Two years ago today

On December 5, 2006 I hugged my boys, kissed my husband, loaded up my little kids and flew to Guatemala. In retrospect it was just plain crazy. At the time I was just a mom with a baby in Guatemala that needed me.

Thanks to Precious.org I called about a baby girl (one of many I called about) and we sent the deposit and accepted the referral of a baby the agency called Precious Mary. Those of you familiar with Guatemalan adoptions may remember the adoption facilitator Mary who got into trouble for mishandling at least one adoption. She is the woman who named this little girl (after herself). As it turned out Precious Mary's adoption process took a very long time and she went home only two months before us. Anyway, another family saw Precious Mary's photo and contacted the agency saying that they believed she was meant to be their daughter and that she looked just like their Guatemalan born son. After much prayer we let that little girl go to the other family.

Out of the blue the director of Kentucky Adoption Services called me (I had talked to her months before) saying she didn't know where we were in our process but she had a little girl available and would I like to see a photo. Lightening definitely struck (and the heavenly hosts sang)when I opened the attachment containing Ella's photo. I frantically called Ron out of meetings to say "I think we found our daughter"!

What followed was a long process of paperwork, fostering in Guatemala for six months, desperately missing my family at home, learning to love Guatemala and it's beautiful people, coming to despise the process by which attorneys get rich from the poor, making lifelong friends with other mothers who were crazy-in-love enough to leave their lives in the USA to be with thier babies.

My tiny Ella not long after we arrived in Guatemala. She weighed only 11 lbs. but she was well cared for and doted upon by her 2nd foster mother.

2 comments:

  1. Tina,
    Has it been 2 yrs already????? My time has flown... I remmeber all our emails back and forth about fostering.....
    Ella is precious and definately meant to be part of your family! Adoption is a miracle in so many ways!
    Hugs,
    gloria

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  2. Oh wow I know can you believe it 2 years already!!! I remember her adorable little 11 pound face and I remember that little saucer she is in-I think it became my kids later! I sure do miss those crazy Antigua days(never thought I would)!
    Happy 2 year gotcha day beautiful Ella!!!

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