Christmas Pictures.....

Embracing the A-Team idea

I think the A-Team best describes the kids and I'm going to run with that idea.....

Patrick is Col. Hannibal Smith...the leader and the brains of the operation. He has been scheming and planning Christmas morning for weeks. He has written letters to Santa, called him on the phone, and went to see him multiple times to make sure he knows exactly what to bring. I'm sure that, once all of his gifts are opened he will say, "I love it when a plan comes together."

Jillian is, without a doubt, Capt. "Howling Mad" Murdock. She is the one who diverts mom and dad's attention so that the others can go to work. She will get herself into some minor trouble so that the boys can search and shake the presents while she is being corrected.

Matthew is Lt. "Faceman" Peck. As I mentioned in a previous post, he has the cute and innocent face that gets him what he wants. "OK kids, you can open JUST ONE before dinner."

Random Pictures

Change of direction for the blog

Now that Matthew is home, we are going to change the focus of the blog from Matthew stuff to the Adamczyk kids. Our updates will not be as frequent but they should be quite animated.

Patrick: He has become the leader of the kids and is the spokesman for the group. He is the one that will stand up for the others against mom and dad and is bruitally honest in the process. He will gladly admit when he is wrong or has done something wrong and will remind mom and dad when they have gone back on a promise.

Jillian: She is the story-teller. If you want the truth, avoid Jillian. However, if you need a laugh, seek her out at ANY time. I fear that her dying words will be, "hold my beer and watch this."

Matthew: Do you remember The A-Team? Matthew is "Face." He is the one that gets sent to mom and dad when the others want something because he usually gets what he wants because of his looks.

Take care and Merry Christmas!! We will update after Christmas with some pictures.

XXXOOO....
Todd

"You need Kleenex"

Just a cute little tid-bit.....

We all have a bit of a sinus thing and have been going through the Kleenex like water. Yesterday, Amber and I both had a bad day and were just exhausted. As our patience with the children was wearing thin because of bath time, we heard a cute little voice with a HEAVY spanish accent shout out, "you need Kleenex". We had one of those 'laugh so hard you cry' moments. Matthew, not really knowing what he is saying picked up on, "you need Kleenex", because we must have said that several times this week.

1st Day of School

Today was Matthew's first day of school. He was afraid at first and threw a little fit, but now, he won't stop talking about it. He cannot wait for Friday to go again. We are hoping that he has overcome his fear of school. When we told him he was going to school, the only response he had was tears and, "no quiero Guate." He has associated school with Guatemala.

On a down side, ALL of the immunizations that he had on his records were false. The blood tests came back and he has not had ONE. We are disappointed that his immunization records are false and that he must start a series of multiple immunizations to get caught up. The poor baby will be a pin cushion once a month for several months.

One Day at a Time

Each day is more challenging (and fun) than the day before. As Amber mentioned in a previous post, our dilemmas are because of all three at the same place at the same time. We just have to learn the best methods for three kids within 16 months of each other.

I took Matthew and Patrick to my wrestling practice the other day and they had a blast. Since Matt is a little guy and Pat is pretty big, I believe that I am preparing my future super light weight (103 lbs.) and heavyweight (216+ lbs.) by taking them with me.

Matthew...he is doing VERY well. His english is growing by the minute (thank you Sponge Bob). On the flip side, he is frightened of ANYONE who speaks spanish to him. Every time someone tries to talk to him in his original language he cries, runs away, and says, " no quiero Guate" (translation: I don't want Guatemala).


Hugs,

Todd

We are learning day by day

Well, we have been home with Matthew for one week now. He is doing quite well. He has no trouble sleeping and has a hearty appetite. Every day is a new adventure. The honeymoon is over now and now the kids are fighting.
Matthew is learning new english words all the time. Sometimes he says "it's okay!". He knows his numbers to 20 and his colors. He will speak in spanish sentences but use one random english word in the sentence. Today he told me the trees were "mucho yellow". He says please and thank you. He seems to understand some of the things I say. We fight about clothing all the time. He never wants to wear what I pick out. He rattles off in spanish and I just tell him no..you are wearing this! We have small struggles and most involve the language barrier. Things are going well. The major problems I am having at this time are not because of Matthew, but because of the combination of the 3 children. They are a handful as a group!
Today I took him to Walmart. He has never seen such a place. He seemed mezmerized by all the STUFF! Next week he will start school, but he keeps telling me NO ESCUELA. Again, yes you are going to school!
I have seen a change in Matthew. He seems very happy here. I have never seen him smile and laugh so much. We put him on a bike with training wheels and he wasn't sure what to do. He had never seen a bike before. He loves it and is doing very well with it.
He loves to take baths now. It used to be "all business" in the tub, but now he sees the other kids play toys and put bubbles in the tub and he loves it.
Last night was the first night he came into our room crying. He must have had a bad dream. He kept saying (in spanish) he didn't want to go to "Guate" (I think this means Guatemala city). Todd asked him if he wanted to stay with Papi forever and he said "SI".

Nieve!!!!!!!

Nieve....it's snowing in Northwest Indiana. Matthew is beyond excited.

Just thought I'd add that...what fun!!

Finally Home

The flight home....

Finally Home...

The Embassy: The Embassy appointment was as smooth as silk. We were there for a total of an hour and 45 minutes. The infamous interview portion lasted about 2 minutes...all that worry and lack of sleep for nothing.

