Latest update..July 13th, 2009

I had to run to Topeka, KS today to have our required Hague Training Certificate certified at the state capitol, so I could them take it to the UPS Store and have it over-nighted to Houston to the Guatemalan consulate to have it authenticated, and then prepaid to have it sent from there directly to Guatemala. This document had been in our file since March , when I was there the last time. Although my attorney didnt think to check ahead of time to see what exactly I needed in the file before we submitted it, ect...I could have done that along time ago. I have been to Topeka probably 5 times now in the last few months, and it would be nice to be done with that drive!

I got an email from Roberto last week saying that our file was officially taken to the C N A. The reason it took so long to get there was because from the time I left in March...they had still be waiting to get the certificate of adaptability from the minors court ( a document which is a final resolution of the investigation they did because of the falsified birth certificate from the birth mom.), my attorney just received it the beginnig of June. Then once we had that he could go to Renap to have them get a corrected copy of Mateo's birth certificate , as since the birth moms own birth place was listed wrong on his birth certificate, as hers was falsified, they had to correct the info on his. So once that was done, we were able to have everything we needed to get into the C N A. Roberto did have to go last week to get Mateo's footprints and handprints as part of what was needed for C N A.

Many of you ask me why has it taken so long. Because of all of the corporation in Guatemalan Adoptions for years, US finally said become Hague Complaint or you are out, basically..and so until they could get their process to be right, they haven't been able to open up yet. Although all of the cases like mine that started with the old law, before the closed adoptions back in Dec 2007, the would still be able to be grandfathered in. Although because our document was falsified by the BM, and she finally admitted that the paper was fraudulent, it made the file as was null and void. Soooo..we had to become an abandonment case through the Minors Court, although no one told me that until I was so confused by what we were, where we were, that finally another attorney that has helped me this whole time understand the process, said "because you are not able to go old law and you have to go through the CNA you will be an abandonment case." The paper that we needed from Minors Court stated that Mateo was adoptable. The paperwork that we have been doing recently to give to the CNA, is part of their dossier. So not only could we not do old law and use the grandfathered in laws, there isn't an adoption process in Guatemala, so now new official rules yet. So, we like many other families are being whats called a "transition Case", cant do old law, but new law wasn't open and we had already been linked to a child...and can prove a bond and a link ( travel, pix, etc.) that we would officially be completing our adoption through the CNA. They have just recently really streamlines their process. This is all new to them. They have a low staff, and is sounds like files coming in all the time, so they are swamped. Supposedly as of now from the time you get into the CNA and the time you pick up your child should be around 4 months or so. We will be VERY close to Christmas time when we bring Mateo home! Many families are farther along than I am so they have really helped me understand what comes next and what I need to do to be prepared, ect...some families have recently brought their babies home in the last few weeks. So I know it is REALLY going to happen this time!

So as I understand it here is our process that we have left:
1) file goes to Mr Tecu in the CNA for his approval of all of the documents being exactly what is needed in our file.
2) Mr Tecu then sends the file to the legal department
3) The legal department then goes through each document page by page, and then approves it ( could take a couple of weeks or so)
4) Then the psychological evaluation & home study that we did will go to the psychologist for review..which takes about a week to a week and a 1/2.
5) Once those have been reviewed the psychologist goes on a visit to see Mateo at his orphanage to check on him and his well being, ect..than she does a report on her findings.
6) Then they schedule the empathy study ( we will have to go to Guatemala for 7 days) more than likely it will be a last minute . this is when you have to be here trip. we will be able to take custody of Mateo then, and then keep him with us during the time we are there. The psychologist will come visit us to see how he interacts with us..I think just for like 30 minutes or so sometime during that week.
7) It could take a few weeks to a month once the empathy is done before it will be signed off by the director of CNA to go to family court.
8) Depending on what court you get into, it could be anywhere from a week to 8 weeks or so... family court is where they officially make us his parents
9)Then the file goes to Renap to order a birth certificate with our last name on it, and then
10) It goes through immigration, and they schedule our Visa appointment, which is when we get to pick up Mateo!

So please keep us in your prayers!! We are getting so close , I am praying that he will be a Christmas baby!! xoox, val