How We Got Here - Part 2: Building our Bond

In October 2007, Michael and I took our first visit trip to meet the boys and spend some time loving on them.  We had a great visit with Gerson and Elviz and made the first of many memories.  It was an exciting and wonderful time, but it was also marked as a time when real "trouble" began in the world of Guatemalan adoptions.  The Congress passed a new law, there were a swirl of rumors about what would happen to the pending cases, and there was a fight to get a "grandfather clause" added to the new law that would allow our case to be completed.     

By the end of October, our case made it to the level of final approval (PGN).  At the time, it was taking about 8 weeks to make it through this stage . . . we were hoping for a Christmas miracle.   When approval did not come before Christmas, I was sure that it would happen right after the holiday.  I bought them new winter clothes and drafted a celebration post for my blog.  Unfortunately, I found out on January 7, 2008, that our approval would not be coming anytime soon.  After agreeing with me that my file should have been processed by now, a compassionate employee of PGN agreed to pull my file and find out why it was delayed.  She informed me of a complication in our case.  A complication that no one seemed to know how to deal with.  I was crushed and confused, and my only thought was that I needed to go see my boys.

In January 2008, my sweet friend, Jenn, her daughter, and I traveled to Guatemala to visit Gerson, Elviz, and Jenn's daughter, Sara.  Sara lived at the hogar with the boys and had a very close relationship with them.  I tried to block out the thoughts of our "complication" and focus on loving these sweet children.  Once I had them in my arms, the worry went away.  We had an amazing week together with so many smiles, laughs, kisses, and hugs!  I fell more in love with these boys that I could have ever imagined.        

Time passed, and our case remained stalled.  No progress and no idea how to get any.  In May 2008, Michael and I went to visit the boys again.  We had a fabulous time..  It was the first time that we stayed at a hotel that had a pool, and the boys absolutely loved it!  We met up with some friends and their children, and Gerson and Elviz were the happiest that I had ever seen them.  The bond between us grew stronger with each day, and we all cried at the hogar when the trip was over.  I prayed for the boys' safety, and prayed that God would please remove the obstacles that kept us separated. 

More time passed, and still no progress.  There were no answers to my questions, and seemingly, no answers to my prayers.  In November 2008, I went again to visit the boys.  Although it seemed "risky" in some ways to continue to bond with these children while our adoption was so unsure, I just could not bare to be away any longer.  I am so glad that I made that trip.  There were so many special moments during that visit that I will never forget.  It became clear that not only did I love Gerson and Elviz with my whole heart, but also that they loved being loved by me.    

Between visits, I was very fortunate to be able to send packages to the boys and to receive lots of pictures and updates as other families visited the hogar.  It was really special to be able to give the boys frequent reminders that we had not forgotten them.