The journey home: We left Guatemala City at 7:30am and arrived in Houston at 10:15. We had the dreaded customs interview, which was a piece of cake, followed by a 3-hour layover. From there we left for Chicago and landed at 5:15pm. Then, we loaded up in the van and started for home. We had a brief stop over at Ninnie & Papa's house (my parents) to pick up Patrick and Jillian. We walked in our front door at 8:51pm.

The kids: The cutest thing EVER....when we got home, all three kids looked like they have always been together. Matthew, speaking only spanish and Pat & Jill, speaking only english, somehow held entire conversations and understood one another. As I sit here typing this blog entry, Patrick and Matthew are playing with their cars and talking to each other. I don't know how, but they are communicating.

We will have an open house sometime soon but we want Matthew to adjust to his HUGE change first. If anyone would like to come by in the mean time, please feel free to stop in.

Paz,
Todd

We're Home!!!!

I just wanted to post that we are home!!!!! Everyone is well!

I have so much to share but there is a pillow with my name on it. I'll update the blog tomorrow.

XXXOOO.....

Todd

We have made it to Guatemala!

We arrived safely to Guatemala City yesterday after a long trip, where Todd and I didn't sleep the day before. We totally crashed last night!
We picked up Matthew yesterday from the orphanage and it was bittersweet. Matthew cried when he hugged his friends goodbye. Then I cried because it broke my heart to see his sadness. I can't imagine how it must feel to have your entire life change like this. He was fine once we arrived to the hotel. We took him to eat...and he can really eat! I don't know how he is so little with the appetite he has. Yes, he will fit in great with the Adamczyks!!
Matthew is doing very well. We have been explaining to him in very broken spanish/words about how is life will be different. He now has mommy, daddy, Patrick, Jillian, a whole family. The adjustment will be hard, as he is not familiar with how to function in a family. He is a great little boy, but he doesn't like hugs and kisses. We do it anyway though, because that's "how we roll" in this family.

:)
Amber

Going to Guatemala

We will be leaving for our trip on Saturday the 15th. We will be back on Wednesday the 19th. They have a computer room at the hotel and we will update the blog while we are there.

Also, our flight comes in at 5:19pm at O'Hare and we should be home around 8pm on Wednesday. Please feel free to call us. Don't feel like you would be a bother if you rang the phone.

Thank you all for your prayers and well wishes. God is good!!!!!

Paz,
Todd

P I N K

PINK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our appointment is November 17th!!

Matthew is coming home!!

Praise God from whom all belssings flow.

Praise Him all creatures here below.

Praise him above ye Heavenly host.

Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

AMEN!!!!

An email from the attorney's office

"Yes, Matthew already has his passport, new birth certificate, final adoption deed and all necesary documents to travel. He will be going to his last medical appointment next week to be ready to go home".

We also talked to a lady at the USCIS-Chicago office and she said that we are all set with the I-600 stuff!!!

Our two-year quest is coming to an end.

C'mon pink!!!!!



Inside joke: inbox, inbox, inbox, refresh, inbox

Information...

We just heard from our congressman. He said that he received confirmation from USCIS Guatemala (via email) that our I-600 was filed on January 2, 2008. He has forewarded that information to USCIS Chicago because they requested proof of the I-600 being filed before the I-600A expired.

We are WAITING FOR PINK!!!!!

Todd

Good News????

The lady from JCICS called me about 5 minutes ago. She said to check with the attorney on when the I-600 (not I-600A) was filed. If it was filed before the I-600A expired then all is well. She said that the I-600 is usually filed in conjunction with entering PGN to prove that there is a family for the child. If this is the case, we are waiting on pink!!!

To those who have no idea what I just said, if the attorney filed a certain paper before September 13, 2008, Matthew will be home BEFORE November. If not, God only knows what will happen.


Todd

Papi, Cuando Vamos Estado Unidos?

If only I had a nickle for every time I heard his little voice say, "Papi, cuando vamos Estado Unidos?", I'd be rich.

The latest news is that Matthew is back in the city and is ready to leave. He has his passport!!!!

On the US side of things, we are still waiting to hear from either the congressman or the senator as to what we are supposed to do to fix the mess that the USCIS created. As soon as this mess is fixed, we will be ready to travel.

Bitter Sweet Update

The sweet....we have a birth certificate!!

The bitter....we're still trying to solve the I-600A mess.

We have been playing phone tag with someone from Senator Richard Lugar's office who is eager to help us. As soon as we have some news from the senator, I'll update the blog.

Paz,
Papi de Marlon

File Released to Congressman

Here's the update....

Our USCIS file was released to a reviewer by request of our congressman. We feel confident that the congressman will be able to have this mess fixed very soon and that Matthew will be able to come home.

The most difficult thing in all of this is that the US government is causing the problems, not Guatemala. As far as Guatemala is concerned, Matthew is officially our son and would like us to come get him. The USCIS / Homeland Security will not issue him a citizenship visa and will not allow him in the country. GRRRRRRR.......

USCIS mess

The USCIS has rejected our request to renew our I-600A. What does this mean? The wonderful people at the Homeland Security is giving us a hard time with bringing Matthew home. By Guatemalan law, he is officially our son. By US law, he is not approved to come here. We have contacted our congressman, once again, to help with this mess.

