We are in Guatemala!!

Well we are here!! We got in earlier this afternoon. After unpacking our bags we went down to the lobby to wait for Mateo to get here. While we were waiting I was asking about directions, etc ...and then I saw him standing there with a little red rose in his hands. He looked at me with recognition, and then saw the little monkey that I bring everytime and got a HUGE smile on his face. He hugged me & smiled. He has been wonderful since we got him! He ate a big dinner & then came back to the room to get a bath. While he took his bath I ran to the business desk to get copies made for Dinora and Mel stayed up in the room with him. When he got out of the bathtub he asked Mel where I was. He was looking everywhere for me, in the closet, behind the curtain, so cute... I loved that he knew I was missing.. LOL

When I came back up Aunt Mel & Mateo were snuggling in bed watching Cars. It was in Spanish..so I am sure Aunt Mel really understood most of it!! LOL We have been living by our Spanish book!! When I got back he smiled really big and held his arms out for me. We laid in bed and snuggled & watched a little more cars & then I turned it off and read him some books. He was so sleepy, and just kinda turned over and went to sleep..

I am getting up early in the morning to have Claudia pick me up to take me to the Embassy to get an appointment. We will get there at 7AM!! Bright and Early! Then hopefully we can give them the original document that they were needing ( they had emailed me on Friday at 3:30PM stating that they were requesting evidence of an original document...so I think Dinora got it all covered). We are hopefully going to give them what they need and HOPING that they will give up PINK tomorrow so we can go to the doctors on Tuesday..then Visa appointment on Thursday & home on Saturday.

If we dont get pink tomorrow we will have to wait till Tuesday, hopefully we get it then so we can then take him to the drs, and then we can do VIsa still. The last day we really have to do it is Wed so we can take it to the VIsa appointment on Thursday.. If we dont have pink by then, most likely we will have to wait till next Tuesday for Visa appointment..which would delay the return home to be Visa on Tues, pickup VIsa on Wed, and home next Thursday. So please PRAY that we get it tomorrow, but no later than Wed so we can have Visa on Thursday!!

Dinora thought we would be fine once they have what they want. I will also call Susan Olson at Embassy and beg her to PLEASE allow us to speedup through Consular section so we can get pink and then so on....

I will update whats happening after appointment tomorrow. I have to say I love this country. Maybe because my son is here, but when I landed I just felt like I was at my 2nd home. Obviously I know the danger here but knowing that a piece of me is here, just feels like my 2nd home for now. I will most definitely want to come back to bring Mateo here to visit his home country.

On the plane ride from Houston to Guatemala I sat by this young man, 26 years old. He lives in Chicago so he can make money to support his family but he sends money back to Guatemala to take care of his wife & two daughters. His 3 year old daughter has Leukemia. She has a 5 year treatment plan. He said that she goes to a hospital here that is alot like St Judes in the states. He was traveling back because his brother who was just 21 was killed in a motorcycle accident last week. It just broke my heart. He was so sweet. To think that a young man could be going through so much. I was traveling to GC for a trip I have dreamed of for 3 1/2 years...bringing my son home. He was traveling for a whole other set of circumstances... Its amazing how you can be consumed with your own life & sitautions, and then you stop and breathe and realize that there are so many problems all over & everyone has their own circumstances to deal with. I wish him & his family peace & his daughter full & complete health.

Being here also makes me appreciate the fact that I am healthy to be here. On Feb. 23rd of this year I suffered a subarchnoid hemorrhage which caused a stroke. My life could have been forever changed. I realize how blessed I am to have my health back and to have fully recovered. I was only down for about 2 1/2 months, and luckily recovered. A local Paolan Grant Haley suffered an aneurysm which also caused a stroke on Feb 4th. He is 6 months into his rehabilitation & I also wish him full restored health. He is in my prayers daily & I look forward to the day that he can once again be free of pain & able to get up and live his life the way he use to. I had the opportunity to hear a video of him singing at his cadence concerts, WOW...he has an incredible voice!! Please pray for Grant Haley & his family, as well as Jimmy ( the man on the plane) and his daughter & his family to find the strength they need to get through their tough times..

God is so good. I am so thankful that I could have my sister be here with me to experience this. I have wonderful friends, beautiful & loving daughters, an AMAZING extended family and I couldnt be more happy right now.. I cant wait to introduce my precous son to his Grandma's & Papa's, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, etc... slowly we will get to all of them. I know they are biting at the bit to see him!

Bless you all & I will keep you all updated!! val