In any event, I will need to go back and re-type our experiences and feelings about our Guatemala trip and about the wonderful, amazing time that we had with Franklin.
It has now been 3 weeks and 2 days since we left Guatemala and in 3 more weeks and 2 days, John and I and Grandma Costello arrive in Guatemala. We are at the half-way point and I am already really anxious to go. I've been trying to stay balanced and focused on all the busy details of life, but I'm reaching a point where I need some information...some good news about our process....something to make him feel closer.
In good news, we should get new DVD and photos later this week. I'm really, really looking forward to that. I hope he seems happy and that the DVD captures him opening the bag of goodies that we sent. In not so good news, the document that our attorney had translated to be re-submitted to the Embassy has been ready since at least January 23rd for submission, and day after day, the U.S. Embassy turns away Guatemalan attorneys and their paperwork because they are short-staffed. It can take a couple weeks to be able to submit or to pick-up a document from the Embassy. It is a such a disservice to everyone. We could have had pre-approval by now if it wasn't for this ridiculous situation. Attorneys (or their staff - not sure) start waiting in line at the Embassy before day-break to get a number to get into the Embassy. Many many days, they never get in. Ridiculous.
In any event, I should hear tomorrow whether or not our paperwork made it in this past Friday or today. I'm not terribly optimistic based on what I am hearing.
Last week I registered both Ian and David for preschool!!!!! That was cool. Ian will be in the Orange Rooms, M,W,F from 9 to 12 and David will be in the Blue Rooms, same days and times. Depending on many, many variables, I may sign them up (or just David) for the lunch bunch on Monday and Wednesday to provide some extra socialization and maybe some one on one time with Ian. If David is to enter Kingergarten a year from this coming September, he's got a fair amount of ground to make up for on the language front so we'll see what is best and how he feels about school, etc. We will see!! I can't wait to have my 3 boys together....
Here is my current hope: Pre-approval by 2/17. In PGN by 2/24, out of PGN by 3/24, Pink slip by 4/24 and pick up. What a GREAT birthday present David would be :) Come on Embassy....give us our Pre-approval!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!