Guatemalan Sisters

Has It Really Been That Long????

2010-02-12T16:40:00.000-08:00

I am ashamed. I am embarrassed. Seriously.....seriously embarrassed. It's been so long since I posted. Of course, this means that life has been busy and I haven't spent too much time. I do have a Facebook page so perhaps that's been part of it. Perhaps it's a work thing.....those of you who know me well know that I enjoy my work so tend to work a lot.

Life is good, though 2009 has definitely brought some changes. We're in CT and enjoying the area. I've mastered the art of snow shoveling and can now do my driveway on my own in about 1.5 hours. OK, so it's a big driveway and it snows here a lot. This winter has been kinder than last year. While the winters are cold and snowy, the spring, summer and falls are beautiful. Stunning I might suggest. We live on about 2 acres of trees and I'm enjoying the area and our space. With a few exceptions, I do find that people are not overly inclusive to new people here. We are making friends but it seems to be hard to get to "know" people.

I'm single again, or single as of last March. The short story is that it was my decision and the right decision for me and my girls.

The girls are all doing well. Devin has finished college (yeah!) and is busy looking for her first full time post college job. She's looking here in CT and back in the NW. Taylor is back in the NW and seems to torture my soul at times. She's doing well though and her baby boy Jayke (dog) is wonderful. The youngest three are doing very well here in CT. Jayden is making friends at school and is doing well in 4th grade. Rowan and Riley are in 1st grade and also doing well. I LOVE the small class sizes and the teachers are very very good.

Life at Chemtura is actually good. My company filed for Chapter 11 protection and my life has been all about bankruptcy since our filing last March. (Perhaps that's why I'm not overly excited about blogging when I finish my work at night?) 12 months after our filing, I have to say that I love our team and the direction our CEO is taking the company. He's good, really really good and that's what we needed. I'm anxious to begin focusing on the stuff I'm good at it and less on bankruptcy and that's happening now.

I miss my Mom, daughter, friends and family back in the NW big time. I am thankful every day for the beautiful girls I have and love our daily adventure.

Sucking at Timeliness

2008-12-28T17:36:00.000-08:00

Hello All,

So I really suck at the regular blogging thing. I'm sorry but life after the move has been busy with kids, work, orienting ourselves to the Connecticut and big kids coming and going. I can't believe it's already past Christmas! Here's a quick rundown of our lives here in CT:

Little Kids - Are all doing well here in CT. They love their new school and teachers but miss their KinderCare friends in Vancouver. Jayden had some good friends there and misses them. However, her 3rd grade teacher, Lori Hernandez is stellar. Rowan and Riley are enjoying kindergarten and are torturing classmates and teachers periodically with their twinness. (Seems they do some of that odd twin stuff now and then - feel each others pain, know what the other is thinking, etc.) They have experienced their first big snow here in CT and loved it. Seems our driveway is a perfect ski and sled run for the entire household. I caught them snowboarding with their sleds so I suspect I need to give them real snowboards soon. They're growing fast and it's hard to believe how tall they're getting.

Turns out there is a little boy Rowan and Riley's age named Zeke who is also adopted from Guatemala. I've seen him but have yet to connect with his parents.

Big Kids: Taylor lasted here in CT untill mid-November and has now moved back to Vancouver. She's working at Jack in the Box again and seems to be doing OK. We all miss her and her puppy Jayke. Seems I grew rather attached to Mr. Pee Machine. However, you gotta let them grow up and leave sometime. :) Devin is home for Christmas break and the girls are grabbing as much time as they can with her. Her boyfriend arrives tonight so they are quite excited to see him.

Other Family News: My sister-in-law Julie lost her mother unexpectedly this month so many prayers to her and her family. My Mom is visiting us for the holidays and has come down with one of the colds running through the house. She's having a tough time fighting it and I feel bad she has come all this way only to be sick. :(

General Stuff: My new job is good but the economy definitely sucks. This will make job security tough for everyone and we had to let about 20% of our workforce go this past few weeks. Not great stuff. Our team is strong though and we have some good projects ahead of us for 2009. My thoughts and prayers to everyone as they struggle through the issues this economy is laying before us. Retirees who have lost significant balances of their retirement savings, employees who have lost jobs or are worreid about job loss, non-profits who are drawing in less donations, just about everyone needs hope and prayer these days. Let's hope 2009 and Obama can bring in a new direction.

I will post photos soon but still haven't figured out what's wrong with my main PC. Devin has promised to show me how to post from my laptop before she heads back to school.

Happy holidays to each of you and may 2009 bring you joy and closeness with those you love.

Ruth

The Ark Has Found Land!

2008-06-29T18:03:00.000-07:00

Almost all of us are settled into the hotel in Connecticut and we'll likely be residing here until mid-week. The trip to Connecticut was a bit more stressful than I had hoped. Picture this:

We arrive at the Portland airport almost 4 hours early so we have enough time to check in 9 bags, 5 passengers, 3 hermit crabs, 2 very scared cats and 1 unsure puppy. We were the second in line when they opened the United desk for the day. The United airlines folks then proceeded to shuffle us from one person or one line to another. (I think the real story is that no one wanted to take the time to check all of us in.) We barely made our plane because of all the shuffling. I was not a happy mom. We flew through Chicago and then ran into storm problems and got delayed almost two hours. We finally arrived and it took a stretch limo and town car to get us from the airport to our hotel due to the pet carriers and luggage.

The pets are doing OK at the hotel. Apollo spends most of her time snoozing and sleeping on my bed. (This isn't new behavior on her part. Sleeping is a major life activity for her.) Erte is stalking everything in the room and comes out of hiding a bit more each day. She's taking to hanging closer to the hotel room door and is becoming more curious about what might be on the other side of the door. Right now Erte has decided sleeping with the youngest three members of the house is the place to be. Jayke, the pit bull puppy, is generally happy go lucky and is fine most of the time. He's kind of part dog, part chicken and so is pretty jumpy about noises. The room that sits next to his has a small dog next door and it keeps barking at him through the locked adjoining door. :( Poor Jayke. We found a nice dog park today that has open space and a small creek to play in. Rowan and Riley weren't too excited about the dog park because the dogs like to lick their faces and jump on them. I guess they're just the right height for dog kisses.

The good news is that the youngest three members of my house were great travelers and were not a source of stress at any point in our trip. They have done well at the hotel, especially since they have access to a swimming pool. Jayden is turning into a major fish and Rowan and Riley are following suit it seems.

I work tomorrow so big sister Taylor is on duty with the youngest three. They have a day of swimming, lunch, Hannah Montana and dog walks planned for the day. Our furniture arrives at the Connecticut house Tuesday morning so we'll be unpacking starting Tuesday. (Yeah!) I can't wait to eat something from my kitchen and sleep in my bed. And keep in mind the only reason I have a kitchen is that they come with the rest of the house. :)

We did sneak away for a day after the house was packed up and spend the day with my brother's family who were on the Oregon coast. It was great seeing them all, though there were several missing family members. They have all become such great adults.

I will say leaving the Northwest was harder than I thought it would be. It didn't help that everyone was telling me that my Mom was crying a lot about the move. You never want to hear that you're making your Mom cry. I'm hoping she'll come visit us soon. It's also hard to leave friends and family members that are so close by.

Devin will be out next weekend for the summer. She's my point person with the house in Vancouver as the wood floors are being redone and the carpets cleaned. Dan will arrive Wednesday night for a number of job interviews Thursday through Tuesday. Hopefully he'll land a job here soon and join us here.

I hope everyone has a great 4th of July. We're going to try to find something fun to do here. This area seems to have a ton of amusement parks so we plan to find something with water to play in.

Photos As Promised!

2008-06-07T10:28:00.001-07:00

The first photo says everything about their personalities!

Where Do I Start?????

