What has been going on since the last update

I found out not too long ago that I had to have Doug & I do a full psych evaluation and then have a letter typed on letterhead explaining what tests they did, and what they found out. I had originally submitted a letter from a licensed social worker, but they said that wouldnt work. So Doug & I have our appointment scheduled for next Thursday. I am hoping that he can get a letter typed up and back to us very soon after that so I can then have it certified , authenticated, and then mail it to Guatemala to have it translated, and then legalized. I also found out that we had to have our I171H form notarized. Our fingerprints expired in May, so we had them updated back in April. Before we could update them they required that we have an updated homestudy...so we had to have that done as well. So we had been waiting for a new updated I171H to be sent to us, and apparently they dont send up one, just a letter reflecting the updated finerprints and the new expiration. So I have those, and have to have those notarized , certified, autenticated, translated, and then legalized in Guatemala as well. So I am waiting to mail those off until I get the pysch letter back so I can do it all at the same time.

Once those are done, we can offically submit our file to C NA . Roberto, my attorney said that he talked with CNA and that they just need those documents to complete our file. THen we can get an empathy study scheduled. My hopes are that this can be scheduled for the end of June or very beginning of July. Then hopefully they give us an approval quickly after the empathy, so we can move onto Family court. Once family court has approved us, we are offically his parents. They just have to then order a new birth certificate from RENAP with our last name, and then it will go to immigration, and then getting the VISA for Mateo. Apparently the time line that I am getting is about 3 to 4 months after empathy, that we can pick up Mateo. Of course nothing in Guatemala is as they say. I am PRAYING for him to be home early fall...we will see...I would love to have him home for Thanksgiving & Christmas!

Roberto was picking up notarized copies of the final resolution today, and then he was taking one of them to RENAP so they can updated Mateo's birth certificate with the new birth moms birth place info, as the first one was false. So when they get that done, it takes about a day or so, then he will have a new birth certificate. These items also have to go to the CNA.

I cannot wait to see him!! I am biting at the bit to see him! I got two videos of him for March, and April, and he is getting so big! I miss him! Keep praying for mateo to be home with us soon! val

Its Sunday and I find myself thinking again of little Mateo

Still no update from Roberto. I am told that in Guatemala Easter is a big holiday, so they take a few weeks off. It has been 3 weeks now since I have last heard from Roberto. I have emailed him and called him multiple times and get no response from him???
It is VERY frustrating. I keep hearing about how families are in CNA waiting to get their empathy studies scheduled by the CNA, and I am still not there yet as I havent heard from Roberto if our file has been brought there yet?!! It sounds like it is not a fast process through the CNA, so I am praying to get him home by Christmas. I cant believe that I am having to even say that, this will be his 3rd Christmas....I dont want to think about him not being here.

I was in Las Vegas at NTC and our president brought her granddaughter up front to show her to everyone and I melted...I just started crying and couldnt stop, so had to go to the bathroom , hide in a stall , and bawl. Everytime I see a baby, at church, at the store, my thoughts go to him for all that I have missed with him. I am so angry, that this has taken so long!! I am angry that I am literally just so empty, because I have such a blessed life; my husband, my girls, my business, my team, my friends, my health, but I cannot physically do anything to hurry this process up! It just makes me so sad that this little boy is missing so many life experiences cooped up in this tiny orphanage. My am sooo angry! How can you feel so blessed one minute and so sad the next.

My girls deserve to finally be able to see their brother. My husband deserves to be with his son, and take him out to help with the cows. I deserve to be able to play with my son, read him books, play football with him, just LOVE him. Mateo deserves his family. What more can I do at this point??? I pray mulitple times a day, but I dont understand what else I can do??
Valerie

Still no word from my attorney??

Well I still havent been able to get ahold of my attorney? I have emailed him multiple times and keep calling but he doesnt answer, it goes straight to a spanish message and then hangs up?? So I am hoping that is only because of the Easter holiday and that I will be able to talk with him next week to see if my file is at the CNA?? Cross your fingers! I leave for Vegas on Tuesday for Arbonne and I am hoping that I will get an update on Monday before I leave!!

Where we are as of now..

When I was in Guatemala I realized I had to have the two KBI Background checks that Doug & I did for our homestudy, authenticated & then translated & legalized in Guatemala City. So on Monday I mailed off the two KBI background checks ( I got them certified here in KS & then authenticated in Houston last week), & then our marriage license which was also authenticated, to Roberto. I wired my last payment, for now... to him as well as extra money for the translation fee of these three documents & then the money for the fees for them to be legalized in Guatemala.

I just mailed off a letter to the USCIS office to schedule an appointment for DOug & I to update our fingerprints. They give you a one time free extension, although since this has taken so long we have already used it. So I mailed the letter with a $160 check to them, and a copy of our current I 171H form. They will them send me a letter telling me that we can come in to get that done. They dont let you call to make an appointment . This takes about a week or so for them to send it back to me, then it takes a few weeks or so to get an new updated version of our I171H form with the updated fingerprints & when these will expire, as well as our date of when the offical I600 form would expire.... Things take so long so you are constantly having o update things!! Its ridculous! Anyway, once we get that we have to have a cover sheet with DOug & I notarizing it that it is a true and valid document...and then we have to have it certified in KS again, and then overnight it to Houston, and then get it back to have it then sent to Guatemala to be translated & legalized. I am hoping that we can submit everything but this for now, since techinally the one that we have on file with my attorney to give CNA is technically still current, until May 20th...the fingerprints anyway. It is just not certified & authenticated....or translated, ect...so I dont know what they will do? So it could be mid april before all of this is done and back to them in CNA, and if they dont look through our file before that it will then be 6 weeks after that. I feel like they are constantly giving us some kind of a stall tactic. Although, I am praying that what Roberto has now he can present & have them start reviewing our file... he wont get the documents I sent him on Monday until next week, and then he has to have those translated and then legalized...so at the minimum our paperwork wont go into the CNA until the last week of March.

So far only one other family has made it through CNA enough to be able to take their child home. I know that because this is a new process and they are still fine tuning things, there will be some delays..but seriously!! Uuugghhh.

It is hard not being in Guatemala and staying on top of everyone the whole time making sure they do their job. I am hoping that we can go in May for our empathy study, although it seems that many are waiting to get this scheduled. Everyone's cases are different, so they require different things from each file depending on the situation...if they need to look further into something or need further proof of something. We just recently found out that our I171H form has to be notarized, certified, translated, and legalized....through my yahoo group I am apart of. Almost everyone in that group has a case that will potentially be a transition case with the CNA.

I wish I could trust someone 100% to have our best interest at heart!!

As far as I know, and I will call Roberto to confirm today, we are still waiting for th judge to sign off on our resolution; apparently it has been on her desk since the week I was in Guatemala..waiting for her to sign it. Then when we met with Mr Tecu he said we needed to fill out an offical application for the CNA....which he sent us downstairs to get, although..they had no idea what he was talking about. Roberto said he was waiting to get the application from Mr Tecu's assistant, we will see...

I had my nephews stay the night last night, one woke up at 5:45AM this morning and wanted to have his diaper changed, his "milkie" refilled and some cheerio's in a baggie and watch Sponge Bob Square Pants. IT is moments like that, that I realize that I am losing out on precious momements with Mateo. My girls went to preschool at 3 & 4, and I dont know if I can handle sending him to preschool..when I never even got to experince his "baby" stage. To me, he is still a baby. I was dreaming about Mateo when Doug woke me up saying that someone was up walking around this morning. I miss him so much! I am calling the orphanage today to see if the girls and I can talk with Mateo through the webcam.

Today I am spending the day scrapebooking all of my pictures of Mateo. I am tryng to get an entire album done for each visit trip...as of now, I have the one I did in March of last year, but still have to do July of last year and the one this month.

Please continue to keep us in your thoughts and prayers. I never imagined another summer would go by. I pray that we dont have to miss another Halloween, Thanksgiving, & Christmas! We have missed so much already. I assumed my paperwork would already be at the CNA, and now it looks like it may be end of the month before it is submitted on a good note, or April..if it takes longer. With the way things go in Guatemala...you want to figure longer than shorter, so you dont get your hopes up to high.

I wonder how much I have to pray & be a servant to God for him to help speed this process up. I know we have had many GodWinks along the way, although not without a price, that price is time away from my son.

Val

Our video of pix for the trip

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

I am home!

Well I am back in Kansas! I took Mateo back to the orphanage on Friday at noon. It went fine, no crying... he was excited to see the nanneies there waiting for him. That made the transition easy. Then he turned me to me and wanted me to hold him again, which made me happy! Then headed off to the airport and then back to Kansas! Doug and the girls were waiting for me when I got off the plane, which I love!

I am going to Topeka tomorrow to Authenticate a docmuent that I need to get to Houston to have authenticated and then onto Guatemala. I didnt know I had to have the KBI background checks done too! So we got the marriage license back and authenticated so I will send all three back to Roberto so he can have them translated and then legalized in Guatemala and then back to Mr Tecu, so they can start their review process!

It hit me yesterday that Mateo's life could have been so different if he were to stay in Guatemala. The issues with the birth mother and no father, would have basically been a guaranteed push onto the streets. While I was there I saw little kids, about 5 or so with their faces painted , juggling and dressed up like clowns running around through traffic trying to make money. I saw kids run up to sell phone cards, wash our windows, and just even begging for money. Most kids do not have an education past elementry school, because they have to work to make money. It showed me that I can do so much more to help, and made my heart ache because I knew no matter what I do, it wont be enough.

He has changed me in so many ways, this whole experience has changed me! I cant tell you how much I just want to bring him home, wrap him in my arms and say , " you will always be loved, provided for, you will never want for food & or a drink, you will always have a safe & warm home, and you will have a life of endless possibilites. " He will melt your heart, as all the kids there do!

