We've been back!!!!!! sorry. :o)

First of all I want to apologize for not posting any sooner. We did arrive safely in the US on April 26th. The moment we got back I (Patricia) got violently sick! yes, only two hours after we got home it started. Stomach problems, but that was all after two horrible days. Diya was kind of in shock the first few days at home. She thought this was also temporary, what I mean is that we had been moving from one hotel to another in India that she could not tell if this was home or not. But after a few days she settled in. Especially with her brothers attention...and all the good food. The boys (her three brothers) could NOT believe she would not eat a Krispy Kreme doughnut! I think it was too sweet for her. Yup, while they all ate at least two doughnuts in one sitting! ...she will come around. She is so easy going and just likes to hang out with her brothers, Mom and Dad. Dad? oh don't get me started! the moment Dan drives in the driveway every evening from work, this little girl flips out! yes she loves her daddy and just screams and dances and wiggles all over and runs to his arms. It is so cool to watch, just to think that now she has her daddy who absolutely loves her and she knows it too! We all love her very much.

Well here is a picture of when we arrived home and grandma was here taking care of the boys while we went to pick up Diya.

Enjoy. :o)

2 More days- 2 dias mas

We have 2 more days in India. We have had a blast with the whole experience, the coordinator has made it possible. I can't help to think of how blessed we are to have been able to experience God so up close. We are happy we took this step of faith to adopt. We were only able to do this by God's grace. The day we picked Diya up, I couldn't help but feel bad for the little ones that for now were left behind. I prayed that those families that have ever felt the "slightest" tug in their heart to adopt, would have the faith and courage to do so for the sake of these children! Yes this requires getting out of our comfort zone, yes this means you will have challenges, and yes this means that your world will be rocked! but hey, so is the world of these children all over the world who are abandoned and abused and can't defend themselves. This will always be our prayer for these children. I also appreciate the adoption agencies around the world who dedicate themselves to make a difference in the lives of these children, thank you Brenda. When we see our daughter and how she smiles when we give her a kiss, how she smiles when we sit for a meal....well it just leaves us speechless and in wonder of how God found grace in us to parent this beautiful child. I honestly believe that everyone should experience this feeling, but I realize this is not for everybody, although in my mind it should be. We ALL need to make a difference in the lives of children somehow.

Nos quedan dos dias en la India. Nos la hemos pasado bien, el coordinador lo ha hecho possible. No puedo evitar lo bendecidos que somos de poder experimentar a Dios tan de cerca. Estamos contentos que tomamos este paso de fe para adoptar. Hemos podido hacer esto solo por la gracias de Dios. El dia que recogimos a Diya, no pude evitar sentirme mal por aquellos que por ahora se quedaban atras. Ore por aquellas familias que en algun momento han sentido el menor "tiron" en su corazon para adoptar, para tengan la fe y la valentia por el amor a estos ninos! si, esto requiere que salgamos de nuestra zona de comfort, y si, esto significa que habra retos, y si, esto significa que tu mundo sera volteado al reves, pero tambien lo esta para tantos ninos que han sido abandonados y abusados alrededor del mundo y no pueden defenderse. Esta siempre sera la oracion por esto menores. Tambien apreciamos a las agencias de adopcion alrededor del mundo que se empenan en hacer la diferencia en la vida de tanto ninos, gracias Brenda. Cuando vemos a nuestra hija que sonrie cuando le damos un beso, y que sonrie cuando nos sentamos a la mesa a comer...pues solo nos quedamos sin palabras y maravillados de como Dios encontro gracias en nosotros para ser padres de esta nina preciosa. Honestamente creo que todos deberian experimentar este sentimiento, pero se que no es para todos, aunque en mi mente creo que si deberia de ser. TODOS debemos hacer la diferencia en la vida de un nino.

Done!

