Soon to be Home...

Good Reminder

..."Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God's grace, nor are your best days ever so good that you are beyond the need of it." Jerry Bridges

A friend had this as a quote today and felt that it was very appropriate.

Just Thought We Were Going...Another Problem

Just received yet another I-72 from the embassy on McCaule's files that stated the birthdate on the BC and Visa were not the same with the initial file. I am not sure which is incorrect, but this will delay a pick up and I am not sure how long it will take to fix. Our fingerprints are set to expire in a couple of weeks, so I guess we'll have to make the appt. to redo those. Can this get anymore complicated? We'll keep everyone posted.

On Its Way!

McKelle's DNA is finally on its way back to the Embassy in Guatemala.

We received the results of McCaule's DNA on Saturday in the mail with a current picture. Too Cute. I can't wait to see McKelle's at the end of this week. USPS is so slow these days. Takes them 4-5 days to deliver an envelope from North Carolina to TX.

Update 4/22/09 - DNA delivered today at 3:23 p.m. to the embassy!

Delayed but not Late...

Looks like we will not be traveling Friday to get the girls next week as the 2nd DNA for McKelle will not be ready in time for an embassy appt. next week.

We are pushing the trip back an additional week to fulfill commitments we've made to our other children so likely it will be the last part of April or first part of May when we travel to bring them home.

Please pray for the remainder of the details.

Finally...

McKelle's DNA reached Labcorp this morning! Yippee! Now, we have to figure out if we still have time to travel for possibly a Wednesday embassy appt. Pat at Labcorp said they do test through the weekend so it could go out on Monday with a delivery on Tuesday and appt on Wednesday. We'll see. Praying and seeking advice from our facilitator.

Back to the Embassy

McCaule's DNA results are on their way back to the Embassy in Guatemala. We are stalking the Fed Ex site to see when it arrives.

McKelle's DNA is still MIA. Hopefully, it will make it to Labcorp either today or tomorrow. We'd appreciate your prayers on this issue. We are so ready to get our little girls, but also trying to consider it all joy as we continue to endure the end of this event.

Update: The McCaule's results made it to the embassy yesterday at 3:30 pm.

One DNA Has Made It...

McCaule's DNA showed up at Labcorp yesterday. Pat emailed me to let me know. Still can't get any information on whether McKelle's was done on Tuesday, but the date on McCaule's was Tuesday the 7th.

We're trying to plan which date would be best to travel. The Embassy only gives out appointments on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Hopefully, we will be able to get it moved back if it falls on another week if we plan to be in country...details, details. :)

One Plus One Equals Two...

We now have our second embassy approval for DNA. Our coordinator in GT said they plan to take the samples tomorrow and get them off before the Easter Holiday. GT basically shuts down beginning Wednesday through Sunday.

Our prayer is that things go according to the said plan. Still looks like we'll be traveling around the 17th. The Lord has been so gracious to us all along and we know He will sustain us now that things are getting crazy in last minute planning of details before our trip.

2 Oranges Take Away 1 Orange Equals...

We have McCaule's permission from the embassy to get a second DNA! I am amazed as that means she has her BC already. Strange that McKelle's hasn't already been done though. Her BC has been completed for a while. I'll try to find out more details later.

We are excited here, though. Another huge step. Now we can begin making travel plans.

Current Plan...

This came from our GT coordinator today:

" Milton orange slip will be ready for next Monday (April 6th). Tuesday second DNA test and then wait for pink slip or visa appointment."

The reason for the small delay is that Coban will not print our BC until this Thursday. They did not give a reason. Must be backlogged. :)

The Last File has been release from RENAP!

Today has been a little tense to say the least. I phoned RENAP around 11:30 GT time and the file had not been retrieved. I phoned our coordinator and she told me that both of my attorneys were set to be there by 2:30 and that I should phone back around 3:30. RENAP closes at 4 pm each day. I ended up phoning at 3:55 pm GT time and my attorney was standing in front of Gabby to get the file right then. Talk about a heart stopper! It was like I was standing there watching it all happen. Too Cool!

I am so thankful that the Lord saw fit to have the file released today. He is so good to us. Now, hopefully the fast stuff.

