Levi Douglas Bradley: Pray as I have to leave behind my son... AGAIN!

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!!!

Monday, January 14, 2008

Pray as I have to leave behind my son... AGAIN!

Hey all, I couldn't sleep so I thought I would post on the blog. I am sick from something. Hoping it's just my nerves and not something I have eaten here in Guatemala. I am having a hard time dealing with things tonight (well, this morning now). Poor Steve, bless his heart he's the only one who will talk to me about it in the middle of the night. He had his laptop set up on the bed so he'd hear me send him a message if I couldn't sleep. That meant a lot because it makes me feel some better to talk to him because he knows first hand what we're facing having to leave in just a few short hours. My heart is just breaking to have to walk away from Levi again. It's so hard not knowing when you'll see him again and what you'll miss while your gone this time. He on the other hand will be going back to all he knows, his foster family. He probably won't remember me when we return to get him and we'll have to watch him hurt over missing his foster mom again. Hoping and praying for some good news when I call PGN when they open. I am planning to call before we leave Guatemala just to know where we are there. Pray for us as we head out tomorrow around 1:49pm (I think that is right) Guatemala time. We have a short layover in Atlanta before we are back in Florida for the night. We couldn't get a connecting flight so we're staying over night in Daytona to unwind and regroup before we fly home on Tuesday afternoon. Pray for me as I leave Levi, it'll just kill me I know. Love and Blessings from Guatemala.- Tracy (aka Levi's mommy)

4 comments:

Gail said...: What a sweet husband you have. It won't be long unitl you are back to get Levi for good.
Gail; January 14, 2008 at 3:13:00 PM EST
Our Girls said...: Tracy
HUGS to you, as you feel like you left your heart in Guatemala. It is so hard to leave. I remember.
just wanted you to know I am praying for you and Levi. You are SO strong and SOON you will be picking him up and bringing him home for GOOD! Did you get a hold of PGN?; January 14, 2008 at 4:01:00 PM EST
Unknown said...: Tracy, I really hope you get your good news tomorrow. Maybe it will slightly ease the pain of having to leave.; January 14, 2008 at 10:41:00 PM EST
Anonymous said...: Love ya Tracy ,lets bring that boy of yours home soon.; January 23, 2008 at 1:14:00 PM EST