2008-06-01T17:44:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

I have been a very bad blogger but life has been all about finding a new job, finding a new house and as of tomorrow, starting that new job. Here's the latest:

The Job: After many interviews and discussions with various employers, I have accepted a position with Chemtura as the Director of Compensation & Benefits in Middlebury Connecticut. Yes...that means our household is moving from Vancouver Washington to Connecticut. (Hey it's only about 3,000 miles!) I am VERY excited about the company, the people who I'll work with and value I know I can bring to their business. The people I've met have been great and are committed to the business and the employees of the company. The team of people that make up the compensation and benefit group are equally as committed and very simply, good people. As an HR professional, I can't ask for anything else.

The Girls: All of my girls will be joining me in Connecticut. The youngest three have no choice but they are very excited about the move. They are very impatient with me because of all the travel I've had to do over the past 3-4 months. However, they can't wait for the actual move. Their biggest challenges was learning how to say "Connecticut." :) It has a few too many C's and T's for there mouths it seems. Taylor will also be joining us and will be helping me out with child care over the summer months and will enroll in college for the Fall. Taylor is bringing her pitbull puppy Jayke with her as well. Devin will spend part of summer with us, her senior year at Pacific in Forest Grove and will then take a year off before law school. I'm hoping she ends up in the Connecticut area but she's factoring in her boyfriend's school choice as well.

Taylor has to have her tonsils taken out about 2 weeks ago and had a miserable time of it. On one of our house hunting trips to Connecticut, I realized she had a very serious case of sleep apnea. Seriously, it's bad. I took her to an ENT and her said her tonsils were bigger than golf balls and encased in scar tissue. We also discovered she has problems with the pain and anesthesia meds they used and she stopped breathing. She earned herself an overnight stay at the hospital, with this Mom insisting on spending the night with her. She's doing better but has had tough few weeks. What is most interesting is that her voice is several octives higher and she's finally sleeping. She's likely beginning to sleep well for the first time in 3-4 years. Pretty scary.

Photos: I promise to post photos when I get back in Vancouver. I'm in Connecticut right now and start work tomorrow.

I'm incredibly thankful for many people in my life. They've been loving, supportive and the bedrock I've needed. My Mom, Dan, Teri, Edward, Toni, my girls...these past few months would have been impossible without each of you. And thanks to the people I've met along the way on my new journey these past few months - Cathy Sutherland, Karen Hall, Mike Landis, Alison Sparks, and others.

Have a great week everyone!

Happy February

2008-02-11T20:05:00.000-08:00

Hi All,

So a ton has happened since I last posted. However, I still haven't figured out my photo posting problem but it looks like I'll have time now to resolve it without my oldest daughter's help. After 8.5 years with KinderCare/Knowledge Learning Corporation, my position has been eliminated and I've been laid off. As of February 1st, I'm officially looking for a job. In many ways, I'm sad to leave my co-workers and this great group of friends I've made over the past years. I can't say enough good things about so many people.....I will miss you all. I wish the organization and the leadership only the best. Make great things happen. The children you serve and the employees who will look to you for leadership deserve only the best.

In other ways, it's all good. The hours I've worked over the past years have taken their toll on my children and on me. It's time to refocus my life on something other than work. The downside of my work life these past years is that the excessive hours I've worked have taken time away from my youngest three. Those days are past. They will likely be very tired of me very quickly. :) I know my older two are already worried I'm going to start painting rooms. (They're right.) My faith is strong and I know that this path I'm taking has been set for a reason. I simply need to open my eyes, ask good questions, make thoughtful decisions and trust.

I've been interviewing nationally and have decided I must look outside of the Pacific Northwest. It's not my first choice, but there is very limited opportunity at my level in the Portland market. Portland does not have any other corporate headquarters and since I want the top compensation/benefits and HRIS job in a large company, I'll have to take the step and move. My Mom is on board with the decision and has said she'll visit us, so we can do this`.

I was in Dallas TX the week before last and Grand Rapids MI last week. I really liked the locations and jobs with both companies. I am also hoping to make a trip to Charlotte NC in the near future.

Last week's interview trip came with a bout of flu like I haven't had in near memory. The worst part was that it started the day of the interview, came to head on my flight out of Grand Rapids and I seriously thought I was going to die when I got stuck in Houston overnight due to tornado weather, delays and with limited hotel space. I would have likely shared a room with a stranger if they had clean clothes, a bed, 7-up and soda crackers. I was able to find a motel, but I'll spare you the horrible details. I did discover that you could shampoo a t-shirt and pants while still wearing them standing in the shower. Not something I care to repeat in this lifetime.

I am hoping to find a similar job with a large company who has interesting work or challenges ahead. I want to be able to raise the girls in a community that has other Guatemalan adoptees and a Latino community that is active and supportive. Ideally the community would be one flight away from Portland Oregon so my Mom can visit us regularly. Not sure what we'd do without her!

The youngest three are quite excited about the potential for a move. Jayden is torn between a "pool job" (some place warm where we could have a pool) or a "snow job" (some place that regularly gets snow.)

In kid news:

Devin: She is back at school for the 2nd half of her junior year. She had a long holiday break and we enjoyed having her around. She worked in my office for a few weeks as well.

Taylor: My 19 year old "ran away" to Hawaii but came home after a week. We were all very happy to have her change her mind about living in Hawaii for an extended period of time and have enjoyed having her here at home. She has returned to work at Jack in the Box as well.

Jayden: She is looking forward to her 8th birthday in April but can't wait for Valentines Day. She's been busy picking out specific Valentines for each of her friends at school and at KinderCare. She is also doing much better with her reading these days. With extra Mom time, I'm hopeful we'll close some gaps by the end of the school year. She LOVES math and her teacher this year so that has really helped.

Rowan: My little "wild child" is doing well. She does have pink eye right now but even that doesn't seem to phase her. It does mean that she got Mom all to herself today and that was a bit of a bonus I think. She still loves KinderCare but loves Ms. Susanna most of all. Moving would mean no more Ms. Susanna and that would be the hardest part of all.

Riley: Riley started speech therapy this Fall and we have seen some improvements. Now it's a matter of slowing her down a bit on the tough letters (G's, K's, C's) and correcting her a bit. Riley loves Ms. Susanna and Ms. Mary.

We are all following the Guatemalan adoption news with heavy hearts these days. There are still so many children and now many children "stuck" in limbo. I am so thankful to see each child come home, get out of PGN or registered these days. Any movement is good movement but as I write that, I find that even difficult to accept.

And this whole presidential election thing really has my mind baffled. I won't vote for Hillary because I figure if she's willing to accept weak morale character from her own husband, what would she be willing to accept from her cabinet or employees. And Obama, he's like 11 years old when it comes to the world of politics. The Republican offerings aren't exciting me either. I guess I'm going to have a ton of time on my hands to figure out who I should really support. :)

Happy New Year

2008-01-01T16:32:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,

I wanted to pop on and wish everyone a great New Year. I'm having photo posting difficulties but hope to resolve that in the next day or so. When I do, I'll post some photos of my GROWING girls.

The past few months have been busy with holiday activities, playing, work and generally enjoying life. Here's a quick update on each of my girls:

Devin and Taylor: These are my oldest daughters and they are now 21 and 19.5 years old respectively. Devin is busy with college and has a long winter break. She's working during the break and so that keeps her busy as well. She will be my travel partner in about a week and a half to Paris and London so we are both looking forward to that trip. Taylor is on her way to Maui to live and work for a while. It's been very hard to watch her make this decision and she'll head out next week. As her Mom, I'm not very excited about this move but I'm learning she's the kind of person that has to learn about life her own way. Ughh...I have to try very hard to set my controlling nature aside with this child. I'm hoping she finds her way soon. I won't be able to keep up with the gray hair at this rate.

