Levi Douglas Bradley: Still waiting for resubmit

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!!!

Thursday, November 1, 2007

Still waiting for resubmit

Hey, just wanted to post an update with all the info I have right now. I have been tracking our paperwork from having all the seals placed so that we are able to go back into PGN (Guatemalan court). Today it finally arrived back at our agency in TN. It has been to Nashville and Atlanta in less than a week so, that was pretty fast. My agency social worker said once she gets it she will overnight it to Guatemala. Our attorney will then take it to be translated into Spanish. Depending on how long the translation takes we should be resubmitted back into court process soon. The Presidential election is on Monday and today is a holiday in Guatemala. Therefore, PGN is closed from today until next Tuesday. Basically, we'll lose a week longer but, having to be translated it should all work out either way. Surely by the time they're back open at PGN we'll be ready for the attorney to resubmit us back in. We do have to start over with the review process, with the first one again. Hoping and praying we don't have anymore delays once we're back in. We need a miracle and some prayers answered to have him home by the end of this year. They do vote on the amendment on Nov 14th after the election on Monday is over. If this is passed by Congress we'll feel better knowing they plan to allow our cases to proceed without further requirements under the new laws effective Jan 1st. Please pray that this is over soon. Also, Nancy, Isaac's mom got bad news today... they rec'd a kickout as well. They were with the second reviewer and we thought they were headed for Barrios' desk (the final sign off director)soon and on their way out of PGN. But, they needed a new medical report from Isaac's pediatrician. She is expecting to be back in as soon as they reopen from the holiday and election as well. Keep us all in your prayers.- Tracy (aka Levi's mommy)

1 comment:

Anonymous said...: I can't wait for him to get here. He better be here by Christmas. He's absolutely the cutest baby ever. I'm proud to call him my little baby cousin.

:D; November 1, 2007 at 1:43:00 PM EDT