[ajvacations]

I found out more of what's happening. The rule about fostering there for the final court process has always been in effect. The previous director would waive it for those that had difficulty with it, which was basically illegal. The new director that came in June is strict about following the law. The reason they require it is so the child has a chance to bond with and get comfortable with the family before having to go to a new country. So that at least they will be comfortable with their family and will make the move easier. I guess I can't argue with that My husband and I are planning to go down Dec 4th and my husband will fly back Dec 7th. Then my dh and sons will come back for a visit mid January and then hopefully Maryina and I will be coming home in February some time. Another positive...I'll avoid the cold and yuckiness in VA...75 degrees in Managua right now!

[dawnrenee58]

You have gotta love their thought processes. We were told that NO ONE got to foster, and we were the first. I felt so honored.....

I am excited for you, though. You are getting to parent so much sooner than anticipated! What courts are you going through? We went through Tipitapa, and the judge was AWESOME. He was even thinking about adopting himself, and asked me all of these questions. Let us know if you need anything while you are there, especially moral support. AND WE WILL NEED SOME PICTURES!!!!!

Happy Thanksgiving.....don't we have so mcuh to be thankful for!!??!!?? ok, i love these new smileys!!

[KMtexas]

December 4th!! That is so soon - how fantastic (and frantic I am sure ). Have you decided where you are staying yet? From what my husband says and the pictures he took Granada looks and sounds really nice.
I really hope we will overlap in time. We are getting very frustrated with the lack on information we are getting. It is getting pretty discouraging. But hopefully we will hear something...anything soon.


Have a great Thanksgiving everyone!

[ajvacations]

Not sure yet, I'm looking at Hotel Ticomo , it has bungalow style apartments for a reasonable monthly rate. I'm just trying to find out about internet access. Everyone in Nicaragua keeps telling me to wait and negotiate there but it makes me nervous to travel without a reservation. Our friends are currently here in the US so we can't stay with them. I know we can get a hotel temporarily while we figure the rest out but I'd like to be able to just go straight to somewhere, drop the luggage and go get my daughter and not worry about the rest of it!

[dawnrenee58]

Where is Hotel Ticomo? It is not on Carretera Sur, is it? I checked there. Not bad, for Nica standards, and relatively inexpensive, but if it is the same place, no internet access. I was going to stay at the Hotel Estrella if my friends had not been available. It was $35 a night, if you were there over a month. Pool, wireless, fridge in the room. I was just going to buy a hot plate to bring with me. It was withing walking distance of stores, and even a KFC! It was clean enough............but I was desperate! Let me know if you need more details.

Hoping and praying that everything works out.........Dawn

[ajvacations]

We are flying down Monday, my dh and I. We are staying at the Hotel Montserrat for the first few nights while we look into longer options. Hotel Estrella gave me a higher rate than that via email but I've been told you can get a better rate in person. Montserrat doesn't have a pool but it has a fridge and the manager told me we could use their kitchen So we'll see! I'm very nervous about the long stay. This weekend with my boys is going to be very emotional. Hopefully once I get there and get settled it will be better.

[dawnrenee58]

Oh my goodness....today is the day. I have been praying for you already, and will continue to do so. Hopefully you will get to pick up your daughter soon, and that everything will go well. We did not get our son until Wednesday of the week we arrived, because of all of the paperwork. Hopefully you will get her today or tomorrow!

Let me know ifyou have any questions. I don't know how much help I could be, but I can always symphathize. OH YEAH! I thought this weekend that after my driver quit, and I was driving myself, there were a few times that I had to go to other cities, for court and stuff. I had a guy, recommended by the family I was staying with. He was a taxi driver, and he would come and drive me. I totally trusted him. He was so nice! If you need someone like that, a taxi driver you can trust, let me know. I can try to get his name and phone number.

You will be home before you know it. Enjoy my second home while you can! Eat lots of Gallo Pinto, Pollo Asado, and all the pineapple you can handle. You will never have fruit that awesome again!
Dawn

[ajvacations]

