A Day in Antigua

Mom & Dad with Addison in the main Square



















Hotel Casa Santa Domingo

Breakfast of Champions

I just couldn't resist sharing a picture of the fine cuisine I have been having for Breakfast each morning. It resembles a very heavy Mexican dinner. It is Tortilla Chips, Cheese, Chicken, Onions, Refried Beans, Black Beans, Potatoes, Pico, Guacamole, & Salsa.

As many of you know, my favorite food is Mexican and I eat it 4 times a week. Where I live now is the farthest I have lived from a Mexican Restaurant since 1993, and it is only a block and 1/2 away. I am in food heaven right now.

Jack & Sherri Cannon, eat your heart out!!!!

BTW- Mom started Addison on her first Mexican treat today with a couple of spoonfuls of Flan. She'll be doing Burrittos before you know it. The Margaritas will have to wait though!

America's Newest Citizen!

or ........ "America's Newest Spoiled Princess"
(as my Aunt Ginny has affectionately named her.)
















Today was Embassy Day! We went to the US embassy in Guatemala City to apply for Addison's Visa. I had prepared a couple of binders worth of paperwork (probably about 500 pages in all). It took me a full 2 days to pull all of it together. I wasn't asked for a single document. Oh well, better to be overprepared!

Addison will be coming home on an IR3 visa, which means that she will be coming to the US as an official US citizen.


We did a Guatemala City tour on the afternoon and saw the Palace and the Cathedral.

Ground Zero

This is the directional starting point for the entire country. Everything is given directionally (North, South, East & West) from this point. It is in front of the Palace in Guatemala City.

5 Days in Guatemala????

Wasn't there some kind of movie or somthing by that name? Anway, we are getting a bit stir crazy here. If it weren't for the $20 massages there wouldn't be much to do. Addison has a cold, so we haven't been able to take her in the pool.

We went to a a Handicraft market on Sunday. I didn't get to do a lot of shopping as it was Addison's first go in the hip carrier, and she wasn't a happy camper. I can't say that I was really crazy about it either.

Can you say GOTCHA???

gotcha day n. the day or anniversary of the arrival of an adopted child into the care of an adopting family; less commonly, the day or anniversary of their first meeting or of the adoption becoming official.









We arrived safely in Guatemala City and Addison was brought to us tonight (2 hours late). Mom spent that time twidling her thumbs and pacing the entire lobby floor. She is doing very well with the exception of having a bit of a cold. She went to the doctor this morning and is on Antibiotics, so hopefully everything will be OK.

Addison has a Guatemalan Passoport & birth certificate now with her birth first and middle names and my Last name. (I have to legally change her first name and middle name once we are back in the US.) The passport picture is too cute!!!!

I received the social worker report today and learned a few things about Addison's birth mom. She is 39 (only a month younger than me) and works as a live-in homemaker/nanny. I found out that Addison has one brother that was given up for adoption 7 years ago.


ADOPTION STEPS REMAINING

US EMBASSY FINAL APPROVAL AND VISA
(Monday, August 7th)
After the attorney receives this approval, the adoptive parents and child appear at the US Embassy for final verification, and an embassy official then issues a visa for the child’s entry into the US.

HOME (Wednesday, August 9th)
Travel home with America’s newest Citizen!!!

Pink!!!

We have our PINK SLIP!!

Mom, Dad & I will be travelling to get Addison Friday. Our US Embassy appointment is Monday morning at 7:45.

We're almost done!

Submitted for PINK

Now that Addison's case is done as far as the Guatemalan government is concerned, the next step is the US. Our case was submitted to the US Embassy Wednesday or Thursday. There is a 48 hour turn around, so it is possible I could have my PINK SLIP by Tuesday. If that happens I will probablly be travelling to Guatemala City by the end of the week! Keep your fingers crossed!

It has been a long wait, but now it seems that everything is turbo charged!

Addison Has My Name!

Addison's Birth Mother has signed off her adoption consent for the 4th and final time and a new Guatemalan Birth Certificate has been issued giving Addison my last name (Her first name had to be legally chaged in the US). She is legally my Daughter under Guatemalan Law. Next is the US!

My case gets submitted to the US Embassy in Guatemala today for a Pink Slip. I should be travelling to get Addison in a couple of weeks.

OUT of PGN !!!

After 104 days in PGN, we are finally out!

The next step is for Addison's Birth Mom to sign off on the adoption one final time and then they issue a new Birth Certificate for her which includes my name. Once this is done, she will be legally my Daughter in the eyes of the Guatemalan government.