Today we went to the US Embassy to finish our paperwork and get Diya's visa. Thanks to the coordinator, this was a walk in the park! It didn't take hardly any time at the embassy, everything went smooth. You know, on the way to the US embassy we passed the British, Qatar, Canada, Spain, and many more embassies...no one was there. All the action is at the US embassy! yes...there are lots of people outside waiting on the curb, inside waiting their turn. I guess applying for all kinds of things like visas, asylum's, etc. Anyway, while we were waiting for our coordinator to take his phone to them to hold while he went in there with us, I couldn't help but think how blessed we are to be Americans and to be able to offer this privilege to Diya through us. Once we were finish, in less than two hours and walked out side I felt kind of bad that we just walked right in spite of the long line for everyone else. They made it a point to take care of us immediately because it was an adoption...what privilege. So now we are done with the adoption process in India. We left to Agra after the embassy to enjoy a few days of sightseeing. Diya is enjoying every minute of it an so are we! We got to the hotel in Agra and Diya was fascinated to see herself in the mirror. She stood their for quite a while admiring her beauty...and so did we.

Hoy fuimos a la embajada Americana para terminar el papeleo y obtener la visa de Diya. Gracias al coordinador, esto fue muy sencillo. No nos tomo casi nada en la embajada y todo salio bien. En camino a la embajada Americana pasamos por la embajada Inglesa, la de Qatar, la Canadiense, la de Espana y otras mas...no habia nadie ahi. Toda la accion esta en la embajada Americana! si, hay mucha gente afuera en la banqueta esperando su turno y adentro tambien. Me supongo que estan solicitando visas, asilos politicos, etc. Y bueno mientras nuestro coordinador llevaba su telefono para que lo cuidaran mientras el entraba con nosotros a la embajada, no pude evitar pensar en lo bendecidos que somos de ser americanos y de poderle ofrecer este privilegio a Diya a traves de nosotros. Una vez que terminamos y salimos, me senti un poco mal de saber que entramos rapidamente a pesar de las largas filas que habia para los demas. A proposito nos atendieron rapido por ser una adopcion, que privilegio. Ahora ya hemos terminado el proceso de adopcion en India. Despues nos fuimos a Agra a disfrutar unos cuantos dias aqui, Diya esta disfrutando de todo y nosotros tambien! Llegamos al hotel en Agra y Diya estaba fascinada de poderse ver en el espejo y nosortros de verla a ella! Se quedo ahi un buen rato admirando su belleza y nosotros admirandola a ella.

At the US Embassy

Today we went to the US embassy to file our I-600. We found out we were missing one document. Of course our wonderful coordinator helped us "fix" this problem. We went to the Dr. which we had to anyway for Diya's medical. And she had to have 5 shots! this was not a pleasant moment for her but I truly think it was worst for Daddy. Yes he is the one who was upset! he did not like to see his little girl upset. So when all was done I asked him to put her shoes on while I put her dress on. Then we went out to the lobby to wait on our report. Then I noticed he had put Diyas shoes on wrong! Uh hello? I then pointed out that they were on wrong and he said "well this made me nervous!" I thought he was funny. This is just like him. So now she is peacfully resting in her bed...like a princess.

Hoy fuimos a la embajada Americana a meter la applicacion I-600. Nos dimos cuenta que nos faltaba un documento. Y claro el maravilloso coordinador nos ayudo a "arreglar" este probema. Fuimos a la cita medical que de todas maneras teniamos que ir y le tuvieron que poner cinco vacunas! este no fue un momento placentero para ella pero creo que fue peor para su Papa. Si, el es el que se puso mal. A el no le gusto ver a su hijita llorar. Y cuando todo termino, le pedi que le pusiera los zapatos a Diya mientras yo le ponia su vestido. Luego nos fuimos a la recepcion para esperar el reporte. Luego note que le habia puesto los zapatos al reves! le dije que los zapatos estaban puestos mal y me dijo "ay, es que esto me puso nervioso!" a mi se me hizo muy comico, porque el es asi. Asi que ahora ella esta tranquilamente descansando en su camita...como una princesa.

