While we were gone

We had a lot going on last week. Aside from being out the house for an entire week while I refinished the floors Tera and I also celebrated something more important than a home improvement. Last year on the 26th of October 2006 Tera and I had just met Emma and were getting acquainted for the very first time. While so much has happened since then and I am unable to type it all out I do have one or two things to say about it. I am thankful for what the Lord has blessed us with. Emma is quite the young lady. She is energetic to say the least and her demeanor is so sweet. We are still soaking in her arrival into our home and fondly look back to the days just one year ago when she came into our lives.

A walk down memory lane... This is the post I made the day Tera and I met little Emma last October:

Thursday, October 26, 2006

Greetings from Guatemala City

We are here. I have not posted because I have been staring at our little one so much. For the record we named her Emma Grace Esperanza Chavez. Emma and Grace are family names and Esperanza means "hope".

We arrived in Guatemala City on Tuesday safe and sound. We were met outside the airport by many beggars. I am not as used to this as Tera is. It's hard to see children live like that. On the way from the airport to the hotel I witnessed approximately four thousand traffic violations give or take a few. I don't think that I will ever rent a car here.

Tera and I were spent yet so excited to meet little Emma so we did the best we could to get some rest and to settle in for a weeks stay at the Westin in Guatemala City. The beds here are far beyond what I can explain. They are by far the most comfortable beds I have ever slept in.

Wednesday morning we got up and went to have breakfast. It was buffet style with so many things to choose from. I have officially named fried plantains as my "so very bad for me but I don't care" food of choice. The breakfast was so good but in the backs of our minds was the fact that we were about to meet the girl who would change our lives forever. We headed back up to our room and waited. Room service came to tidy up our room and the second they left and shut the door the phone rang. It was Marielena asking us to meet her in the lobby of the hotel. We quickly gathered our things and headed for the lobby. Once there Marielena led us to a small secluded room to meet little Emma (then Nurian Sochil). The foster mother was there with her daughter and Emma. The foster mother greeted us and immediately handed Emma to Tera. We were so overwhelmed by the situation that neither Tera or I spoke for a minute or so. We began to speak with the foster mother and her daughter about Emma and who they were as well. The foster mother and her daughter were so sweet and kind. We like them alot. They seem so concerned with Emma's well being. After some more conversation and picture taking we were allowed to leave so the three of us headed back upstairs to our room. Together we gave Emma her first bath, first bottle and first diaper change. A day of firsts. I loved it. Since then Emma has pretty much slept and eaten. Today she is a bit out of sorts but otherwise in great spirits. Here at the Westin we have met so many nice people visiting their babies as well. Last night we were able to have dinner with one of the moms and her little one which was really nice. It's really cool to interact with others going through the adoption process as well.
This morning we signed our Power of Attorney and the now the Guatemalan side of the process is now underway! Praise the Lord.
So here I sit. It is raining outside and Tera is across the room feeding Emma. It seems so quiet in here even with the hustle and bustle of the city below. The world moves on as Tera and I fall in love with our dear Emma Grace.

If you want to see some pictures Tera has some posted on her blog. Just click on the "Guatemama" link to the right. I'll get that picture thing figured out one of these days.

Jason