I did find out today that the girls are not being fostered by the same gal anymore. I guess it was too difficult for an elderly woman to manage two almost two year olds. The new foster's name is Karina. She cares for McKelle. Cindy said the girls had not seen one another for a couple of months now. I knew that it was strange that there were no pictures of them sent where they were together. Well soon they will be together for a very long time. :)

Newest Photos of the Girls...

They are getting so big.

McCaule - 20 1/2 months




McKelle - 22 months

The Latest

We know that McCaule's BC was approved by Renap last Friday for sure. What we haven't been able to find out whether it was definitely picked up by the attorney. Only the attorney may obtain the file. Central RENAP told me yesterday the file had not been picked up, but he was looking at a computer screen which is not always updated; that is why we are waiting for confirmation from our Guatemalan coordinator. The wonderful news is that it was approved.

If it was not retrieved last week, we have to wait until Friday of this week, so a week of getting Visa, DNA would have been lost. In times like these, one has to rest in the sovereignty of God.

update 3/26/09: Our attorney did try to pick up the file last Friday but RENAP would not give it to her. They gave her other files, just not ours. I phoned today and they told me to tell my attorney to come pick up the file tomorrow (Friday). I will likely phone them tomorrow to make sure the file was retrieved. Gabby had the file in her hand today when I spoke with her, so I know for sure it was not given to the attorney.

File Resubmitted!!!

McCaule's file was picked up on Tuesday, the 17th, corrections made and resubmitted. They can be fast in Latin America sometimes :) I spoke with Gabby at RENAP this morning and she said the file should be ready with an approval this Friday, the 20th. The excitement is building...

Thank you all for your prayers. This has definitely been a life changing event, more spiritually than physically at this point... and all for the good. God's timing is perfect and the best, no question about it. Sometimes takes the heart a while to catch up with the head knowledge. :)

One OUT One to Go...

Found out today than McKelle's BC was approved by Central RENAP and will now go to MIXCO to have the BC printed. McCaule's BC may have an error that needs to be fixed, but our coordinator in Guatemala didn't know for sure and will contact us tomorrow after conferring with our attorney. If it indeed has an error, they are usually easily fixed and then will quickly be out. Coban is a much easier municipality to work with than MIXCO.

Very Good News that some activity is happening!

update: McCaule's does indeed have an error... some paperwork missing. It should be an easy fix. Hopefully, the file can be picked up today and then resubmitted tomorrow.

Good Weekend Report

This from our coordinator in GT:

Both files are at Central Renap.

We had trouble with Mixco but Aida (our attorney) and the chief of CENTRAL RENAP made it possible to have the file of McKelle at CENTRAL RENAP.

Otto(the attorney who does our leg work) is friend of the person in charge to authorized this files, and he said to prioritize them to have them ready in just a few days.

We are truly excited to see how the Lord is moving on our behalf. Please pray for those families still hung up in the process.

Made it On the RENAP Site

I periodically check to see if the girls names are in the data bank at RENAP. Today, McKelle's name was listed. That means her file has been registered and ready to be picked up and a new certificate issued in our name. The date received was last Thursday. This is good news indeed. Now, it we can just get McCaule's done this week. This is getting exciting now.

RENAP News

Today I spoke with Luis at GT RENAP to check on the status of the girls' BC approvals. He had some encouraging news: McKelle's BC should be ready to exit by next Friday, the 27th and McCaule's could possibly be ready by the same time. Once they are approved by RENAP in GT then they have to travel back to the municipality where the girls were born and they print the birth certificates with our last name on them. Luis told me to have a nice weekend before the call ended. What a nice fellow.

I hope the information was correct. He was accessing the computer and before, the girls' files could not be found.

Straight from Guatemala today...

Guatemalan Coordinator informed us today that McCaule's birth certificate is being requested first. Her file is curently in the Municipality of Coban which is her birth place. Once they approve the file, then it will be submitted to RENAP Guatemala City for their approval. Our attorney plans to visit with them at that point to facilitate the speed with which the file is approved so that McKelle's birth certificate may be obtained from the MIXCO Municipality.

It's encouraging to get some news of movement forward. For those who are not aware, a municipality is akin to our word "county". Coban is actually in the mountains of Guatemala, where MIXCO is like a suburb of Guatemala City.