meet bubba...

this is "bubba" his real name is blahblah... he is a sampling of the many gifts that mia has piling up here at home from all her friends and relatives... bubba was a gift from our dear friend heidi.

subtle hints...

how many days have i stood at this station and not looked up? every day i buy a coffee at the starbucks on nicollet mall next to the crate and barrell. this morning i did look up and to my astonishment there was this photo silently hanging before me... a view of agua volcano towering above central park in lovely antigua... it made me pause and wonder about my daughter mia, my wife laurie and all the people who live in antigua... and again the world reveals to me how truly large and small it is all at once... jack handy

home sweet home…

i can hardly contain my excitement about the news of mia's birth certificate. tonight is a beautiful warm summer night in minneapolis the kind of night that has me really missing you and mia... very soon you will both be here with me and we can enjoy our home together.

it has been a wonderful summer. even though i am so far away from you and mia, 2005 has truly been amazing for all of us, it has been filled with life changing events -- this is the summer we became a family. soon mia will meet olliver and zeke… i can hardly wait to explore everything that lies ahead with you both.

love papa

Mia and friends 

Good News from Antigua

We received news that Mia´s new birth certificate was completed yesterday. We´re hoping to be home over the next couple of weeks. We need to apply for her visa and have the final embassy appointment and then we are off to Minneapolis. I can´t wait.

Mia went out with a few friends to celebrate!

In time for Lucia´s

Hola,
Today is August 10th and we still have not received our Guatemala birth certificate. We aren´t able to apply for the visa without the birth certificate. Initially, we thought we would have it on the 5th, but haven´t heard anything. It gets a little hard watching all the other babies go home. On the 20th, I will have been here for 2 months. I really thought I would be home by the end of July. Now, it looks like we won´t be home until the end of August. I´m really glad that I decided to come here when I did. Mia has changed so much over the last couple of months. She is now sleeping through the night. I still wake up every couple of hours and feel her stomach to make sure she is breathing. I´m not sure when that will stop (maybe when she is 18). It is bittersweet for me because I know how much Dennis would enjoy seeing her grow through these stages. We call him every morning and give raspberries on the phone. That is Mia´s new way of communicating. We miss you all!

My goal is to be home in time for a glass of Lucia´s sangria before it is taken off the menu. Keep your fingers crossed.

A Big Hug

Hello Daddy,
Here is a big hug for you! I just learned to stand up. It is much better than sitting around all the time (especially, when I fall over and Mommy doesn´t see me right away)

Do you like it? I did it myself. 

Mia´s workout equipment

Mia´s bath fashion

Julie (Lily is in the pack) and Donna (both from St. Louis)

Margie and Lucita. Margie is moving back to Milwaukee from Colorado. We´ve planned to meet in Chicago since Mia and Lucita have become cute little friends.

Martha and Jonathan 

Our neighbors (Yvonne and Tom Foley) They travel to Antigua every year to teach. They are wonderful.

A light at the end of the tunnel?

We heard from our agency today that they are estimating our birth certificate to be completed on Friday and then we have about two weeks after that to travel home. Based on this timeline, it will put us around the 3rd week of August. There are many things that can still cause administrative delays, but I´m continuing to remain optimistic. I can´t wait to go home and start our life as a family. Fall is my favorite season and I´m excited to experience Minneapolis with Mia and Dennis during (what I consider to be) the most beautiful time of the year. Dennis has done an amazing job of keeping things together in Minneapolis. He said he has several surprises for Mia and me. I´m hoping one is not a missing Oliver.

Mia is doing great. She screams and laughs and tries to utter a few sounds when I talk to her. Every morning she wakes up by blowing bubbles and making very strange sounds. We had to call her daddy a few times so he could experience how funny it is at 4 am. She also loves throwing EVERYTHING off the table. She is at the stage where she is grabbing anything in her reach. I just noticed tooth #2 popping through.