Prayers.....we need prayers!!!


Paz,
Todd

Comparing Notes

We were "comparing notes" with another family waiting for their birth certificate from Guatemala City and believe that we should have ours by Sept. 23rd. If that falls into place then we should have a passport by Sept. 24th and be at the US Embassy waiting for a visa by Sept. 25th.

New Pictures 9/5/08

We just got some new pictures of Matthew.........

The Real Deal

We have been approved by PGN!! What does this mean and what happens from here?...........

1. Matthew is legally our son!!!!!!!!

2. We are waiting on a new birth certificate that shows his name to be "Adamczyk". This will take about 3 weeks, give or take.

3. We will need a passport for him as soon as we have the new birth cert. This takes 1-3 days.

4. Once we have a birth cert and passport, we get submitted to the US Embassy for the visa. This takes about 2 weeks. When we have a visa appointment....we go for him!!!!!!

I'm thinking it's safe to say he will have a Happy Halloween with us.

Can It Really Be????

We got an email from the orphanage director about 20 minutes ago........
__________________________________________________

Marlon GOOD NEWS‏

We finally got the documents from the PGN.
We will apply for the birth certificate next week

Thanks
Angie
__________________________________________________

If this is correct, we are really out of PGN!!!!!

Matthew is coming home!!!!!!!!

It's up to Amber from here

I am officially defeated!! I honestly believe that our adoption agency, attorney, and orphanage director want the adoption to fail. We cannot get email returned, questions answered (correctly and honestly), and assistance correcting some problems we are having with the USCIS.

From this point on, it is all on Amber because I quit. I have to devote my time and energy to Patrick and Jillian whom I've semi-neglected because of the time spent on the adoption process.


Todd

Feliz Cumpleaños, Mi Hijo

Tomorrow, August 23rd, is Matthew's 5th birthday. We know that there is nothing that we can do or say to motivate those responsible for moving the adoption along, so, we just pray for peace. Tomorrow is going to be very difficult for us but we will keep our heads up and face the world.


With a heavy heart I say....


Feliz Cumpleaños, mi hijo. Te amo mucho.

Su Papi

It's Madness!!!!

We heard from our case worker this morning and we are confused by the news.

She said, "The attorney went to the PGN and asked why your case was approved and now sitting there. She asked if they need anything? They said "no". They told her your case would be released in a few weeks".

It looks like our case has been apporved for some time and the PGN will not release the file. Our question.......WHY????!!!

Here is what we can assume:

1. The case has been approved and the final approval document is being written.

2. There is another previo and the attorney refuses to share that info (happened once before).

3. Those involved in seeing the process through don't have one-tenth the desire that we do and don't really care.


Another side note.....Matthew will turn 5 on the 23rd.

The Waiting is the Hardest Part

To quote Tom Petty, "the waiting is the hardest part". We are dying to know something positive....ANYTHING!!! I plan to call the Casa sometime this week...maybe today.

Otherwise....nothing new to share.


Paz,

Papi de Marlon

"When can I come home"?

I just called the "Casa" and talked to Kelly and Matthew.

Matthew asked me, "when can I come home"? I wish that I could have recorded him saying that so that I can play it, over and over, for everyone responsible for completing the adoption.

Kelly told me that he woke up in the middle of the night and asked, "when will my dad come back"? Again, I'd love to have all those responsible for completing the adoption to know this!! From the sound of it, he has had a difficult time since I left last month. He is just as ready to come with us as we are to have him here.

On a positive note, Kelly tells me that he is becoming quite a good swimmer. He is swimming with a life vest but is just about ready to swim without.

Please keep Matthew in your thoughts and prayers!!


Paz,
Todd

The Confusion Continues.......

OK, with great confusion and disgust I share what I know.


1. The adoption case worker keeps saying the file is ready at PGN.

2. The PGN tells us that we need to check back in a week because the file is not ready.

3. The attorney (according to the case worker) believes that the file is not ready.



Forgive my language, but the question that no one can answer is WTF? Right now, that is my only question.........WTF??!!

Our Case Worker is in Guatemala

We heard from our adoption agency this morning. There is a meeting in Guatemala City which includes our case worker, the orphanage director, the attorney and the social worker. As soon as some information comes available, we will share it.

Until then......

Paz,
Todd

Nothing to Add

I know that there are several people who check the blog daily. Unfortunately, I have nothing new to share. I hope that we know something new before the weekend but I really doubt it.

For those who understand international adoptions, we are in the process of renewing our I-171H. For those who don't understand, we have to renew paperwork at the embassy in Chicago because it is almost 18 months old. It is much harder than it sounds and we don't have the assistance that we should......except for our congressman.

Todd

A Day at School

We got another set of pictures from Becky at Backpackers......thank you Bec.

We also learned that Matthew, Liliana (the little girl in the picture a few posts ago) and Kelly (mentioned in a few previous posts) are raising 3 kittens.

Waiting on Some Info

With the rough weekend behind us, we're looking foreward to something positive on the adoption front. The case worker from our agency is in the process of solving the mystery behind our misfortune at the PGN. Hopefully, we will know something soon. Until then, Becky from backpackers sent us another picture of Matthew.

DEVASTATED!!!!!

