Adoption Complete!!! (almost)

Yesterday we had our final interview at the embassy. They approved our I-600 petition to clasify orphan as an immediate relative. That means that the US government recognizes our guatemalan adoption and he is classified as being our child! They also approved his IR3 visa which means that we will all be able to travel to the US and when we land and go through customs, Anzo will become a US citizen!! I pick up his visa at 3:30 today.

We had purchased tickets for the whole family at the beginning of April for us to travel May 13, hoping that the adoption would be done. God is faithful and we will receive Anzo's visa on the last possible day before our flight (the embassy is closed Fri-Sun). Now he will be a citizen, Heather can be in the states with family while I visit Jordan on a project trip, and we can travel back to Guatemala together!

God is Good!

P.S. the reason I say (almost) complete is that I do still have to pick up the visa and then travel to the states before the process is complete but those are just formalities. Also when we move back to the States we will have to "re-adopt" him in our state but that is a short and simple process that some people don't even choose to do for years after the adoption.

Bok Bok diet

Abi loves to carry our chicken Bok Bok around and play with her just like a doll. Bok Bok loves to eat shiney things. When both of these are together, what do you get? Bok Bok ate Abi's earring right out of her ear!

Abi came running into the house saying that she lost her earring (something that happens on way too regular a basis). The thing that made this so different was that the cicken had pecked it right out of here ear. She was just fine with only a couple peck marks on here ear.

The next day Bok Bok laid her usual egg and Anzo came running inside proclaiming, "I think the earring is inside"

April Fun

With the pool in place, April has been a wet month. Now just about each day the kids jump on the trampoline and swim and play Kacker (a modified version of hide and go seek with a nerf rocket). Eli also finally lost his other front tooth.

One of the days we went with some friends to a pond outside of Chimaltenango where Eli fished with a net and Anzo with a bamboo pole and string. The girls rode around on the horse while Heather set up the food and I barbequed.


See April Pictures here

PINK SLIP!

Most people fear getting a pink slip at their work. Us on the otherhand celebrate recieving it like the person getting the pink slip for their new car (CA). because that means that the embassy has accepted our final documents and has set an appointment for our final interview with immigration. After which the adoption will finally be COMPLETE.

To understand the significance of this timing you have to understand that we have already purchased tickets to visit the states as a family on May 13. All 6 tickets only cost $550 so we thought we would take the risk and buy them. Our appointment with immigration is May 9. If our meeting goes well, our visa will be ready on May 10. The embassy is closed May 11-13. So we got in JUST before we leave (read my thoughts on the other blog).

We celebrated by going out to pizza! Lord be with us on the 9th!

Give what has been given

We were given a gift of groceries from some Guatemalan friends of ours here as a thank you for all the work Heather has done at the school and with storytime. At dinner we read a story of a poor family that recieved a lot of gifts for Christmas and were found the next day wrapping them back up. When asked they said they were giving much of the stuff to their neighbors because, "how can we take all this when our neighbors are still poor." This spurned us to take half of the food given to us and "share" it with some people living in a champa (tin shack) just down the street from us. I hope we all are more willing to share generously and freely without the "wet-blanket" of fearing how they will use it getting in the way. We have been given freely, so should we freely give.

Bok Bok eggs!!

Our chicken is finally laying eggs. As I was making room to lay out the pool I moved her coop and there I found three eggs. She has been laying eggs about one every day. so this Saturday we were able to have "Bok Bok" pancakes. Finally we have a chicken that lays eggs!! And all we have to do is let her eat TKO's dog food that we leave out. TKO isn't so thrilled about that idea. He bites at her to keep her away from his ffod but she is just too persistant!

Happy Resurrection Day!

In typical easter fashion, one of our kids was sick. This year it was Abi. After church we hunted for eggs in our house with an egg hidden for each child in each room. Jonathan was able to join us in the celebration.