The first picture is Avea looking at her homeland for the last time. It was a sad moment, but then it was a very wonderful at the same time.

The next picture was her in her car seat for the first time. She didn't care for it too much, but I did catch a smile.

The next picture was one of the many signs in our yard when we got home. It all brought tears to my eyes. I have wonderful family and friends.

Oh did she love LU LU!! She actually reached for her before Lauren even tried to get her. It was a first.

And then there's Keiko. He is trying to show his sister the car seat isn't all bad. She seen him do that. Now the seat doesn't seem so bad to her. He has been doing really good with her. He kind of drives me crazy with all the company we have been getting. He begs for treats, and begs and begs. HE IS SOOOOO SPOILED!!! But he is the big brother, and she keeps getting presents. All he wants are some treats out of the cupboard, THATS ALL!!




We are home. Sorry I haven't posted in awhile. But things are really busy around here. First full day home was laundry and unpacking. Takes alot longer when you have a baby. SHe is doing great. I just wish I could figure her out faster. Grandma made me notice a few things today. i guess you get really smart after seven kids and seventeen grandkids.





Avea seems to be doing pretty good with all the strangers that have come to visit. I just do not let anyone force her to go to them. I let them try, but if she doesn't want to go to them I will snag her back quick. Right now I am getting her to trust me, to know that I will take care of her every need, and to figure out that I will never leave her like her Foster mom did. (She will remember that for a long time, that her caregiver left her, so heartbreaking) She is super giggly and happy unless she is tired hungry or wet. (normal things) But I usually have to be in her sight. Which I will do this until she decides I will never leave her forever. If only she knew that She is my baby, my love, and I will never leave her!!! She thinks her daddy is super funny, and he makes her giggle the best. Homeboy has fallen in LOVE!!

EMBASSY DAY IS HERE!!!!!!

We had our Embassy appointment today. It is almost over. All we have to do is go pick up the visa tomorrow. Then it is over!!!! When we land in Texas on the 24th, our little peanut will be an American Citizen. Although, then we have to readopt her when we get home for some reason. I figure that out later. This was a picture of us when we got back from the appointment.

SHE WORE A ITSTY BITSY TEENY WEENY YELLOW POLKA DOT BIKINI

WHAT A HAMBONE!!!! CHOMP!!! CHOMP!!! CHOMP!!!

Now it's getting FUN!!! Boy what a turn around. Still if I am around she will scream for me. But she sure is laughing and giggling at her Daddy!!Thank Goodness!! Turn into a love machine!!

A NEW DAY

She's coming around. SHe is so much happier today. Gilggling and everything. WHOOOOO it feels so much better. I knew she would come around, but between me being super sick, and her not even looking at her Daddy without screaming was pretty aweful. Our new friends here told us to have Mike bite the bullet and go without me. She screamed until she fell asleep but I think it helped. She's giggling like crazy now. SO much better. Thanks for the comments, at the moment I read them I was a mess physically and mentally, instantly started to bawl. But now that I am feeling 75% better, LIFE IS GOOD. We are both fully in love. It is amazing what you can feel for someone you only met once before. She is still having a little sleeping issue. But so much easier now that I can breath and sleep when she does. She is a hunk of love.

Here are some more pictures. Oh Buddy, can you call Amber and tell her the cleaning lady is coming to clean on Monday between 11-12. She will let herself in but I didn't want it to freak Amber out. (last time for a cleaning lady boo-hoo) I forgot to tell her. Could you leave me a comment and let me know that you got this. We will try to get a call out to someone soon. THANKS. Here are some pictures of my gorgeous baby girl.

Check out that face!!!

Breakthrough!!! Homey took her and forced her kicking and screaming. But this is how it ended up. She was looking into his eyes here. WONDERFUL!! It's about the first time he held her that she wasn't screaming. Thank goodness!! He was so sad.

Cutest little piggys made. Check out those sandals. Worn once, but oh so cute.

SHe slept 12 hours!!! YEHAWWW

Well we all went to sleep at 7:00 last night. I got her to sleep, popped me a benedryl and nitey nite. She woke up at 2:00am and I thought oh no she is going to be up the rest of the night. SHe had a little cough, so I gave her some robotussin (sp?). I seen she was going out, so I popped another Benedryl. Wahoo today is a much better day. She still won't let me out of her sight with out screaming. I actually can't even put her down at all. Needless to say, my pipes are sore. Mike said I am going to have veins popping out by the time I get home. But she is alot better today. With the advice from some new friends, Mike is out walking with her right now. Trying to get her to realize he isn't that bad. She still has a problem with him. But hopefully it will get better soon.

