Our story starts out probably different than most. After much trying and an Oprah episode
Larry got me to start thinking about adoption. After just a little exploring on the Internet
I called EAC, and left a message. Just a few minutes later my call was returned and it just
happened that there was going to be a seminar in just a couple of weeks. We went to the
seminar with me saying “now just because we’re going doesn’t mean we have to sign on for
anything”. We walked in thinking China that’s the country you hear most about (and after all
that is what Oprah was about). Well who knew that this seminar on June 19, 2004 would change
»...who knew that this seminar...would change our lives forever?
our lives forever? We sat there and hung on their every word, so many feelings came to the
surface that I had repressed for so long. We walked out of the seminar, got in the truck,
looked at each other and both said Guatemala! Since I was getting ready to go on a 3 week
business trip to Mexico I told Larry while I’m going you decide if we’re going to be parents
to a baby boy or baby girl.We started the process by sending in our application on 7/28/2004; EAC was so great at walking us through the paperwork. We were both set in high gear we wanted our baby as soon as we could. Our 171-H came in the mail on January 24 2005, once again I was on a business trip and Larry and my sister had been stalking our mailman and mailbox. Poor Sarah from EAC had to listen to me an emotional wreck on the phone because I just knew that our referral would come and I could not be home for this event. She just kept reassuring me that we could work something out. Sarah called me the evening of January 25 and told me she had a beautiful baby boy for us. She told me as soon as she was done downloading the video and pictures she would email them to us so that we could open them up at the same time and see our son together even though we were 1000 miles away from each other. She was right he was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. I knew right then that every thing happens for a reason and he was put on this earth to fill our life with what it had been missing.
April 21 we traveled to meet our beautiful baby boy. When we arrived at the hotel we saw so many couples not with EAC meeting their babies in the lobby, with no translator and no way to communicate
with the foster mom. Down at the pool we talked to couples that weren’t with EAC that was there on
they’re own and lost. On our visit Trish and Rob were there for us, they had all of our rooms as
close to the hospitality suite and possible, they called to check on us, and made the stay seem
like a weekend with longtime friends. On April 22 the day we met the love of our lives we found out
at dinner that our adoption decree had been issued. We knew we were so close to the end now, but knew
we still had to leave him in just a short couple of days. This would be the hardest day of my life,
but I would not give up that weekend for anything. The bonding started that weekend, and Lane
adjusted so well to us.On Thursday May 12 we received the call that our pink slip had been issued. We left Saturday morning. When we arrived back in Guatemala City Tori and Cynthia spoiled us during our stay. While we were at the U.S. Embassy I was so glad we were with EAC, we went through the entire adoption without any glitches in the road and we owe it all to EAC and their knowledge of the Guatemala adoption laws. Now we were sitting in the Embassy the day we had dreamed of for so long was finally here. Thanks to Cynthia we were the first in line and the first to be told on May 17, 2005 “Congratulations your adoption is complete”.
Now 6 months later there are no more business trips, only diapers, bottles and the little giggles that make me realize that this little bundle of joy has made me the luckiest woman on earth. I now know I carry the best title I have ever worked for every time he looks up at me and calls me “mum” and shows me that big smile showing me his 8 little pearly whites.