I am starting a non for profit charity to help raise money for Mateo's orphanage as well as hosting Parties for a Purpose. I will be hosting Arbonne parties throughout the year to raise money for Mateo's orphanage as they get no funding for the government to take care of the kids. Everything they have it all from donations.

Adopting Mateo was initally because I wanted a son, and now I realize that God intended for him to be in our lives. He knew that he would do great things, whether it be through him, through our journey, or experinces with all that is involved in adoptions. Mateo's name means "the gift". He is a gift to our family in so many ways. He and his 2 year old life have already changed me forever!!

Hugs, Val

Last night with Mateo here in Guatemala on this visit trip

Well I just got Mateo to go to sleep...it took awhile. He wanted me to hold him, then I sang to him, and then I just laid down with him and held his hand until he fell asleep. As I am laying with him holding his hand, and kissing on his little hands I realize that it will be another few months before I get to do that again. His little hands still smell like the banana I gave him before bed time.

I hate that he will think that I left him again and be confused. He has been so attached to me all week. If we are sitting by ourselves he will sit and eat his food in his high chair, although if other people are sitting with his, he has to sit on my lap.

Today I took him to get his hair cut, and got to keep his hair so I can put in his baby book. He cried the whole time. This older lady in the hair salon got onto me in spanish because he had shorts on. She was trying to tell me that he needed pants on and a long sleeved shirt. I thought it was suppose to be warm the whole time, so all I brought were summer type clothes. I guess even in the summer they dress kids very warm. Oh, well... His hair cut was alittle shorter than I liked but it was still cute! Hopefully when I come back for the empathy study it will be grown back out!

We went to dinner with a few other couples that I have met. They have children also at the same orphanage that Mateo was at initally. They are both using the same agency I am too. They will be taking their kids home with them this next week, which I am so excited for them!

I miss Doug and the girls and need to get home to them, but feel pulled to be with Mateo. This is so hard. We have really gotten close this week. We have our little routines; he eats a banana and drinks his juice in the morning and watches cartoons while I get showered, he gets all of his clothes on and then goes and grabs his shoes and sits right down so I can get them on, he pushes the buttom to go up and down the elevator, he wants me to hold him while we pick out our breakfast in the buffet line, he gets excited when we get to our room and jumps up and down, he touches my face while his eyes open and shut as he goes to sleep..so many memories and still months to wait to bring him home with his forever family!!

We are leaving the hotel tomorrow at noon to take him back to the orphanage and then head off to the airport..

Till we meet again!!

Mateo got his haircut this morning..

After breakfast we went to take Mateo to get his haircut. I am not sure that he liked it too much, as he cried the whole time. I had the front desk guy here at the Barcelo write a note that I could give to the hair stylist so she would know not to cut it too short, as I liked his curls. She still cut it shorter than I wanted her to. They gave me the hair that they cut off. So I can put that in his baby book. Then we went to the kids play area and colored for a little bit. I am waiting for his to warm up a little so we can go and swim..hopefully here in a bit!
One of the older ladies that was waiting to have her nails done at the salon told me in spanish that I needed to have pants on Mateo instead of shorts, too funny! I didnt bring pants, only shorts, as I thought it would be hot here. I guess even when it is hot they still dress the kids very warm here.

We are getting ready to go walk around downstairs and blow some bubbles while we wait for it to warm up!

Update after the appointment today with Mr Tecu in CNA

Well I went today to meet with The Central Authority. I met with Mr. Tecu. He was a lot younger than what I expected. He looked about 36 or so.. He was very nice. Serious, but nice. Roberto, my attorney first started by explaining our whole situation to him. Then showed him some of the documents that he wanted to see; the DNA test, the correct birth certificate from the birth mom, the paper from the courts, ect. Then after he had an idea of our situation he explained what we would be expecting. He said that it was very important to know that I have visited three times now with Mateo in person. He says that one of the most important things for the C N A is that they know that we have built a relationship with the child, mainly by having quality time spent with him. This made me feel bad for the other families that needed to be transition cases as well, but didn’t know that they needed to go on visits to see their child to build this relationship for proof. Many cannot afford to do this.
He said that there are families in Guatemala that want to adopt children and that they would typically have them have first choice, although since we have proof that we have built a relationship with Mateo, that it is very likely that we will be linked to him. He said there have been no transition cases that have been denied through the C N A when there has been proof of a relationship that has been built with the child; pictures, video’s, ect..time spent with the child. He said that the C N A is not trying to be an obstacle for adoptive parents, but they are wanting to work with us to make sure that the best interest of the child is served. He said that there has been so much corruption that, that is why they are now working with adoptive parents for these transition cases.
So for us this is what he said: Fill out an application with the Central Authority requesting to start the adoption process of Mateo with the C N A. ( He said we will not be able to go through PGN and that Roberto needed to tell them that.) Get a letter from the Embassy attesting to our valid I 171 H form (which I presented him the original to him that day, but he still wanted the letter from the Embassy). I explained to him that I had tried to email and call about 20 times with no response, and he told my attorney to contact another person, I don’t know the name..Roberto wrote it down and told me that he knows this person and will make sure that we get it. He also said he needs to the Minors Court to take out the part in the resolution that recommends Doug and I for adopting Mateo because it wasn’t their decision. So Roberto is doing that part. Then he said we just need to submit the documents for the C N A dossier, which are the requirements I had already gotten done. They are being translated and will be done on Friday. We will submit those and then once he has all the paperwork, which he said to hurry and get to him…that it would take about 6 weeks for them to go through our paperwork and that they have to check and make sure Doug & I had nothing to do with the falsified birth certificate of the birth mother. Then once that is done, they will schedule an empathy study. This is where Doug & I will come to Guatemala for 7 days and keep Mateo with us. Then we will have a social worker meet with us a few times to watch us with Mateo and ask us a few questions. They said they will work with us on the timing of this empathy study…he said we would have about a 3 week notice. Then once the empathy study is done we have two options. We can take custody of Mateo then and stay with him in Guatemala until the adoption is complete, or we can have him go back to the orphanage until we do the final pickup. From the time the empathy study is done, he says it takes about 3 to 4 months before we pick him up.
He said that once the empathy study is done, the C N A general director will have to approved the resolution for us to adopt Mateo. Then the file goes to the family court, and it is there for about 4 to 6 weeks. Then the file will go to ReNap where they will issue a birth certificate with our name on it, and then it will go to immigration and then to the US Embassy where we will get his visa and then take him home.
So in a perfect world, the paperwork that we have to submit will be to the C NA by the end of next week, and then they will review it for 6 weeks, an empathy study will be scheduled..so maybe in May or so, and then we will go for the empathy study. Once that is done we will have about a 3 to 4 month wait before we will officially be able to bring him home.
So I am thinking it will be August, or September. Sounds like a long time, but at least I have time frames, which I haven’t had this whole time. I did ask how many transition cases there were in C N A and he said that he couldn’t tell me because that information was confidential.
So tomorrow I have all day here at the hotel, we will probably veg out at the pool for the day. We are meeting another couple for dinner here in about 25 minutes.
Xoxo, val

Birthday Dinner

Mateo & i ordered pizza for his birthday at the resturant here and then had a cake that the resturant made him. We had a great time , even if we were by ourselves..
Right as we were getting ready to leave me saw another adoptive family that have a daughter at the first orphanage where Mateo was. We had them sat with us for about 30 minutes or so and caught up while they ate. We are meeting again tomorrow for dinner with another couple from that same orphange that are also staying here.

Tomorrow we are getting Mateo's hair cut alittle, as it is quite long in the back. Then we will do some fingerpainting, play at the pool, and then probably have a little nap before I go to the CNA. Claudia will come here to play with Mateo while I am with Roberto at the CNA. Then we have dinner with the other two couples tomorrow at 6PM..

I have been so lucky to meet all of these families that I have been talking to for so long over the phone and emails, on this trip!

Till tomorrow!

Had a great day today!!

Today was Mateo's 2nd birthday! He slept 10 hours last night, and I had to wake him up this morning to get up to eat breakfast. He had eggs, french toast, rice crispies & milk, strawberries, and orange juice. He fed himself mostly. Then we went to the zoo! He didnt want to get into the stroller. He wanted me to hold him the whole time...so it was a bit tiring for me. :) We then went to the local market place to look at gifts for his sisters, and got them two things each. Mateo was happy to be walking at this point as he was sucking on a sucker the whole time. Then we went to Mc Ds for for lunch. He had a chicken nugget happy meal again, and then the employees came over and sang him happy birthday & gave him a cheesecake thing with chocolate on it. He liked that. He hasnt done to well with the chicken nuggets, so we probably will have to do something different tomorrow. We played in the toy area, and at first he was nervous but after we went up once he liked it and wanted to do it again.

When we got back to our room, he wanted to play and dance. We listen to music and dance, he loves music! He is sooo funny! We had to call Doug because he shocked me!! I was saying "eyes, nose, mouth, ect.." and he repeated me and pointed to the correct parts. Over and over again he said the correct names in english. He will repeat what I say. When I was changing his diaper I said " you have a stinky tushie.." THen he would say "tushie, tushie" and laugh!! I love it!

Right now he is laying on the bed trying to nap while reading books. We read some, but he likes to lay there and look at them too! So I will lay with him for awhile and then will update again tonight!

I have Mateo with me!!

Today was a busy day!! I got up early to meet with Claudia. We got the letter at Minors COurt from the judge to have permission for me to have Mateo with me while I am here this week. It took about 45 minutes for the judge to get there and then another hour and 1/2 wait for the clerk to type the letter. I am not sure what took so long?? Anyway, we got it! We then went to pick up Mateo. He is soo sweet! He came running up to me and said Ma -Ma, and hugged my legs! All of the kids came running up and hugged me too! I brought cracker jacks and the kids couldnt get enough of them. Seriously, these little kids are so sweet!! You just want to take them all! We stayed there for awhile and then took Mateo with us. We had to drop off document to the translator to get translated, she will have them all done by friday.