I just emailed the orphanage director to check on our BC and passport status and learned that we are not out of PGN. She said, "you must be out of PGN before you can request the BC and passport". Because this didn't sound right, We (with help from Ana) called the PGN and learned this..........

When we were told that we were out on 7/10, the attorney JUST THEN picked up the file to work on the previo issued on 6/16.....interview day. We were just resubmitted on 7/15.

We are NOT out of PGN and will NOT be going any time soon for Matthew. We are looking at another month or two and not weeks.

The worse part is being told by our agency, the runner from the attorney's office, and PGN themselves that we are out. How can we not believe that...right??

To explain our agony and to explain the situation better, we were told that Matthew is officially our son. Then two weeks later we were told......nope, not yet.

Nothing New.....Just Waiting

We have nothing new to share but we wish we did. We are waiting on a new birth certificate and passport for Matthew. We have not had any updates and it has been hard to contact the agency. I am, however, going to try to contact someone at the Children's Village later today. The things that we are anxious to know are:

1. Was the protocolo signed? This is the orphanage director's official sign-off on the adoption
2. What date was the birth certificate request made? OR....Was the request ever made?
3. Is Matthew on his way to the city for his passport picture?


Todd

New Pictures 7/15/08

These pictures were taken yesterday (7/14/08). The little boy with Matthew is 8 year old Tito. In the other picture is Liliana, she is going to Denmark soon. Thank you, Bec, for the pictures.

MATTHEW & TITO

MATTHEW & LILIANA

OUT, OUT, OUT!!!!!!!!!

WE'RE OUT OF PGN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What does this mean?.......Matthew is OFFICIALLY our son! We have to wait about two weeks for an updated birth certificate and passport, another week for an appointment at the US Embassy, and then we bring him home!!!!

Thank you all for your prayers!!

Todd

I'm Home

There are so many things to share about my trip that I don't know where to begin. The 5 cent version......Matthew is doing well but is ready to come home. He asked me "cuando vamos Estado Unidos?" (when are we going to the United States?)

I cannot say enough positive things about how well organized the orphanage is. As I said to a few of you in an email, had I been an orphan, that's where I would have wanted to be. There is so much love, many activities, and as you can see from the video I posted, an AWESOME school.

The Backpackers Hotel is top notch when it comes to patron relations. A wonderful gal named Becky made me feel like a member of her family and is an asset to the hotel. The best way to describe the hotel is camping on steroids. The rooms are cabin-like and, with a rustic feel, fit the surroundings perfectly.

The town of Fronteras is market oriented with an old-school feel. My favorite part of the town is the view from the top of the bridge on the walk over. I have a couple of pictures of the bridge from the bottom but had some camera problems and did not get a picture from the top.

I have so many other things to mention like Howler monkies, la lanchas, Livingston, Castillo De San Felipe, and Armando (the Guatemalan version of Sam Elliott) but will reserve that for sake of overwhelming you with reading.

PICTURES:

http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?mode=fromshare&Uc=12xam1yn.2hup7mbr&Uy=ef1g1c&Ux=0&UV=675288300788_819721069111

VIDEO:

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

We are so close!!!!!

I got an email from our agency today. We are so close on this. She was told that our file is finished with the reviewers at PGN. They are waiting for that one document that was requested and that once they recieved it, the file is ready to be approved. Todd spoke to the director of the orphanage (Angie) the other day and was told that the attorney would be submitting the document Tuesday (today). So we should be approved very soon I think. Now we are only weeks away from bringing Matthew home!!!! Today is a good day.

Todd made it to "the river"

Todd emailed me this morning. He made it just fine to the river. His cell phone doesn't work there. But he does have access to a computer to email me so that works out fine. He said he got caught in a monsoon-type rain while on the boat-ride to the orphanage. Apparently, he and everyone else on the boat, were completely soaked. I had to laugh when I heard that.

Todd says that the Hotel Backpackers is a very nice place to stay. He said that it is rustic, but very clean and it is peaceful there. He said he would recommend it to anyone who really wants to see Guatemala because it is beautiful!!

Yesterday, he visited the childrens village ("the casa") and said that it is very nice. It too, is rustic, but clean and organized. He said they have voluteers there that do a great job.

He said Matthew is well. He said that Matthew can take a shower by himself! I am impressed what a mature little man I have. God knows, I wouldn't allow Patrick or Jillian to shower alone because the entire bathroom would be a waterpark.

Today, Todd will go to Livington. I guess a volunteer from the casa will take him, Matthew and a friend (Angelo) to this town which is 1 hour boat ride away. Not sure what they will do, but I told Todd to get lots of pictures.

I have to admit, I am a little jealous that Todd is on this awesome adventure and I have to go to work tomorrow and get yelled at by customers. HEE HEE HAHA

Todd made it to Guatemala.

Well, I heard from Todd about 8am this morning that he made it to Guatemala City. He was on his way to pick up Matthew, who has been staying at the baby house in the city since his interview. Then they were going to the Rio Dulce and will stay there for the week. I know his trip was exhausting and I haven't heard from him again today. "The river" is a 6 or 7 hour drive from the city. This on top of the fact that he flew "red eye" out of Chicago last night...he hasn't had much sleep. Now I wait.....

