Update Update Update!!

So little time and so much to say!

First of all, we FINALLY got an update today. It has been almost a month since we have heard anything. This is highly unusual with our agency but apparently it wasn't just our case but every one's that is adopting from Guatemala. I was getting very upset. Today however, it was a happy day.

Our last update said that the DNA test that was supposed to be done on 4/19 was not done. The birth mom said that she was going to take off work sometime within the next 2 weeks to get it done. We had no idea though. With adoptions, if something is supposed to be done within the next 2 weeks that could mean it was already done or else it won't be done for another 5 months. Add that to the fact that we weren't getting updates and maybe you can understand why I have been freaking out lately. Turns out that the DNA test was completed on 4/20! Yes, I am excited but justifiably, I am still not 100% satisfied. If our test was done almost a month ago, why in the world don't we have any results yet?? I have been stalking my mailbox daily and nothing. I thought results were supposed to be back to us in about 2 weeks. We are going on 4 and all I see in my mailbox are bills and junk mail. We need to get those test results back mostly to make sure that the woman that is giving Alejandro up for adoption is his birth mom. We also need those results so that we can ship them off to be state certified, authenticated, and on their way back to Guatemala. It is my understanding that the US Embassy in Guatemala gets their own copy of the DNA results so that they can begin processing the PA (pre-approval, needed for our file to be approved by PGN). Hopefully they at least got their copy since I have been hearing stories lately about it taking months to get the PA issued.

On to the second part of the update. We are in PGN. This really isn't anything to get too excited about. Our file was submitted to PGN on May 7th but as I mentioned above, we need to have our PA before our file can be approved by PGN and we don't have our PA. Some lawyers decide to submit your file to PGN without the PA with the idea that just about every file gets kicked out at least once anyway. That way it gives PGN a chance to look over your files, find any other errors their might be, and kick it out while we are over here waiting (im)patiently for our PA to be issued. We have the same lawyer with Alejandro's adoption as we did with Marcus's adoption. This lawyer also submitted our file to PGN with Marcus's adoption before we had PA.

So, I guess that is all we know about Alejandro right now.

On Saturday we attended a playgroup for families that have adopted from Guatemala and Columbia. It was an absolutely beautiful day but there was only one other family that showed up. We had a great time hanging out with them. We had met them very briefly once before at a seminar we attended prior to Marcus coming home. They have a little girl, 3 years old, who they adopted from Columbia and a little boy who is 3 days older than Marcus who they adopted from Guatemala. I am sure we will see them again. We are all planning on attending the huge picnic that our agency holds annually that is being held this year in June.

I had a very nice Mother's Day. My parents were visiting my brother in another state so we went to Greg's parents'. We had a great dinner and laughed at old videos of Greg and his sister when they were little. (Note to self: When the video camera is on, my children will not be running around in their tightie-whities.) Marcus made me a card at day care and he also helped my mother-in-law by placing his hands for outlining on a poem that my mother-in-law then framed. The best part of the whole day was when a very exhausted Marcus fell asleep in my arms for a little nap. He just doesn't do that anymore.

The novelty of going to work has completely worn off. I woke up on Monday and wondered how I did Mondays once a week for so long. I barely made it. Marcus seems to be doing great at day care. He is doing a little better at home. He still cries when we put him on the floor but we are generally able to get him distracted quickly by a toy now. (Last week he would scream and cry with absolutely no interest in toys, only wanting to be picked up and walked around the house.)

I think it is also safe to say now, since the official announcement has been made, that my very dear friend Amanda is expecting a baby!! Come this December she will be joining the mommy club and we will have a whole new set of subjects to complain about and she will finally understand where I have been coming from. She doesn't know yet, but I know she is having a girl. She will surely be a cutie (as long as she gets most of her traits from Amanda and not her husband that is...) so hopefully Marcus and Alejandro don't fight over her too much.

Now it is time for bed! Check back soon. I have a feeling that I just might have some more good news on the way in the near future.