Jayden: She is now 7.5 years old and I can't believe how tall she's getting. She's suddenly grown about 100 inches and is all leg. Yikes! I wasn't quite ready for this one. She's a beautiful girl (I know I'm biased!) and loves 2nd grade. She's lost 5 teeth this fall and is currently missing her two front teeth and a bottom tooth. She tells me she's tired of people asking her if she wants her two front teeth for Christmas! She's growing her hair and her bangs out as well. She loves playing with her little sisters and the three of them know every song and verse on High School Musical II. Seriously....they do. She is planning on moving into Taylor's room when Taylor moves out so I've got some redecorating ahead of me.

Riley: Riley is doing very well and loves KinderCare and her friends there. She and her twin sister Rowan and continued to bond and have more moments of pure silliness between them that only they seem to understand. I still can't understand why we can't go to the mall without the two of them ending up on the floor wrestling and giggling. OK, it's funny once in a while but EVERY TIME we go? Today they played bumper cars with the shoe department employee stools at Nordstroms. Riley started speech therapy this past month because she has some letter sounds that don't quite work yet. G's, K's and C's are the toughest and she's already showing improvement. Having little to eat in her first few years or limited chewing has impacted her tongue and throat muscle development and therefore, her ability to say letters that start with the base of her tongue/top of her throat. Who knew!! This was another reminder of how far she's come. This is the child who coined the phrase "I don't like your face" when she's mad at me.

Rowan: This child is officially my "pill." Seriously, I love this child to death but she has a way of "poking" at her sisters just for the conflict. She's so much like Taylor sometimes it's almost funny. She puts Barbie dolls and other toys in the frige to surprise me and will definitely be my dare devil. I love this girl so much. She's funny, likes to play practical jokes and has a serious side. She loves to read books next to me when I end up working on my laptop or just sit and cuddle.

Funniest Twin Moment in Recent Memory: Rowan and Riley were arguing with each other about something. Riley says to Rowan, "You're ugly!" and Rowan simply rolls her eyes and retorts, "We're twins Riley. I look just like you." (In a very exasperated tone.) Riley comments back, "I don't care, you're still ugly." I did stop laughing long enough to correct the behavior but it was funny.

As I mentioned earlier, Devin and I are traveling to Paris and London in about a week and a half. I am very excited about the trip and time with just Devin. I did invite Taylor but I guess the call of the Hawaiian Islands is greater than another great trek through two European cities with mom. (My older two girls still have nightmares about the long treks through Rome I made them take with me in 2005.)

We've added three new families members to our house. A friend gave the girls hermit crabs for Christmas - without asking me first. They are still a friend so they have been forgiven. Riley's was named Sponge Bob because he had a shell painted like Sponge Bob, Rowan's was the same size and ended up being named "UnBob" and Jayden's is quite large so she's named hers "Big Bob." We lost Sponge Bob to the claws of Big Bob so we replaced him today with "White Bob." (Named after his white shell.) As you can see, there is definitely a naming theme going on.

I have continued to follow the legal news and individual family news relative to Guatemalan adoptions. It's so good to see these children come home. Welcome home Valentina, Vancouver WA needed another Guatemalan princess. Congrats to Ellie and Candy and I hope to hear that your sons are home soon. Many good wishes to Ginger...I have enjoyed keeping up with you and Maya this holiday season. You are all my heros for your frequently and timely blogs. I wish I could keep up with you but the girls, work and the day to day activities of life keep me too busy.

Congrats to my brother Don his engagement to Lisa. Best wishes to Lisa as well and welcome to the family.

I do wish everyone a spectacular New Year. May 2008 bring you much happiness and joy.

Long Time

2007-11-14T12:28:00.000-08:00

So I know it's been a really long time since I posted but work, kids, college age kids and just day to day life is keeping me busy. I also am having photo challenges so feel bad about not posting photos at the same time. However, I'm past that now and thought I'd post a quick update on the girls:

Jayden: The oldest little princess in my house started 2nd grade and is loving it. She has a great teacher and has finally managed to crack the code to reading. Yeah!! She still has to struggle through it a bit but definitely in a better place. She also managed to lose all a lot of teeth and both the process, timing and now gaping holes in her mouth are pretty funny. Jayden also played soccer again this fall and had a ball. That girl has wheels on her feet and can really move. Seems I had to go outside the gene pool to get speed in my family. :)

Rowan: My wild child is adapting well and is definitely the one to push the limits more than the others. She also loves her preschool classroom at KinderCare. She's turning into a real card and is all about jumping from one piece of furniture to another in my house....over and over and over again. She's lucky I'm one of those mom's that doesn't care too much about jumping on the furniture.

Riley: This child is mom's cuddle bug and likes to attach herself to my hip if I'm sitting or standing. She's also and recently managed to put a popcorn kernel up her nose. When asked how it got there, her reply was "Momma, it jumped there." Yeah right....I didn't believe it either. Riley will be starting speech therapy soon. She turns K's and C's into T's most of the time and so I want to be ahead of this before Kindergarten.

The older girls are doing well and in college. I can't believe my oldest is a junior this year.

I feel so blessed to have been given the privilege of parenting these girls.

I promise to post photos soon. The girls have incredibly cute Halloween photos, courtesy of big sister Devin, and now I just have to figure out how to do the download thing.

Hope everyone is well.

Birthday Time

2007-07-23T21:01:00.000-07:00

We've survived Rowan and Riley's 4th birthday and they have officially decided they love birthdays, but are definitely not cake eaters. Who knew?? They had lots of fun and have had a busy month.

We also attended a local (Oregon) Guatemalan adoptees picnic this month and met some new friends. Jayden was able to hold her first frog (she didn't kiss it so I'm safe for a bit longer) and we saw soooo many beautiful children and families. What a great community.

I've posted photos below!

More Photos

2007-07-05T21:48:00.000-07:00

Since it's been so long, I thought I'd post some more photos. The last one is for Sam because I said I would!

Long Time!

2007-07-05T21:11:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

I've been slammed but finally I can offer that the light at the end of the tunnel is no longer a train. (Thanks Mia!) Work is really good and I feel like our world is heading the right direction. So much so, I took a "real" vacation and didn't work the entire time.

My brother's families (most of them), my kids and my Mom all met up at a BEAUTIFUL beach community south of Lincoln City called "Bella Beach" and had a wonderful four days together. Nicknamed "Oceans 22" after the number of people who attended, our families from various parts of Oregon, Idaho, Utah and Washington took 4 days and reconnected. I can't say enough about how wonderful my nieces, nephews and their spouses and children are - seriously, they are all incredible adults. I'm sad my brothers didn't join us, but hopefully they'll come next year. Here are some photos!

More Photos

2007-04-08T19:50:00.000-07:00

Spring Break

2007-04-08T19:41:00.000-07:00

Our spring break vacation was a major bust. Riley got sick on Friday but they thought it was just the fire drill at school. Taylor got sick with the flu on Sunday but was staying home and felt well enough for the rest of us to go to the coast. Jayden got sick (thank goodness for the sweatshirt she was holding) 20 minutes from the coast so we kept going. It hit me about 5 hours later. Imagine Jayden and I wiped out for 48 hours and a condo where Rowan and Riley had the run of the place. They were in heaven. Cereal for two meals a day. Cookies. Chips. Life was good. They got into the game closet of the condo and mixed 6 puzzles up completely. They flooded a bathroom. Hey, there were entertained and Jayden and I couldn't move off the couch. It actually took about 5 days to get past and we didn't really eat again until this weekend.

Back to work on Monday just to get a little rest!

Catching Up

2007-04-08T19:04:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

We've had a busy month so I thought I'd catch up. We were in Boise Idaho for my nephew's wedding and had a great time seeing family we haven't seen for a while. Rowan and Riley also met a whole batch of cousins for the first time. What a great time we all had. The weekend flew by and before we knew it, it was time to board the plane and come home. Here are some photos.