On a side note, I called PGN Friday with Ana(she calls in spanish for us) and was told that we did in fact have a previo. The file is at the attorney window waiting for pick-up so that we can fix it and turn it back in.

Packed and Ready!!

I'm all packed up and ready for my trip to the Children's Village. I'll stay with Matthew at the Hotel Backpackers in Fronteras, Guatemala. I will take a lot of pictures and video to share with everyone once I return.

A side note, we were assured that the previo was fixed a while back and we should expect to be out of PGN any time now.

Paz,
Todd

A friendly word of insight: Never Give Up

The following is a quote I took from an email that our friend Ana sent to us. We were having a discussion about God's timeline and plan. Her words were consoling.

"This just came to mind -- maybe it's me being the hopeful romantic -- maybe in some way, Matthew is going to have to know that he was really fought for, really wanted and that he is "worth it". And maybe all of this heart ache and separation is really because down the line, Matthew is really going to need to be encouraged and have the reality that he has two parents that have loved him, fought for him and NEVER GAVE UP ON HIM".

Thank you Ana!! Your words are my new battle cry.......Fight for him and never give up!

Previo

It's official......we have a previo.

The way I understand it, it is on the Guatemalan side. If I understand this right, they need the lawyer to produce a document that tells about where Matthew is staying.

As of now, we are told that the document has not yet been taken to the PGN. Once it is submitted, we will have to wait for the PGN to issue the approval.

Some light on the subject

Although we have not been completely informed........yet.........we do know that the adoption file was released with a previo the day of the interview (6/16). I am assuming that the correction was already made and the file resubmitted. I will have more answers later today and will update everyone as soon as I know something.

The roller coaster ride continues

OK, here's the situation..................

I called PGN (with help from my friend Ana) and was told that the file has a "previo". Like I said before, a previo is a request for more information.

Regina, from the adoption agency, called the PGN and she was told that we were approved.

It is my understanding that Patty, a representitive from the orphanage, has gone to the PGN today to solve this mystery. In the mean time, we're a nervious wreck! As soon as I know something I'll update the blog.

PGN Call Today

We are going to make another call to the PGN today.

I will update this post, as soon as I have some news, later today.

Todd

****UPDATE****

We were issued a previo.

This means that something in the adoption file was done incorrectly or was left out. The PGN told us that they will release our file next week so the attorney can fix the problem. Long story short, there goes our hopes of bringing him home in July.

****ANOTHER UPDATE****

We may be finished after all.

Our agency called the PGN and were told that our case is complete. I will spend the rest of the day trying to learn if we are finished or if we are waiting to have something fixed.

Waiting on "Out"

Ever since we learned of our exit interview last Monday, we've been on pins and needles waiting on the final signature. As it looks right now, it takes about 10 days for the final signature to happen due to the high number of cases waiting to be signed. For us, next Thursday will be day 10.

We've been asked, "what happens after the final signature"? Well..........

1. He will be issued a new birth certificate with his new last name. This will take about a week.

2. He will need a passport which will take one day.

3. We will be submitted to the US Embassy to wait for a visa appointment. The embassy just released a statement that said they are processing cases in a weeks time.

4. We go to get him!!!!!

If we get that final signature next week, it is safe to say that he will be home in late July. However, the way this has gone so far, I'm afraid to count on anything anymore.

Another way to donate to the orphanage

Tax-Deductible Contributions for US Residents

Secretary / Treasurer for Friends of Guatemala Children
Sara Dorman
1430 South 1st Street
Louisville, KY 40208


Phone: 502-931-7155
sara@sharingthedream.org


Please send check to:
FRIENDS OF GUATAMALA CHILDREN / IRS ID 52 1302396
P.O.BOX 211076
Louisville, KY
40221-1076

It's True!!!!!!

The exit interview did happen yesterday afternoon!!!

We now wait for the judge to sign off on the adoption!!!

Exit Interview????

We called the PGN with help from our friend Ana. We were told that our exit interview was yesterday and we are trying to confirm this with our agency. If this information is correct then we are finally in the home stretch. I'll update everyone as soon as I know more.

****Thank you, Ana****

A Call to "The River"

I just got off the phone with Paloma. She told me that Matthew has been doing very well. He is excelling in his new class and his teacher comments on his excellent work ethic. I am told that he really loves school and is eager to learn something new every day.

I was also told that he shows off the photo album that we sent for him. He shows everyone his family and always makes special mention of "his dog".

Paloma told him that I am coming to visit at the end of the month. I guess he wakes up every morning and asks, "is he coming today?"

On a side note.......I've raised a little over $1000 to donate to the orphanage. If you can donate anything, please do.

Thank you to all who have helped out!!!!!!

PGN Call & New Pictures

We (with help from our friend Ana) called the PGN and talked to Jennifer. Jennifer is the person who schedules the exit interviews and she said she expects to schedule his interview next week.

We also got a email from Paloma. She attached two pictures of Matthew.........

Phone Call & PGN Update

****UPDATE*****

THANK YOU TO "D" AND ALL THE STAFF AT HEBRON HIGH SCHOOL FOR DONATING ALMOST $300 TO THE ORPHANAGE. IT WILL BE AN HONOR FOR ME TO DELIVER THIS MONEY TO HELP SUPPORT THE ORPHANS.

*****************

We were informed that we are still with the second reviewer. This is OK because we did not receive a "previo". Hopefully we'll be out of PGN soon.


