Levi Douglas Bradley: Birth Certificate Update

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!!!

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Birth Certificate Update

Hey, just wanted to post that my attorney met with the mayor or his representative yesterday about getting Levi's birth certificate. He was told to come back in 5 business days and he'd let him have it. Hoping and praying he walks out with it next Monday. After that happens, they will take our file and go to the US Embassy and request approval slip for "orange", which is his 2nd DNA test. He will be taken by the foster mom into the lab for his mouth to be swabbed for this test. It is sent to Burlington, NC for the results just like the first one he and his birth mom had done. It takes about 7-10 days for the results to get back to the US Embassy from here. Once they are back there the Embassy will send Steve an email with our appointment and we'll know a date when we are to go pick him up. We really are close once they get the birth certificate in hand but, yet we seem so far away too. I would have to say I am a little anxious and nervous about the rest of the process but, I don't know why. I guess it's first time mom/parent syndrome I don't know. Because I know from here until we travel is simply paperwork. He's defiantly the same baby so, no worries with DNA or anything so, I don't know. I am so ready for this all to be over and have him home I know that. We're going this weekend car seat shopping so, that will be exciting to keep us busy until next week. Please pray that the attorney walks out with both mine and Nancy's birth certificates on Monday!! Wouldn't it be awesome if we got our pick appt (the Embassy appt) the same day? Even close where we could bring them home together? We were talking about that, we think they'd do so much better being together on the plane than alone. Praying if that is God's will then it'll be. Thanks in advance as always for your support and prayers.- Tracy (officially Levi's mommy)