The start of the journey

It was in February,2007, I made the decision to start a Guatemalan adoption journey again. I knew things were a little on the edge, but in my heart I felt there is one more child there waiting for me. I pursued an agency and put my money down. I immediately started on my dossier and my homestudy. Much to my dismay, my homestudy took 8 months to complete. I couldn't believe it took that long. I had to keep telling myself it was for a reason. I was getting so nervous because by the end of October, many agencies were shutting down their referrals to Guatemala. Anyway, it finally came together and the paperwork turned in and sent to BCIS. I had a RFE (request for evidence) come back from BCIS on paperwork for Michael, got the paperwork together within 3 days sent back to BCIS and in a week received my 171H....Kudos to BCIS!!!

On October 18, I faxed the 171H to my agency. Within the hour she called me and told me she had a newborn girl ready to send to me. I was excited, but was like, "A girl?" The agency had me down as requesting a little girl. Don't get me wrong, I would gladly adopt a little girl, but I have so many boy things and Nico wanted a little brother. I told her I preferred a waiting boy because I know there are a lot of little boys waiting to be adopted. (I picked Nico off the waiting list when he was 11 months old - he came home at 17.5 months and it was perfect). So within another hour she called me and told me she was sending me pictures and medical for a baby boy. He was 5 months old and a healthy 18 pounds. The referral pictures are from the beginning of Oct. when he was 4 months old and weighed 16 pounds. I was sooo excited. I was at the library when I got the call and couldn't wait to get home to open the emails - thank goodness for email! I fell in love the minute I saw him.