I called the Children's Village last night and had a chance to speak with Matthew, Paloma and Kelly. Matthew was just getting out of school and wanted to play with his friends so he just said hello and good-bye.


Talking with Paloma and Kelly, I learned this........

- Matthew is being moved to a higher level class because he has excelled in school.
- He is learning English with a one-on-one instructor.
- He is at the Children's Village with two other kids from the baby house where he once stayed.
- He only likes to be called Matthew during English class....Marlon in Spanish situations.
- He has been using eye drops because he has pink eye.
- His school day is from 7am - 4pm with a break for lunch and recess at 11am.


He really has adjusted well to his move and has become quite popular. The way it sounds, the older kids have taken him under their wing like a little brother and the younger kids look to him as a role model. He has been very protective of one of the children that came with him from the baby house.


Lastly.....please keep in mind that I'll be going to visit the Children's Village the last week in June. I have raised about $600 so far to donate to the home but am still short of my goal of $1,000. Please keep the orphans in mind and consider helping out.



Thanks,
Todd

My Trip & Donations

As I mentioned in a previous post, I will be going to Guatemala the last week in June. The orphanage is in need of multiple things including.....

Medical Supplies- cough medicine, vitamins, lice shampoo, medicated lotion, etc.
School Supplies- books, pens, pencils, crayons, paper, etc.
Teaching Materials- calculators, ESL textbooks, learning games
Physical Education Supplies- balls, bats, swimming equipment (masks, fins etc.)
Miscellaneous Supplies - soap, toothpaste, shampoo, etc.

Instead of taking these things with me, I am taking a collection so these things can be purchased there. I have some of my Ham radio equipment and other random things listed on eBay which should bring in about $300. A generous couple from church also gave $100. My goal is to take $1,000 with me but will be happy to offer whatever I can. If you can help out please get in touch with me before I go in June.

Paz,
Todd

New Picture!!

We have some new pictures of Matthew and are excited to show him off.

This picture is of him at school. He is to the right of the girl in yellow.

PGN Update & My Travel Plans

Hello All,

We were just informed that Matthew's case is still with the 2nd reviewer. We take this as good news because the reviewer did not find a problem and did not issue a "previo". We also read in a news bulletin put out by the US Embassy in Guatemala that all approvable cases will be released soon. We have faith that ours is one of those.

Another news bit, I (Todd) will travel to Guatemala to visit Matthew and the Rio Dulce Children's Village. I am leaving on June 28 and will be home on July 4. I believe that I will be staying at the Hotel Backpackers which looks like a beautiful place. I have a link to hotel below:

http://www.hotelbackpackers.com/index_eng.html

Lastly, thank you for looking at my blog as often as all of you do. The adoption has been VERY stressful for Amber and I and this is one of my coping mechanisms. This gives me a place to boast, brag, moan and groan about all that is happening. So again, thanks for reading.

Keep Matthew, all of the children, orphanage workers, and us in your thoughts and prayers. We all need it!!!!!!!

Rio Dulce phone call

I called the children's village at the Rio Dulce and spoke to a nice lady named Paloma. She was very helpful and was able to answer all of my questions about Matthew's move. Amber and I feel 1,000 times better about the whole situation and we know that he is much better at the river than at the baby house.

We learned that he is cared for by a young lady named Kelly from the UK. We are extra excited about that because he will be exposed to english. In addition, he will go to school five days a week and one hour per day is set aside for english class. Paloma also told us that he is very happy and loves to run and play with all of the other children.

All of our fears about his move have been erased and we now know that he is in good hands. I am even considering a visit to the children's village sometime soon.

Children's Village

As I mentioned in the last post, I planned to contact the orphanage director to find out about Matthew's doctor visit........well.........we were misinformed. The director told us that Matthew was transferred to the Children's Village at the Rio Dulce. The Children's village is in the north-east corner of the country and houses the older children.

We are very worried about him because he is now one of 250 children instead of where he was.......one of 15 kids in a house in the city.

On the positive side he will be going to a school with several children his age, will no longer sleep in a crib, and be exposed to some english. I guess we can try to look at this as going to summer camp.

If you are interested, here is the link to the Children's Village:

http://www.casa-guatemala.org/

YOUR PRAYERS ARE APPRECIATED....................

Love,

Todd & Amber

Another orphanage call

We called the orphanage today and the lady we talked to said that Matthew was at the doctor but did not know why. She assured us that he was fine but that still did not sit well with us. We emailed the director to ask for more details and will hopefully hear something soon.

Otherwise.....he is happy to have the things we sent and is doing well overall.

Matthew Update

This is an email we got from our friend, Giovanny, who lives in Guatemala. He delivered some "goodies" to Matthew for us.

Hello Todd,
Im sorry that I havent had the chance to write but yes the package was delivered on the 9th . A day after your friend arrived here in Guatemala. Mathew was very happy with his toys , clothes and shoes. He says he loves and misses the both of you and he cant wait to see you. He looks very healthy and happy.
Until next time take care .
Giovanny

2nd Reviewer!!!!!

TODAY IS A GOOD DAY!!!!

Amber called the PGN today and learned that we are with the second reviewer. This gives us hope that good things are finally happening......finally!!!!!

As I mentioned before, there are three reviewers in the PGN process. We're on number 2!!!

