Together Forever !!

We made it to Guatemala. We had only about 30 mins to spare and then a driver picked us up to take us to the attorneys office to get Isabella. It was so so so hard to watch her foster family say goodbye. \You could tell they were so deeply attached. Bella is having a hard time today with the transtion but we expected that. She just needs time to adjust again.

Updates will be short and sweet because \I didn't bring a laptop this time. I'll try to get some photos up very soon.

We made it though ! Isabella is ours forever!

We are SSSOOO happy and John it totally smitten with Bella. Every time she laughs at him or grabs his nose he just melts.

\More later...got to go check on my family.

Isabella is coming home !!!

Finally I get to type those words. We got the call today that we have PINK. When you get your appointment to pick up your babies immigrant visa it is issued on a pink slip so adoptive parents usually call this step getting PINK.

Our appointment with the US Embassy is June 2nd at 7:45 am. We are so surprised because we thought we were still waiting on Isabella's new birth certificate, and then it's usually a week or so after that until she comes home.
Our agency called us today and said, "How would you like to go to Guatemala next week? You have pink!! " We were in total shock and numb with excitment.

We are leaving on May 31st and will be back on either June 4th or June 6th. After the visa appointment you have to go back on the next business day to pick up the visa. Because our appointment is on a Friday we may have to wait Monday to pick it up and then return home on Tuesday. Every now and then the Embassy is nice and will let you pick it up the same day and in that case we will come home on Sunday.

At this point though nothing really matters except that, Isabella will be in our arms forever in less than a week!!! We have been truly blessed and it's a miracle that the end of this process went by so quickly.

We'll be posting updates from Guatemala so check in with us!

P.S. I can not respond to comments without your email address so if you think I might not have it you can email me at: neen522@hotmail.com

Love,
Janine

OUT OF PGN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yipee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Isabella Susanne Sutton is %100 legally ours now. Yes it's true, the Guatemalan courts signed off on our case today. If all goes smooth from here Isabella could be home as early as three weeks from now!!

Thank You God for answering my prayers and thank you to everyone who has been praying for us along the way. I'm at my mom's house in KY today and my family gave me a beautiful baby shower. I got to make the announcment at my baby shower today for everyone! What a wonderful blessing.

I'll give you all more detail when I get home to my own computer but for now rejoice with us. Isabella will be home very soon!

Proud parents!
Janine and John Sutton

Happy Mothers Day- Let me start today by posting a tribute to my mother. Mom thank you for all you have done for us over the years. I am so honored to be your daughter, and to have you as my best friend. In light of everything we've faced over the years, you never backed down to the challenge and you always kept your family strong. You have showed me the woman I want to become and I love you so very much.

For my mother in law Sue: I have never met another person who is as strong as you. You are so brave and such a fighter. I can not thank you enough for raising such a wonderful man. We feel so blessed to have you as part of our lives and we miss you and love you, and think about you every day.

John and I look forward to sharing Isabella with you. She is a lucky girl to have such wonderful grandmothers!


I knew mother's day was going to be hard for me this year. I'm technically a mother but not legally yet and my baby is not here in my arms. Sometimes it's hard to keep my faith strong when we are faced with so many challenges in this process.

Today I ran across a beautiful poem and I felt it was really a gift from God. It reminded me that I need to be understanding and patient and trust that God will do his job. I thought I would share it with all of you.

Dear God,
Please bring my beautiful baby home to me soon,
I need to rock her 'neath the light of the moon,
I need to kiss her warm soft, sweet face,
I want to teach her of your love and grace.
She needs to know I'm her parent for keeps,
She needs to know I'll watch while she sleeps.
I know you've a plan, you're much wiser than I,
But I fear you've forgotten, as time passes by.
I'll watch for a sign and I'll know that you're there,
I'll pray for some news and remember you care.

Love,
A Waiting Parent
_____________________________________________

Dear Waiting Parent,
You think that the process moves slowly, not surely,
I promise it's both, but change mustn't come early.
Your faith must be strong, open and steady,
Your baby will be here, but not till I'm ready.
I'll never forget you; I do have a plan,
Not easily understood by mere man.

While you are here waiting for news you can share,
A foster family waits for pain they must bear.
To your wonderful child, they must say good-bye,
You know, to them, time really does fly!
Think of them as you wait and prepare,
Pray for their strength; be grateful they're there.
I'm with them too, just as I am with you.
I know how it is to be far from your child,
I want to hold YOU and make all your fears mild.
Believe, little one, that the sun is my kiss,
Believe that you'll share so much more than you'll miss!
Your baby is coming home to you soon!
Hold her, kiss her, 'neath the light of My moon.

Love,
God

PGN Woes- Well we just haven't caught any breaks with this adoption so far. Every little step has had a glitch it seems. I almost feel like a record when each deadline comes and I have to tell people ..just a little longer. The latest is the drama that is unfolding with the PGN courts in Guatemala. In March the director of PGN was fired and a new person took his place. Unfortunate for us and the MANY other waiting families they hired someone who is (a.) anti-adoption and (b.) has no prior adoption experience. Now, I know that we all have to start somewhere and that he's just learning the ropes still, but I WANT MY DAUGHTER HOME.

(INSERT CHILDISH POUT AND WHINING HERE)

So the entire month of April PGN has been at a stand still creating a backlog of who knows how many. I'm a little slow at updating everyone on this because I've still been trying to cope with it all myself. There were weeks that I was GLUED to the adoption forums just praying to see someone...anyone...getting out.

The rumor mill about what actually is happening has been spinning like crazy. Everyone has their own version of the stories based on what their attorneys are telling them. It's so sad to see that one person can affect so many desperate families who just want to have their sweet babies home forever. My favorite rumor though, and the one that I like to believe is that there is a group of about 25 attorneys that banded together and went to the PGN office last week to talk to the man in charge. He of course refused too see them and asked two of them to come back at the end of this week to discuss the matter.

Since that rumor hit the boards...we have thankfully started to see families getting OUT of PGN again. I am really really really really really hoping that this is the start of the flood gates opening and that all of us waiting parents will be getting good news soon.

My days with Bella seem like they were so long ago now. It seems like just a wonderful dream that I had. I'm so heartbroken that she will not get to join us at the beach house for my family vacation this year. I have all her cute little swim suits in my closet and the thought of returning them to the store makes me so sad. I'm going to wait on that in hopes that by some miracle we get out of PGN next week. The 19th is pretty much the latest day we could get out and still have a chance to get Bella home in time for the trip. Even then it would be cutting it very close and no guarantees.

I know I ask for your prayers often, but please do continue to keep our adoption in your nightly prayers. The closer we get to the end the harder the wait seems to get and I personally need strength now more than ever.

Thank you,
Janine & John