Levi Douglas Bradley: Update on Nancy, Eric and Isaac

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!!!

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Update on Nancy, Eric and Isaac

Hey, I just wanted to post and let everyone know that I have talked to Nancy since she arrived in Guatemala and got Isaac. She said he's taken well to Eric and the second time I talked to her he was curled up against his daddy taking a bottle going off to sleep. He did cry for the foster mom quite a bit but, seemed to be better after a little while with them. She says he loves food and they used that to their advantage and took him to the hotel restaurant for supper. As I talked to her the first time she said he was shoveling rice in with both hands. He has a head full of hair as she knew he would when she told them do not cut it no matter how long it got. They were able to spend about 2 hours with the foster mom this afternoon as she told them some things she does with him, his routine, what he likes and dislikes, etc.. Nancy seemed to have enjoyed that time getting to know the lady who has cared for her son a little better on a personal level.
Steve, mom and dad have been sleeping since this afternoon and here I sit and have been awake since Nancy called from Atlanta at 9 am this morning. I just cannot get to sleep. I am finally getting sleepy and it's 30 minutes until my alarm goes off for me to get ready to leave for Charlotte. I am hoping I can sleep in the truck on the way and on the flights to Guatemala. I just can't wait to get there and get my boy too. Pray for us as we head out and we'll post when we have him safe with us. We'll try and post everyday to keep everyone here at home up to date on how everyone is adjusting. Thanks in advance for all your prayers. - Tracy (aka Levi's mommy)