Fiesta at the Embassy

Due to the holiday, the embassy is closed today, tomorrow and Monday. We are still not back in the process of review and now will be delayed at least another week. On the bright side, I´ve heard once my case returns to the reviewer it will go fast. One can only hope. Lately, Mia and I have been hitting the town every night. It isn´t a big surprise to my family and friends that we are eating out three times a day. They know Mia by name at Cafe Condessa and she is becoming a real night owl. We already have a few favorite spots. Many places are owned by Americans that have moved to retire in Antigua. I´m getting pretty comfortable with finding my way around the city and even using a little Spanish every now and then. Heather has been such a huge help. Mia loves having her around. We both agree she should stay with us a little longer.

Mel was adopted from the same agency as Mia. Mel�s mom referred us to the agency that gave us Mia. Mishel came to Guatemala this weekend to take Mel home. Mia and I are very happy for them! 

More of Mia and Mel... 

Mia thinks Mel is funny 

Mia and Mel meeting for the first time 

Heather arrives in Antigua

Mia´s cousin came to visit for a couple of days and we are very happy to have her. Heather has been such a great help and Mia loves her already. Things are moving along and we are hoping the process moves quickly. We are still waiting to enter the last stage of the adoption process. Our agency sent a new document and our attorney should receive it over the next couple of days. I´m pretty certain my stay will be extended by 2-4 weeks. This is assuming things progress as normal from this point. Initially, we thought mid-July. Now, we are thinking possibly August. I´m hoping it will be sooner, but I would rather be surprised than disappointed by unreal expectations. I have friends coming down the 7th thru the 11th and then again on the 16th or so. I really enjoy sharing Antigua and it keeps my mind off the process. Mia is doing great and has changed so much in the 2 1/2 weeks that I´ve been here.

Hope everyone is doing well and having a great summer.

So happy with my nanny! 

Hola Pappa...I miss you. 

Good morning... 

baby room test-run:

molly and i worked diligently on preparing the baby room for mia yesterday, funny thing is, zeke thinks we are doing all this work for him.

i just had to indulge him for the moment!

Conversations with Mia

Hello Everyone,

Mia and I were just talking about how much we miss everyone and can´t wait to see our friends and family. We have plenty of time for conversation since she has decided that sleep is over-rated and teeth really don´t feel too good when they start to pop through.
We also talked about her eating habits because she doesn´t like carrots or peas and that isn´t a good thing for a vegetarian. I´m sure she will love a good tofu scramble. I´ll have to wait until I return to Minneapolis. I´ve come to the conclusion that tofu is not available in Antigua. She did tell me that she hasn´t made up her mind yet if she is going to adopt her mom´s eating habits and wants me to let her decide. We´ll see about that :)

I´m hoping to be back in the process this week. Keep your fingers crossed for an early approval. Dennis is busy getting things ready in Minneapolis for Mia and I´m hoping to take a trip to St. Louis when we return. Mia´s cousin Heather is coming on Monday and we are both very excited. We are going to the big market today to try and find the textile pattern from her village.
Wish us luck!

kate's last day

i think mia really likes kate...

on the streets of antigua

group shot!

kate's visit...

laurie, kate and mia
at the cafe condesa.

hello from the dogs...

oliver and zeke are really wondering where laurie is these days... and they asked me to write to you about them. they want you to know that they wake up in the morning and do their usual routine, but at night when i come home and walk zeke, oliver stays at the front door and waits for you. he sometimes hears a neighbor's car door and barks diligently thinking that you will be walking through the door at any moment.

they are doing just fine. both sleep much of the day, and play in the yard in the evenings as usual. zeke's ear is better now that he has had a full week of drops, and truth be told, ollie is still more interested in snausages than waiting at the front door... little does he know that when you do walk through that door you will have mia with you, and as much as i tell him all about her, i'm sure he will be confused by that.

bottom line is the dogs miss you, they are happy, and well taken care of... and they know you are on your way home soon...

xoxo

oliie & zeke

likes the neighbor's toys better than her own...

mia has fallen in love with lucita's swing, she is facinated with the little green fish.

kate took this photo of mia's first tuk-tuk ride. a tuk tuk is a small moped-taxi service that is really bouncy... as you can see she slept the whole way.

mia with laurie in central park 

Life in Antigua with boiled bottles

Hello Everyone,

Hope everyone is doing well. We had a great day today. The weather was beautiful and we spent the afternoon at the park in central square. It is a very active part of Antigua and filled with vendors and people just relaxing. Mia loves to watch all the people go by. She has discovered that screaming at the top of her little lungs is very funny and makes everyone laugh. She does this about every 15-20 minutes. I´m hoping it is just a phase and she will move on to an activity that is a little less noisy. I´m starting to pick up Spanish just by living here since Mia´s nanny doesn´t speak english. It is very funny watching both of us try to communicate. Somehow it is working out just fine and she is teaching me many things that I didn´t know. Most importantly, that you need to boil the bottles in Guatemala. I found that out a little late, but Mia made it through okay. We´re boiling everything now :)

We were able to resubmit the missing document thanks to the help of a few fast acting people in Minneapolis. I´m hoping things will be back on track soon. I just try to remind myself that this is a very special experience and I need to enjoy my time in Antigua with Mia.

Good-bye Kate!

Hello Everyone,

Hope all is well. We found out today that the embassy misplaced a document needed to complete the adoption process. I'm working to get a new document created. I'm not sure how much this will put us behind, but we are remaining optimistic. Kate left today and we are very sad. Mia really liked her singing and dancing. She was such a huge help and a great cappuccino partner at Cafe Condessa.

It is nice to have company...that is a hint for anyone that has extra vacation and nothing better to do than visit Antigua.

More soon

momma & mia 

poppa & mia...  

lola at the local dona lola with little mia 

laurie witrh olfa & ruth, sisters who sell their weaves at the local open air market on saturdays 

view of fire volcano from sta. rosa apartments 

little mia in her sun protection on the streets of antigua 

Back in Minneapolis

Well,

I left Antigua, Guatemala yesterday morning at 8:45am with Edwin, the english taxi-driver, and arrived here in Minneapolis late last evening to find both Oliver and Zeke safe, sound and sleeping in the house. They have no idea what's about to happen to their little worlds... I thought i would post a few more images from my last day in-country.

I certainly miss Laurie and Mia.

Antigua Lunch Hour 

The Apartment Entrance 

Antigua 

Antigua Street 

Central Park 

Walking with another mom (Margie) 

One week...

Hello Everyone,

Today marks one week for us in Antigua. Dennis flew back to Minneapolis this morning and Kate is flying in later today. Things are pretty quiet and VERY laid back here. It is a big change to our usual work week. Mia is doing really well and we are spending our time getting to know each other. Dennis has been giving her a few pointers on how to handle Oliver when we get back to Minneapolis.

We had our first dinner guests over last night. Leanne, Tim, Robbie and Lilly. They are from Minneapolis and have moved here for a year to work with the Common Hope project in Antigua. We dined on Dominos pizza and Coca Cola.

I´m posting a few pictures of Antigua. We miss everyone...

Mia and Mommy hanging in Antigua 

Mia and her beloved tongue