And More

2007-03-10T10:50:00.000-08:00

Photos!

2007-03-10T10:34:00.000-08:00

As promised...

Happy March!

2007-03-04T17:00:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,

We've hit the 5 month mark since Rowan and Riley came home from Guatemala. Seems hard to believe. The girls are all doing well but here's the latest:

Language: They speak mostly in 3 year old English but we have maintained some Spanish words. I would say we understand each other 90% of the time. The remaining 10% will come but usually is around concepts and not words.
Height and Weight: They are still small, both just over 27 pounds. However, they are gaining in height and 2T's are too small and short and 3T's are definitely the size of choice.
Socialization: They are at KinderCare full-time and are having a ball. The center teachers (and cook Ms. Connie) love them to bits and they are never short hugs. They are learning how to share each other, toys and to recognize letters and numbers. We sing A LOT and "A, B, C's," "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star," "Rudolf" and various Christmas songs are bedtime requirements. Keep in mind we're lucky because I'm out of my element much beyond that.
Big Sister Adjustment: Jayden has struggled a bit but it definitely settling down. Her behavior regressed a bit and she has nights were she goes to bed by 7:30pm because she elects to throw tantrums (major) when she doesn't get her way or has to do homework before she gets to play with her sisters. Mostly, she's a wonderful big sister and a big helper for me.
Rowan and Riley Adjustment: The girls are doing well and seem comfortable and confident in their new environment. All three girls share the same bedroom, which means sometimes we have mayhem at bedtime, especially if big sister Taylor comes into the room to say goodnight. Taylor is all about winding up and screaming and yelling, not calm down and go to sleep. I can't complain too much though. The girls have bonded with everyone, even the cranky cat Apollo.
Grandma Armstrong: She visits regularly and they adore grandma. She is a wonderful helper to me as well. There are days and weeks where I have no idea how I can get it down but she magically comes to the rescue.
Sleep: It took Riley about three months to sleep though the night folks. Seriously, she was up every hour all night long from September to December. I hereby apologize to everyone around me and my co-workers because I was operating on limited sleep until January. However, all is well now. They have recently developed a fear of the dark so we've had to find a night light for the girls.
Cats: Erte' still hides out most of the time but loves the attention when she comes out. Apollo wants to believe she's still the big dog but that would be Rowan. Rowan and Apollo had it out the first week they were home and Apollo backs off most of the time. She regularly stretches out across the toys, puzzle or books the girls are playing with to test her authority.

Devin and Taylor are busy at college. Taylor still lives at home and goes to school locally. She has also helped out with her old high school basketball team and has been coaching. She has really enjoyed that experience. Devin is enjoying school and we see her regularly. Jayden really misses her a lot though and I can count on Jayden acting up/out the days following Devin's visit. Devin and I are going to take a trip this year, though not sure where yet. I'm thinking Scotland and London at this point. Everyone else will stay at home though. Taylor won't travel with me (I make her walk too much) and the little people won't get enough out of the trip.

Life is good otherwise. Work is busy but that's nothing new. We have a new CEO and she is incredible. If I could have just 10% of her brain......Actually, I am really impressed with the recent executive hires - Felicia Thornton, Peter Maslen, John Hnanicek, and others. These folks added to current executives puts us in a great place to handle the growth expectations and challenges we still face.

My nephew Brian is getting married this month in Boise and we're all heading there for the wedding. Plane tickets for 6, even from Portland to Boise, stopped me short for a bit. However, I haven't seen my brother's family for a while and with the wedding, new babies (including a domestic infant adoption) means I'm going no matter what.

I am so please to read of so many families adopting older children. Toddlers and older kids are as wonderful and rewarding as infants. Their challenges are just different. Hopefully the Guatemalan and US governments will work together to get through the Hague implementation and keep adoptions moving. For all those in the process, hang in there!

I'll post photos soon. I need to figure out how to do it with my new camera software. :) I don't have my own tech team at home. She's at college.

Ruth

It's Photo Time

2007-01-04T21:18:00.000-08:00

Way Too Long ..... Way Too Busy

2006-12-22T20:48:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,

OK, so I know it's been waaaayyyyy too long since I've posted. Life has been very busy at work and so that's been occupying any free time I might have.

The slumber party at the Cusack house is still in full swing. Everyone is adjusting well but with a few bumps along the way. I don't have any photos to post because of camera connection issues but I promise to get it figured out over the holidays. Here's the latest though:

General adjustment: Rowan and Riley are adapted to life with us pretty well. Temper tantrums still occur most days, especially for Riley. I'm not sure how much of that is the fact that she's 3 or just adjusting to a whole bunch of new stuff. They're picking up English quickly but we still choose to use a few Spanish words and phrases around the house. Famous first phrases have been:

"Don't do that!" Rowan telling her sister Taylor to stop poking her in the tummy and trying to tickler her.

"Hey!" Rowan again trying to get my attention

"YoMamma" A phrase yelled in the house to get my attention. (I killed this one pretty quickly.)

"Oh my gosh." Used any time something is interesting or is worth emphasis.

"Gatto is loco." Used when Apollo chooses to jump up on the kitchen table during dinner and stretches out to wait for falling food.

"Mama, I'm so tired." Used when Rowan or Riley want to sit in my lap and cuddle.

I suspect I could go on at length here.

The biggest challenge is that we seem to have a cold and/or flu thing moving through the house repeatedly. I'm on day two of this month's and frankly, I'm ready for it to be done. When just one of them has more energy than me it's bad, but three??? Fortunately, Taylor, Devin and Jayden help out.

The adjustment is generally a bit tougher this time than with Jayden. I know part of the problem is that there is two of them this time and Jayden is also working through her own adjustment issues. Sometimes she wants to throw her own 3 year old temper trantrum to get a bit of attention. She's had to relearn that she gets the same time out and treatment that her three year old sisters get. The other challenge this time is that my work life is consuming many of my evening and weekend hours. There's definitely a relationship between how they're behaving and how many hours I've worked in a day or week.

Riley had to have some significant dental work done this week and she did great. I anticipated trouble from her but she really behaved and cooperated the whole time. I think she did better than me. The good news is she doesn't have to ask Santa for her two front teeth for Christmas. The dentist took care of that on Wednesday.

We are almost ready for Christmas here. The three youngest have left the tree and gifts alone, which amazes me. I suspect next year might be a different story though. Right now I don't think Rowan and Riley get it yet. They will watch sappy Christmas movies with me though.

The biggest sisters have also done well. Devin is away at school and just got home for the long winter break. She's having to deal with everyone waking up at 5:30am every day and making tons of noise doing everything from brushing teeth or finding shoes before school. Taylor still lives at home and she's definitely a major help. They adore her. Of course if Taylor comes into their room at night to say "good night" it's sure to result in 30 minutes of giggles and jumping on the beds....and another 60 minutes of getting them to calm down.

We have two cats and I was worried about how they would treat or do around the girls. Apollo, who thinks she's a Doberman, is the most worrisome because she has a tendency to bite or scratch when she gets in a mood. (Apollo is the same cat who believes she has a place ON the dinner table during dinner.) On their second day home, Apollo got into a hissing fit at Rowan and Riley. Rowan got right down in Apollo's face and said "No No Gatto." Before I could get to her (and having visions of Apollo eating Rowan's face off), Apollo backed up and sat down. It was the first time I'd ever seen Apollo back down...ever. Now Apollo is one of the girls. She wanders through the play areas, tries to pick a fight now and then but generally behaves. She also likes to hang out under Rowan's chair if I'm serving chicken. Seems Rowan throws her bits of chicken. (I'm not stupid and neither is Rowan. She knows how to make friends.)

I do want to wish everyone a great holiday. Enjoy your families and yourselves.