Day of Prayer - Adoptions

Tomorrow, 5/9/08, is a National Day of Prayer for adoptions. Please keep Matthew and all orphans in your thoughts and prayers throughout the day tomorrow.

I will be calling the orphanage tonight at 7pm. The plan is to get some updates on how he is doing in general, how he is doing in pre-school, how he is adjusting to being called Matthew (Marlon is his name given at birth), and to share a few words with him on the phone. I will update the blog as soon as I am off the phone.

*****UPDATE*****

I called the orphanage!! Matthew wants a disposable camera to take pictures of his friends so that he will remember them after he leaves.

The ladies at the orphanage were happy to hear that we have some things on the way for him. We sent new shoes, pajamas, legos, pictures, and matchbox cars.

PGN Update

We heard from our agency today!! They called PGN and we are still with the first reviewer with no "previos". As I explained last PGN update, no previos = good news. Hopefully we will move to the second reviewer very soon.

Also, I have plans to call the oprhanage on Thursday. I will update everyone after the call.

I TALKED TO MATTHEW

I AM GEEKED UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I got to talk to Matthew tonight because of a wonderful lady, named Ana, on the guatadopt.com forum. She was my translator as I asked questions to the ladies at the orphanage and while I was TALKING TO MATTHEW!!!!!!!!!!!

Matthew asked......."When are you coming for me?" (My heart broke)

He asked me for new shoes, pajamas, legos, Matchbox cars and pictures of "mi hermanos" (his brother and sister).

Matthew is going to pre-school and learning colors, shapes, and hygiene.

We need help - Translators!!!

We are looking for english-spanish translators to help with phone calls to the orphanage. We just had 3-way calling put in and are anxious to talk to the orphanage workers and to Matthew!!!!!

Weekly PGN Update

Our adoption agency calls the PGN once a week and our attorney or courier visits, in person, once a week. We got word that we are still with the first reviewer (there are 3 total) which is what we expected. The good news is that we were not issued a "previo" or a request for further information or paperwork.

I will keep everyone updated as things progress.

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Updated Timeline

Here is our updated timeline. The explanation of what each means is on our very first post.

OUR TIMELINE:

DOB: 8/23/03
Birth Name: Marlon Antonio
Accepted referral: 11/23/06
Special COfA Court Ruling: 7/10/07 (FINALLY!!!!!)
Entered FC: 7/11/07
Done with FC: 12/3/07

PGN with no PA: 12/27/07
PGN KO: 1/2/08 --no PA
Enter PA: 1/2/08
Exit PA: 4/9/08 (99 days)

Back in PGN : 4/22/08
PGN Out: ?
Pink: ?
Home: ?

More Delays -- GRRRR!!!!!!!

One step foreward....two steps back.

We just learned that the Attorney General in Guatemala was replaced, along with all of the cabinet posts beneath him. What does this mean? It means more delays and possibly new rules to the adoption process.

In my last post, I said that Matthew will be home in July. Well, that just flew out the window. I can honestly say that we believe that he will not be home in time to start school in the fall and will not be here for his birthday on August 23rd.

We need prayers.......BADLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Love, Todd

PGN - 4/22/08

WE ARE FINALLY IN PGN!!!!!!

What does this mean? PGN or the Attorney General of Guatemala is reviewing our adoption file to give the FINAL "OK". This usually takes 8 weeks but has been known to finish in as few as 3 weeks or as long as 8 months. Because our file is in order, we're hoping to have Matthew home for the 4th of July!!!

News Update 4/14/08

We heard from a family that just came back from a visit and they mentioned that Matthew is going to pre-school in Guatemala City. They said that he told them, IN ENGLISH, that he loves school. We sent an email to the orphanage director to confirm this and are waiting for a reply.

99 Red Balloons!!!!!

On day 99, today, we received Pre-Approval from the US Embassy.

Next stop....PGN!!!

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from…the Father.” James 1:17

More Embassy Drama

Just as we were able to fix the drama in the first I-72, we were issued another one. We were asked to re-do our fingerprints even though they are not expired. That's total B.S.!!! Oh, I forgot to mention the typical waiting time for Pre-Approval is 60 days. Today, April 5, 2008, is day 95.

I made it a point to contact Pete Visclosky's office again and I hope he can fix this like he did the last one. At this point, we don't know where else to turn. Our attorney is lazy, our agency wants us to stay silent and be patient, the orphanage director is impossible to get in touch with, and the US Embassy is full of red tape and lies. For my Theta Xi buddies, "Brother Bam-Bam" may have to visit Guatemala City to get Matthew the same way he got Luke from the Kappa Alpha house!!

Below is the letter our congressman sent the wonderful people at the US Embassy- Guatemala. I hope this does it!! GET 'EM PETE!!!!

US Embassy Guatemala

We tried to clarify with the Embassy as to what additional information they are asking for to satisfy their I-72 request. They will not provide the information to our attorney or to us but expect us to meet their request. I've been in contact with Peter Visclosky, US Congressman Northwest Indiana, and believe that he will contact the kind folks at the Embassy and encourage them to solve the dilemma.

Matthew must have an amazing future planned by God because Satan sure has his hands on the speed and quality of the adoption process. We'll all continue to pray because we know that God is in charge and will see us through.

