(The following is the story for the little cutie in the post below this one)
By Adan's proud Mommy, Amy:
Our adoption story begins four years ago, in 2004, when we decided that we wanted to start our family. Due to medical issues we decided that adoption would be the best option for children. We knew no matter how children became part of our family they would be all loved the same. We began the process by participating in the Pennsylvania’s SWAN program which places children out of the foster care system. We took months of classes and went through several interviews for potential matches in children, but nothing ever materialized. After a year of disappointment we decided to move on to other possibilities.
The following November, Norm and I attended a marriage conference through our church where we had the opportunity to speak with a lady who held international adoption close to her heart because she had two children from China. We had never considered international adoption until now but it was something that intrigued us. After much soul searching we decided that this would be the best option to start our family.
We started the process right before Christmas 2005. On February 3, 2006 we got our first referral which was a three week old little boy. We were elated as was our family. We named our little boy Ian. Over Easter 2006 we took our first trip to Guatemala to meet our son. Wow, what an awesome experience. After returning to the states we counted the days to exit PGN so we could return and bring our son home, but God had other plans. In August of 2006 it was determined that our son was not developing and had suffered brain damage at birth. Our Guatemalan attorney, adoption agency, and local pediatrician strongly encouraged us to end the adoption. This was the most agonizing decision we ever had to make. This situation was not going to stop us from our life long desire to be parents.
On December 1, 2006, I received a call at work from our adoption agency stating they found a pregnant birth mom who was going to give her child up for adoption and we were placed with her when the time came. Later that day she gave birth and we were given the honor of naming this child. Our son, Adan William was born! Things were progressing well and we at least knew what to expect with the process. Easter 2007 we returned to Guatemala to meet our son. This was a wonderful experience, but it was so painful to leave.
We entered PGN May 18, 2007. We were trying to stay positive, but we understood this was the long step in the process. Long was the understatement of the year. We finished 2007 and started 2008 in PGN. When we got the much anticipated call January 8, 2008 that we were out of PGN we couldn’t believe it. We thought travel was right around the corner. Week by week passed and no birth certificate. Later we found out our birth certificate was coming from Mixco which was notorious for taking longer to issue paperwork. After several weeks in Mixco we received a privos for the way my name was written on a document and Mixco requested the form be corrected and re-issued by PGN. We were assured that this was nothing to worry about and it was a simple piece of paper. Our file was taken back to PGN and the new form was requested. More weeks passed and it started to seem like we were moving backwards. After eight months in PGN, there we were again. In the meantime, the Guatemalan government was falling apart and new regulations on adoptions were being formed every day. PGN closed down and they implemented birth mom interviews. Since we were back in PGN we had to also abide by these new rules. More weeks passed and Adan was already 17 months old. Finally, on June 20, 2008, over one year of our original entry date to PGN, we were released the second time. Back to Mixco!
Our attorney traveled to Mixco on a regular basis checking to see if they would issue Adan’s birth certificate. Not only would they not give him the paperwork, they won’t even talk to him on most occasions. This continued another three weeks before we got the call.
On July 15, 2008 at 8:13 pm we got the call we have been waiting for for almost four years. Adan was finally coming home. Our attorney had the birth certificate and all we had to do now was get Adan’s passport which was done the following day, and the final DNA check. We are currently waiting for the Orange Slip which will give us authorization from the US Embassy for DNA. Once that is completed and returned all we need it PINK!!!
This has been an ongoing journey which we will not soon forget. We are both anticipating how it will feel to land in Guatemala to pick up our son forever!
