Call Me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Call me, Call me anytime!!

I am currently waiting for a call to tell me if I am out of PGN or if I am receiving a previo which is also known as a kick out! (We are praying for an OUT not a K/O) because that would mean it will be longer before Kaya comes home. Please, Please Sr. Barrios let me out!

From the not so Sunny side of Lville,

Jill

Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday to You

This weekend, along with Thanksgiving we had another big celebration. We celebrated my newphew Kip's 8th birthday. I can't believe that he is 8 years old. We went to Bouncing B's in Central City and had a good time. There were lots of children, lots of sweat, lots of presents, and lots of fun. The place had some inflatables (as Kip called them) so that is what the kids played on for two hours. The pictures show the kids all sweaty, so they are not the best.

An 8 year old boy!!! Sweating from running look at those rosie cheeks!!!

Drew B, Kip, and Kennedy all looking at Kip's Space themed cake. Make a wish!

Karis get's a present too. This one is Gabrielle from High School Musical.

My sister Vanessa and the kids opening presents.

Karis would face plant after sliding down this slide on the inflatable.

Karis, Darbee, and Kip at Ninny's house.

Kip, how he has grown from the 3 lbs 14 oz baby 8 years ago!

Karis in her High School Musical look. I got her that shirt for Kip's birthday. Her middle name is Joy Xiao. So she has to carry on the tradional Joy shirts like her Nin.

Karis and Darbee BFF's, only thing missing is Kaya!!!!!!

Who Who Who are you???

Sign the new guest book!!!!

Princess

I got new pictures today and an update, Kaya is now 18 lbs and 10 oz. as of Oct 31. The Dr. says she is chubby but healthy. She is eating every 2.5 hrs. and only naps in 15 min. increments. I think I'm in for some trouble. LOL It also said that Kaya likes animals and to watch the bird and she is very serious but likes to cuddle and be with people. I am glad to get this report. Her foster mother calls her Kayity which means Little Kaya. -ita is a term of endearment in Spanish language. I can't believe how big she is but she is not long, only 24.5 inches. She'll fit right in with our family. Seeing her getting so big is really making the wait for PGN harder than ever. I am not sure where we stand. We haven't gotten an update on that yet. I'll keep you posted.

This must have been in her 15 minutes, b/c she is sleeping in all these photos!
The Fm holding gifts I sent down, a teething ring (thanks Hil). Kaya looks long in these pictures, but she's not. Looks can be deceiving

I think she's had a hair cut, her bangs look very even, but she's still sweet!

Sometimes it is good to have our belly hanging out!

So sweet!

You are my princess

You make me smile

You make my life seem worthwhile

A few lines from an Elton John song!

Proud momma of Kaya

from the couch!

Jill

Sunny Sunday

Today was sunny and a very productive day for me. I do need to share about my weekend. On Friday, I came home from school and Darbee had vomited all over the living room. I was concerned, but not overly worried. I discussed it with Mom and we decided to go on a wait and see basis. Over the next few hours she vomited four more times, I then decided that it was time for a trip to the vet. (We had just been there about two weeks ago). After an examination we there we no answers as to why she was sick. The decision was to give her an anti vomiting medicine, anti nausea medicine, and an IV because she was dehydrated. She started drinking about 8 hrs later, without incident, but she has slept for two days. I guess it's pretty good to sleep when you don't feel good. She also is now eating can food for a couple of days YUCKY for me she laps it up. We have now gone 48 hrs with no vomiting. Thank God! I have stayed in most of the weekend just to be there for her. Tonight she was barking at me, so I think she is on the mend.

I got Kip's birthday present wrapped, Kaya's curtain hung up in her room, some laundry done, and all the wood cut up in the back yard where the meanie neighbors made me move my fence.

Check back in the next couple of days for new picts and an update on where we stand. I am sure this is going to be a good week.

Have a great week,
Jill and the feeling better Darbs

Everybody's working for the weekend!

Everybody's working for the weekend, but adoptive parents! Weekends are hard because we know there is not much news that is comes in on the weekend. I haven't had any updates this week, but Lucy (the agency director) is in GT right now. She should be home on Saturday. I am hoping she got to see Kaya while she was down there, and if she did I should get some pictures Yeah!!!!!!

Pictures=A good day.

I am really hoping that she was able to find out some info about PGN I'll keep you all posted!