Things are very relaxed in this beautiful little place. I´ve included a few random pictures. We have the best neighbors. They have pretty much adopted Mia and make wonderful vegetarian meals for us. I miss everyone and can´t wait to see you. It has been so nice to receive all of your kind messages.

Hello Daddy,

I wanted to show you my new tooth. Mommy said you wanted to see it. I'm hoping there will be more to come. I heard that I'm probably going to get a whole bunch. This is the first one and I'm being very careful with it.

P.S. Mommy has a weak stomach so my nose doesn't get as much attention as it should. Please disregard anything you may see growing out of my nostrils.

Love and miss you, Mia.

Daddy's little girl sprouts a tooth

Mia's first tooth (may need to enlarge)

Irish whiskey, a plate of spaghetti, and a warm tostada

Today the agency called to tell me that the birth mother has signed off for the final time. After your file is approved, they require one last signature from the birth mother before they can apply for a new birth certificate. We were submitted into the civil registry (birth certificate department) of Guatemala City and will wait for a week or two until Mia is officially a McGrath. Mia and I celebrated with a shot of Irish Whiskey (dad), a plate of Spaghetti (mom), and a warm tostada (Mia).

Seriously, there are many milestones during this process, but this was one that I was really looking forward to having completed. Dennis and I can handle any administrative delays that may come our way, now that we know she is legally ours.

This is Mia's first experience in the baby swing at Hotel Antigua. 

Martha, Steve and baby Jonathan have arrived in Antigua. Martha and Steve are from Minneapolis and fostering Jonathan as well. We're having a great time together and Mia loves her new friend. We've told them all about the fun they will have walking Lake Harriet when we all get back to Minneapolis. 

Sharing a day in the life

Yesterday was one of those days that I am reminded of how amazing this experience has been for me. It was a beautiful sunny day in Antigua. I gathered Mia in the carrier and walked to Café Condessa for my morning coffee. We walk by the prison every morning and over the last couple of days, I noticed a half-smile from the guard on the roof holding a very large machine gun. For the first time, he actually asked me the name of my baby. It made me smile. Ruth, the street vendor, was walking on the other side of the street. She said hello and asked when my husband would be returning because she has a nice gift he can buy me and she will give him a very special price. The waitresses at Café Condessa hold Mia while I look at a few used books in the front area of the restaurant. Mia and I then do our usual walk through central park and stop to look at the fountain. She loves when the water splashes. She clenches her fists and kicks her legs whenever we get close to the water. I´m certain she was a fish in her past life. On our way back, we stop at Dona Luisa for a scone and a loaf of banana bread. Mia is beginning to fall asleep and I´m excited to start the new book I just bought. We walk back to the apartment and Mia’s little friends are sitting on a blanket in the middle of the grass. I stop and chat for a minute and then bring Mia inside for her nap. I start reading and Mia sleeps. After a few chapters, I feel a tug on my ponytail. It is her way of telling me she is awake and ready for her bottle. It always makes me laugh. I’m trying to take it all in and remember how fortunate I am to be doing this with her.
When I decided to foster I was a little worried (okay, a lot worried) about what it would be like to spend time in Guatemala. Most people would agree that this is a pretty big leap for me. I thought about not only living in a new environment, but being a first time mother pretty late in the game. Dennis and I talked at length about what this would mean for both of us, but I now realize that we didn´t even begin to understand. The biggest gift I have been given during this time (other than my beautiful daughter) is an appreciation for her culture that I can share through a first hand account, tons of pictures, journals and relationships that we have made together on our daily walks. I remember when Dennis first said that I should look into fostering in Guatemala. It seemed so out of reach and impossible. It was the best decision I’ve ever made. I don’t remember ever being this happy…

Mia is half a year old on friday...

i'll be traveling on friday, so i have to post this early... happy 1/2 birthday my little pickle i can't wait to show you around your room and play with you at home here in minneapolis.

To Daddy...

I was just thinking about you and wanted you to know that I remember all the things we did when you were here. You are the best!

