Mario and Erik say "Yay!!!!"

Up until this point, Jerry and I had kept the third adoption under wraps. Not that we were excited about our news.  Of course we were!  But we wanted our boys to be the first ones in on the news, since they would be the ones most affected by it.  Here's the thing to keep in mind about adoptions in Honduras:  they take a long long long time.  We weren't sure how much the boys would understand about waiting potentially two years or more for there to be an addition to the family.  Then, we remembered that the home study process would require references.  So, we would have to start telling people soon, starting with our little kiddoes.

Their reaction:  "Yippee!!"  They literally started jumping up and down, and their smiles couldn't have been any bigger.  They started running around the house, dancing, shouting -- it was awesome!

Why in the world did we wait to tell them?!

Even cuter:  hearing them spread the news to other family members and friends.  Slightly shyly but with a big smile, they will approach someone and say, "We're adopting again!"  It is just the sweetest thing imaginable!

Application Part 2 is in the mail

Whew!  It feels good to get that done!  To give you an idea:  the completed Application Part 1 was about 1/8" thick, whereas the completed Part 2 was 1/2" thick!  We started on it right away, writing more essays, collecting copies of our birth certificates, our marriage license, tax forms, getting fingerprinted, getting poked and prodded by our doctors, all those fun things.

Part 1 application accepted!!

Yippee!  We're over the first hurdle!  The approval letter included the Application Part 2, so we started on that right away.

We're Adopting Again!

Adopting again has been on my heart for a very long time.  When Guatemala's adoption program shut down at the end of 2007, Mario was 2 1/2 and Erik was 1 1/2.  We knew the program was going to close a few months before it actually did, but we were nowhere near ready at that point.  We hoped that in a year or so, adoptions in Guatemala would reopen, and we also hoped that when it reopened, we would be able to get started again right away.  Trouble is, time kept passing with no signs that Guatemala would reopen again.

I kept feeling that God was telling me that He wanted us to adopt again, but I just had my eyes open to Guatemala.  I wanted all of our kids to share their country of origin.  I'd scour every piece of news about adoption in that country, but nothing led me to believe that there was any serious hope that it would reopen anytime soon.

Then one day, it hit me:  would the boys rather have another sibling that was born in a different country than they were, or no more siblings at all?  Well that was a no brainer!  Of course they would want another sibling!!!  I thought about other Latin American countries.  Colombia?  Mexico?  The particulars wouldn't work for our situation.  Honduras?  I searched around and learned that Dillon was soon to open an adoption program in Honduras, partnering with Buckner.  I have known zillions of families that have adopted using Dillon, and the agency comes highly recommended.  I also loved the fact that they had heritage camps every year, heritage trips to birth countries, and many activities during the year for families to get together.  I made a call, got more information, talked about it with Jerry, prayed, prayed, and prayed.

We decided to proceed!!!  I was so excited to request the application (Part 1) from Dillon, and got started on it right away.  We just submitted it.  Here we go again!

Our two boys!

Here's Erik!

 

The Boys In Their Highchairs

"Let me explain how sharing works, Erik"

Back home!

Here we are all together, the four Andersons!

To recap the rest of the trip in Guatemala:  we were able to pickup the visa at the Embassy just fine, no problems at all.  We showed up at the Embassy at 3:30, went through security again, and waited in the very crowded room.  Mostly we just paced around since the seats were rather full, and Erik is happier when he is moving.  After a short wait, they called our name, gave us the visa and the big manila envelope (don't open it!), and set us on our way!  So happy there were no snags!

Then on Friday morning, I thought maybe I'd try to do a little souvenir shopping at the hotel next door, but it never was open.  Don't quite understand that. Then the dad from Columbia, MO, offered to walk to some shops with me.  I put Erik in the sling, which he just loves, and headed out.  The dad had been shopping before, so new right where to take me.  The shop even took credit card!  It was slightly more expensive than if I had had cash, but not significantly.  Plus, I think she gave me a volume discount!!  I wanted to make sure to get some keepsakes from Guatemala for both Mario and Erik, so got two of a lot of things:  Nativity scenes, outfits, blankets, and a little purse for me.  I'm very happy I was able to stuff it in the suitcases!  I could have bought more, but am glad I stopped where I did, since not even one tiny stitch of anything could have fit in the suitcases.

Soon it was time to leave for the airport.  I had a lot of stuff to schlep, but it worked out ok, thanks to the kindness of strangers.  Erik's plane ticket cost a lot more than what I had been quoted prior to the trip, but whatever.  No choice in the matter, so here you go, put it on the card.  Eventually got on the plane.  Had Erik's bottle all ready for takeoff.  We start taxiing down the runway, Erik is settled in my arms, I give him the bottle, and all is well.  We lift off the ground, and Erik pauses from the bottle.  He looks around with this absolutely delighted expression on his face, and makes a sound that I can only describe as a happy contented delighted sigh.  He goes back to the bottle, gives me a great burb, and falls asleep.  He slept the entire flight to Miami.  Stirred only we were just about ready to touch down and woke all the way up, but didn't cry.  What a good baby!

I waited until practically everyone else was off the plane since I was not travelling light by any means.  Got Erik in the umbrella stroller, grabbed the diaper/toy bag, and started the walk to customs and immigration.  It had been suggested to me to avoid the Miami airport and to travel through Dallas like we did with Mario, but I really had no choice in the matter.  I was not looking forward to trying to go through customs with all the luggage and Erik, but I think the officials must have taken one look at me and decided I was probably the lowest level of security threat possible and just waved me through.  Fine by me!  Next immigration.  Again, I thought this would take forever.  There were hundreds of people in front of me in about thirty lines.  I didn't even know which line to get in since it was so hard to see what it said at the counter at the front of the line.  I asked someone, and they told me which line to get in.  I was there all of about ten seconds when someone else came over and said oh you're traveling with a baby.  You can go over here to special services.  About twenty feet behind me there was a little box room, with an elderly lady in a wheelchair sitting outside it, and about five immigration officials standing there.  They came up to me, looked at our passports, and checked us through.  They told me to go into such and such a room, and so we did, we waited there maybe ten minutes, gave the manila envelope to the official, and were on our way!  Awesome!  It a better experience even than Dallas, and I can't even complain about Dallas a tiny bit.

Then Erik and I just had to wait until our connection to St. Louis.  The flight was delayed, so we just waited as best we could.  I tried to find a somewhat quiet and dark area to sit so that he could get some sleep, but it was just too bright and too noisy everywhere.  After a long wait, our flight was called, we got on and settled in.  As soon as the lights went low, Erik popped right back to sleep.  Good boy!  Again, he slept the entire flight!  My arm was completely asleep, but it didn't matter.  I was not going to wake him even a little bit if I didn't have to.

It was well after midnight by the time we landed in St. Louis.  Was so happy to see Daddy!! Michelle was there too!!!  Great to see her, and it was so kind of her to be there and keep Jerry company waiting for our very late flight.  Babkie was at home with the sleeping Mario.

So good to be home!!!