The timing of seeing the video and planning our visit to Guatemala couldn't be better since I am anxious to spend time with him. Our agency contacts (Mary and Sara - the facilitators and Ilse, our Guatemalan translator) did not want us to stay at Telma's house and requested we choose a hotel in zone 10. After some back and forth and with Jose replying to my email, they have agreed to let us stay at Telma's. I am thrilled! I really did not want to have Franklin in a stuffy, formal hotel for 2 days....now we'll have grass....a garden and a homey setting with hosts who will prepare our meals, family style. I just can not wait!!!!!
In addition, our faciliator is accepting a letter that we wrote to Franklin (and Grandma C. translated to Spanish!) and I have photos ready to mail to Sara who will forward them on to our attorney. The attorney will be sure that Franklin receives the letter and photos before our arrival. I am very relieved that he'll have our photos and something personal from us before we meet him.
Last, but certainly not least, we also are confident that our DNA test showed a match with his birth mother since we would have gotten bad news by Monday, at the latest. Another deep breathe of relief. We should get the results in the mail around the 1st of the new year. It will be interesting to see how long it takes us to get pre-approval from the U.S. Embassy since the rumor is that they are catchig up on the back-log. I would think that the holidays would slow them down but I'm thinking that there is a chance that we enter PGN by January 15th. I keep envisioning things moving really quickly now...and that may be a foolish vision but it is conceivable that we get out of PGN by March 1st. Add one more month for new birth certs, translation and visa appointment and we could have Franklin home by April 1st. It really could happen that way....that would be so great for everyone!!!!! But really, if someone promised me May 1st, I'd take it for the certainty!!!
Another AFOD client just got back from their trip to visit their young boy, Ronaldo. Her photos were amazing...just makes it all so real! I think that is the feeling I have now....everything is getting so real! Goodnight!!!