Cristina Elizabeth is 6 months old today!

October 23, 2007
I'm a little melancholy today and feel I need to pour my heart out to feel a little better.

Usually birthdays are happy days but it is a little difficult to be happy when our precious daughter is still in Guatemala growing bigger and bigger every day without us. Up until now, I have been able to be patient and hopeful that we would be bringing her home before Christmas but it doesn't look like that anymore. They say that the adoption process is not for the impatient nor the weak-hearted person. They also say that there is no rhyme or reason for the delays. It is so hard to hear about other families going through the process and getting the news that they will be bringing their child home soon. It's especially heart-wrenching when you know of another family that had been moving along in the process at the same rate as you and find out that they will be bringing their child home before you.
We entered the final step called PGN on August 28th and believed that we would be out before Halloween. That belief was shattered when we recieved the news that we were kicked out because of a Guatemalan document that wasn't signed. So our attorney had to get the document signed and resubmitted. This mistake could possibly delay our PGN exit another 6 weeks. In the meantime, another family that was submitted at the same time we were, got news that they have exited PGN and will be going to pick up their daughter before Christmas. Although this is good news for them and we are happy for them, this news felt like a thorn in our side and has made us realize how unfair this whole proces is. Why did our case get thrown out and the other family's didn't? How come it is taking so long to bring Cristina Elizabeth home? We'll never know the answers to these questions but hopefully with praying and the support of wonderful friends we will be able to get through this difficult journey.