functional bubba

bubba is cute, he has this loop in the back that holds his tail in place, it's very handy! even heidi didn't know about his tail-storage capabilities.

i just know that mia is going to love her blahblah... stay tuned for her personal thank you to heidi...

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.