Ruth

Punkin Patch Time

2006-10-22T23:05:00.000-07:00

The girls and I ventured out to a local pumpkin patch and as you can see, they had a great time. I'm still finding hay in places it doesn't belong!

Who Knew Barbie Fashions Had Such Potential

2006-10-16T19:37:00.000-07:00

This is little Miss Riley. It was a bit too quiet in the family room and when I peeked around the sofa, I found Riley with pink glitter sun glasses, a Barbie princess dress on her head, sitting in a box, leaning against a pillow, feet up on some stuff animals, all the while calmly combing her My Little Pony.

A Very Busy House

2006-10-15T21:10:00.000-07:00

Adding two 3 year olds has certainly made our house much busier and the noise volume has definitely gone up! Everyone is adjusting. For the most part, I would say things are evening out a bit. The worst part is that I can't seem to shake this cold I've had for a couple of weeks. Yuck.

The girls went to KinderCare 1/2 days last week. First two days the morning drop off involved screaming, tears and Riley even managed to through herself dramatically against the door on the first day. By day three, they duplicated Jayden's drop off with kisses rubbed in (so they stay longer) and no tears. They seem to like the class and teacher too.

Here are some photos too. The last photo is of Rowan. The girls were practicing monster faces at dinner and Rowan obviously won.

Photos!

2006-09-30T22:59:00.000-07:00

So I finally figured out how to download photos from my camera again...I do it so rarely that I seem to forget each time.

What Have I Done????

2006-09-23T21:45:00.000-07:00

I'm nearly in tears with laughter tonight. Jayden, Rowan, Riley and Taylor (this is the 18 year old) have been goofing around here tonight and frankly, I think I must have signed on for a 15 year long slumber party. Here are some of the highlights of our day:

Jayden had a soccer game so when Jayden was in Rowan and Riley sat on my lap near the end of the field and repeated EVERY comment I yelled out towards the girl. It's like having live echos every where you go.

Riley has found one one of those gerbals that plays music when you squeeze it's paw. This particular one plays "I'm Just a Love Machine." She squeezes it, hold it to her ear and talks into it like it's a cell phone. She then wiggles her little booty in time with the music. This one brings me to tears every time.

All three of the youngest girls played "Mama Mia" repeatedly through dinner to see who could get my attention. I didn't catch on to what they were doing for a bit so they found themselves entirely too funny. I suspect I'm going to be enduring their jokes on me for years to come.

As proof these little critters pick up languages fast, Rowan demanded "Mamma come in here" as clear as a bell when she wanted to get out of time out. (Yes, we still have a few of those it seems.)

Rowan JUST slid off the end of the couch head first into the toy box and yelled "uh oh" giggling as she went in.

These girls are just too much fun.

The cats are doing well and even the cranky one comes into the fray to play. The other one is generally in hiding but that's really the norm for her.

Devin is back and school and trying to catch up. She's got an accounting test on Monday so that's her priority right now. We likely won't see her for a few weekends.

Home At Last!

2006-09-22T19:56:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

We are home at last. I have never been so happy to land at the Portland airport or get into my own bed. What was supposed to be a 10 hour trip lasted 21 due to the LAX customs and airport folks. They "lost" Riley's passport and took 45 minutes to find it. (Seriously, how do you lose a passport you've only had for 5 minutes???) They then have a very inefficient, understaffed international baggage rechecking system. One line and only two screeners to look at everyone continuing on. (Again, seriously. I thought it was an international airport?????) All of this caused us to miss our connecting flight to Portland and resulted in an 8.5 hour layover in LAX.

Now the good news is that Rowan and Riley sensed mom was very upset about the problems and impendng layover. They remained completely cooperative and calm during the customs and baggage challenges. The additional good news is that I can officially answer any questions you might have about LAX. Which restaurants are the most croweded, which ones seem to be the favorites, where to best find quiet space, best people watching areas, which window sills are of need of regular dusting (none right now because my girls cleaned them all yesterday with their shirts/skirts/hands, and the game they play with delaying flights and moving your gate to keep you moving around. The bad news is ..... OK, there is no bad news. I'm really over it now that I'm home. It just adds to the experience I guess. Rowan and Riley really did well though we had a few "moments" at the airport and on the various planes.

My heart really goes out to the foster mom. She was incredibly sweet and even wrote the girls letters to read when they're older. She welcomed photos and continued contact as well. We also receive a sweet letter from the foster mother's daughter, son-in-law and grandson to share with the girls when they're older. The foster mother was crying from the moment she arrived at the hotel. I felt so bad for her. The girls came to Devin and I immediately and haven't "looked back" or asked for her since they were handed over. This only means she prepared them well and they expected and understood they were coming with us. Jayden didn't and she has told us recently she kept thinking we would take her back to her foster mother.

While in Guatemala we met some wonderful families who were bringing home their children. It was great to see that most were pick up versus vist trips. When we visited in June, only one family was picking up and the rest were visiting. We only met two visiting families this time. We did see many toddlers and older children come home this time. These older kids have a place in my heart so it was good to see. Magaly, Maya and Gracie - I am so happy you're on your way home.

The girls are adjusting well as near as I can tell. They clearly have not been told "no" too often but are used to saying it a lot. They do have regular, predictable tantrums, especially if napping or bedtime is involved. They are not fond of baths as well.

The tantrums are getting shorter and with fewer tears. They involve more noise than anything else. I established a clear pattern or method of dealing with issues (time out with one warning only) plus the ability to get out fairly quickly by telling me they are done and immediately demonstrating the correct behavior. Rowan is more obstinant than Riley and even managed to put herself in time out at the airport yesterday when I gave her the choice of behaving or sitting. She's had five time outs today but each lasted less than 3 minutes and Riley only had one and she was done in less than a minute. This compares to tantrums that lasted for an hour the first day. (Imagine that in a hotel room....imagine it happening in tandem - one child after another.....imagine it in a room full of other parents and wondering if they think you're insane or cruel because you're ignoring your child's scream.....and wondering if hotel security might call the police!) Adopting toddlers and older children is NOT for the faint of heart...or those who get bothered by what other people think. :)

Tonight Jayden is happily playing the role of big sister. My family room looks like a toy box exploded and the girls are giggling, running around and rolling on the floor at various times. She really is enjoying them and was happy to have them at her soccer game tonight, even when Rowan ran on to the field and tried to chase down the ball during the game itself. I distracted them both with a ball laying on the sidelines. Seems I'll have 3 soccer players in the family. That being said, Jayden got to two goals tonight and even had a great steal that she ran down the side line and then cross kicked it into the goal.

I had bought 3T clothing but it's clearly too big. They can't even keep 2T pants and skirts on. Riley was jumping up and down on the soccer field and kept losing her skirt and showing the world her panties. She found it incredibly funny. I think I'm going to need to do some more shopping.

We also visited KinderCare today when we picked up Jayden after school. Rowan and Riley charged right in and seemed to enjoy the various play areas. They are truly ready for preschool. They like writing, drawing, puzzles and can play at table areas for long periods of time. They were not even remotely put off by meeting new teachers, the assistant director or director. In fact, they all received a big "hola" and "adios" before they left. This is good news because I do need to work. :)

I'll post pictures of the girls soon. Right now my eyes can barely stay open.

Twins Spotted Roaming the Marriott

2006-09-18T12:55:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Rowan and Riley are now happily wandering the Marriott and playing in the playroom. Seems Rowan is DEFINITELY the more dominant of the two. She can be quite obstinant when she doesn't get her way. We're relying on sitting down and time out when those moments occur and her puting periods are much shorter and she gives me hugs afterwards.

They are both happy girls and we got to spend more time with the foster mom. What a very dear woman this is. She has given us notes to give the girls to share with them as they get older. These will be treasured moments for them.