I came back to my Hotel to get money out to give my attorney, but the atm kept declining my debit card??? I even drove to another place and it still wouldnt work?? So finally we drove to the bank and they swiped it with the machine and then I was able to get money out. Apparently you cant take out more than $120 a day with the ATM. I didnt know that so I was putting it in for more, and thats why. Nothing like being in another country without a working debit card and my husband not here with me! Luckily we got it all worked out and got my attorney the money he needed and me what I needed. although, we still could only take out $500 a day?? Crazy...
We drove through drive through at McD's to get mateo a happy meal, as it was already 2:00 by the time we did all of this running around to the ATM;s and banks. Claudia and Roberto took me back to my hote and I fed Mateo. While we were running around he had drank two juices I had brought, well...needless to say Mateo broke me in good with the EXPLOSION he left me to clean up! It was apparent he needed a bath!! And I needed housekeeping to come and change my bedding, wash his clothes, change the trash, and spray some air freshner!! I put him in the bath, which he loved!!! He kept taking his little sand pail scoop and putting water in it and throwing it up in the air and yelling "Agua!!". Then he would laugh. The bathroom was soaked! I have alot of it on video and camera!

Then we played for a bit with some of his toys and decided to go down to the pool. We only stayed for about 20 minutes as he wasnt that interested in it. A little nervous. He looked cute in his shorts though! Then we went back inside and looked through some of the shops at the hotel. A woman gave him a little rattle thing and he liked that!

Then we came back up to the room and plated with bubbles, trucks, dinosaurs, and these little toys animals I brought. He colored his first picture for me!! THen wanted to try and "taste" the crayon. Then wanted to color on the tv cabinet. Too funny!! He threw a little tantrum when I said no and took the crayon away. That was cute, had to video that!! :) He loved the monkey I brought. He had the little baby one when he was little at the first orphanage. He kissed it, hugged it, pointed to its mouth and tried to feed it a cracker. He wrestled it and when I would try to move it, he got upset, he wanted to hold it, wrap it in a blanket and hug it.

Right now he is sleeping with it and his blankie. He looks so sweet! We will go have dinner later this evening downstairs just to get out of the room.

Tomorrow we will go to the zoo for Mateo's birthday and then have pizza! We will probably veg out at the pool after that, and then to a nap in the room. We have all day tomorrow with not alot to do, so it will be nice!!

If DOug and the girls were here , it would be perfect!! I will keep you updated day to day and with pix that I have taken!!

I made it to Guatemala

I am sitting here at the hotel just anticipating my visit to get Mateo tomorrow! Claudia from Gladney will be picking me up in the morning to take me to the courts right when they open to meet with my attorney and hopefuly get a letter from the judge saying that Mateo can stay with me this week during my visit. There were some issues with another adoptive parent at Mateo's orphanage and because of that the director of the orphanage is requiring that we have a court order to be able to take him with me. So I am praying that we can! It will be hard not have him with me all week, but if all I can do is visit him at his orphanage, than that is what I will do. I had the chance to talk with the director last Thursday and was able to see Mateo on webcam again and talk with her about my trip. Everything went well, so hopefully it will all be good. I am praying that we get the resolution while I am here so we can present that to Mr Tecu in Central Authority. We have an apt with him to present him my case on Wednesday at 2:30. Claudia from Gladney is going to come here to the hotel to play with Mateo while I go.

For Mateo's birthday on Tuesday, Claudia is taking Mateo & I to the zoo and then to have pizza at Chucky Cheese. We will probably spend the rest of the day at the pool here at the hotel.

I will upload some pix tomorrow evening once everything gets settled ect.. Till tomorrow!!

YEAH!!! Finally good news!

I talked with our attorney, ROberto today and he said the resolution was done and was being signed by Judge Mena today! He held it in his hands and read it himself!! He said he will be picking it up on Friday and presenting it to Mr Tecu at The Central Authority on Friday! Then scheduling an appointment to meet with him next week to discuss what we need to do to start the process. We have almost all the docs needed for CNA that I have been told I need by my yahoo group friends that are also transistion cases.
I had conacted the state senator last week and received a call from them over the weekend. They are planning to call the US Consolate today to have them request to have the letter I need from the Embassy sent to Mr. Tecu. So things are moving yeah!!!
Got update pix of Mateo and he look so big and happy! I am booking my flight to Guatemala tonight and there is a possibility tat Doug will come with me! If we can work it out with the girls sports schedules, and their cattle "stuff". Otherwise I talked with Claudia from Guatemala that works with Gladney and she said she will take me to and from places I need to go, take me shopping, ect. We are having a birthday party for Mateo with his friends on that Tuesday, so we will need to get a pinata' and toys for the kids. We will either order pizza or have McDs happy meals brought in, and get a cake! cant wait!! Mateo here I come! Keep us in your prayers! val

Busy day

I am planning my trip to visit Mateo in March for his 2nd birthday!! I cant wait! I booked my hotel today, and will be purchasing my flight this week when I find a flight that works... I cant tell you how excited I am to spend time with Mateo by myself! I am going to get him his first swimming trunks so he can swim in the pool with me. There is a zoo next to the hotel so we will be taking a trip there too! I will get in on Sunday early enough so that I can go get all the supplies ready for Mateo's birthday party at the orphanage with his friends. I am getting a pinita' . Apparently he loves dum-dum suckers, so I am going to buy a couple of bags to put in the piniata' along with snack crackers, gummies, ect.. CAN YOU TELL I AM EXCITED! I know this trip will make things start moving for us, I can feel it. I have to do some birthday shopping for him this weekend, and for Adyson too. His birthday is on the 3rd and hers is on the 10th.

I will be scheduling an appointment to meet with Sr Tecu at the CNA and also with the judge. I was told that our resolution was almost ready, but the orphanage director today. So that was good news! Also, our senators office called and they are contacting the US consolate to help me to get a letter that I need for my file once my case is submitted into the CNA.

God will provide for us. I have turned this over to him. I have good days and bad days, but in my heart I feel mateo coming closer to us..and home! Keep us in your prayers!!! Val

Update on our NON PROGRESS???

I have had so many asking me lately what is the newest with Mateo?? Well as of now, still nothing has changed. I was told by both my attorney and Dinora from the orphanage that Minors Court still hasnt had time to do a revision and printing of my final resolution. We need this in order to move forward into The Central Authority. They said they just started working on resolutions this month ( Jan). Apparently because of the month long holiday they all took from mid Dec through mid Jan, that affected the process.. As of now I have no idea when we will get it. Dinora mentioned possibly in two weeks, I dont know if that is what they told her, or what she assumes? Dinora has been very helpful with following up on our case, which I didnt realize she was going weekly getting updates, ect. So that is good. She also has a webcam and we have been able to talk with Mateo on ours to him a few times. He is so sweet, he has said ma-ma, and Hola! He has also laughed outloud! His 2nd birthday is March 3rd, and I am planning a trip on the 1st of March by myself for his birthday. We just got back from Hawaii about a week and 1/2 ago, so I dont think DOug will be able to go with me. The girls are doing basketball tournaments on the weekends now, and with having to care for the cattle every night, it just wouldnt be feasible for him to come with me. He doesnt like that I am talking about going without him, but anyone that knows me , knows I am stubborn when it comes to doing what I want when it is regarding my son. My 32nd birthday is this next month and all I want for my birthday is to see my son, and to have some progress. This last week or so has been very difficult for me. My best friend and Mateo's godmother was diagnosed with cancer. She will be okay, starts her treatments this week. It just puts into prespective how precious every moment is and how important it is to not take anything or anyone for granted. Mateo is in my thoughts all day. I see little babies I think of him. I see a toddler, I think of him. I see a cute little boy, or cute little outfit or toy, I choke back tears. I have had to walk away a few times from people that had a little baby in their arms, because I am having a harder time fighting back the emotions. The longer it takes the more I realize just how much of his life I have already missed. I see my best friends little guy and all the cute things he says and does, and realize that Mateo is doing all of those things too, only I am not there to see them. I am soooo blessed to have two beautiful daughters here at home that I can love and hug on all day. How can I be so blessed, and grateful , but them so sad and frustrated at the same time? Sometimes I wonder if this is my fault because we made the decision for DOug to have a vastecomy years ago, and its my punishment. That maybe this is just something that I will always have to hope an yearn for. THen I struggle with being mad at myself, because I believe that God provides. I know that I have to put it in GOds hands. ALthough, it is hard because nothing has happend for so long. I feel like we have been taking one baby step foward, and then 10 leaps back. I feel selfish because I want and need him here. I feel like until that happens, there will always be a big hole in my heart that no one else will be able to fill.
People as me why dont I just try to adopt another child? They dont realize that he is my son. I am his mom. I love HIM. He is suppose to be here with us. He is suppose to be able to enjoy his own room with his little crib and baby bedding, and all of his own toys waiting for him. I realize that this could quite possibly be the 3rd summer that I miss with him, and that only leaves another 15 more summers.
I know I am rambling, you can imagine poor Doug having to try to keep me in good spirits. If it wasnt for my faith, my family, my friends, and my business..I would probably be a crying mess everyday.
God, please wrap your arms around little Mateo. Keep him safe. Let him know just how much he is loved & protected. God please keep him in the thoughts & heart of those that are making the decisions & have the ability to move our case forward, and bring him home to his family soon. Give DOug & I the strength to continue to grow our faith in you, and to be the best parents that we can be for Rylie & Adyson. Give DOug & I the courage to do whatever we need to do to bring our son home. Amen.