This is how she like to sleep, all cuddled up. Her Fm started sleepiing with her, because she knew she was going to miss her. So now I guess for a little while we will be co-sleeping, until we can break her. Keiko is going to be ticked off!!! If anyone that reads this had Amber's # I would love to hear how he is doing. Boy is he going to have a rude awakening.

Again She is so beautiful. She looks just like Grandma's favorite candy CARAMELS. Wait till you see her. YUM YUM

Well today is a bit better. Still not good though. She won't let me out of her site. She won't look at Mike without screaming. It is like this. SHe doesn't like me, and she doesn't like Mike even more. He is kind of bummed. The only thing I can say to make him feel better is she doesn't like me either. I did figure out that she won't use any of the bottles that I brought. I finally used the one from FM and she drank the whole thing. Actually I am in the play room right now and she is proving me wrong. She is sitting here playing all by her self. Being good playing. I wish Mike was down here right now. She will get better every day I know she will. She just misses her FM. I keep telling Mike she will love him. She only slept 4 hours last night and I got her to take a 1 hour nap after I figured out the bottle thing. So maybe if her belly is full she will be happier. I am on about 6 hours of sleep myself since we left Tues. yeh two hours of sleep at the hotel (xanex did NOT WORK) then last night my nose was so plugged I did not sleep much either. Just like being a new mom I know. Hopefully She'll eat more today. She is eating her toes RIGHT NOW.. SHe is SO BEAUTIFUL!!!! I can't wait for you all to see her live. I will try to get some pictures on tomorrow.

We're Here

Just a quick post to let you all know that we are here. The foster mother was two hours late. Something happened yada yada yada. So our little peanut got here about a hour before bed. The transfer was horrendous. Foster mom had a rough time. Foster Grandma was bawling, I was crying so hard for them, ran out of kleenexs, it was gross. I am sicker than shit. ( sorry mom). It has been rough, but we will make it. Lots of details to tell you all about but I need to try to get her to sleep. She screamed unconsolably for 2 hours. We are now in this baby room that has all kinds of toys. We through her in the bouncy seat and she is seemingly calm at the moment. It deffinately isn't what it was last time, but hopefully tomorrow will be a new day. She is Beautiful!! And I have faith that she will love us someday. (hopefully tomorrow) haven't seen one smile yet. She is so tired.

Please don't worry. I planned that this COULD happen, and it did. 5 months would have been perfect. But we''ll take what we can get. We are going back to the room now,so check tomorrow for possibally some pictures .

HOLY SHAMOLY!!! THIS IS IT

WOW! I can't believe it is finally here. We are going to pick up our baby girl. It's such a weird feeling. I am really going to be a mom. THIS WEEK!!!!! It took me all day to pack, distribute weight, distribute my clothes, Mikes clothes, and Avea's clothes in each suitcase. THen I go to zip it and the zipper breaks. So I go to moms get another one of her huge suitcases. Then I start getting rid of stuff, because the weight is too much. UUUUUGGGGHHHH Well I finally have it done. A little too close for comfort 47 lbs in one and 45lbs in the other, AND I still have to get my last minute hair and face stuff in one of them. Well anyways, I hink I am ready. I still either have to book a hotel for tomorrow night, or I have to call brother Chris to stay at his house. DECISIONS, I HATE MAKING DECISIONS!!!

Well, I think this will be my last post until I get her. WAHOOO she is almost HOME.

Oh I forgot to tell you all. Leaving on the plane at 6:00am Wed Sept 17th. Flying to HOUSTON TEXAS and then on to Guatemala. We will be coming back the same way on the 24th. We will arrive in Detroit at 8:00pm if all goes well with the flights.

Please pray that our little peanut will love us, that she won't be scared, and that she will not miss her Foster Mom too much. My heart breaks for her, that she will be thrown at some strangers not knowing whats happening. Also please pray for her Foster mom. Her heart is definately going to be crushed, she loves Avea so much.

See ya'll on the BLOG!! I will try to post while we are there.

WE ARE PINK!!!!!!

Pink is the appointment with the Embassy. THE FINAL STEP!!!! We will be all done with everything on Sept 22 and 23. WE are thinking at the moment going down on the 17 or the 18th and staying until the 24th. Instead of waiting for the appointment then staying longer. I think we are going early and leaving right after the appointment.

Holy COW!!! this is it. We have been waiting for this since May 1 0/07. It still doesn't seem real, or like it is really happening. I think it won't feel real until we are on that airplane on our way home with our girl.

I think we could maybe get one more set of pictures this week. We'll see.

DNA is DONE!!

DNA is done and back in Guatemala. Yes we are now waiting for PINK!!! THINK PINK!!! This could happen soon. This is where we get the appointment to go pick up our daughter Avea!!! The embassy will be sending me a email telling me the date.

COMING SOON!! PINK Watch your emails everyone!!