Sweet Girls that Need our Prayers

I have mentioned a little girl, Onoria, in a previous post. She and her twin, biological sisters(about 2.5 years old) have been removed from the Children's Home by the courts. The staff is doing all they can to bring these sweet girls back, and to help their adoptions continue. There is an appeal hearing TODAY. Pray that the decision will be reversed, as the situation they are in now is most likely not a good one. There are two adoptive families involved, and I am sure that they are deeply burdened and saddened by this news. I ache for these families and for these girls. Please pray for their spiritual condition as well as their physical condition!

Video from Labor Day Weekend

This is a video from Cameron's family. Thanks so much, Aimee! Ellie is a tough one to crack, so most of it is her refusing to give them even a nod! If you skip ahead to around 3:00 to go, there are some shots of her WALKING!!

The Non-Update Update

We will not know until next week (at the earliest) if we have our social worker report and have been submitted into PGN. Please be praying that we are there even if we do not know it yet! There is a missions team with a professional photographer going to Eagle's Nest soon, so picture updates will be good this month :), but late. :(

Also, on the Guatemalan presidential elections, there will be a run off held in November between two candidates/parties because no one candidate got 50% of the vote. I do not know if this is good or bad as far as adoptions are concerned, but I did send an email to our caseworker to see what she knows.

On an positive note, it feels like fall today and I am loving it! I had a fabulous run this morning and our windows are open, yeah!!!! The corn is brown for harvest and I feel the need to go to the apple orchard. While God has appointed "a time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted"(Ecclesiastes 3:2b), He has appointed a time for Ellie to come home! We trust in His perfect timing and know that He is in control!

More trip pics:

I love her delighted smile here on Daddy's lap!

How can I help but think she is beautiful!

Another great smile!

I have a feeling she will experience this again, with a big sister and 2 big brothers!

Only a look of righteous indignation, I am sure!

Election Day is Sunday!!

Please pray for the Guatemalan presidential elections that will take place on Sunday. Pray that the right party would be put in power and then the right candidate. This will have an important affect on adoptions from Guatemala! These people need your prayers and the Gospel in their lives!

Baptismal service held at Eagle's Nest for a local community of believers that had a retreat there.

Daniel surrounded by children at the public school where the team held an outreach for 200+ students.

Ellie and some of her pals waiting to come home!

Some of the boys from the school.

Case Update

We got a case update, and basically we do not have new information. Our good friend and attorney, Pedro, did pick up the PA on Tuesday (we really have never had any direct contact with this man, but he is doing a good job for us). We were told that the Social Worker report for Family Court takes "2-3 weeks" to complete, and this past Tuesday was 3 weeks. Keep praying that the report would be complete so we will be ready for PGN!

A little Guatemalan Adoption Process education:

1. PGN stands for Procuraduria General De La Nacion (translated: "Solicitor General"), but it is the "final court" in the Guatemalan adoption system.
2. We will not have a "court date" or have to appear for PGN. Our attorney will submit our papers, and they will pass between desks (first and second reviewer) until we are signed "OUT". PGN can take an average of 8-12 weeks, or it can take many months on end. If they find a previo or error in our papers, they can kick us out (KO). We must fix the problem and we are resubmitted, basically at the bottom of the stack, to start another 8-12 week wait. There are no guarantees with amount of time spent in PGN.
3. Only once we are out of PGN will we have a vague time line of when we can pick Ellie up. The wait after the OUT is around 3-7 weeks (time it takes to get a new birth certificate, passport and set up an Embassy appointment, also referred to as getting "Pink". We will appear for the Embassy appt. when we pick her up.)

Ellie's Labor Day Weekend

While it is not my custom to reveal a whole stack at once, I thought I might spoil y'all as I was last night with this batch of pics from Aimee! Thanks, again!! I have prayed that the Lord will keep putting people in our path who are going to Eagle's Nest, and He keeps answering that prayer!

My Labor Day Weekend
by Ellie

I hung out in my crib and looked at the camera. This is my surprised look.

This is my silly look.

Hanging out with the Mamas'.

Played with a fun green cup while practicing my tongue wiggle.

Found myself sleeping in Katie's crib.

Wondered what Cameron's dad was up to.

There is always room for quality time with Strawberry Shortcake!

And Tiger!

If I look like I have been in a fight, I think I was...but this has not been verified with my people.

Look! No hands, Mommy!

Nothing like the old stand by way to get around...it is safer!

A New Pic!

This was taken yesterday of Ellie and Cameron. Cameron had his embassy appt today, and should be heading home soon! Thanks for the picture Aimee!!

She is wearing shoes now, so she must be walking or close to it!

And After 62 Days...

WE HAVE PA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Praise the Lord!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday!!!!!

Happy Birthday to my Sweet Hubby! He is 30 today! I love you!
"Sneaking Ellie on the Bus"