No Answer from my attorney yet, once again..we are waiting

We were told by our attorney that he should have our final verdict report back from the judge on Dec 29th, and then he said he should have it in his hands no later than Jan 2nd. Well it is now Jan 7th, and still no news... I am not sure if he is on vacation or what?? So once again I feel like nothing is being done.

I had emailed other adoptive parents through a yahoo group I am apart of that are in the same situation as me. Most of them are already in The Central Authority and have their paperwork there and have been waiting for about 3 months or more... Apparently no one at the CA speaks english, so I will have to have someone call for me to translate if I want to call them directly. Although, until they receive my file they cant help me, which of course I cant have my attorney submit without this report. One parent said that the 4 month estimated time that I was given by another adoptive parent for the start and completion of the CNA process , was not likely. She said she has been in there since Aug of last year, and just this week got notice of her empathy study scheduled.

I have to say I am very frustrated. I feel like this is never going to happen. I have faith in God. I believe that Mateo is suppose to be home with us, but still we wait. I dont get that. This little boy has spent his first two years in an orphanage. He has had a family to love him and willing to take care of him since he was a month and 1/2 old.

I feel so helpless. I feel like my hands are tied and I am not doing anything to help him come home. I cant call anyone that can speak to me in english, I cant get the embassey to reply by email or phone to my emails or calls, I dont know someone "who knows the right persons" that can help..

We are planning to take a trip to see Mateo for his 2nd birthday the 1st week of March. I think Doug stresses about the cost of all of this. He loves Mateo , he wants him home, but so far there hasnt been too many lights at the end of a VVEERRYYY long tunnel.

I go in his room and straighten his bed, as the girls always go in there and mess around. I vaccuum his room weekly, I made Doug set up his little tool set he got for his baby shower back in Sept of 07. I go in there and try to imagine that there will be a day that Mateo is able to see his room , and play in there. I look at the changing table, his diaper genie, his little towel hoodie, his superman bandaids, and think that more than likely by the time he gets here, he will have outgrown those things.

I received alot of pictures from my agency the other day and I will add those to my blog. I have been having computer issues lately, so we will see if I can do that.
I leave on Sunday for Hawaii, I was hoping to have some news that we were entered into The Central Authority before we left...but we will see...

I am sorry to be Debbie Downer, but I feel numb. My heart aches for him, I feel like I havent had a normal day in a long time. There is this void there, that can only be filled by his presence here , home where he belongs.

Please pray for us. We all need alot of strength and courage to continue our fight to bring Mateo home. He is our son. We love him and will continue to fight to bring him home.

Good Night and I will post when I hear any kind of an update... Val

We got good news yesterday!

I got an email from my attorney yesterday and he said that the clerk at Minors Court woudl have my "final verdict report" done by the 29th of Dec. He said he should have it no later than Jan. 2nd! SO I am working on getting all the things that I know I need to do for The Central Authority now, so when I am submitted and my attorney talks with Jamie Tecu ( the 3rd in charge at The Central Authority)I will have as much already in hand as they need. SO I am trying to get it all together by this weekend.

I bought a webcam & headset yesterday so I could see Mateo!! I was so excited! I set up an account with MSN Messenger Live and I was able to talk with Mateo, he was able to see the girls & Doug & I. Since for some reason the volume wasnt working we had to type back and fourth. I saw him laugh, and smile. I cant wait to see that everyday.

We mailed a BIG Chistmas package to our agency so they could bring it for us last week. He was playing with the toys we bought him. I bought alot of clothes for him to wear, and then lots of toys for all the kids at the orphanage.

I am planning to see him for his birthday the first week in March, and would love to be able to have that trip count as our empathy study that we have to have while there.

I am praying that we get him home before summer! So he will be a little over two, but it looks promising. I am told once we are submitted into The cental Authority, it is taking about 4 months. Maybe if I get everything needed done ahead of time, I wont have to wait so long???

I will also post the new pix I got of Mateo... Please keep us in your prayers... Have a Merry Christmas! Val

Still waiting....not very patiently though

Well it is that time of year, again. When you think you will have your first Christmas with your child..and yet, another holiday season will go by without my son here with us. Our 11 month long investigation in Minors Court was dismissed on Sept 22nd, and we thought surely we would have this "verdict" that is needed to be able to present to either PGN or The central Authority, whoever we end up going to...to say that the investigation was offically closed. I dont know what the hold up is. My attorney keeps saying that it is not done yet and that if it isnt in by the end of this week, than we will have to wait until mid-December. I remember last year when we were told that PGN shuts down basically from mid-NOv to mid Dec for holiday vacations for thier staff. I am tired of just accepting answers. I want my son home. I dont know what else I can phyiscally do. We have paid money out the ying-yang to everyone who wants paid for one service or another, and we have been twice to Guatemala to see Mateo, and I so want to go in December..although, I dont know if it will work out.

What is their deal???? I just try to stay busy and keep my mind off things not moving, but Mateo turned 20 months old yesterday, seriously...when are we going to get him home? I have talked with others in similar situations that are 6 years into the process. I just cannot believe that our US government wouldnt intervene and do something about this. I wish I knew someone who knew someone who could move mountains. I have been praying, I have faith that he will be home, but I dont know how long I will have to wait for my little boy to come home to his family.

It is just one of those days...

Newest Update from Our Attorney

My attorney emailed me today to let me know that the director of the orphanage my son is at, said that we need to start paying for Mateo's care. I was told initally that we shouldnt do it because it could cause problems with our case? At that time it was in Minors Court still..now that it is not, I dont know if it would affect us negatively in anyway if I did pay. They want us to pay $350 a month..which I can do, but I want to make sure this is what I am suppse to do. I was told that Minors Court didnt give our orphanage any monies for his care the whole time he has been there since May. From what I have read and heard, I know that The Central Authority wants us to show "proof" of our connection to Mateo ( pictures, receipts, ect..) I didnt know if this would just help show that we do want him and have done everything we can to care for him as much as we physically could during these last 19 months.

Also, I talked with my attorney yesterday and he said that he would still represent me privately until I get Mateo home. He said that The Central authority doesnt make us have an attorney, as this is part of the new law?? I was initally nervious that I wouldnt have my attorney or an attorney for that matter helping me, since I am not there..and my attorney is. It is nice to know that he will stick with me.

Roberto said that the new birth certificate of Mateo is the only document pending to obtain the final veredict on my case, as he has delivered the other 2 requested documents, this is to say, the anulled birth entry of Mateo of Amatitlán's Civil Registry and the Report of Amatitlán's National Hospital certifying the he was indeed born there. The caretaker at Mateo's orphanage is taking him to a clinic tomorrow for the clinical test ordered to determine his age for his original birth entry was anulled by the judge, as I had explained to you. This is the last document that we have to have for the final verdict in Minors COurt to be done and then Roberto can take all of the documents to The Central Authority...hopefully that is all done this week so we can get this all moving.

I will keep you all up to date as I hear anything else...xoxo, val

YEAH!!! Newest Update from Court Hearing yesterday!

I talked with Roberto today and he said the Minors COurt did release the investigation and closed the case. So, they are writing up their final verdict and when Roberto gets that he will take that along with a copy of our dossier ( he has to go to PGN to get a certified copy)and then our original registration form for the Central Authority that we had to apply for back in Feb. He will then have to register me again with The Central Authorty so that I can be "offically " linked to Mateo now that I will no longer be able to go through with the new law. Although I wont have to wait until the new law opens adoptoins either, because I guess The Central Authority has what they call "transitory" cases where those of us that cant do the old law even though we were grandfathered in because of complications with paperwork, ect.. and we we wont have to wait until the new law is in place in Guatemala...they will allow us to proceed and complete our adoptions. I am told that The Central Authority is wanting to"clean house" and get all of the in process cases completed so that when they new law comes into process they will be able to only do that. so that is good, because they want to complete this too. I am told that there will be like 11 things we have to do that were similar to our dossier..pretty easy stuff that we have to get for The Central Authority, and then they will schedule an "empathy period" where DOug and I amd possibly the girls will have to go to Guatemala for a week to a week and 1/2 to have a social worker meet iwth us, ect and then after that it will go to court and that is when they will offically grant us the parents of Mateo. Once that is done our file goes to the US Embassey in Guatemala so we can get his VISA and then bring him home..which I am old can take about 4 weeks or so, so it looks like Dec or Jan...on bringing Mateo home as long as everything goes as I was told.

I will keep you all posted. I am also going to post pictures of Mateo from the court hearing today...with my attorney and his caretaker. He looks like he has a bite on his cheek.

Thank you for all of your prayers!! Valerie

Update...countdown for Tuesdays news!!

Good Evening,
I wanted to let you all know that our last court hearing for Mateo is Monday at 2:00 in Guatemala City. My attorney emailed me today and said he has everything that we need to present to the judge on Monday. The positive DNA Match was sent directly to the court a week and ½ ago. The correct birth certificate for the birth mom was re issued and Roberto has that and will present it to the judge on Monday.

I am praying for a miracle. This has been such a long process, Mateo is now 18 months old. We were assigned to him when he was only a month and ½ old. I was at an arbonne training coference in April of 2007 when I saw his pictures through email for the first time. Our family has had to watch our son/brother grow up in pictures and video. I have been blessed to have been able to visit Mateo in Guatemala, on his first birthday in March of this year, and again in July. We will definitely go back in December if we have not brought him home by then.

Little Mateo has grown up in orphanages all of his life. His first one was in Antigua, Guatemala of which he lived there from birth until May of this year. In May the courts had him removed from the home and he has been at the orphanage he is in now since then, living in Guatemala City. I know Mateo is healthy, happy, and well cared for. He is a big boy, with beautiful curly brown hair. He has full lips, a mouth full of teeth, and soft little hands. He has a raspy voice, and loves to kick around a ball. I am told he would do that all day if he could. He apparently does not miss any meals!  This little guy is my inspiration and has kept me going strong through many hard times. I can’t begin to tell you the journey that we have faced, because it is so long. The one thing I can tell you is this little guy has a family that loves him very much. He has two little sisters that pray for his swift return every night as they lay down to bed, and again in the morning in their school petitions.


