Levi Douglas Bradley: Finally moving again in Guatemala!

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!!!

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Finally moving again in Guatemala!

Hey, just wanted to post and let everyone know I rec'd an email from our agency today that the document we were waiting to come in made it back to TN, finally!! It is now back in the hands of our attorney in Guatemala as of this past Thursday the 15th. Now we wait again but, hopefully just a few more days and we're back in the PGN race again...moving at least not stuck in the mail somewhere. From the attorney, as I already posted, it will be translated and then registered that it's back in country with the Office of Foreign Affairs and get yet another seal. The attorney can then resubmit us back in. I will for sure post when that happens. Keep praying no more kick outs!!! The average time running right now is about 8 weeks from beginning of PGN until the end if you have no kick outs. Again that is average without the factors we have to consider with 2 holidays falling within our 8 weeks. Of course, it has happened that it's much quicker so, there is always hope. We'll keep praying and believing we're on the home stretch again. Some of you have emailed and asked about the Congressional Session that was supposed to be held to vote in the grandfather took place but, they didn't get to the votes on adoptions yet. I was told in another email from the agency today that she expects to update me with more next week. She may know they are planning to meet again for the voting. If the grandfather clause is passed and we're believing it will be, we'll be sitting a little more secure that even if more delays come with PGN he's still coming home as planned under the current laws with no further requirements to finalize his adoption. He should go back to the pediatrician and we'll get new pictures soon. It seems like that is coming so often now, guess it's where we are waiting and know he's a month older each set we get. Wednesday, Levi and Isaac will be 7 months old. Please pray for them both to get through this soon!! Nancy hasn't heard any more news so, we're assuming no news is good news and still in there somewhere... praying no more kick outs there either. Pray, Pray, Pray!!!!!!!!! Love and Blessings- Tracy (aka Levi's mommy)