Approved

I apologize for not posting sooner. Let me start by stating what you really want to know: our appointment went good today. They approved our adoption and we pick up Sophia's visa tomorrow afternoon. Now for details of the day and the events of appointment.

We got up a little after five this morning. We have made friends with a woman who was in the process of finalizing her 2nd adoption. Her appointment was today as well. So we followed her to the embassy. We left around 6:30 am for our 7:15 appointment. Our cab dropped us off outside of the embassy (picture a gray concrete bunker) and we made our way through a sea of people, most of whom were their to get tourist visas. We were met by our lawyer's assistant who had held our place in line, and she began walking us through what would take place.

Then we entered the building, where our bag was searched thoroughly. Then we made our way into a medium sized waiting room. The lawyer's assistant took Sophia's passport and our money and went and stood in line. When she brought us our receipt, she told us they would call our name, we would line up at door number 10 (it was the only door in a row of windows). They call your name by number (we were #2) and then when one family comes out the next one goes in. They called our name and we went into door #10. Imagine a 2 ft. X 3 ft. room with two chairs facing a giant window, like at a gas station in a bad neighborhood. Then imagine a tiny speaker, set off to the side, that had been installed by a drive-thru speaker company.

They swore us in, asked us some questions, made a few corrections on one of our forms, and then had us initial the changes. During this process, Sophia decided she wanted to play high-5. She gave mommy a high-five, she gave daddy a high-5, and when the nice gentleman behind the glass said something abouting her giving high-5s, she turned and offered to give him five. He held his hand up to the glass, and she reached out and gave him five. He informed us that was "cool." And then it happened. He picked up this big rubber stamp, pressed it into a red ink pad, and then with gusto, he pounded the word "Approved" on our paper. The deed was done. No going back. The reality that we have know since December 2007, that Sophia was our daughter, became offically recognized by the United States government. We were congradulated and sent outside to wait for our next step.

We waited about fifteen or thirty minutes for them to call us again, this time to window eight (ventana ocho, for you bilingual types). They swore us in again, asked us a couple of questions, informed us that we could pick up Sophia's visa tomorrow around 3:30 pm. And we sat back down and waited for our friend to be called back. It is impossible to explain the sense of relief I felt. I listened to several of the families describe the horrors of their adoption. Several of them had waited between two and three years for this moment. They had struggle after struggle, problem after problem. Out of the few that I was able to meet several had nearly lost their children on more than one occassion. I couldn't help compare our experience with theirs and praise God for his grace. Our adoption, although it took over a year, went far faster and much smoother than most of the people we have met. God in his grace, brought us through, and now has taught us anew, how mighty his hand truly is.

After, our friend finished we went and ate breakfast together and then went to a little market to look at the "traditional" Guatemalan items (we bought a dress and blanket). Sophia was acting tired, so when we got back to the room we laid her down. She would lay awhile, and cry awhile. We think she has a fever. She slept most of the afternoon, but got up for supper. I was going to do this post while she napped, but my facebook account had a virus, so I had to download a virus scanner, run tests on the computer, delete the false posts from me on peoples facebook pages, change my passwords, and by the time I got most of that finished, Sophia need attention. I don't think we have ever been more grateful for your prayers today, especially in light of the fact that God taught us how powerfully he worked on our behalf. We are forever in your debt, we love you all very much. Please, keep praying for us. Pray that we will be the parents God called us to be. Pray for Sophia to feel better. Pray for our safe return. And please, praise our great God with us for his gracious kindness. God bless