As we come up on Monday , a very BIG day for us…I ask you again to keep us and Mateo in your thoughts and prayers. I will know on Tuesday what the update is. Where we go from here….

Thank you all again for supporting me, it really means so much! Xoox, valerie

New pictures of Mateo!!

A sweet women I met online has a daughter that is at the same orphanage as Mateo. She visit her daughter last week and took pictures of Mateo for me as well as delivered some clothes and toys I brought for him. I cannot wait to get him home! He is so darling, I cant even begin to tell you how amazing it will be to have my son home! I will be calling Roberto tomorrow to get an updates that he has on our case, as far as I know we are still waiting for the DNA test. We had to update our homestudy to get an extention on our I-600 form, so we are waiting for our KBI, SRS, and FBI Background checks to come back and then when those are in they can schedule another homestudy and then we will have to expidiate it to make sure it is delivered to the CIS office in KS before the end of Sept. Ours expires in Sept, and if they dont have it then we will hav eto apply again, which costs us another $685 and 3 months of waiting.... I sent it in July but didnt get notice that we had to have a homestudy update done until a week ago....so Doug and I have been busy getting physicals, ect ...so we are just waiting to get the background checks back so we can proceed here. I would hate to be done on that end and then have to wait here beause of a glitch here in the US on our side.... Keep us in your prayers! xxo, val

New photos of Mateo today!

The Gladney Center was able to have their Guatemalan representative, Claudia go to the orphanage on the 14th of August to get pictures of Mateo...he is getting so big! He looks great, believe me, the Sept. 22nd court hearing cannot come soon enough! We are having to get an extention on our I-600 form, this will be good for another 18 months. Although just got notice today in the mail from USCIS that they will not do an extention until we do another homestudy update, as in the state of KS the are very strict and want a new one every 6 months....even though our homestudy doesnt expire until Nov of 2008....so another $400! I will look forward to the day we have Mateo home and all of these kinds of things are done....

Below is the written update I got today from the Gladney rep....
& I will also attach pictures...

CHILD REPORT
Guatemala

Date of Visit: August 14, 2008

Name of Adoptive Family: EDWARDS

New Child’s Name: Mateo

Name of Child: David Manuel Morales

Age: 1 year 6 month (Born March 3, 2007)



Report completed by: Claudia, in-country representative


Description of Daily Routine:
a. Sleeping: Mateo sleeps in a room with other 5 kids that are more or less the same age. He sleeps in a crib. He goes to bed at 7:00 p.m. and sleeps the whole night until 6:00 a.m. Mateo naps after his lunch for 1 to 1 ½ hour. The rest of the day he’s awake.


b. Eating: Mateo drinks 8 ounces of Nido (Nestle) Growing formula mixed with a Guatemalan cereal named Incaparina.. He also drinks water once a day. For breakfast Mateo eats rice cereal with spoon, black blended beans with bread or scrambled egg. He eats a snack around 10:30 a.m. For lunch (12:30 p.m.) eats veggies mixed with chicken or beef. Mateo eats dinner at 5:30 p.m. and drinks a bottle before going to bed. Mateo also eats noodles, rice and tortilla. He’s a good eater.

c. Bathing: He takes a daily bath around 9:00 a.m. He likes water.

d. Health and Measurements: At his Aug. check up, he weighed 22 pounds, measured 78 cms. and had a head circumference of 45 cms.

He has 2 bowel movements per day.
Mateo has had good health but today he’s having a little runny nose.
He has 4 bottom and 4 upper teeth.



Mateo is well adapted at his new Home
He gets along well with the rest of the children at the Home.
He likes to play with a book that you brought him.
At the beginning of my visit he was a little shy but after few minutes he started to play ball.

We are still waiting...

I tried to call our attorney today to see if the DNA test has come back...I wasnt able to get ahold of him. Hopefully later today I can. I did get new pictures of Mateo from the director of the orphanage. He looks happy, and healthy! This time of the year is always hard for me, I know that once again school has started, he still is not here , and then Christmas time comes shortly after that....I pray that he will be a miracle and we are blessed enough to get through all of this in a timely fashion and bring him home by Christmas!!! I will keep you posted! Valerie

Newest Update

I talked with our attorney today. HE is working with a contact in Guatemala that has an attorney in Nicruagua that will be getting the new birth certificate for teh birth mom. She did admit to the judge shortly after we left Guatemala in July that she did indeed falsify her own birth certificate. The judge told my attorney that we should go ahead and start working on getting the correct birth certificate so we can process our paperwork.

He said that we will not know anything until Sept 22nd, when they make a final judgement on the case. I am not sure that will all depend on. I assume of course the DNA has to come back positive, which that should come back here in a few weeks. THen once that is in, I assume they will be doing a further investigation of the file. It sounds like because the file that was grandfathered in will be in question on whether or not to proceed because of the falisifed DOcument. THey have the choice to allow us to proceed with our adoption and separate us from the investigation of the birth mother that will be ongoing because of the falisifed document. Or they can say that this particular file that we have with all the paperwork that we have done up to this point is no longer valid, and we would have to wait until the new adoption laws took place which is suppose to be sometime in January 2009. I am of course hoping that is not the case, and we are allowed to proceed with our adoption of Mateo with the paperwork and file that we have currently. You would think it would make sense , as long as the DNA comes back positive and the correct birth certificate is sumbitted that we would be allowed to proceed...although we dont know if that means we would go back into PGN or if the CEntral Authority would have the last say on our case before we were offically approved.

I cant explain my feelings right now, it is hard to explain them when you have no control over the situation. Maybe a bit numb. THere are times when it is constantly on your mind..we have been doing this with Mateo since May of 2007, so it seems like you ask yourself "will this every be done and he will get to come home?" This is the closest thing I could imagine that there would be like a miscarriage or for a women to find out she cannot have children. THe hope, anxiety, or what will happen, what if, was there more I could have done?? I have the lose of this early years that I have missed out on, and feel like he was cheated as was our family. I know he will blossom when he gets home, it just makes me nervous of how much longer that will be.

This has been so much...lots of ups and downs. THinking we were close just to be back two steps..
I do feel like things are starting to progress with our case, which is better than nothing..but it is still hard.

I talked with the owner of MAteo's orphanage today, she is emailing new pictures of Mateo, so I will post them later this evening. I have an ARbonne show tonight in Manhattan...so I will have 2 1/2 hours in the car to think. Sometimes that is good, it gives me time to clear my head and get back into a good mindset.

SO as of now we are waiting on the DNA test to come back positive...we should know mid-August. We should fund out next week when we start the paperwork or money involved to get the corrected birth certificate for the birth mother.

COntinue to keep little MAteo in your prayers. Us too!! Take care!

Newest Video of Mateo in July

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Video of our first visit trip

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Newest Update

I talked with Roberto , our attorney yesterday...he said that the birth mother did show up for the the DNA test that schduled for 9AM yesterday morning. A representative from Gladney picked her up and took her. So we will get those results back mid August. Roberto also mentioned to us that the birth mother did in fact admit that she had lied about bring born in Guatemala. She said that she was born in Nicuragua. I think whomever facilitated her previous adpotion of the child before Mateo had encouraged her to go through this civil registrar to get the birth certificate for herself redone to say she was born in Guatemala instead of Nicuragua , so they wouldnt have to wait for papers to come back from Nicuragua. I cant imagine that she would know where to even go without some information from someone that was familiar with that kind of a thing. When I talked with the Minors Court they said that the place where she had her birth certificate issued was known to falsify documents...and that is why they pulled our case into Minors COurt Section back in October, because that red flagged our file.

ROberto said that he had coffee with the judge after an appointment with them and she shared with him that we can continue our adoption of Mateo on their side, they will continue to investigate the birth mom. He said the next thing he is to do is to go on MOnday to put a request into the Central authority for us to complete our adoption of Mateo. So we will hear back from them on what is next for us to get him home. ONE really good thing is the Central Authority just moved to the same building where my attorney has his office!! So that means he can build a repore with the staff and go in there often to check on our case, ect... So hopefully I hear something back next week on that.

It sounds like things are good, so I will continue to pray and keep my fingers crossed. It is a weird feeling, I cant explain not having Mateo here. I know it is all a REAL situation because I feel it in my heart and Of course I have spent time with them now two different times. Although, It seems like a daze going that I am in,just going through motions. Sometimes I cant beleive that we have been through all of this. I wonder what Gods purpose of all of this is, what I am suppose to gain from experiencing this. I do know that there is no greater love than the love than the love of a child.( AND GOD OF COURSE!!) I cannot wait for Mateo to love us the way we do for him. I want him to know us. I want the girls to see their brother. I feel like they think this is not real because they havent seen him in person. They have fallen in love with the idea of a brother, one they see in pictures and on video, but until they have experienced his touch, his laughter, his smile, just his presence, I know they are missing out on so much.

I cannot begin to tell you how I want to complete our family offically, and bring him home. Words cannot express the emotion that I will have once we are on the plane and once we are FINALLY IN KC, HOME!!!

Thank you all for keeping our family in your prayers! xoxo,val

Our Wonderful Day with Mateo and a great surprise for Doug & I.

We got to the orphanage at about 11:00 this morning and Roberto dropped us off and then picked us up around 2:00. Doug & I played with Mateo and all the kids at the orphanage. We were able to see what they do all day and were able to get to know all the staff. We talked with the director and the owner of the orphanage in detail about our case. After talking with us and seeing how DOug and I were with the kids, they trusted us. They offered to our surprise for Mateo to come back to our hotel with us for the night. We were very excited. Doug & I had already rocked Mateo to sleep for his nap after lunch and he was napping while we had to run to Minors Court one last time to sign papers from the meeting yesterday. They made copies for us of the papers and all the details on the court appointment for us to take home.