A God moment/ Un momento con Dios

Today we went to the Haryana office to sign some paperwork before we went to the orphanage. It went absolutly smooth then off we went to the orphanage were we signed more papers. Then they made us wait...then all of a sudden...without a warning they bring Diya in! This totally caught us off guard. She just stood there, serious as can be or should I say scared as she can be. We talked to her and she was ok until I tried to pick her up! she cried. Then we spent the next 2 hours playing with all her friends, we brought dum dums and bubbles and they were a hit! Everybody was all over Dan...except Diya. She probably sensed that something "special" was going on and she wanted nothing to do with it. Later when it was time to get in the car she was still refusing to let us hold her. But she still had to come with us so I got in the car and the auntie just put her in my lap and closed the door! Diya was screaming!!!! she cried and cried until she fell asleep.

Hoy fuimos a la oficina de Haryana a firmar papeles antes de ir al orfanato. Luego nos fuimos al orfanato a firmar mas papeles. Luego nos hicieron esperar y de repente, sin aviso alguno, nos traen a Diya! esto totalmente nos sorpendio. Ella solo se quedo ahi paradita muy seria, o dire muy asustada, le estuvimos hablando y todo estaba bien hasta que intente levantarla... lloro! Luego pasamos las dos siguientes horas jugando con sus amiguitos, trajimos dulces y burbujas y todo fue un exito! todos estaban sobre Dan...excepto Diya. Probalemente ella sospechaba que algo "especial" estaba ocurriendo y ella no queria nada con ello.

mas tarde cuando llego el momento de irnos,.aun no nos dejaba que la abrazaramos. Sin embargo de todas maneras se tenia que ir con nosotros y me subi al carro y la que la cuida me la puso en las piernas y cerro la puerta! Diya lloro y lloro hasta que se quedo domrida.

We made it to India! Llegamos a la India!

So we made it safe and sound to India. That was a very long flight. Once we got to the airport it took a while to get our luggage, then once we stepped out onto the street with our wonderful coordinator...it hit us! yes the heat is something else. LOL! We are loving it. Today (Sunday) we are up very early not because we have to but we are just up. Can't sleep anymore, we don't know if it is just the change of time or the anticipation that tomorrow we go get our baby!

LLegamos bien a la India. Fue un vuelo muy largo. Una vez que llegamos al aeropuerto nos tardamos en agarrar el equipaje y una vez que salimos a la calle con nuestro maravilloso coordinador, nos golpeo el calor! este calorcito es algo serio. Estamos encantados!. Hoy Domingo estamos despiertos muy temprano no por que tengamos, no sabemos si sea el cambio de tiempo o la anticipacion de que manana nos entregan a nuestra bebe!

We Leave tomorrow!

This is our story:
My wonderful husband (Dan) and I have been called to adopt a precious little girl in India. It has been quite a few months since we started so it's been a very interesting journey. God has led us to this point which at many times we thought would never come. Of course, it is all in God's timing. It is such a privilege for God to chose us to parent this child, it has been worth all the wait, that paper chase, and stress! So now we can't wait to meet her!

We want to thank each and every one of you that has come across our paths during this process. Thank you for the kind words, the words of encouragement that meant so much, thank you for the donations towards this adoption, thank your for the car, the clothes, the hugs and most of all the prayers! without these, this adoption would have not been possible. All we can say is that we stepped out in faith and saw God's hand ALL OVER this adoption. He has been there all along.

Esta es nuestra historia:
Mi maravillos esposo (Dan) y yo hemos sido llamados a adoptar a una preciosa niña de la India. Han sido ya varios meses desde que comenzamos esta jornada interesante. Dios nos ha llevado hasta este punto que pensamos que nunca llegaría. Pero claro, todo se cumple en el tiempo de Dios. Es un privilegio el que Dios nos haya escojido para ser padres de esta pequeña, todo ha valido la pena, toda la espera, el reunir los papeles y el estrés! Así que ahora no nos aguantamos por conocerla.

Queremos darles las gracias a cada uno de ustedes que Dios aha puesto en nuestro camino durante este proceso. Gracias por las palabras de aliento que han significado tanto para nosotros, gracias por las donaciones hacia esta adopción, gracias por el carro, la ropa, los abrazos y sobre todo las oraciones! que si estas, esta adopción no hubiera sido posible. Lo único que podemos decir es que hicimos esto por fe y vimos la mano de Dios en TODA esta adopción. El ha estado ahí todo este tiempo.