P.S. Can you make sure my crib sheets are at least 300 thread count? I have very sensitive skin.

Love and Miss You...Mia

When you fed me cereal 

When you made me laugh 

When you read to me 

When I fell asleep 

When you fed me at the rice and beans place 

When we went shopping for Mom´s ring

We are approved!

Dennis and I received word from our lawyer today that we are out of PGN. We need to apply for the birth certificate and we will be on our way home. This is the best news I could have received on this rainy day in Antigua. I´m thrilled because the hard part is over for us. I´ll keep you all updated on the progress. We couldn´t be happier.

More soon

Mother and daughter

i couldn´t resist posting this one...

All together now...

today is my last day here at sta. rosa i will be leaving for the airport soon. this visit was so amazing for me to see how big mia has become, she has developed muscles for squirming, and she is mastering loud googles with eye-contact. i am so sad to be leaving without mia and laurie today... not to worry, they are both doing just fine here, mia has the most courageous mom and she is well cared for by her.

we hope all goes smoothly in PGN this week so that next week we can hear from our attorney that we are able to move to the next stage in the process. hearing that we have made it through PGN would mean that we have about 3 weeks to go. all good wishes are welcome at this stage in the adoption.

Mia and some of her friends at sta. rosa...

this is how mia spends her time, socializing with her friends on the couch in the apartment.

Laurie reading to Mia at bed-time...

from the new people magazine of course!

The rainy season in Guatemala...

rain doesn´t stop us from running around antigua to explore the city... mia has become quite the little helper (notice her holding the umbrella)

Mia sends a big hug to all her blog-fans!

XOXOXO and a big hug to all...

we took mia into guatemala city this afternoon for her final "well baby" doctor appointment. she weighs 17.5 lbs. is 72 cm. tall and had to have polio drops and a vaccination shot in her thigh. she was a trooper through it all and slept most of the way home to antigua in the car.

laurie and i ran some errands and had a quick dinner by ourselves this evening while the nanny looked after mia. we noticed a lot of soldiers with big guns on patrol in the city. we were a little concerned at first, but then found out the president of guatemala is visiting antigua today, so it´s just beefed up security. i have one more day here before leaving for minneapolis. it is going to be hard to leave this time without the girls.

papa´s back in town...

i arrived in guatemala city on friday afternoon and took a cab to antigua to see the girls. it was so wonderful to see laurie and mia after the last three weeks apart. mia has grown so much, and she is very talkative too.

mia and i enjoy walking through the city looking at all the wonderful sights, the first stop we made this morning was to cafe condesa for coffee... our first errand together to bring back a latte for laurie.

we are all going out this afternoon for lunch and to the pool tomorrow morning.

Good-bye Kellie and Leah

Kellie and Leah left this morning after a great four day visit. They were both becoming baby pros by the time they left. Mia had so much fun spending time with them and was sad to see them leave. They fell in love with Antigua and plan on returning. Mia recieved a box from her aunt Debbie today filled with lots of surprises. She is very thankful and will send a picture to show how much she loves the teething necklace. She hasn´t stopped chewing on it since I gave it to her. We are having a great time. We really don´t have anything new to report on the adoption front. We´re just looking forward to seeing Dennis on Friday. Hope everyone is doing well.

Kellie and Leah have arrived...

My friends, Kellie and Leah arrived on Thursday and we´ve been having a great time shopping, eating out and just visiting. Mia loves playing with them and really likes it when they tell her all about their pets...(Bernie, Gracie and Gilda)

We´ve tried a few new places to eat and went to the market for a few hours yesterday. Today was Mia´s first pool visit. She really liked getting in the water and watching all the other kids playing. I think it wore her out since she took a nap and slept right through all the screaming kids playing in the water. Dennis has booked a trip for this Friday. Hopefully, he will be making a trip back soon to take us home. I´m thinking that I will hear something next week.

Enjoy the pictures.

kellie and Mia

Mia and Leah having a talk

Leah, Kellie and Mia