countdown begins!

KISSES IN THE WIND

I hold you in my heart and touch you in my dreams. You are here each day with me, at least that is how it seems.
I know you wonder where we are.....what' s taking us so long, But remember child, I love you so and God will keep you strong.
Now go outside and feel the breeze and let it touch your skin... Because tonight, just as always, I blow you kisses in the wind .
May God hold you in his hand until I can be with you, I promise you, my darling, I 'm doing all that I can do.
Very soon, you'll have a family for real, not just pretend. But for tonight, just as always, I blow you kisses in the wind.
May God wrap you in His arms and hold you very tight. And let the angels bring the kisses that I send to you each night.

-Author unknown

Once again, Guatemala is in the direct path of a hurricane. Pray for both Guatemala and Nicaragua, who will be bearing the brunt of this monster.

Baby Name Poll Results!!!

August 11, 2007

POSSIBLE NAMES FOR "SWEET BEAN"

Thank you so much for taking the time to send us these beautiful names. Thanks to your input, we've been able to narrow it down. We are pretty sure of her name, but we need to have a conversation with Luke and Josh before making our final decision. Here are all of your great suggestions. They were so fun to read and we will keep all of them as a treasured memory in her baby book. I hope you will enjoy reading them.

Sophia -4 votes

Isabella or Bella- 4 votes

Grace- 3 votes

Sophia

Janet Kay Maria ( I wonder who suggested this one.)

Ava Maria

Claire

Lilly

Bella Grace

Sophia ( "Sophie" ) Renea - name means wisdom
Alexis ("Lexi") Kay- means helper
Sarah Kay-means princess
Grace ? -means grace and blessing
Kayla Joy - means crown
Isabella("Bella") Grace- means devoted to God

Claudia (female version of "Clyde") Isabella

"Rachel" - In Gen 29:11 Jacob kissed Rachel and began to weep aloud . . . vs. 17 Rachel was lovely in form and beautiful . . . vs. 20 Jacob served 7 years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of the love for her.

"Abigail" - means "my father is joy" . . . nickname "Abi" or "Gail" . . . I Sam 25 Abigail was clever and beautiful (married to a fool, who later died) . . . became King David's wife; he praised her for her good sense

"Angela" - means "messenger" - a little angel from heaven

Anabelle (Lovely), short names: Anna, Bell , Bella
Belicia (dedicated to God)
Belita (Beautiful One)
Eligia (Chosen One), short names: Elli
Gabriele (devoted to God), short names: Gabby, Bri
Gabriella (devoted to God), short names: Gabby, Bri, Ella
Graciela (Graceful), short names: Gracie
Hannah (Gracious)
Isabel (Consecrated to God), short names: Isi, Bell
Leila (Loyal)
Lia (Dependent)
Melosa (Sweet Tender), short names: Mel
Mirabel (Beautiful)
Naomi (Pleasant, Beautiful)
Sofia (devoted)
Talia (Dew from heaven)

Analisa (graced w/God's bounty) short names: Annamesa
Amelia/Emilia (defender), short : Emma, Mia, Emmy
Marissa (promised by God), short names: risa
Dania(God is my judge)
Eliana (Jehovah is God), short names: Ellie
Eva (Giver of life)

"The baby's name should be Sophie." Love, Josh

In case you are wondering...

August 9, 2007

In case you are wondering...

WE ARE IN LOVE!

Please see the attached photos from today.

We still have not decided on a name, so please email your suggestions to us. We will post your ideas tomorrow night.

Love from Guatemala,

Kirk, Stacy, and ?