We're all doing well. Devin, my 19 year old, is very helpful and they are calling her hermanita when they want her attention. Devin's napping right now. Seems Rowan and Riley don't take naps any more. On the other hand, they are potty trained, say gracias and pardone, and LOVE shoes. It's obvious they were meant to be one of my daughters.

Ruth

Guatemala Bound!

2006-09-14T20:22:00.000-07:00

We finally have visas for Rowan and Riley. Devin and I are Guatemala City bound at midnight Saturday night and we'll return early Thursday evening. I was a bit caught off guard because most visa appointments issued early this week were for the following week. I figured I had one more week to get my work life in order. Oh well...it's time to get those girls!

There are so many other families with Celebrate Children waiting for pink slips....so many families from other agencies as well. The back load of cases coming out of PGN have created a high volume of cases waiting for visa appointments. Others are waiting at different points in the process.

Michelle...Wilson's is just around the corner.
Ginger....your documents will get redone and Maya will be home.
Denise....The missing I171-H will be found. (Yes, we know it's not missing!)
Ellie....You'll be out of PGN soon.

We'll post photos on our return.

A Tiny Baby Step

2006-09-08T21:03:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday everyone. So today we have a tiny baby step. Senator Cantwell's office called and the US Embassy in Guatemala emailed them back and said I had finally emailed them the form they needed today. OK, so we won't point out that it's actually been mailed, faxed and emailed them countless times BEFORE today and frankly, I didn't send it today. Perhaps this means we're going to see pink next week.

Other big news this week is that Jayden has survived her first week of first grade. She likes her teacher, Mrs. Henderson, and tells me she's having a lot of fun. The big highlights seems to be that she gets three recesses, brings a snack to school, eats in a cafeteria, and they write in a journal every day. She also had three friends in her class going into the first day and that helped a lot. I did learn she gets lost a bit trying to find her classroom from outside on the play ground. Now if that isn't a heart breaker!

I hope everyone has a great weekend. Jayden's got her first soccer game tomorrow. It should be fun to watch. After years of very competitive basketball, it's nice to just watch the girls run around and chase each other.

Ruth

No Longer Half Way There

2006-09-07T21:38:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

So we do NOT have Kimberly's pink slip. Seems the Embassy can't find the amended I171-H (form from the Department of Homeland Security) that says I have been approved to adopt 2 children, even though it's been faxed/emailed at least 20 times in the past week. Even the Yakima WA DHS office insists they've sent it 3 times now.

I have 4 (count them 1, 2,3, 4) emails from the Embassy yesterday insisting I have my Guatemalan attorney bring it to them in person. Senator Cantwell's office has an email insisting my attorney bring it in. So, my attorney has made three trips and each time is sent away and each time the Embassy refuses to take the I171-H he has in his hand.

Today I receive direction from the Embassy official through my agency director to email them the form myself and be sure to include the second page that references my finger print expiration date. Keep in mind, no second page exists and so I have to confirm with the Yakima DHS office no second page exists, re-email the I171-H and reference the fact no second page exists.

Senator Maria Cantwell's office is trying to resolve as well.

Katerine's pink slip appointment is for Monday the 11th, and we won't be making that one. I want to make one trip and pink them up together. I can't really wait in country for the US Embassy to figure out how to open their email or read their faxes. It almost feels like I'm gettng the run around for some unknown reason.

On the bright side, it means I've likely got 1-2 more week at work to put some things to bed before I take time off. :) Only I would find some perverse relief in that.

Ruth

Half Way There!

2006-08-31T20:13:00.000-07:00

Some good news here! We have the pink slip (US Embassy appointment) for September 11th for Katerine but no appointment for Kimberly. They can't find the 171H that allows me to adopt 2 children, even though we have email proof from the Yakima WA INS folks. This means we need to be there by the 11th for Katerine's appointment but have no idea when Kimberly's appointment will be.

With the long weekend ahead, we won't be able to do anything until next Tuesday. Frustrating....but there is a purpose. We just have to recognize it.

OUT!!!!

2006-08-18T16:29:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

We are out of PGN as of yesterday! Now we wait for the new birth certificates, and word on the Embassy appointment. We're looking at about 4 weeks until we travel to pick up the girls. Timing is bad since Devin is heading back to college next weekend. However, this is as it's meant to be.

On a sad note, a co-worker died suddenly this morning in our Georgia offices. I feel incredibly sad that this vital, young and caring woman is now gone. Life is short, too short for her. She will be missed by many.

Happy Sunday

2006-08-13T20:26:00.000-07:00

It's been a few weeks since I've posted. Life has us busy it seems. Here's what's new:

1. Still waiting on PGN to release the girls. The good news is that there were a ton of cases to come out the past few weeks. The best news is that many families that have been waiting since late 2005 and early 2006 are finally bringing their children home. The bad news is that we are not yet one of those families. However, we've only been in PGN since mid-June. We did get a medical update and Katerine hasn't been gaining weight. That's bothersome and have asked for a follow up medical appointment. Stll waiting on that.

2. I had the opportunity to travel to Cleveland and Baltimore in the last month. Both cities were a nice surprise. I really like them both. I love visiting new cities. Cleveland had the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Really cool. Baltimore had a beautiful harbor and very nice weather. I also found a great handbag store. :) It was called Handbags in the City and the owner was great. Travel back from Baltimore was messy due to the recent terror threat. It made Friday a really long day. Lots of delays and cancellations. Friday was a 21 hour day for me. Saturday was useless to me.

3. Taylor now has a job. It's a start and school is only about a month of away for her.

4. Devin is about 3 weeks away from going to school. We wll miss having her around. I don't think Taylor will miss having to share the car with Devin.

5. Jayden took swimming lessons through KinderCare and had a great time. She has learned how to dog paddle and can put her head under the water. She wants me to put a pool in the backyard. Yeah, right.

6. We got away to the beach for a long weekend. It was beautiful but windy. Jayden even got blown off her feet several times on Monday. (She only weighs 38 pounds.) Mostly it was nice to get away. Devin brought her boyfriend Elias and Taylor brought her friend Becca. Becca is off to USC soon and we will all miss her.

7. I finally broke down and have cable DSL and wireless Internet. Yes, I was clearly the last AOL client on dial up. Mostly I kept it to make my teenagers crazy.

I hope everyone has a great week. Let's hope this week will continue to bring more children out of PGN.

Happy 3rd Birthday Beautiful Girls

2006-07-22T12:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Katerine and Kimberly's 3rd birthday. They are celebrating in Guatemala with their foster family and we'll be thinking of them here. We've hit week 5 in PGN and we're still waiting patiently for word. Not expecting that any time soon though. Cases seem to be taking around 3 months right now so we've got a long ways to go. There was some movement in a number of cases today so that's good news. For those of us stuck at various stages in the adoption process, any movement is good news.

Yesterday we attended a Portland area picnic of families who have adopted children from Guatemala. It was really nice. Jayden made some new friends and was still talking about a little girl named Ellen tonight. She kept telling me Ellen "was just like her." It seems Ellen likes the monkey bars too. :) It was a too hot for everyone's taste.

We also had my company (Knowledge Learning Corporation) picnic on Saturday. One of our primary owners, Mike Milken, attended. I have worked with him off and on since the merger. I've read about his career. I can't speak to what I've read because ultimately that's second-hand. I can only speak to what I've seen since the merger. This guy, and the rest of the Milken family, are so incredibly dedicated to children, education, and our company. We feel it every day at work. We feel it in every decision they make. He is always focused on doing the right thing - for children, for employees and education. It's such a great place to work!

Taylor is registering for classes at PSU tomorrow. She's thinking about taking Chinese as her language requirement. (Something Mike Milken said stuck in her mind.) She's still looking at doing PSU's 5 year MBA/Accounting & Finance degree. Seems she actually enjoys the numbers.

I'm off but have a great week.