When we got back we woke Mateo up, they packed a bag with clothes that I had brought him, some diapers, wipes, bottle, formula, a few toys, and we headed out. We stopped at Wendys for lunch as DOug and I hadnt eaten since breakfast and it was already about 3:00. SO Mateo was able to eat french fries, which he loved..and a chocolate frosty. He liked dipping his ketcup in his fries and sucking the ketcup off.
We went back to the hotel for the night. We gave him a bath, which he loved. I hadnt planned on him being here with us for the night so I didnt have any Arbonne baby wash so I had to use my Arbonne stuff. Which was fine..Mateo was able to make bubbles with it. He loved looking at the photo album of himself and us on our visit trip in March for his birthday, and his sisters. We played quite a bit and then we had pizza for dinner..which he loved. He played hide and go seek with daddy, and ran around the room. DOug and I think he might be a bit bow-legged..it is cute. He looks like he just hopped off a horse. After his bottle, a lot of playing and diaper changing...I tried to get him to go to sleep. I rocked him and sang him all the songs that I sing to the girls each night before they go to bed. He liked them but didnt go to sleep. I finally laid him on the bed with me, and every minute or so he would sit back up and look around, and then lay his head down again. Finally Doug laid beside him and got him to go to sleep.

I cant begin to tell you how special this night was for us, and this day for that matter! MAteo is a doll and such a blessing. NO matter the length of the road that we will travel till we finally are able to bring him home, he is SOOOO worth it!

THey are issuing another DNA test and it will be done on Friday of next week. Then it will take about 2 weeks for the results to come back. SO we will know mid August if the DNA test came back positive. The last appointment for the final part of this case in Minors Court will be on Sept. 22nd. THen we should be able to move to the Central Authority for their part of the investigation. We dont know for sure what the details are, probably a month or so we heard today at the Central Authority. Nothing is as fast as we wish it to be. I only hope to get him home as soon as possible. I am praying now for a Thanksgiving or before arrival.

He doesnt have much of a vocabulary right now. He says all the basic things that babies say like ba-bah, ma-ma, and da-da. He said something in the bathtub but I couldnt understand him ..I am pretty sure it was in Spanish. THe girls said their first sentence at 18 months old...I dont think that will be the case for Mateo, but when he gets home and is around our girls for an hour or so, he wont be able to NOT learn how to talk.

I will load some of the pictures we took while with MAteo today...

The director will pick Mateo up at the hotel in the morning at 10AM. Our flight leaves at 12:15. I hope the next time we come is to take him home!!

THank you all for your support! xoxo, val

Our Day in Court

We arrived at the airport yesterday around 1:30ish..Roberto was waiting for us ( he had tears in his eyes when we saw us!) I realized then just how blessed we were to have him as our attorney. He took us to the hotel to check in...very nice hotel and very affordable. We unpacked and then had a late lunch/dinner. I couldnt sleep at all last night as I was so nervous about today. Literally, I just laid in bed and couldnt shut my mind off.

Roberto picked us up at 9:30AM this morning and we headed to the court appointment. We got there and had to wait for an hour in the hall before we were able to even go in the office sitting area to where we would be seeing the judge of minors. Once we got in, a representative from PGN told Roberto that is was necessary that the birth mother be present during this appointment...this was not told to him or us before this appointment. LUCKILY Roberto called the birth mother , Yessica and he was able to get her to come in. We had to pay for her taxi to and from her home as well as give her a bit extra for medicine as she has been sick...she coughed the whole time.

The director of the orphanage where Mateo has been since the removal from Semillas came to this appointment along with a nanny and Mateo. He has gotten taller, but not very big...he is still small I think. His beautiful hair has grown back and it is curly!! He is the most beautiful little baby boy I have set my eyes on! I brought a bag full of toys, clothes, books, and a blankie. My sister Cherie gave me a toy sorter for him as I remembered that he loved that the last time we were here. He loved that! She also gave him a book that made sounds and had pop up pictures in it. He loved the music and kinda danced and moved his head to the music...VERY CUTE! I was able to talk with the director and she spoke very good english. She shared with me how Mateo has been doing. He has been to the zoo and has been out to eat pizza.

After about two hours of waiting to get into our appointment we were finally all in this room ( not what you would expect)the PGN representative, the judge for minors court, Roberto, Yessica, the director of the orphanage where he is now, and two other women...I think from either Minors court or PGN. Basically DOug and I didnt understand a lick of what they were saying, except we could tell that when they asked the birth mother questions, she looked like she was having to think hard about her answers. We assumed that she was lying about whatever it was that she was saying...because once she would say something the PGN lady and the judge would look at her like " YEAhh...RIGHT" and then they would talk really fast. Yessica looked very nervous. Afterwards I asked Roberto what all was said and he said that she had to think about her own parents names, and where they lived. She said that her other two children lived with her parent..near the ElSavador border...which is about 2 1/2 hour drive from here.. It was apparent that they didnt beleive what she was saying. SO because of everything, they still felt uncomfortable with her and didnt trust her, so they are requiring another DNA test... This test is set for FRiday. We gave Roberto money to make sure she gets there on time ( for her taxi, and a bit extra). It will take about 15 days to get the results back as this is a private DNA lab that Minors Court will use. ONce that is done and the results are positive that means that we are approved to adopt Mateo offically...this is the only thing stopping the adoption from completing. THe judge said that we will be able to proceed and they will reccomend us as his parents at that point. THey set the last appointment for Sept 22nd. THis is when they will have the previous attorney, the birth mother, ROBerto, and anyone else involved in our case to come and they will decide if they need to persue further investigation of the birth mother and the previous attorney. As long as the DNA test comes back positive....which we will know mid August, than at that last hearing on the 22nd of Sept...our file will be sent to the Central Authority for the last phase. They have to do their investiagtion of our file, ect...which shouldnt be long..a few weeks. At that point we will be issued as Mateo's parent legally in Guatemala's eyes. Our file will then go to the US Embassy for VISA< ect..

SO basically, I feel good because we have a date..we havent had anything but speculation this whole time. SO, I am praying that the DNA test comes back positive, if not, that will open up a whole can of worms. The birth mother does look like Mateo though. I have a pix of her & I together to give to Mateo when he is older if he wants one.

I was hoping that we would be able to get him home on this trip, but the judge and PGN is in our favor and I know that Mateo is hers, he looks alot like her...so for now Sept. 22nd is the day that we will wait for.

after the court appointment we went to the orphanage to bring Mateo, the director and the nanny back. It wasnt the same orphanage that we were told initally he was going to, so it isnt a Catholic orphanage. It isnt in a good area of town. Although it is locked and you have to have access to get in. THere are only 29 kids where Mateo is. I had 50 dolls that SHadow Buddies donated in KC, and gave them to the orphanage. The kids loved them! THey kept kissing me and saying thank you. Mateo had some lunch, he loved it. He and DOug kicked a ball around for a bit. He looked very happy. THe director said that I could give her my email and she would give me hers and she would send me updates on Mateo (pictures, ect). I will also give her a disposable camera that she will make sure that we get to take home when we pick Mateo up for good the next time. She said she will get different ones with different activites that they do. I feel very comfortable with her.

Roberto is picking us up tomorrow at 9:30AM and we will spend the day with Mateo at the orphanage to play with him. I am so excited about that. You would all just fall in love with all these DARLING little kiddos there!!! I cant wait to see them again!! I will take lots of pictures and video tomorrow to share with you. SO I will post again tomorrow.

Oh, Doug cried when he saw Mateo. I cant tell you how awesome it was to see the look of Doug when he looks at Mateo. When we first saw Mateo he cried abit, and I showed him the scrapebook of all the pictures that I took of us the last time we were with him. THat calmed him down. He looked at a pix of him and Doug and then would look up at DOug like "oh, I know you". The judge loved the scrapebook I did of Mateo..the whole staff looked through my pictures. I beleive that they know he is meant to be with us and that we will make great parents!

I cant wait to bring him home...You will all fall in love with him! Till tomorrow!! THank you for your prayers. It was a good day! Oh, I will also post pictures of our visit! Val

12 more days and counting!!

It is Wednesday night and I am thinking about how close I am to seeing my son again! Our court appointment is on the 15th at 10:15AM, and then we will go see him after the appointment. I wonder if he will recognize us at all, it has been over 3 months since he has seen us. I wonder if he will cry when he sees us like he did when he first met us, as we were strangers. I want this little guy to know that we have done everything in our power to bring him home. I want him to know that we didnt forget about him, and he has been in our hearts and on our minds since the first email we received with him. It is amazing how when you think you are so blessed with a perfect life, two great children, a wonderful husband, a business you love, a beautful home, two dogs, God in my life, but yet...something felt like it wasnt right...that is because our son wasnt yet with us. I cant imagine what it will be like to hold him in my arms once we are home and know that I dont ever have to worry again about what is our next step, because at that point..it will just be life. Raising our family, loving this little guy, and providing him with an amazing life & experinces. I am sure he will teach me a thing or two about what boys are made of...I thought Rylie & Adyson broke me in good, but from what I hear boys are a little loud and boystrious!! I cant wait! When I hear moms talk about their babies not sleeping at night, and about their toddlers jumping out of a tree and breaking their arm...I catch myself thinking, how many times did I take each life experince with my girls for granted. If only I would have the opportunity to experince that with Mateo. I have missed out on so much with him. I go to the pool each week with the girls and see the little toddlers running around as I am laying out getting a tan...and oh, how I wish that was me ( white skinned and running all over the place trying to catch those little guys that keep running off)..but instead I am laying out watching my girls grown diving off the diving boards, not wanting to be with their moms anymore..it isnt cool.... I long for the moment that I an take him to the pool , and see him play in water.

