DNA results / Resultado prueba de ADN

Yesterday we received the following e-mail from our adoption agency:

"The 2nd DNA results are an indentical match as expected. I attach the fax that LabCorp send us this morning. The American consulate should have this information soon so please check your email everyday for an email from them. It will advise you of your visa interview in Guatemala City. Rounding the last turn into the home stretch …" And so here we are, checking the e-mail pretty often as you can imagine.

Ayer salieron los resultados de la prueba. Ahora tan solo falta que la Embajada nos de la cita en Guatemala en un comunicado a traves de un correo electronico.

And these are some photos I took today after the snowstorm we had yesterday starting in the afternoon and continuing throughout the evening. It took me one and half hours to get home from work without counting the 20 mins. it took me to clean my car in the parking lot.

More snow / Mas nieve

These are more pics from today. I don't think that Elizabeth will have fun wearing a pair of gloves, snowsuit, hat, etc.

Still winter in NH / Aun estamos en invierno

It's already the end of February and we are still getting hit with snow. Our driveway is pure ice and there is another snowstorm forecasted for this coming Tuesday. We are hoping that by the time Elizabeth gets home, the weather will be milder and warmer but we know it will still be cold for the baby. She is used to living in a city with great weather. They call Guatemala City the city of "eternal spring" because its weather is just perfect. So this past weekend we went to the stores and bought the baby winter clothes, not only for when she arrives (in less than a month) but for the next winter as well. We couldn't pass up this opportunity. All the winter clothes are on sale, with prices up to 75% or more off the original price. So we went to LL Bean, Kohls, Macy's and other stores and bought her from winter boots to gloves to hats to snowsuits!!!

But we just didn't buy her winter clothes. She now has some spring and summer clothes as well. We are getting prepared because we know that when we pick her up she will have no clothes at all (except what she is wearing).

Este invierno ha sido mas fuerte que el anterior aqui en New Hampshire. Tenemos nieve en todas partes. Los alrededores de la casa son solo nieve y Greg ha tenido que trabajar duro para limpiar lo que es la entrada al garage y a la casa. Tambien ha tenido que mantener lena cortada y lista para la chimenea que no para de trabajar. Claro que tambien tenemos calefaccion pero tratamos de usar la chimenea mas porque el aceite para la calefaccion es mas costoso y con este invierno tan largo, los costos se han aumentado muchisimo.
Este fin de semana aprovechamos de comprarle a la nina ropa de invierno tanto para cuando llegue de Guatemala en menos de un mes, como para el proximo invierno. Las tiendas tienen unas rebajas increibles en toda la ropa de invierno de hasta el 75% o mas de descuento. Le compramos guantes, gorros, pantalones, chaquetas y botas para la nieve. Tambien le compramos ropita de primavera y verano ya que cuando nos la entreguen, ella tan solo va a tener lo que tenga puesto.
Este fin de semana tambien le compramos un coche que dice "Wrangler". Y adivinen quien lo eligio....si el papa. Greg dice que es perfecto y la verdad que no fue nada costoso ya que queriamos algo facil de manejar y bien sencillo. Ademas de esto compramos uno de esos cargadores de bebes que se ponen los papas (no las mamas) en la espalda y los ninos se cargan ya sea adelante o atras. Encontramos uno que esperamos le sirva a Eli. Yo por mi parte iba a comprar una panalera, pero luego me puse a pensar que tal vez uno de los bolsos que tengo me puede servir. Quiero algo practico, como un morral, para asi poder tener mis manos vacias y poderme movilizar mejor. Todo esto es territorio nuevo para nosotros y no sabemos que vamos a necesitar. No quiero llevar mucho a Guatemala pero tampoco quiero que me falten cosas.
Abrazos y feliz semana, Clare.

DNA Test done / Prueba de ADN lista

Last Tuesday the 18th of February Elizabeth had her DNA test done. We now have to wait for the US Embassy in Guatemala to receive the results and, once they have them, our appointment will be scheduled. The reason why the US Embassy requires two DNA tests, one at the beginning of the process and one at the end, is to make sure that the child was not switched or changed during the process.
It just feels so nice to get closer to the time when we'll have Elizabeth forever in our lives!!! Here is Eli at 12 months. She was taken by surprise and the foster mother tells me she is not very friendly with strangers at first.


El Martes pasado Elizabeth tuvo la segunda prueba de ADN. Estas dos pruebas, una al inicio del proceso y la otra al final, es solicitada por la Embajada de los Estados Unidos para asegurarsen de que el nino no fue cambiado durante el proceso de adopcion. Esperamos que los resultados lleguen pronto a Guatemala y asi la Embajada nos confirme la cita de la entrevista en Guatemala. Esperamos estar viajando en unas tres semanas!! Que emocion.
Esta foto de Eli fue tomada de sorpresa y la Sra Juanita me dice que la nina no es muy amigable con las personas extranas al principio...

