Friday, June 19, 2009

Guatemala 900 Media Coverage

Parents protest delays in adopting Guatemalan kids - Americas - MiamiHerald.com
Source: www.miamiherald.com
When Rhonda Felgenhauer and her husband Phil decided to adopt a second baby in Guatemala, she never thought the process would take her to Washington, D.C. to protest what has became a torturous and expensive ordeal of securing the legal rights to their daughter, Julia.


Parents Fight to Have Children Freed From Guatemalan Orphanages - washingtonpost.com
Source: www.washingtonpost.com
More than a year and a half after Paul Kvinda and his wife began what they expected would be a seven-month process to adopt a newborn girl from Guatemala, little Marcela and an estimated 700 other children are languishing in orphanages there as their cases wend through a maze of legal hurdles and...

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Guatemala 900 Campaign

Take Notice! The march is today!

The Guatemala 900 Campaign is a SERIES OF ACTIONS that calls attention to the stagnation of the approximately 900 remaining Guatemalan adoptions that were begun before 2008. The Guatemala 900 Campaign asks that the US and Guatemalan governments take immediate steps to deliver timely due process and transparency for the children who wait to join their future families. It is imperative that these cases do not languish while children wait in limbo, losing their childhood one day, month, and year at a time...... We strive to take steps that will ensure all grandfathered cases will be processed to completion by January 31, 2010.

On January 1, 2008, adoptions in Guatemala abruptly changed from a privately run system to a government run entity. The 5000 adoptions that were “in process” at the time were “grandfathered” to finish under the laws in which they began. The childrens’ cases were promised to be expeditiously processed in a timely and reasonable manner, but now almost a year and a half later approximately 900 children are still waiting to join their families.

The Guatemala 900 campaign begins with the “Guatemala 900 March” on June 17 in Washington, DC. Later today there will be a Candlelight Vigil in front of the Guatemalan Embassy in which we will light 900 candles as a voice for the waiting children.

Family friends of a Guatemalan princess are representing us today at the march. Pray for the DiGirolamos and for the 900 children waiting to unite with their forever families.

Monday, June 15, 2009

Her Birthday Day

With so much going on, I haven't posted pics from Isabella's actual birthday day! Here's a short video of the family at dinner, then home for gifts.

View this montage created at One True Media
Isabella's Birthday 6/8/09

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Snow in June?

I'm so tired of cottonwood. Our neighbor to the back has a huge cottonwood tree that "molts" the first few weeks of June every year. They aren't bothered by it, but Isabella and I are miserable from itchy, watery eyes and sneezing.


Tuesday, June 09, 2009

Zoo Weekend

We had an extended fun, but exhausting, 4th birthday weekend for Isabella. We visited both the Akron and Cleveland Zoos. Special thanks to the Hilkers for joining us at Akron and to Grandmas Mary and Sue who came along to Cleveland. Isabella had a blast!

View this montage created at One True Media
Zoo Trips Weekend June 2009

Sunday, June 07, 2009

The Big Princess Party

Our Guatemalan Princess

Thank you for all the wonderful gifts for Isabella! All the kids seemed to enjoy the day. I can't believe Isabella turns four tomorrow :-(

View this montage created at One True Media
Isabella's 4th B-day Party 6/6/09

The Princess and the Queen