We're Back!!!!

Well I am sorry it has taken me so long to get back to this, but we are back. Here is our story....

Everything went great and we of course had a great time. We were really nervous about the airport and I was nervous about the plane ride because I hate to fly. First of all we upgraded to first class which was great!! We got drinks and great food.

The decend to Guatemala City was beautiful and sad at the same time. There were mountains and volcanoes that were beautiful and like nothing I have ever seen. On the other hand there were shacks - I can't even explain how the conditions were so I won't even try.

When we landed we exited the plane and followed the crowds to the luggage corral and waited for our luggage. When our luggage finally came we got our passports ready to go to customs. We were told by some other pasangers to smile at the man taking the forms so we didn't our bags searched. We did smile, but Jenny dropped her bag and couldn't find her form. She finally found her form and we passed through with no problems. Then we walked about what seemed like 2 miles to immigration, another line. This was the day of never ending lines. We waited in line to give another piece of paper to another person and have our passports stamped. Then we walked near the exit of the airport. Only this isn't like any airport once you exit you cannot go back in so you had better be sure that there is someone waiting for you. We also heard a lot of horror stories about the exit at the airport so we were nervous. To the right of the exit was cattle gates holding Guatemalans begging for money back, and it was heart breaking, but there wasn't anything we could do. So we bravely exited the airport and thankfully there was Juan holding a sign that said Marriott. As soon as we saw him a small boy who couldn't have been more than 10 years old grabbed our 200 pounds of baggage and took it to where Juan was. It was heartbreaking that this little boy was working instead of attending school. We tipped him about $15 and I think that we made his day. Then we were off to the hotel.

The ride to the hotel was uneventful and the architecture was amazing. There were people dressed in business attire walking to where ever they may have been going.

The hotel was beautiful and everyone there was great. Our room was great and we had a view of the volcano and mountains. We unpacked and went to dinner after we were so tired so we just watched some tv, and went to sleep.


The next morning we went to Antigua and went shopping. The drive was very interesting because they really don't have traffic laws. There aren't even lines on the road you just fit as many cars as you can. The drive was beautiful, we drove past mountains and vocanoes. There was also a lot of poverty and seeing how the Guatemalan people live first hand was difficult, but everyone seems happy. When we arrived we first we went to the Jade Factory. Guatemala is one of only 2 places in the world that has purple Jade so we had a tour of the factory, and bought some Jade. Then Miguel our driver took us to the central park to go shopping. We walked around the central market and then went into the shops. We got a lot of really beautiful things for Delmya when she gets older.

We then went back to the hotel and waited for our baby girl to be brought to us. Guillermo, our facillitator, were late so we anxiously waited for Mia. Finally we got the call that we could come down and see her. It was love at first sight! Mia was sleeping and looked like an angel. She woke up and cried a little and then went back to sleep. Guillermo was dropping another baby off so we were alone with Maria, her foster mother, and it was difficult to communicate because we didn't speak Spanish and she didn't speak English. We got through it, and then Guillermo was back so we all went up to the room and Guillermo translated. We found out from Maria when she ate, slept, and everything else.

Our fist night with her was interesting to say the least. As soon as everyone left we tried to feed her, but she was getting used to us and wouldn't eat. Then she started to have as what most parents call a "meltdown" she started crying, crying, and more crying. She was crying so hard and so loud that she could hardly breathe. Finally we got her calmed down and it seemed like an eterninty, but it was only 10 minutes or so. We got her to eat and to bed. She slept through the night, but it was a very restless sleep for all of us because we woke up everytime she made a noise.

Ok I am going to get a lot less detailed because the rest of the trip consisited of the following...
Waking up in the morning and going to breakfast.
Coming back to the room and giving Mia a bath.
She would then sleep for 4 hours. - We were so bored while she was sleeping!
We would go to an early dinner.
Put her to bed.
Order some room service.
In between all of this we would walk around the hotel and outside.

It was very difficult to give her back and we miss her more than words can express. The only thing that makes it worth it is that Maria loves her VERY much, and she only has a little bit of time left with our precious Mia, and we have the rest of our lives. We are very thankful for Maria, and the people who have been supporting us through this process. Most of our support has came from our friends and without them I don't know what we would do. So Thank You and you know who you are!!!