November Journal

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2006 07:19 PM, CST Today we received a copy of Christina's DNA report and a picture of her Birthmother holding her at 1 month of age. It was difficult seeing this because we have such torn feelings. We are so happy and blessed that the birthmother chose an adoption plan for her daughter but we are also sad that the birthmother had to make a decision like this. Please keep her in your prayers. She has to meet with Christina and sign off one more time which will be the last time she will see her. I can't imagine the feelings she will be feeling. They don't receive any information about us at all. She doesn't know what country she is going to or anything about us. She is trusting in God to place her with a loving family. What a sacrifice...it makes my complaints and worries so small and insignificant. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2006 08:45 PM, CST Woooo hoooo....Praise the Lord. We are so excited. The adoption agency called and we have a DNA match after 5 tries they were able to find the DNA strand that match 99.73%. They needed 99.7% to be accepted. All the others were in the 99 % but not enough to make the Embassy happy. The agency was as excited for us as we were. They were all celebrating since this has been trying for them as well. As I put in the other journal entry they had never had this happen before so they were as estatic as we were. Now we wait for an e-mail from the US Embassy giving us approval to move forward with the adoption. Which should take about a month. More waiting but we are praying the rest of the steps will go more smoothly. Keep the prayers coming and thank you for all of them up to this point. They have helped in more ways than you know. God Bless. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 09, 2006 05:26 PM, CST Praise God. We got some good news today. The DNA is still being tested but the lab has had this before and they feel it's a match just needing the right DNA strand and percentage. Please keep the prayers coming. We are to hear about the DNA next week. The other good news is while we were waiting for the DNA to come back the lawyer in Guatemala pleaded our case and had the family court finished which isn't suppose to be done after DNA so we just gained two to three week missed because of the DNA. Family court is when the birthmother signs off a third time and a homestudy is completed. We will get a copy of it when we pick up Christina. We are so blessed. The best part is that we recieved updated pictures of Christina today. She even gave her first smile for us. It is difficult missing her firsts but the fostermom is doing a great job keeping us up to date in pictures. She weighs 11lbs 6 oz and is 20 1/2 inches long. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2006 03:39 PM, CDT We finally have heard something on Christina's DNA. There is still not a match but it still is inconclusive...which means in an egg shell that the number needs to be 99.75% match with Birthmother or the US Embassy won't accept. The results so far are close to that but not the number the Embassy wants. I guess our DNA has many strands..(I should have studied biology harder in college) Christina's blood sample was sent back to the Lab for a third test. I am hoping to know something by next Monday. I did ask if there is a chance it wouldn't be a match and they said they don't know because they have had a non-match and they were notified in 4 days so they are thinking this must just be a challenging case and they have never heard of this before...imagine that...after notaries not being certified (which they never heard before either) and having to redo paperwork up to three times. I told them, "Welcome to our family...Christina must be chosen for us since her DNA is being difficult as well:) Prayers would greatly be appreciated since this is suppose to be the simple part of the adoption:) Keep Christina in your prayers as well. She turned two months old on Saturday. Thank you for your prayers up to this point as well. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2006 03:29 PM, CDT I just received a call from the adoption agency and the DNA came back inconclusive...my heart just sank. I thought it wasn't a match and we wouldn't be able to adopt Christina but what it means is that a lot of Guatemalan children have one strain of DNA that is so close that the number comes back low and they want a higher number to give to the American Embassy. Confusing..huh. Anyway they are doing a deeper DNA test which takes longer and that is why instead of a week it will take three. Please pray it is a match. I am sure it is but prayers sure could help it along.