WE GOT IT!!

We are PINK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We received our embassy appointment yesterday afternoon, on October 7th we will officially be a family of 4! We are beside ourselves with excitement! Thank you all for your support and prayers! We thank God that this rough journey is over and we look to Him as we start the next one.

As you can imagine things are little crazy right now. We are finalizing travel plans as well as gathering paperwork needed for our appointment. I don't have much time to post. I'll try to post more tomorrow.

Love you all!!

Not yet, but soon...

Unfortunately I don't have any travel dates to post yet. We ended up having a couple delays getting our DNA results to the Embassy. However, as we speak it is in route to Guatemala City!! The embassy has assured me they have everything they need to process our appointment, they are only waiting for the DNA to arrive. The embassy closes at 1:00pm on Fridays so more than likely we will be receiving our travel date on Tuesday. We can't wait!!

I have to tell another funny story about Nathan. My dad's birthday was just the other day, happy birthday Dad!! Nathan called to tell him just that, and he asked how old he was going to be. When my dad answered him Nathan said "oh, you are getting close to going up in heaven!" My dad thought it was hilarious, thankfully!! crazy kid.

At our house this week....

I am love love loving this weather!! Tim and I are both so ready for the fall season. We are more excited about Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas than I think we've ever been! We will have another little man to share it all with this year. Nathan is getting very anxious about going to Guatemala, he's a little scared of his ears hurting on the airplane too. He thinks it's cool that he's going to get to chew gum the whole time. He is really loving kindergarten too, he is a little sad that he has to miss school. I think mostly he's just sad that he'll have to be away from all his friends and of course the girlfriends!! He got love notes today from one of his girlfriends. This little girl is a real cutie, she keeps telling her mom she is going to marry Nathan. I have my hands full telling Nathan that he CAN'T kiss these girls. I am dreading the teenage years with him. He just can't resist a pretty little girl.

Let's hope the next time I post it's with TRAVEL DATES!!!

Love you all!

Anticipation and Preparation

With all this excitement about what is to come, there is also a reality of what is to come. I was reading a friend's post today at an adoption forum. She was sharing about her pick up trip. I asked her if I could post part of it here. This is to give you a little window:

Yesterday we were at the pool with T's foster family on Thursday when they came for a "last" visit. (I put "last" in quotes because we love them and want to visit them again in the coming years). We all spent five hours at the pool playing together, talking together, and just hanging out. It was precious time for T, but it was also precious time for all of us--I think that in those hours we really became a big family.

It was awful and sad when they had to leave. It tore my heart out to watch his foster mother and brother and sister say goodbye to T. All the while, he was crying the kind of cry that you only hear from people who have lost someone they love very much. He wailed and yelled “no,” while they tried to tell him that it was okay and that he would have a good life. I’m crying just thinking about it. There was no comforting him, and really, there shouldn’t be—how do you comfort someone who is losing his whole family and watching them walk away from him? They were crying, he was inconsolable, we were crying. Once we got to the hotel room, he calmed down a bit, but was still sad today. Someday he will realize how many people love him so much.

The other touching thing I wanted to share was about his foster mom. Even though she speaks only Spanish, I am able to communicate with her a bit because I speak enough Spanish to get by. On Wednesday night, she called me at the hotel to ask how T is doing. She asked if he has been happy, and I told her the truth: he is generally a happy kid, but he is very sad without them. Then she offered the one thing that shows beyond any doubt that she is truly his “mama.” She asked me if it would be better for T if her family did not visit on Thursday. She told me that she wants him to be happy, and that she wants to let him forget about them if that would make it easier for him. Only because I’m a mother can I imagine how much it hurt her to make that offer—I’m amazed by her heart and her love for our son. I told her that I love her for saying that, but that it is very important to me that he never forgets them. I want to honor their places in his life, and I want to continue to stay in touch with them. In the long run, it will only do him good to remember them, to know them, and to know how very much he is loved by all of us. In my family's mind, they remain his family.

Like so much of life, this process is bittersweet. In our home, much happiness—in their home, an equal amount of sadness. I can’t do justice to his Foster Mom with mere words. But I hope we honor her by sharing her sacrifices. And, if you pray, I ask that you say an extra prayer for her tonight.

