A Year In Review...2008

JANUARY: This time last year, I had already made my first visit to meet Isabelle, and I (along with thousands of others) was waiting to see what would happen with the change in laws Jan 1, 2008. It was a bitterly disappointing month because I found out that my case had been kicked out of PGN, which is how I got stuck with further delays as new offices were set up to process cases via Central Authority approval. This picture is one taken by Isabelle's foster family with disposable cameras I left in Dec '07.FEBRUARY: Back to visit! After meeting Isabelle in December and then hitting further delays in January, I was eager to visit again. It was bittersweet; I was thrilled to be with Isabelle again, but it was hard recognizing that my case was no farther along than when I had been there in December. I spent the whole week on pins and needles waiting for confirmation that my case had been properly registered so that I would be able to proceed with the adoption, but I didn't get it until after I was home again.

MARCH: March was much harder than most knew, because I was told that my case would be approved within a matter of weeks and I thought I'd be bringing Isabelle home before her first birthday in May. I went to Babies R Us and registered...I started buying clothes... It was crushing to find out that the information I had been given was not accurate and that my case was actually rejected again. This picture is one of my favorites from the disposable cameras - the foster fam gave me a whole series of pics of Isabelle on/in their car!

APRIL: Happy 32nd birthday to me! I was back in GUA for my first solo visit with Isabelle and it was WONDERFUL! This was also my first trip staying at Casa de Luna and meeting Lori, Tonya, Valerie, and their girls :)

MAY: Isabelle's 1st birthday...and she wasn't home :( I had considered visiting but the timing was hard for me to work out and I also knew how excited Isabelle's foster family was about her birthday...so I wasn't there but she had a fabulous party with the whole neighborhood!

JUNE: Probably about the hardest month for me because I was extremely nervous about the birth mother interview and found out that Isabelle's birth mother was missing. I also had/got to attend Annual Conference, which is our annual church conference for all the Methodists in our half of the state. It is actually like one huge reunion and an awesome time to catch up with friends. Last year I kept thinking that in '08 I'd be pushing a stroller...and it made it SOOOO hard to go up there by myself.

JULY: Praise the Lord! Miracles do happen! I finally got word that my case had been approved by PGN and that Isabelle would be coming home! I found out one week and then went to visit the next week - that put a whole new set of emotions on the trip (and on the goodbye)!

AUGUST: Baby showers! Isabelle's adoption was finally a sure thing and I felt comfortable going ahead with baby showers, which turned into a long weekend of wonderful celebrating with family and friends and my church!

SEPTEMBER: September 8, 2008 - A FOREVER FAMILY! Home forever on September 11!

OCTOBER: Okay, so I did indeed have tears in my eyes as Isabelle made her first trick-or-treating stop at the YMCA for Halloween...

NOVEMBER: Thanksgiving! And, boy, was I thankful! We also sort of officially started out "guatetots" group, which has already been a great source of fun and support!

DECEMBER: My first Christmas as a mom! Wow! It could not possibly have been more perfect. I am so blessed. I thank God daily for bringing Isabelle into my life!

So now, I wonder what 2009 could possibly hold??? We started out in style celebrating with Susan and Gabriella last night and then spent the day today with Stephanie, Gabriel, and Joseph. I'm guessing 2009 will hold a lot more of the same!