I long for the moment we land at the KCI Airport and I see the reactions of Rylie and Adyson when they see and hug their brother for the first time. Everyday he is in my thoughts and I cannot seem to get "it" out of my mind....when is "it" going to happen for us. Mateo deserves to live his life, he deserves to be loved by his family that very much wants him.

The fair is coming up in our home town in a few weeks, and I catch myself wishing her were able to be here to see the cows and watch his sister compete. To watch the parade for the first time.

Last summer I said, this is the last summer I will be without him, and here it is summer and I am still waiting.

God, you know my heart, you know that we want him and are willing to do great things, whatever it takes... to bring him home to us. Please enlarge the judges heart, please allow the birth mother to come in and do her DNA test, for it to come back positive, for them to allow Doug & I to bring our baby home. I beleive in miricles and beleive that you can do all things. I am attaching some new photos of our family just recently taken, and soon Mateo will be with us too....thank you all for sharing this journey with me...xoxo, valerie

We are heading to Guatemala!!

Our court appointment is on the 15th of July at 10:15AM. We fly out on the 14th, and then leave to come home on the 17th. We are going to be able to go visit Mateo too on the 15th and the 16th at his new orphanage. I cannot wait to see him! The last video and pictures I got were in in early May...and he was big then! I was told her started to walk last month, I cant wait to see that! We will be bringing a bunch of stuff to donate to the orphanage, so I will be shopping before we leave to bring lots of gifts! I am praying for a miracle and they decide that we can take him home, you never know!!! I am expecting that they will give us an idea as to what our time frame is and what we need to do to bring him home, and when....I will keep you all posted as I find out more!! Valerie

Some good news!

It looks like we will be heading to Guatemala in July. Our case is so unlike any other case that our agency has dealt with that no one can really give me any idea as to what I am to expect. Below is an email I received from our attorney yesterday. I am calling him today, as the date he gave us for our court appointment is on a Sunday, and I cant imagine that is correct. The birth mother didnt come in for a 2nd DNA test so I am praying that our attorney can meet with her so she will come and we can get the 2nd one done to confirm. I knew that a 2nd DNA test would be required and I am surprised when she was in PGn that they didnt request it then. I do know that this is something that is now required through the new Central Authority, and that they typically ask for it right at the end before you get yoru baby. I dont want to get my hopes up, but i think it would be a miricle if I can take him home with us in July. Please pray...read the email below, I will keep you posted! xoox, val
DEAR VALERIE:

I saw Mateo this morning. He es beautiful and doing well. By the end of May, he started to walk, according to information provided by the foster mother. I had a Court's employee take 2 pictures of Mateo and I and expect to send them to you on Monday.

Our petition was accepted and you were admitted within the process as interested parties. The judicial appointment for you in Guatemala was schedulled for July 20 (10:00 a.m.). Should you have a problem with this date, please let me know it, so I can talk with the judge and see IF IT IS POSSIBLE TO POSPONE IT.

The birth mother didn't attend the DNA judicil appointment. I hope she is not afraid of being sent to jail because of documentary legal problems. Thanks to the previous DNA test the other Notary gave me at PGN in April, this document was presented (including its translation) and so, this requisite was deemed as completed. However, the representative of PGN who was invited to the hearing said to me that, ir order to avoid further complications before the Central Authority on Adoption (CNA), it will be necessary to request another DNA test from the birth mother, in order to confirm the identity of her. So, I'll have to request it next week and it won't have any additional cost for you. INACIF (Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Forenses) will absorb the expenses.

REGARDS

ROBERTO

YEAH!!! FINALLY SOME GOOD NEWS!!!

YEAH!!! I am so excited! Xox, val

Subject: Last actions at PGN.

DEAR VALERIE AND SUSANNA:
At last I received Mateo this morning and had a PGN Public Relations young lady officer take a few pictures of him, his birth mother and me in the premises of the institution.
Thanks God everything worked out well, as expected! I showed up at 8:30 sharp and everyone was there, this is to say, Mateo and his birth mother, Lubia Cabrera (from Love Seeds) and attorney Blas Enrique Díaz Pérez. Although Lubia and my colleague were somewhat distant and serious, we began the meeting being headed by the PGN attorney representative. He explained the purpose of the activity and we all agreed that we had something in common: the fact that we are foremost mindful of the welfare and needs of Mateo.
OH GOD ... what a beautiful boy!
A legal document was subscribed in which the boy was officially delivered to PGN authorities because of the legal problems that arose in the paperwork. There was no argument from anybody, at all. Attorney Díaz Pérez handed out to me some important legal documents, among them I found the DNA test results, which is something they hand't attached to the paperwork yet. After that, the birth mother was interviewed by the Psycologist of PGN and, again, signed a personal declaration in which she confirmed her consent to give Mateo for Adoption. She didn't seem to be emotionally afected and didn' cry a single tear during the 2 meetings she held there. During the waiting time that I could spend with her a few minutes, I took advantage to ask some key questions, one of them being where was she originally born, and she said: JUTIAPA, but I know she is not from there. That is the place where she had her birth certificate issued.
So, I'll have to present it and other papers to First Court for Minors (Juzgado Primero de Menores) next week. The lady Judge was not in Court today due to Mother's Day hollyday and, therefore, other judge had to sign the judicial order to transfer Mateo to his new foster home.
As to the foster home, there were some unexpected changes which are to be informed to you. First, the boy could not be transfered to Hogar La Esperanza (from Juan Carlos Rodil), as I had suggested or proposed because the Court's personell said there had been a serious problem with custody warranty there. In fact, they said that, last year, five (5) minors were ilegally taken out (kidnapped) from that place and were scaterred all around diferent sectors of Guatemala City. They said to me: Didn't you read it in the newspaper last year? It was a whole scandal! I know it may seem embarassing to learn for Susanna, but facts are facts and it's better to learn them now.
As a result of that, Mateo was transfered to HOGAR SAN JERÓNIMO EMILIANI, which is run by Catholic Nuns. It's in zone 1, Guatemala City. I am familiar with the sector, thoug I haven't been there yet. They are reliable.
I'll e.mail to you the pictures of Mateo. I am just waiting for Gabriela from P.R to send them to me.
Once I present some legal documents before the Court, I will ask for permission to visit Mateo in his new home and tell one of my sisters to accompany me in order to take some pictures and meet the Nun Director.
The next step is to contact CNA (National Adoptions Council) in order to asses the posibilities of getting Mateo to be asigned to you. Anyway, I will do my best (lobby) at CNA in order to determine what has to be carried out to meet our goals.
REGARDS and ... PRAY!
ROBERTO

GREAT NEWS!!!

Good News, Mateo is being moved to another orphanage on Friday of this week!!! The orphanage will also be cooporating with our attorney on providing all information on the birth mom!!! Please keep us in your prayers! Xoxo, val




Email from our agency:

Good Afternoon Luvia – thank you for sending this information. We have been in contact with Lic. Gonzalez and are also aware of what is happening with the case of Mateo. We send our sincere appreciation for the good care that David has received while he has been at Semillas. We also appreciate your cooperation in providing help with contacting the birth mother and in getting David to the PGN on Friday. I know that in the end we all just want to make sure that the baby gets home to the Edwards family as quickly as possible. They love him very much. Regards, Susanna

Email from assistant to the director at the orphanage
Good afternoon Mrs. Susanna

I would like you to know that today, we received a notification from PGN ordering to transfer DAVID MANUEL MORALES to another
place while they decide what will be the next step on his adoption.

I contacted lawyer Roberto Gonzalez Perez (the lawyer that the Edwards family hired) to find out if he was informed from these
procedures and he said that he was aware and then, he will proceed with this adoption.

We wanted to know before we proceed because if he did not know anything, Mrs. Nancy was not willing to proceed, but since
he recommended that this is the best for the child in order to continue with the adoption, we will proceed to do so.
We will bring the child on Friday morning to Guatemala city. We will contact the birth mother since the lawyer said that they will
need her help in order to continue with the adoption.

We wanted you to know of this situation and we will proceed to pesent DAVID MANUEL MORALES to PGN on Friday. We do not
know where he is going to be transfered to.

Please contact the new lawyer for further information.

Thank you

Luvia

UPdate..sounds like good news!!

I talked with our attorney yesterday. He met with PGN on Friday of last week, and they said that they will be making the previous attorney come to PGN along with Mateo ( so I assume he will be picking him up at Semillas) and then also making him give whatever information that he has on the birth mom at that time. They are a government office, he has to do this. So it looks as if Mateo very soon will be with a foster mom. I just got the information on her today. She is a divorced mother of two, lives with her two daughters, and her mom. Apparently my agency has used her before, and she is very good! Our attorney is meeting with the man at PGN that is in charge of the criminal case on Friday at 3:30, so I am looking forward to seeing when everything will take place, and what happens when they get the birth moms info. I was told initially that she would have to do another DNA test to confirm her being Mateo's birth mom, and they would have to interview her to get the extent to her involvement of the birth certificate being falsified. So assume, that is what they will do with her when they get her info, bring her in to do all that.

I dont know how long it will take to get him in there, I am hoping all of this happens this week, or next week at the latest. I have asked that a representative from our adoption agency that lives in guatemala City that knows Mateo, she sees him once a month, along with our attorney be present when Mateo is brought to PGN...that way it isnt so scary for him.