I didn't post this to upset anyone, just to help prepare us for what we could be facing. It is truly a joyous occasion to bring our son home. He will need time to heal though. There is no doubt that God has ordained MY family as the place for Joseph to be. Our family is not our family without him in it. This sweet friend who posted her experience, I hope you will remember to say a prayer for them tonight. She posted this while still in Guatemala.

Lightening Speed....

Things are really rolling right along! I can't believe it. It has taken so long to get to the end, and now it seems like time is finally flying by! We got authorization yesterday for them to do the final DNA test, this is one of the last steps to get Joseph home. We will know in two weeks the date we'll have Joseph in our arms forever! More than likely, we'll be traveling in about 3 weeks from now. To me, that feels like tomorrow! Lots to do. Speaking of which, duty calls. I wish everyone a good day, and thank you again for all your well wishes. Keep us in your prayers.

Someone has a new last name....

That's right it's JOSEPH GOODWIN!!! We got the new birth certificate yesterday! Now, from what I'm told, things move pretty fast. The attorney is taking him to get the passport today and tomorrow we will be submitted to the US Embassy for them to authorize the 2nd DNA test to be done. After the Embassy gets the results of the DNA test they issue us our "pink" also known as the pick up appointment!!! I am just floating so high on cloud 9 right now! I need to tie myself down to something so I can get some work done. It's time to start washing all those clothes I've been saving for him!
Thank you to all who have supported me and lifted me up through this whole process. I had some dark days. I never would have made it through this, without the love and support of my family and friends. Thank God for the Long Road Home message board!

I love you all

Nathan is a boy after all....

We were outside the other day meeting our new neighbors. They have an adorable five year old little girl who goes to Nathan's school. Her name is Macy. I said "Nathan did you meet Macy, and say hello to her?" He said "Yeah..., I can't stop staring at her." (I'm laughing) I said "why is that, is it because she is so cute?" He says "yeah."

He cracks us up.
Tracy

Gray day...

The grocery game. Several of you emailed me privately to ask about this. I'll tell you what I know so far, keep in mind that I just signed up for it. On her website she said it takes a cycle of about 12 weeks to get the FULL effect of the benefits. On my very first grocery tripping adventure I saved 60+ dollars. I don't know that I'll save that much every time, but it is certainly enough savings to keep at it for a while. I will let you guys know. Also, I think if you do sign up for it there is a place to put in who referred you. If you think of me and want to me in there please do.

Today is gray and rainy. I actually love days like this. Although there is a limit. The sound of the rain and gray skies are so relaxing. Right now though I've got to get moving, because there is a teddy bear lunch at Nathan's school today. He is very excited about it, so I've got to get all the picnic stuff ready and head to the school.

Still no word from the attorney on our birth certificate. Hoping to hear something very soon though.

Musings...

I am overwhelmed at times by God's goodness. There seems to always be two sides to every story. Such is our life. On the one side, we have so many great exciting things happening. Things that get you up out of bed, with a smile on your face. On the other side, we have some scary things happening. Things that cause stress and make it hard to close your eyes at night. We have friends who are celebrating life, we have friends who are barely making it through the day. As I said, such is life. One constant through the up times and the down times is always God's goodness. It is always there, even in the times that seem so dark and impossible. I am so thankful to serve a loving God.

Happenings at the Goodwin house:
Nathan continues to amaze me everyday with how much he is learning and growing up. I almost hate it when he gets out of the car to go into school in the mornings, because I know he'll come back changed in the afternoon. I am so proud of him. I hope I'm raising him well!!!! I don't want to screw him up!

Tim started his new position at work this week. He is awesome and I know he's going to kick butt!! That's right, I said it I'm not ashamed.

Me, well it's the same o' same o' still trying to take over the world one dust bunny at a time. I've also started "the grocery game" this week. It supposedly cuts your grocery bill in half. We'll see. So far so good. If anyone else wants to check it out visit www.grocerygame.com

I haven't heard back from our Guatemalan attorney yet on the status of the Birth Certificate. However, we should be receiving it this week if RENAP keeps their word. Big "if" there. I will certainly post as soon as I get updates.
God Bless You All!!