Our Visit and PGN

Well - we are home from our week-long visit with Wendy! I am so thankful for the ammenities here in the US! :) Despite some frustrations with certain aspects of our visit - we are so thankful that we got to spend a week getting to know our beautiful daughter! She will fit into our family just perfectly! She has a similar sense of humor as my other kids (esp the youngest 2), is girly yet can be a tomboy, sweet, very smart, happy, easy-going and obedient. We couldn't have picked a better child for our family. God really knew what He was doing!

As for what we did all week. . . .there is too much to tell . . . . we had a b-day party for her (she'll be 3 this week), played with bubbles, sidewalk chalk, colored with crayons, painted finger and toenails, went for walks, looked at the pigs, played on the playgrounds, read "libros", danced, kicked a ball around, made candy necklaces and bracelets, went for wagon rides and more!
We were called "Mami y Papi" all week . . . by ALL the kids. :) We finally had to start telling the other kids to call us Lori and Heremias (spanish for Jeremy) as I didn't want Wendy to be confused and think we were just visiting workers or were not really just HER parents. Hopefully she got it. :) She was a bit sad when we were not there one day (we got away for a few hours to visit Antigua and go out to eat), and seemed a bit sad that we were leaving. But we promised her we would return soon to bring her home. I hope she's doing ok and knows we will be back. We love her so much! Jeremy was the one who cried when leaving . . . which, of course, made me tear up as well. It happened on the plane when we saw other couples bringing their kids home with them. :( One day . . . hopefully soon, it will be our turn.
The caretakers said they will start talking more in English with Wendy (and another boy about to be adopted) so that she will be able to say more in English when we get her. She understands alot of English, but she doesn't really speak it - unless she is just repeating what you said.

I will hopefully upload some of the 700 pictures I took for you to check out. Maybe even a video snippet or two. Be patient with me though as I have been trying to get settled here again - and J had to leave on business this week - so it may be a little while before I get things uploaded. Sorry. Don't worry - I won't post all 700 . . . maybe only 650. :) hee,hee.

While we were down there, our agency called and left a message for us to call them when we got back. I was worried that it might not be good news as they didn't send an email about it. I finally got ahold of them today and it is, thankfully, good news . . . .

WE ARE IN PGN!!

The possible bad news is that we were submitted before we got our PA (preapproval) from the US embassy. By doing it this way the PGN reviewer can start looking over our papers while we wait for PA. However, it means that we will most likely get KO'd (kicked out) at some point for not having our PA with our paperwork. But hopefully, by that point, we will have our PA and we can resubmit right away (barring any other problems we need to fix). We've been told that they need a new BC (birth cert) for Wendy to submit us for PA as hers had expired on the 13th (though, I thought it was just certified in Jan?? Who knows). So - once they get that - then we can be submitted for PA (which has been taking 4-6 weeks lately). Once we resubmit it (and anything else that needs to be fixed) to PGN - it could possibly take another 6 weeks - or more - or less. Who knows. It all depends on the reviewer.

So here's our prayer requests:

1. For Wendy to be ok with our absence and to know that we are returning for her soon.

2. For a very speedy and efficient PGN reviewer!

3. For our paperwork to be submitted for PA very soon (need that BC!) and for a fast PreApproval!

4. For continued provision with the remaining money needed for the adoption.

Thank you all for your prayers for us. God had mercy on us on Sunday as we (me and the 4 kids) were taking Jeremy to the airport! Amazingly, the cars in front and behind us were spaced about 3-4 car lengths from us when a truck to our right (and about a car lenth or two ahead of us) started fishtailing (it was pouring down rain) and then started spinning headfirst towards us. We slammed on our brakes as he did two 360 degree spins across the 3 or 4 lanes on the highway in front of us and amazingly enough ended up facing forward and still moving forward without crashing into the median!! Wow! God had mercy on his life that day as well!! It was like a crazy car scene from a movie! Within minutes there were cars all around us again. I am amazed that there was all that space around us and the truck at just the right time! That was definitely God!!! I have been soooooo thankful to not only be alive today, but not even injured! Praise God for another day to live!! Our lives can end when you least expect it - and God awakened me (and hopefully that other man) to the fact that each day I have here is a total gift!! :) Of course - the kids had to say "I hope mom can take care of us while dad is gone" as we left the airport (I had been the one driving) . . . as if that possible crash was all my fault! Ha! Little do they know how I protected and saved them from possible injury by my excellent driving skills in an emergency!! :) It wasn't a "woman driver" who almost caused that accident!! :) hee,hee.

Blessings on you and your family today! Be grateful and enjoy this gift of life you have been given today! I hope and pray that each of you know (and are excited about) where you would end up if this was your last day. If not - let me know . . . . . we need to talk! I know where I'm headed . . . . . but hopefully not for a looooooonnngggg time! :)

Lori :)