Process Update / Noticias....

On February the 11th the US Embassy in Guatemala City authorized the second DNA test !! We are hoping that this will be done this week (Feb 18-22) as well as the Medical Exam. Once the results are received by the US Embassy, the Visa appointment is scheduled and we would be flying to Guatemala one or two weeks later!!! This is Eli at 10 months.

El dia 11 de Febrero la Embajada de los Estados Unidos en Guatemala autorizo el segundo examen de ADN asi como el examen medico. Una vez la Embajada reciba estos resultados, la cita para la Visa de Elizabeth sera programada y nosotros estarimos viajando a Guatemala una o dos semanas despues !! Esta es Elizabeth a los 10 meses.

Valentine's day / Dia del amor y la amistad

On Valentine's Day I got a Vermont Teddy Bear. Don't they look alike? Same nose, same hair. .. Oh Eli, we'll see what present daddy gets you next year.

Painting Elizabeth's room 1 /Pintando el cuarto...

I really liked this blue, but we felt we needed to personalize the room for Elizabeth. So we decided to go with neutral colors and Greg came up with the great idea of two color scheme and it came out pretty nice !
Eli's room will be right across the hall from ours.

Greg priming the walls.

Painting room. Part 2/ Pintando la habitacion. 2a. parte

At first, this color (willow herb) looked like the yellow in all the Easter decorations but Thank God! it finally got darker and more towards the greens or browns. Not that I don't like yellow... We then painted the upper part with a Cotton Whisper color and we really liked the final result. Very soothing colors for the baby. But once we covered up the blue on the wall, we realized that the window trim was not white, but tinted blue green. What a surprise! We always thought it was white. Well, now we have to paint the window trim as well.

baby's room 3 / Habitacion bebe 3

Greg painted the window trim and the base board same color as the upper color in the room (cotton whisper). It looks much nicer and not so greenish as you can see in the picture below.

My cousing Cesar created these two paintings. We'll be framing them and putting them in Elizabeth's room.
I want lots of color in her room and I'm thinking on buying a few things in Guatemala that we can add to her room. I'm not sure what yet but once there, Greg will help me decide.

At 6 months old / A los 6 meses de edad

Her foster mother says that pigtails are the only way to manage her hair. We'll see what we can do about it once she is home.
Elizabeth tiene su pelito tan lacio que la unica manera de mantenerselo un poco domado es con colitas. Espero yo poder cortarle el cabello por mucho tiempo ya que aun recuerdo muy bien todo lo que aprendi observando a mi mama en el salon de belleza. Y luego la practica que tenia con mis companeras de Universidad, tambien con algunos de mis familiares y ultimamente con Greg. Aunque cortarle el cabello a el es muy dificil ya que no le gusta quedarse quieto y sentado y a cada momento me pregunta si ya esta listo. Yo por mi parte trato de acomodarle la silla en el bano de nuestro cuarto pero mirando hacia el televisor que esta en el cuarto. De esta manera logro distraerlo al menos un poquito. Tambien les corte el cabello a mi mama y a mi papa ahora que estuvieron visitandonos y no quedaron nada mal. El corte de mi mama me gusto inclusive mas que el que le hacen a ella en el salon de belleza. Aun guardo las tijeras que mi mama me dio antes de salir de Colombia y las cuales cuido de manera increible. Y siempre recuerdo su recomendacion: con estas tijeras no se debe de cortar ni papel, ni nada, solo pelo para que no se danen. Tambien tengo una capa y peinilla especial. Todo esto, para hacerle el rato mas agradable al cliente!

First Presents / Los Primeros Regalos

On January the 13th my parents Jaime and Herminia, uncles James and Betty, cousin Andres and his girlfriend Mariale, my brother JaimeO., my sister in law Angela and her parents and siblings Bernardo, Helena, Pilar and Hugo and my beautiful niece Isabella surprised us with a lot of presents for baby Eli. They included a blanket, a pair of sneakers, dresses, sweaters, a jacquet and many more useful and very much needed clothing.

Elizabeth at 3 months old...A los 3 meses de edad.

Greg and I don't remember seeing these pics, but last night I was trying to get all my baby's monthly reports together when I came across this one and I could not believe I didn't remember having these photos. Anyways, it was a treat for us last night to see them!
Her hair is like mine, it can be very nice but it can also be a big pain in the ... neck.
Elizabeth siempre esta alerta a lo que pasa a su alrededor. Estas fotos no nos acordabamos de tenerlas, pero anoche tratando de poner todos sus informes mensuales juntos, encontramos estas fotos en uno de los reportes.