I'll have to watch "Meet the Robinsons" again. The main character, "Louis", has a similar story to Matthew.

"Dear Brothers, is your life full of difficulties? Then be happy. For when the way is rough, your patience has a chance to grow. For when your patience is in full bloom, you will be strong in character and ready for anything. You will be full and complete" - James 1:2-4

Update I-72 and others

We actually got in touch with someone at the US Embassy in Guatemala City. We were told that our PA will be approved the second they receive the document needed from the PGN. We are going to be a thorn in the side of our adoption agency so that they will put the pressure on the attorney to get this done.

For those of you who believe in prayer....Matthew needs some. We are told that he is ready to come home with us and he is sad that he is still waiting. Although he is well cared for and very healthy, he is not very happy.

On an upbeat note, a lady from Pennsylvania is going to visit the orphanage this coming Saturday. We sent her a new outfit and some toys for Matthew. We can't wait to see the new pictures that she will take. We will put them up on the blog as soon as we have them.

One last tid-bit........some of you asked several questions about the orphanage. Here is their web site: http://www.casa-guatemala.org/

You will come across some pictures of Matthew (Marlon Antonio). The information that they have about him is about two years outdated so don't panic for us when you read it......all is well.

Easter blues

With Easter coming tomorrow, it will be another holiday that we miss out on with Matthew. The frustration of not having our PA from the US Embassy adds to that. The "normal" waiting time for PA is 60 days and Easter will be day 82. Of course, it didn't help that we were issued the I-72 on day 60 and all of Central America is Catholic and closes EVERYTHING for Holy Week. We'll keep our fingers crossed and say extra prayers for our PA to come next week.

On a positive note, we have an AWESOME video of Matthew. Our friends in Ohio made an excellent video of the orphanage and made a copy for us. The video is special for me because Matthew says, "te amo Papi", which means, "I love you Daddy."

Where is Guatemala?

We have had a few people ask us, "where in the world is Guatemala?" Well, simply enough, it is the next country south of Mexico. It is bordered by Honduras and El Salvador to the south and Belieze to the North East. Matthew is currently in Guatemala City which is the south central part of the country.

New Pictures

We have some new pictures of Matthew from our friends in Ohio who just came home with their new daughter!!! As we look at the pictures of him it makes us VERY sad because he has changed so much and we've missed out on it. Words cannot explain the void in our hearts right now. But in the meantime, we have some nice pictures of him.

I-72 and a case of the blues.

As we continue to wait for our pre-approval from the US Embassy in Guatemala City, we were slapped with an I-72. An I-72 is a request for further information about Matthew. It looks as though another family tried to adopt him before we came along. A document is needed from the PGN to state that we are the correct family for Matthew. Hopefully our attorney in Guatemala will fix this ASAP and we can get our long-overdue PA!!

Pictures from our visits......

This picture was taken during our first visit to Guatemala. It was taken about 30 minutes before we had to take Matthew back to the orphanage and head to the airport.

This picture was sent to us by a family who went to visit their daughter-to-be. It is the latest picture that we have of Matthew.

This picture was taken during our second visit in Guatemala on June 15, 2007. We stayed at the Grand Tikal Futura Hotel.

This picture was taken on the day we met Matthew at The Casa Guatemala Orphanage on December 28, 2006.

The Beginning

This is the very first picture we ever saw of Matthew. We accepted our referral (agreed to adopt him) on November 23, 2006. There have been many bumps in the road and we are sure that there will be many more but we know this is one of the best decisions we've ever made.

OUR TIMELINE:

DOB: 8/23/03

Birth Name: Marlon Antonio

Accepted referral: 11/23/06

Special COfA Court Ruling: 7/10/07 (FINALLY!!!!!)

Entered FC: 7/11/07

Done with FC: 12/3/07

Enter PA: 1/2/08

Exit PA: ?

PGN In: ?

PGN Out: ?

Pink: ?

Home: ?

To explain it all........

DOB is self-explanatory and I already explained the referral.

The special COfA court ruling was a huge nightmare. To make it as simple as I can, COfA stands for certificate of abandonment. It took the court an AWFUL long time to determine if Matthew had any living relatives, if anyone knew who he was and to determine if he could be adopted. After posting him all over the place (TV, radio, newspaper) not one person came forward to identify him. The court then ruled him available for adoption on 7/10/2007.

FC stands for Family Court. This process (which took 5 months for us) is the social worker's report on all of us. The social worker had to pick apart the multiple documents we had to send which included everything from our tax return to my shoe size. She gave a favorable rating and agreed that we would be an excellent family for Matthew.

PA stands for Pre-approval. We are currently waiting for pre-approval from the United States Embassy to bring Matthew to the US and declare him a US citizen. We should receive this any day now and are chewing our fingernails in anticipation.

Once we get PA we will be submitted to PGN. PGN, or Procuraduria General de la Nacion, is similar to our Attorney General's Office. It is their job to pick apart all of our documents to make sure all of the I's are dotted and T's crossed. They will make sure that everything is legal. This process takes about 8 weeks but can take longer if we have to go back to dot that I or cross the T.

Once out of PGN we will go back to the US Embassy to wait on our Pink Slip. A pink slip is the issuing of our appointment date at the embassy to finalize the process (Adoption Day). From here, we bring him home!!!!