WE GOT THE CALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We are OUT OF PGN!!!!!!!!!!! We got the call yesterday morning! My mom had just arrived to be with the boys while I ran some errands. We were making a list of flowers I needed to buy for the backyard, when the phone rang. My mom says she wishes she had a picture of my face when I saw the agency name in the caller ID. I don't remember much about the phone call as the room was spinning and my heart was beating out of my chest! Of course, I called Chris right away! We are hoping to travel in about 2-3 weeks! At this point we have been approved by the Guatemalan government. Here is what happens next:

ADOPTION DECREE. The attorney then prepares the final adoption Protocolo or deed, and meets with the birth mother for her to sign her final consent to the child’s adoption. The executed Protocolo is filed with the Archivo de Protocolo. At this point, the child is legally the child of the adoptive parent(s) under Guatemalan law.

CIVIL REGISTRY AND PASSPORT. The attorney presents the required documents to record the adoption at the Civil Registry where the child’s birth was recorded, and requests that a new birth certificate be issued to reflect the adoption, and to change the child’s surname to that of the adoptive family. The attorney then takes all documents including the new birth certificate and applies for the child’s Guatemalan passport. The child is again fingerprinted to affirm his/her identity.

US EMBASSY – FINAL APPROVAL AND VISA. The attorney presents the case file with the child’s passport and new birth certificate to the US Embassy. The Embassy again evaluates the file and, if all documentation is in order, issues a “Final Document Approval” or pink slip. (Note: Guatemalan passport is NOT required to submit the REQUEST for the pink slip, it is however required to PICK UP the pink slip from the US Embassy.) After the attorney receives this approval, the adoptive parents and child appear at the US Embassy for final verification, and an embassy official then issues a visa for the child’s entry into the US.

Once the US Embassy has issued the "pink slip" the agency will call us with a date and time for our Embassy appointment. This appointment is generally within 7 days of the notification. At that point, we will make our plane and hotel reservations!

We are so excited and also can't believe that we are this close to meeting our daughter and having her in our arms forever!
We have a lot to do in the next few weeks - time to go make some lists!
Laura