4+ Weeks and Waiting Patiently

2006-07-16T17:12:00.000-07:00

Happy Sunday!
We're 4+ weeks into PGN and waiting patiently. It seems things are still moving slowly within PGN. If you can believe all the posts, it sounds like there are many files simply waiting for the Director's signature and they are just sitting on his desk. His desk must look like my in-box. :)
There has been progress for some people - good and bad. Dawn finally got the DNA and family court social worker interview on Emilee but little Berali's birthmom has taken her back. That type of situation is always a double edged sword. You're happy the birthmom has chosen to parent their child, but you hurt for the adoptive family who is experiencing the loss. Some cases have actually come out of PGN. Most seem to have been waiting since March, April and May so it's good to see they're finally coming out. I figure we've got another 8 weeks or so to go. No science in that number but a guess just the same.
Devin came home from Russia this past Wednesday. We are all happy to have her home. Really happy. There were too many plane crashes in Russia while she was gone. Her photos were a lot of fun to look at. Since she's been home she had lunch with a favorite high school teacher and has been spending time with her boyfriend and friends. We even see her now and then.
We've been doing some cleaning here. I'm still trying to figure out how to turn Jayden's room into a room for three girls. We had originally figured Devin and Jayden would share a room, since Devin is at school most of the year. However, Jayden is absoltely insistent the she and the twins all sleep in the same room. She tells us they'll be lonely and afraid when they first come home so it's better if she's in there with them. I figure that's an "out of the mouth of babes" statement and she'd know better than anyone. However, I still need to figure out how to do it. Add toys and clothing for 3 little girls.....my mind just gets fuzzy.
I watched a show on the Duggar family and felt ashamed. They have 16 kids and are the most organized people I've ever seen. Their children are perfect children. They pick up after themselves, don't talk back to their parents and even help out around the house. It's impressive. As I said, I am ashamed and need to get more organized.
I must also confess that I've spent a few too many hours at Nordstrom's since it's their anniversary sale. This sale is usually a big thing for our house and this year is no exception. I found a great bag for work that actually holds my laptop and doesn't look anything like a laptop case. Jayden and the twins made out pretty well too. Jayden is a skinny thing and Nordies has the best jeans for her since they're adjustable in the waist. Taylor talked me out of a couple of pairs of shoes.
This week promises to be a good week. Work will be fun and my new Director of Benefits starts on Friday. I am so happy to have filled this position and the person I've hired has great experience. Now I only have one vacancy left to fill.
Have a great week everyone!
Ruth

Some Rambling Thoughts

2006-07-06T22:13:00.000-07:00

Hola! We have now officially hit week three in PGN. What does that tell you? Pretty much nothing. The wait in PGN is long these days. I am choosing to believe the changes in the internal PGN process, delays and other things within PGN that are causing the slowdown are simply because they want to make the process more uniform and better. There are MANY MANY families ahead of us in the PGN line and they have been waiting a very long time. I will hope and pray that these children all come home soon. As for us, the girls will come home to us when it's their time. Plus the memories they're building in Guatemala will help them as they get older.

Jayden is now in week 2 of KinderCare Summer Adventures Camp. It's similar to her regular Kinderare kindergarten but involves more outside play, water and costumes at least twice a week, and ZERO naps. I'm go with everything except the zero nap part. She's small and busy enough that she needs naps. She was sobbing tonight telling me she wasn't tired but yet could barely stand up or keep her eyes open. Too funny.

Devin called from Russia today. She couldn't talk long but it was good to hear her voice. I've been worried about her overnight train trip to and from Moscow. I've been worrying about train crashes and terrorists. OK, so I'm a Mom. I worry about really stupid things now and then. OK, maybe more than now and then when it comes to my kids.

Work is good but continues to be busy. I think everyone has come to realize or understand that the pace won't likely be decreasing post merger/integration as they thought. I'm not entirely sure why they thought it would. I've been extemely busy now for two years - due diligence, pre-merger, post merger and now as we grow. Personally, I'm having a ball at work, which is the way work should be. We have the most incredible leadership, starting at the top and moving through the organization. I truly feel lucky to work there. And for the record, no one at work knows about this blog so I can be honest here.

My niece Heather and my nephew Chris have both added children to there families in the past few weeks. Our family now welcomes Heather's son Zeke Martin, who had to fight a bit after arriving early, and Chris's daughter Tessa Armstrong. Beautiful babies everywhere!

So there's been a lot of posting about a situation in the China adoption circles involving a family that just traveled to China to meet and finalize the adoption of their daughter. The short story is that after spending 4 days with her, they felt her health was too weak and they were not equipped as a family to deal with the likely unknowns about this child's future. What they say is that did not ask for a special needs child, have another daughter at home who is also adopted from China, and after meeting with health experts, their agency and Chinese officials, a "rematch" was made. The first child was taken into custody by Chinese officials.

There is much speculation about what will happen to this child and whether or not she'll be eligible for adoption in the future. I don't know this family at all. On the surface, it looks like the family made an educated decision for their family and that decision was supported by their agency, medical doctors and Chinese officials. I've read various posts about what horrible people they are for "choosing" to decline the first child. Plus, this is an experienced international adoption family.

Unfortunately, I can't line up with the people who want to lynch this family. Various countries have different processes for "selecting" a child when it come to international adoption. In China, they assign you a child and you can accept/decline from photos after the end of a wait that is likely in excess of a year. When you arrive in China, you meet and finalize the adoption. I have to wonder how many rematches occur quietly that are only heard about in the specific travel groups. (This one got public fast after the family posted the rematch on their blog.) In Guatemala, you get photos, medical information and could even choose to travel down and meet your child before you accept the referral. (Most don't.) Ultimately, I have to line up with parents making a decision that they feel is right for their family and the daughter they have now. I have to HONOR a parent's decision to be honest about what needs they're capable of parenting.

OK, flame away on this one but this is just my opinion.

Well, I'm off. Have a great day!

And Yes, There are Down Sides

2006-06-27T20:28:00.000-07:00

Yes, there were moments were Jayden wasn't too excited about the fact that her new little sisters wouldn't sit still on her lap and cuddle.

She'd make "the face" that only a photo can prove exists.

The Upside of Being a Big Sister

2006-06-27T20:11:00.000-07:00

There are definitely many happy times when you are the big sister and your little sisters are willing to sit still and cuddle.

More Photos

2006-06-26T21:30:00.000-07:00

Katerine (Lavender Dress) Kimberly (Pink Dress)

Photos

2006-06-26T21:24:00.000-07:00

Our beauties!

Still Can't Post Photos

2006-06-25T09:52:00.000-07:00

Happy Sunday!

So I'm feeling very frustrated that I can't post photos from our trip earlier this month. Messages to blogspot and their help messages are not resolving it. Others are having similar problems too it seems.

Devin is off to Russia for 16 days! She flew out yesterday and will be in St. Petersburg for almost the entire time. They've got a side trip to Moscow and a couple of other places. She's traveling with a group from Pacific University. She was excited but nervous about traveling that far. Any flight over 10 hours is too long....any flight over 6 hours is too long.

Taylor has joked that I have this "wall of denial" about the realities of adding two three year olds to the house. She tells me this because the car I drive won't acommodate three booster seats in the back seat. I finally took out three car seats last weekend and tried to force them in the car. She's right, they didn't fit. No matter what I did, they didn't fit. I know it's easy to replace a car but I don't want a van. Plus I really like my car. I like it's size (not so big that I hit things when I try to park). I like how it drives. It's easy to get serviced. I like the car payment. All those things make it a good car. However, it won't acommodate three booster seats. Yesterday we broke down and got a new car. (It's a 2004 so it's not new, but it is new to us.) It's not a van but it does handle three booster seats in the back seat. (I took them with us and made sure they fit.) It's easy to service and drives well.

