Levi Douglas Bradley: WE HAVE PA!!!

Our Adoption Story

Levi was born on April 21, 2007 in Chinautla, Guatemala, a small town known for pottery. He weighed 6.7 pounds and was 19.7 inches long. He was in private foster care in Guatemala City where he lived for 10 1/2 months with his foster mom, her son and daughter and Isaac, his foster brother. Throughout our difficult adoption journey, Isaac's mom, Nancy and I became very good friends. God placed our boys together and had the perfect plan in place long before we ever realized it. When I was undecided on an adoption agency, I joined an online forum where Nancy provided me with information about her agency and recommended them to us. We decided to sign with the same agency and I emailed Nancy back to let her know. Over a few months we emailed back and forth to learn we were both from TN and lived only 30 minutes apart... we thought wow, it's a small world. Little did we know a few months later we'd both get referrals, earlier than we expected, of 2 beautiful Guatemalan angels. When they turned 2 months old our agency called and decided it was time to tell us that they were in the same foster home together and had been since they were 1 day old. We were amazed they were together. Even more so, God amazed us once again when we learned shortly after that they were born on the same day and were from the same town... no longer a coincidence that was for sure. We were being told by the foster mom how attached they were and acted like brothers. But, Nancy and I got the chance in January '08 to go to visit them and see it for ourselves. It was an amazing time of bonding with our boys that we will never forget. After that trip it seemed when one of us would reach a roadblock in the crazy process of international adoption the other would be delayed with something else. We stayed right together until the very day we picked them both up. We had our US Embassy appts the same day and we flew home through Atlanta on the same flight on March 11, 2008 when they both entered the US as citizens! It was an awesome time for us in the Atlanta Airport when we rec'd the congrats they were official! We've made friends for life with Nancy, Eric, and with Isaac's extended families. We look forward to many years of watching them both grow up so close together. Over the past year, as we went through battle after battle to bring our boys home, Nancy and I both would never think of one without the other in our endless prayers to keep them safe, happy and healthy until they could be home with their forever families. We're finally parents and it's what we've both waited for, for so many years.. our families are finally complete!!!

Friday, September 14, 2007

WE HAVE PA!!!

Hey, just wanted to post and let everyone know we rec'd our pre-approval for Levi's visa from the US Embassy last night. This couldn't have come at a better time since we are still broken hearted about having to leave Guatemala from our visit trip just a few days ago without him. That was by far the hardest thing either one of us has ever had to do. We miss him so much we just can't stand the thought right now. God has blessed us once again in moving us forward in this process into the final stage. Our friend Nancy has also moved ahead one step closer to bringing Isaac home too. My heart does go out to their foster mother if she loses them both at the same time or close together she too will be broken hearted. We are praying hard everyday for them both and claiming they'll be home for their first Christmas. We know God is in control as I have said many times over so, we'll continue to trust in Him to lead the way. We hold our faith in God not any government official in Guatemala. Until we hear again, keep us in your prayers. This final stage is unpredictable as to how long it will take but, we have God on our side and know this adoption is covered in prayer right now more than ever. We're overjoyed today just to know we're one step closer to getting back on that plane to bring him home for good.- Tracy (aka mommy)