From the sunny side,

Jill

Crazy Train

Ok, we are now five weeks into the wait for PGN. Good news is that there are no kickouts yet! That is awesome, we still have a couple of weeks to wait. We are hoping that we will get an answer to what desk we are on soon (1st reviewer, 2nd reviewer, or Barrios' desk he's the big dude who grants us an out!). I am praying that that is what will happen soon, things are moving in GT right now so I am hoping I can ride that train!

I do have Kaya's room finished as of right now, the bedding is in, washed, and put on. Here are the latest pictures!

All Kaya's buddies are waiting for her to get home!!

I went to Babies r Us tonight an adoption night. This is National Adoption Month so they had an event. There were 3 people there and I did not win the door prize. I did get a nice gift that included a pacifier, bottle, and coupons. The other two people were adopting domestically. I was the only international adoption that was there. I did get to show pictures of Kaya and they were all very complimentary. I can't wait until she's home and we can go shopping together.

Signing off from my couch with Darbee curled up by my side.

Freeze Frame!

Ok I wanted to post the pictures I have of Kaya so far so that everyone can see. I don't know that everyone has seen all of them, I hope to get an update tomorrow so stay tuned, also please post comments all you have to do is leave your name so I can know who's visiting. I am really excited that people are checking up on the progress of our Journy to Kaya.

2 days old at referral.

One month old

These are both three months, I love her different facial expressions. Where did all that hair come from??? Not from my dad LOL.

Four months old. Look at the shoes and the hair, think I have a diva on my hands???

Finally figured it out Thanks for staying tuned!!!!!

Baby Baby

Ok, I promised pictures of the shower, here they are!!!! I was so excited to get these and to share them with you! Thanks goes out to Cheryl, Patti, and Hilary who gave the shower. It was so nice and there were so many people there. Thanks goes out to Tricia for being the photographer, she got so many pictures and I didn't even know she had a camera with her. I think she may have found a new job.

This is me reading the card for this gift! It was from Kaya's Jeff Granny and Nana also known as Cheryl and Patti. What is it ???????




Kaya's first Christmas Tree. It is all decorated in pink!!!! It is staying up in her room until we get this little girl home.

We all know that we love food, especially cake. This one was so cute it had my little girl's picture on it!!!! It was yummy. Don't you wish you had some right now!!!!! LOL

This is Aunt Di, Robin Miller holding Casey Harbin, my sister Vanessa, and my niece Karis

Hilary writing down the gifts and me opening a baby afghan that Jane Wright made for me. Karis in the background holding court with the bunco babes.
This is Karis helping Aunt Buggy (me) open a gift. My mom is looking over the our shoulders.


Yes all these presents were opened and fit into my house LOL.

Hope you enjoyed these pictures, thanks once again to Tricia for sharing.

It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere

I wish it was here. LOL No it is really after 5, but I still feel as if I need a stiff drink. Yesterday there was a posting that things were looking up on the GT side of adoptions. The congress was in support of not implementing the Hague Treaty until April 08 this would have been the best situation for us. The US is not ratifying the Hauge Treaty until then. (This treaty is for the protection of children. It is ok legislation, but would change some things in the adoption world. A person cannot adopt from one Hague country if their home county is not a Hauge country which would be our case. It also states some other things, but overall it is for the protection of children.) The GT congress also was in support of grandfathering in all cases and implementing a clause that singles would still be able to adopt.

As of today the Department of State sent a representative in GT to meet with congressional members to discourage this. Why??? We don't know. We are not sure if this man John Lowell who is the Consular General is acting on his own accord or from the State Department warning to discourage adoptions: he wants Hauge moved back to Jan 1 and to have the Ortega Law ( bad law) implemented. He is trying to strong arm the GT congress. With the volatile situation in GT this is not good at all. The political system there is very corrupt and motivated by money. Just pray that people who are in charge are looking for the best interest of the children and that they are just and fair.

There was a call to action and I again emailed all my senators and state reps. I don't know if this will help because none of the Congressional members of Indiana were supportive for me. I didn't call Condeleza Rice but I am putting it on my list to do tomorrow.

One good night of sleep last night with weight lifted off, back to GT gut (like the Bubble guts), not much sleep, and prayers. I know I didn't explaining this well, but I hope that you get the picture.

Enough about that, Kaya's bedding came in and I got her car seat yesterday. Someone at school asked me what I need and I said my baby. I am ready. I'll post finished pictures of her room soon, hopefully I will get an update in the next couple of days with new pictures.