My fingers, & toes are crossed. I am praying constantly for his safety, protection, and best interest to be served. Please again keep us in your prayers..val

Latest Update on our situation..sounds positve

Well I got an email last night from our attorney and he said that he has spoken with PGN and that he will have an appointment with them on THursday or Friday of this week. He said they are acting very compassionate about our case and that he thinks it will not be a problem to take him out and put into a private foster care family. He said that Nancy has no legal right to cancel our adoption of Mateo. They could also force her to give any information on the birth mom that she can. They also suggested that we start the abandonment process paperwork without the signature of the birth mom or the director of Semillas. This would basically intel them putting an ad in the paper of where the birth mom lives that we no of, and also in the paper of where the birth family lives ( in another country) and seeing if anyone of them want to adopt Mateo. I was told on our visit that 99% of the time no one comes forward, as they cannot afford to travel to get him, or cannot afford his care. Also they said that since he has been in an orphanage since birth that more than likely the birth family doesnt even know about the child. In addition the birth family lives in another country. Im I am not sure of the time frame that this takes, I have heard a year at the long side, but if you have an attorney that stays on top of things, it could be a few months,or 6..

It sounds like this option maybe what we have to do.

In addition to this information, we received an email from our agency. I had asked them to see if there Guatemalan contact that works for them would go check on Mateo to make sure he is okay and still there, and when she called to ask about another case...the assistant to the director told her that she cannot talk with our agency at all on any of their cases. Including the 8 other pending cases that Gladney has there. can you believe that! This woman claims to do what is in the best interest of the child and she is not allowing any communication with with our agency on any cases. I was told that the president of our agency will be taking a trip in the next three weeks to Guatemala and will be meeting with Nancy. He is also sending her an email today, requesting that she act professionally in this matter...so we will see what we find out.

I leave for our arbonne conferene tomorrow and dont get back until Sunday. Our agency leaves on Wednesday for a conference for them and they dont get back until Sunday, so it may be beginning of next week before i hear anything more.

I think the hardest part for me is the unknown. Although I do have a sense of PEACE now. I do beleive that Gods will is in our favor. He knows our hearts & he can hear our prayers. My faith has grown more this last year than ever before. I cant explain why all of this has happened, but it has stregthened me in this way... I told Doug last night that maybe this was a test to test my faith, when so many would have become frustrated and turned their backs on this whole thing. I think if we can get Mateo moved into a foster care family that we will have all access to see him when we wanted, get as many updates as we wanted. THey could even show him our pictures everyday, and even teach him their names, ect... I have heard of some adoptive moms reading stories on a tape and mailing tapes with stories and me talking to him..and his family...when he goes to bed at night...so he becomes familiar to them.

I worry about the adjustment for Mateo being taken out of a place he has known since birth, although I think to be in a one family home, will be the best case scenerio for him, until he can come home for good with us.


If they are able to move him into a foster home, we will still plan to go in June to visit him, I cant wait to see him.

Again, keep us in your prayers...we are doing everything now FOR THE LOVE OF MATEO


Thank you & GOd Bless, Valerie

Very Frustrating Time Right Now..

Well needless to say, yesterday was not a good day. It started out great as I was able to spend all day scrapebooking Mateo's pictures from our visit trip into an album, and that was awesome. Although, afterwards I came home to an email from the director of the orphanage. We will fight this, and are hoping that our attorney goes to PGN on MOnday, and requests to have Mateo taken out of the orphanage. I have never known of anyone to be so cruel. This is a child, and she is all about the money. She even adopted a child from Guatemala herself and runs and orphanage...I cannot believe this. Doug & I were physically sick last night, I woke up this morning feeling numb. This is the hardest thing I have every had to go through in my life. DOug & I 's love for Mateo has only grown stronger, and our anger towards her has turned into strength for us to fight to have done what is right for the sake of Mateo.

I am going to copy and paste the emails that went back and fourth so you can see what has happened. It will be too hard on me to explain this to everyone over and over again. We still have faith that Mateo will come home to us.

The first email is from our Attorney to the director of the orphanage notifying her of the change of POA, and that we will no longer use her attorney and that we have hired him. The 2nd is her response to him. The third is my response to her. The last her response to me. I did reply to her again, but I dont think that it makes much of a difference, she probably deleted it at this point.


Mrs. NANCY BAILEY, Director
Semillas de Amor
DEAR MRS. BAILEY:
This is to introduce myself as the new notary of Mr. and Mrs. Douuglas Earl Edwards in Guatemala, according to a Power Of Attorney (hereinafter referred to as "POA") granted by them on early March, on ocassion of their short stay in Guatemala City.
I am also informing you that previous POA granted on behalf of Lic. Mayén, the former and original guatemalan proxy, was cancelled too and he was notified through a letter of mine, yesterday afternoon.
As a result of a legal introduction of myself, PGN's Section for Minors is also aware of this substitution; so, please be ware of any further steps to be followed. I will soon be in touch with you by phone.
According to this institution's authorities, what I need from you is INFORMATION on how to reach the biological mother (YESICA DEL CARMEN MORALES) for they need to interview and ask her some questions, and depending on her answers and cooperative attitue, they'll be able to define what are the most valid opitons to take.
It' 10:50 a.m.and, so far, Lic. Mayén (former proxy) has not called me. So, I would expect him to communicate this afternoon. He must have information on how to reach Yesica.
Please feel free to call me. I take for granted that all necessary cooperation will flow smoothly between both parties for we are foremost mindful of the needs and welfare of DAVID MANUEL.
Hoping to hearing from you soon, I remain
Truly Yours,
ROBERTO GONZALEZ PEREZ
Attorney at Law

As you can see his email was very poliete...

Here is Nancys response:


Dear Lic. Perez,

By canceling the power of attorney for the Edward's family you have cancelled their adoption. We will not be giving you any information on the birth mother or on the child.

Since the family has decided to hire you as their attorney I recommend that you find them a child to adopt.

Nancy Bailey


Very cold, this is how she has been the whole time!

Here is my response to her:

Nancy,

When we met with the had of minors court section of PGN while on our visit trip , she told us where our file stands now, it is in the best interest of Doug, Mateo, & I that we cancel the POA with the attorney that you had hired, and hire our own. She said your attorney , as well as the birth mom, and the civil registrar were all under a criminal investigation. She also stated that the attorney that you hired had been linked to other investigations that were also questionable…and if we wanted this adoption to proceed, (because it would not, if we would have not done anything)…to cancel the attorney that you hired. She told us this. We saw our file, we saw the falsified birth certificate..it was obviously falsified, but yet the attorney that you hired allowed it to be completed and put in the file. Our DNA test is missing out of our file, why is that? PGN has to now have another DNA test done to prove that she is even indeed the birth mom. For five months we waited and listened, and took the information we got from you as the truth..and then when told by Susanna that more than likely it would not go through, right before our visit trip..so she questioned us coming…we had no choice but to fight for our son. We went on that trip on a leap of faith that it would work out, and when we were able to get right into PGN, we felt that was GOD listening to thousands of our friends & families prayers.

PGN said that the only reason Mateo had not been moved at that time was because our file hadn’t officially been moved into Minors Court, which we were told by you, that it had been. I assume that , that is the information that your attorney had given you..but it was not true. We were also told that our file was at Misterio Pubilico ( SP??) but it wasn’t…it will go there because it will because it is now a criminal investigation…they would have pulled Mateo out already, if it wasn’t for us saying we wanted to keep him there. We can tell he is well taken care of, we can tell he is loved.

You have adopted a child, you know what this is like, how could you be so cruel? You have taken our money, you took the gifts we sent, you took all the stuff we donated with no question…but yet, stayed outside when we came to drop Mateo off, and didn’t come up and say anything to us? We had never questioned anything you were doing or had done, until we found out that we had been told lies for 5 months..whether you knew that they were or not. The head of PGN minors Court section said that the attorney was being investigated, and more than likely he wasn’t following up or working on the case because he knew that it was.

I love him, he is my son…..

Valerie Edwards

The last email I am posting is what she wrote back to me. This is probably the most insensitive email I have ever read.

Valerie,

I find it interesting that you believe everything that this lawyer has told you and that God opened the doors to PGN for you. First you need to know that David Manuel is not your son and that you have no legal right to him until the Guatemalan government approves the adoption.

David's birth mother came to us to place him in adoption and not to the lawyer. She had placed one other child in adoption with the exact same paperwork. I am glad you are such an expert in Guatemalan paperwork but we did not know she was lying. She lied because she is from El Salvador and wanted to place her child for adoption and most likely did not want to go to the effort of getting the needed paperwork from El Salvador. I guess she fooled everyone on her first adoption with her paperwork because it was not picked up by either the Guatemalan or US governments.

Because you are now such an expert as is this "new" attorney on David's case I feel as though there is little information I can give you. But I will tell you that if the Guatemalan courts want to take David away from us that there is an appeals process and we have been through that before and won each time. We would not permit David to be taken from us.

And yes, David's case was moved to the ministerio publico because we paid a criminal lawyer to meet with them and see what our next steps might be. We told Gladney that the case was a criminal case and that the birth mother risked going to jail for lying about her paperwork. Our lawyer is not lying nor is he being investigated. Miguel Angel is an honest man and went to the ministerio publico several times to talk to them about the case. They would give no information. Which is why we hired a criminal attorney. I suspect it is in the best interests of the new lawyer to take on your case and bad mouth our attorney.

The donations that you brought were for the children and not for me. I am sorry if you weren't thanked enough for them or that you expected that I would meet with you. Had you wanted to meet with me you only needed to set up a time for that but I can see you had already made a plan to hire the other lawyer.

You were NEVER lied to.

Cruel? Well, I would like to see you do what I have to do everyday and the amount of work that I do and for free. I doubt you would last a day.

Please do not write again. We will not be working with this lawyer. Had you wanted to discuss options for your case you should have done so when you were in Guatemala instead of sneaking around and finding a new lawyer that will only complicate things.


PLEASE keep our family in your prayers. We have a long fight ahead of us....

Valerie