Not much is new on the adoption front. Our agency director, Sue Hedberg, is off to Guatemala today to visit all her babies, check on her cases and meet with her attorneys. Since we just visited she won't be visiting my girls. She's also trying to meet with the Director of PGN. We've only been in PGN a week. However, there are many families that have been waiting a very long time. They're frustrated, angry and hurt they have to watch their children grow up somewhere else. I hope the PGN Director gets these cases moving soon.

Life is good so let's live it well!

Trouble Posting Photos

2006-06-18T20:26:00.000-07:00

Sorry. There's some problem with posting photos with Blogspot.

We're Baaaack!

2006-06-15T20:11:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Our trip to Guatemala went very well, minus the huge flight delays in Guatemala and Houston. Oh well, not something I can control.

The visit with the girls was incredible. Katerine and Kimberly did really well with us and Jayden is adapting to being a big sister. The girls spent two nights and two days with us at the Marriott. They eat and sleep like troopers and we didn't have any adjustment issues.

The girls look much more alike than they have in previous photos. Kimberly had a bite mark on her face (from Katerine earlier in the week). Absent the bite mark, I wouldn't be able to tell them apart. I'm still trying to figure out how I'm going to do that for a while.

We've had a busy "process" week. We have come out of Family Court, received DNA pre-approval and went into PGN this week. Good news! Now we must patiently wait. PGN is the big unknown these days.

Enjoy the pictures!

We've Arrived

2006-06-09T05:32:00.000-07:00

We've arrived at the Guatemala City Marriott. As expected, the service is great. We get the girls later this morning. For anyone traveling, the airport is a bit of a mess. To get to the hotel vans, you need to leave the airport and walk through a throng of people and through this half-circle covered walkway. The hotel vans are all at the far end of the half - circle. It was a bit daunting late last night. It gets pretty crowded and the light isn't great late at night.

Ruth

Visiting Guatemala

2006-06-04T12:50:00.000-07:00

We've decided to visit Katerine and Kimberly in Guatemala this coming weekend. We arrive late Thursday night and will fly out Sunday. We'll have a couple of nights with the girls. I'm really looking forward to meeting Kimberly and seeing the girls together.

Jayden is very excited about meeting "the sisters" for the first time. We went shopping Friday night to pick up some things and she told almost everyone we encountered that she was going to Guatemala to see her sisters.

The girls have their third birthday in July and we won't be able to visit at that time. We're putting together some birthday gifts for the foster mother to give them on their birthday. We're also pulling together some clothing, shoes and other items they need until they come home with us.

Things are still moving very slow in PGN it seems. I am hopeful we'll have them home late Fall, but we'll have to see. We are still waiting to come out of Family Court, get DNA pre-approval and then get into PGN. PGN is like a black hole right now. I don't have any idea how long that step will take. I have faith in my agency and attorney, so I know they'll come home as soon as they are able and when they should. Other than that, I simply can't control it.

On other news, Taylor is finishing up her last week of high school. She's not very excited about graduation or the activities that surround it. Right now she's busy editing a video for one of her teachers as a special project. She'll be attending Portland State University in the Fall. She's looking for work that will accomodate her school schedule.

Jayden graduates from kindergarten the week after next. I know, you're all thinking - "Graduating one from high school and one from kindergarten????" Who would have thought....Jayden is excited too. She's been telling us all about what they'll do that night. Her reading is also taking off this last month. That's been nice to see.

I'm on a cleaning bend this morning so I'm going to get back to it. I hope everyone is well.

Ruth

Praying for a Big Week

2006-05-29T22:00:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend. Ours was reasonably uneventful. The big kids were forced into manual labor and had to weed the yard. :) The little one is working hard on losing her first tooth. (Bottom center tooth. She only has three teeth on the bottom between her two eye teeth. Some sort of oddity that we can't quite explain.)

As we go into this week, I am hoping and praying it will be a big week. I'm praying for PGN movement, especially for those stuck for a long time. I'm praying for my friend Johanna's adoption and that Kathelin's birth mother can be found this week. I'm praying for several families I know as they ponder the decision to adopt. I'm wishing that Sue and her family find some much needed time to relax and celebrate her son's graduation.

I spent some time this weekend reading various blogs folks have put up about their adoptions. Most were China adoptions. I was struck how different the China adoptions are from Guatemala. In China, the process and tight agency control that force families to move and travel together through the process cause virtual strangers to become families based on referral and travel dates. In Guatemala, each family is a bit like their own island, with the level of agency support varying by agency and attorney. I'm not suggesting one is better than the other, they're just different. In all cases, I am heartened as to the level of faith that people have, their belief and commitment in the decision to adopt, and their level of acceptance and faith that the child they're adopting is their child. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but it's affirming to read just the same.

I met with a friend and co-worker for lunch last week and she's pondering the decision to adopt. She's single, in her early 40's, Chinese, and is actually considering Guatemala over China. Her reasoning makes sense and I think she'd be a great Mom. I think she'll be an even better person if she opens up her life to a child. This is not to say that childless adults are not good people. I just believe that if you take the time to care and love another person, let them affect your life in a positive way, you'll be a better person for taking that step. I believe my older children are different and better adults because we added Jayden to our family. This single decision will shape the adults they become.

I guess that's enough philosophy for tonight. Again, here's to a really big week!

DNA Results Are In!

2006-05-25T21:19:00.000-07:00

Today was a "wahoo" day. We received the DNA test results and have proof that the woman bringing the girls forward for adoption is their birth mom. The paperwork sent to our home also included a Polaroid photo of the girls on their birth mom's lap. That's a bit sobbering to see. Sad to see. We're happy to see the 99.99% results though. Now we wait to hear we're out of Family Court, have DNA pre-approval and entered into PGN. Keeping the faith....

New Photos

2006-05-23T21:44:00.000-07:00

We received new photos today! What happy, beautiful little girls they are. It's good to see them smiling so much. I'm thinking I might have to visit some time this summer.

We just spent a long weekend (4 days) in Orlando and got a chance to meet the folks at Celebrate Children International in person. They are very nice people and clearly dedicated to the children and families they are bringing home. It was great to put names and faces together.

We also managed to spend about 2.5 days in the Disney theme parks. Proof that I'm getting older: My feet hurt after 1.5 days wandering through the parks and waiting in line. I kept focusing on the business aspects of the whole Disney operation. Proof that I'm still young at heart: I joined Jayden in "screaming like a little girl" on the bigger roller coasters (her words not mine). I liked the white sandy bottom of the pool as much as she did.

The Rest of the Gang

2006-05-14T22:02:00.000-07:00

Here's the rest of my girls on a roof top in Rome. Doesn't that sound wonderful?? It was crazy. We arrived in Italy just in time for the Pope's death and had the good fortune to share Rome with 3 million other people. It was crazy. However, we had fun and it was all a big picnic to my youngest.

The Newest Members of Our Family

2006-05-14T21:58:00.000-07:00

Meet Rowan and Reese, the newest members of our family.

Welcome!

2006-05-14T21:41:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone. So I thought I'd try this whole blog thing to keep friends and family up to date on our adoption journey into Guatemala. First, here's some background. My name is Ruth and I live in Vancouver WA with my 3 daughters. My oldest is 19, my middle is 18 and my youngest is 6 years old. My youngest joined our family from Guatemala in June 2003 at the age of 3.5 years old. She is an amazing person and I feel incredibly lucky that she's part of our family. I have accepted the referral of TWIN sisters from Guatemala who will be 3 in July. Yes, I just might be crazy. However, it started out as one sister and the twin was a bit of a surprise. Believing in greater powers than I can imagine, it seems there are other plans for me. So....I'm going to be the mom to five daughters. I honestly didn't think that sentence would EVER come out of my mouth. The DNA test is scheduled for tomorrow so here we go!!!!