Signing off from the Sunny side of Lville

Manic Monday

OK, so today wasn't so manic but this weekend was crazy.

My sister and my niece can up to my house on Saturday to shop for my nephew's birthday and for Christmas. We had a really good time, but I was extremely tired because I had to do the marathon cleaning of the house. I am so glad it is clean now, but I was tired.

Sunday we got up for church where my mom and Aunt met us and we went to lunch, then it was on to baby shower #2. It was given my Hilary, Cheryl, and Patti. We had such a good time. Right before the shower I realized that I didn't have batteries for the camera, but there were lots of shutterbugs there and I will post pictures soon!

Kaya got lots of toys, her first Madame Alexander doll (thanks Aunt Di who also got me my first Madame Alexander doll), some cute clothes, her bedding, various other things that we needed, and her first pink Christmas tree (it is already up in her room). Last night I got everything put away and put together. I was still working hard! I can't wait to show you pictures.

Overall it was a great weekend! I hope it was for you too!

Have a great week, we are hoping to hear an out this week it is starting week 4 for the wait on PGN. Come on and give us a signature!

Jill and Darbee

Kaya's Name

Deciding on a baby's name is one of the hardest processes I think. I wanted everyone to be pleased with the baby's name and too like it. Of course most of all I wanted it to be cute!!

Growing up I loved the name Eva after my great aunt. Gracie after my Granny Gracie Carlene Arnold. I loved the names Hope, Carley, and Kayla from my beloved Days of Our Lives, the show I watched from before I can remember with my caregivers Aunt Eva and Mawmaw. I also considered Carey after my friend Carey Rice. My Mawmaw and Carey both passed away in early 2006 but I knew Mawmaw would roll over in her grave if I even considered Maragret Ruth (anyone who knew her knew this). My mind was set on Aleah, a variation of my first name Leah. Little did I know it was not ment for a little China doll, and that God had other plans. When I got the referral from Guatemala, I looked at the little dark hair and red skin and I knew she was ment to be Aleah. Her birth mother had given her the name Karla Yojana. Over the phone I didn't think much about it, but when I opened the email Karla was with a K. Karla was close to Carlene, and it began with a K, maybe this was meant to be. My nephew is Kip and my niece Karis. I wasn't crazy about the name, but a link to her past was good. As I lay in bed one night I considered what I was going to call the baby. My dad who doesn't ask much asked me to keep Karla. OK, how to make everyone happy. . . . hummmmmmm. Karla Aleah Arnold, no, Karla Yojana Arnold, no, Karla Aleah Yojana Arnold, maybe. Oh wait what if I called her Kaya. Her initials ummm. . . this is a possibility. Ran by mom, she like it, Vanessa, liked it, Dad "I'm going to call her Karla", I loved it. So that is how the baby got the name Kaya Arnold. The biggest question I get asked is Kaya what's her middle name?? My response "Well, it's a long story" :-)

Kaya means Pure in Scandanivan: Eldest Sister in Hopi Native American (well maybe we will see LOL). We are pronouncing it like Maya with a K.

Signing off from Hidden Creek Golf Club (Can u tell how busy we are) LOL

First Entry: What a long strange trip it's been

Ok, so I finally broke down and created a blog so that people can follow along on this long strange trip to getting Kaya. I'm going to periodically update and add to this blog along with my feelings and then later on add milestones of Miss Kaya's life.

I cannot express how lucky I am to be able to adopt this little girl. I am so lucky to have the support of everyone around me. I hear everyday from someone who tells me I am going to be a good mom. People have been so generous in helping me get ready for Kaya. Oh except the Guatemala government LOL. Well more about that later. My family is so supportive and encouraging to me. I really have felt the love.

Enough gushy stuff. If you know me well, you know that is not me. My favorite thing to type is haha and LOL lots of laughs for you who don't teach middle school because I am so used to laughing and that is the best way I can express it in written form.

You will also see me griping about my kids, because I deal with them everyday on the job. Single gender classes are for the birds. I am so tired of boy farting and smelling my room. Today was a good day because I had girls. I have one day of girls and one of boys this 9 weeks.

I'll get back to you soon. I am going to chat with my friends from Kentucky Adoption Services. Oh check out Timberly's blog on the link of blog friends. She has 4 children, 2 bios and 2 from GT. Ella and Kaya are close in age and we entered PGN 5 days apart. I'm going to post the adoption timeline soon so check back. TTFN