We are staying in an apt , a nice gated community with a pool and tennis courts and I got it for the low end of my budget. It's right next to one of my friends, actually the lady that first sent us Margina's picture...so we ride with them to church. Valentina, the former orphanage director is helping me with all of the go between because she speaks both languages. Right now our paperwork is still with the gov't agency. They now require the orphanage to monitor the parent and child together and send them a report before they will release the paperwork. So I'm waiting on the psychologist from the orphanage to come and spend a day with us. My parents sent us a small christmas tree because I couldn't find one here anywhere and we checked all 3 malls! We have presents for both of us under the tree and we have some christmas lights on the book shelves Margina ok'd the change in spelling of her name from Maryina to Margina so it would be easier to pronounce here and she wanted a new middle name, she chose Daniella. So Miss Margina Daniella it is! She is still not too keen on learning more english. She knows a lot but does not like to speak it. She told me " It's not important, I won't need to speak english" I'm really hoping to get her talking more with just us so she will be more comfortable when we get to the states. I miss my family but we have the webcam thing going on thru yahoo so I can see everyone and talk to them. I have high speed internet in my apt which is a godsend! There are other americans in the complex, missionaries and other adoptive folks but I've only said Hi in passing so far. The weather has been awesome, no need for ac. The family that runs the apts speak english perfectly so other than being outside of the main busy area (not a bad thing sometimes) it's a really nice apt. Really hot water too! Electricity outages have been difficult but in some ways they are good. Margina talks more when there's no Disney channel to watch! If anyone needs a long term place to stay in Managua I highly recommend where I'm staying, pm me if you need/want more info. Keep me posted on how everyone is doing in their process and I'll keep yall posted too...

[KMtexas]

I am so glad to hear everything is going well! I have been thinking about you and wondering how everything was progressing so far.
I hope your paperwork speeds through the system in record time.
If you get a chance can you pm or email me the info on where you are staying? I mostly would like it as a back up, but you never know.
We are still waiting to hear anything. I am hoping once the holidays are over we will get some news.
Enjoy your first Christmas with your daughter!

[dawnrenee58]

I was so happy to log on and see that you had written! I miss Nica so much!
I am glad to hear that they are making progress with your case, but I understand how it can seem like not very much. Just have your lawyer keep on them about getting the report done, especially with Christmas coming. Is there any way it will be done this week? Then hopefully you will have an awesome judge who will just rush your case! What city will you be filing in?
Well, Michigan is warm, but not like Nica. Enjoy the weather, and this chance to get to know your daughter! Merry Christmas!

[KMtexas]

Amy you posting must have been a good sign for me!
We finally got some news today - kind of a good news/bad news but I am happy to hear anything. Our case is in process - but they lost the copy of the I-171H. We sent another copy today and are suppose to get another update in the next day or so. And the US Embassy has the I-171H also, so hopefully this won't put us back too far.

To be honest I am so happy to hear anything, I was really starting to worry that we had fallen off the schedule or our paperwork had disappeared or ....well any number of bad things.

Hopefully I will have more information very soon

[ajvacations]

Do you think you'll be in the January consejo? Sonia the psychologist from the orphanage is supposed to come and spend some time with us Wednesday. We'll see how long the report takes after that but with the holidays I believe everything isn't going to go fast anyway. She will be filing in either Jinotepe or Grenada I believe. I'll pm the apt info

[dawnrenee58]

I think it is the same psychologist for all the orphanages. She is youngish, likes to weat dark lipstick? I will have to check my papers. I know I have a report form her. She was the one who recommended we foster when Pedro Sierro was not allowing it. She was wonderful, if it is the same woman!!

Merry Christmas!

[ajvacations]

I don't think it's the same psychologist, Sonia lives at Casa Bernabe and I think she only works there, or maybe for Verbo Christian Ministries that runs the orphanage and school. They have other schools and programs around the country so I don't know who exactly she works for but I don't think she is employed by the government or mi familia. We are doing ok, it seems sometimes like 1 step forward and 2 steps back. She will open up for awhile and you'll see her true spirit but at any time she will slam the door shut again. If I thought the roller coaster ride was rough prior to this point....it was nothing. It's a constant stream of highs that can be really high, and lows that can be really low. I don't think you'll get these so much with a baby or very young child. This is one of the things I expected adopting an older child. Every bit of logical sense in me understands why she is doing what she's doing, and that we are making progress every day...but it sure is tough to see this beautiful girl you have fallen in love with as your daughter one minute and the next she is closing the door in your face and doesn't want a hug or even want to be touched. I thought I was moody!! We did have a wonderful Christmas and New Year's and now that January is here it seems closer to my dh and sons visiting on Jan 18th. Small steps...small goals....one day at a time seems to be the only survival method. I actually think I can feel the gray hairs popping out! My hair dresser is going to love me when I get back...it will be an all day event! I hope everyone else had a wonderful holiday as well and keep me posted on how things are going.

[dawnrenee58]

I am so sorry that you are having a difficult time with your daughter. It has to be so hard, being there in a foreign country, without your huby or sons, and living with someone you love, but barely know. I have been there. But, it does get better, and you WILL come home! I agree about taking things one day at a time. My big mistake was that I was always worrying about when I would be home, and it always seemed so far off. In the end, it was such a blessing being there with my son, because I could not go many places, and we were forced to spend all of our waking hours together. I think it is why we have the bond we have.
I am so glad that the rest of your family is coming, though! Just a few more weeks!!! Any more news on when you will be submitted to the judge?

Praying for you!