Update from HOME

We are home from Guate and settling back in. It's rough coming home - leaving Lili is of course heartwrenching. Also, the logistics of travel, unpacking, laundry, grocery shopping, sleep deprivation, etc, etc all make for a tiring time. We're finally starting to feel closer to normal, although I think this weekend will really help all of us to catch up on sleep and chores.

So, while we were in Guate we found out our file was submitted to PGN!! This is the last legal approval that is required before we can prepare to bring Lili home! I'm hopeful that we make it through quickly and get an approval the first time around, as the attorneys in PGN are notorious for rejecting the file for corrections. Still no really good idea of when Lili will be coming home, but at least the light at the end of the tunnel is shining!

Our trip was good.... with a few minor glitches. Max ended up sick on Sunday, our first full day there. Fevers and vomiting for two days, but thankfully he was feeling better before we left Guate City for Antigua. While in Guate City, we pretty much stayed at the hotel. We did have our foster family over to the hotel to visit one day, and to have dinner. We also made it for a walk around a new mall that we discovered.... very high end, but we did find a place for ICED COFFEE!!! This is nearly unheard of in Guatemala, and usually when we ask for it they look at us like we have two heads!

We spent a few days in Antigua this trip to get a feel for how "American" and "adoption" friendly it really is. We felt very comfortable walking around any time of day or night, and really enjoyed exploring this small historic town. The cobblestone streets make it an interesting town to walk in, but we took a jogging stroller and baby bjorn carrier so we managed pretty well. We visited churches, hotels, jade factory, historic buildings, artisan and handicraft markets, restaurants, coffee shops, a coffee plantation/museum, and a Mayan costume/music museum. We were able to travel one day to Chichicastenango, which is about 3 hours away by car. This town is the home to the largest and most colorful outdoor market in all of the Americas. We had a nice few hours exploring the market and purchased lots of souvenirs, gifts and items for our AUCTION!!! We've decided to do a fundraiser to help finance the adoption, so we are in the process of planning a cocktail party/auction where we will sell some of the items that were purchased in Guatemala as well as many other items! We are hopeful that we can get a good turnout of our friends and family together for a fun and profitable time!

Our time in Antigua was enjoyable, other than the substantial presence of mosquitos who continued to feast on me during our visit! I still look like a polka-dot covered person with all of the bug bites. We felt so comfortable with our visit, that we would consider staying in Antigua for a few weeks at the end of our process with Lili before we bring her home to the US. We'll have to see how everything works out, but at least we know that's an option. I have to say, as nice as our hotel was, I will not stay there again if we go back. Instead, I will either rent an apartment or stay in a hotel that has a/c or at least has screens on the windows to keep the mosquitos outside!!!!!!!!

Hoping that everyone is doing well and preparing for summer! If you have time, say some extra prayers for us so that we can get through PGN quickly and get our baby girl home! Thanks to everyone for your love and support!!!!