Latest on the Cases…

Thanks for  checking in, I wanted to do a quick update until we find time in the near future to do an in depth update.  So I’m back in school starting the 2nd year of my PhD program.  I have one more year of classes, then qualifying exams, then dissertation if I pass my exams.  So we got back to Hong Kong on August 22nd from 6 weeks of trying to get USCIS in Louisville to authorize the Embassy in Guatemala to issue Javi’s visa.  After being told that we would have to return to Hong Kong and update our home study we achingly decided to come back without him.  We immediately proceeded with the homestudy update.  We were told during our homestudy interview to expect 10 more weeks until Bangkok could process our update.  Disappointed, we pressed on, then on the morning of August 28th we received a big surprise in our email.  It was an email from the US Embassy in Guatemala stating that Javi’s Visa Appointment had been scheduled for September 3rd.  Confused and excited we talked to our agency and social worker and both told us to make travel arrangements so Melanie headed back west to Guatemala that night.  Melanie has been in Guatemala the past week with Javi, she had a final “interview” which went well and she was able to pick up Javi’s Visa on the 4th.  They head back through Chicago where she will be staying Saturday night, the 6th (so the grandparents can meet Javi), and then she will head back here on the 7th.  Getting in here Monday night, the 8th.  Thankfully, Melanie’s mom made the trip over here when she heard the news and she’s been helping me with Ezri.  Melanie’s internet connection has been down in Guatemala, but she’s promised to post pics as soon as possible.  Please check back for pictures of the Cases + 1, Cristian Javier Case.

Javi’s Orphanage – Eagle’s Nest

Well there’s a few things I’ve been unable to get Melanie to do since she’s been back home and they are sleep and update the blog.  I’ll try to get her to post more details as soon as things settle down here.  In the meantime I’m going to post the pics she took on her journey to pick up our son.

Javi Highlights for August 2008

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Hi!

I am Claire Boggs niece, Kristi. A few weeks ago I returned from spending 5 weeks in Guatemala working in the orphanage. It didn’t take long before Cristian stole my heart and became my favorite little baby. I thought you would enjoy stories of my time with him……Everyday for those 5 weeks I held him, played with him, fed him his bottle and rocked him to sleep. Every time he saw me a beautiful smile would fill his face and he would start waving his hands in the air and kicking his feet because he was so excited. He loves to talk. I would always echo whatever he did and he would smile and giggle. My friend called it our “love language”. When I was holding him, he would love to hold on to my fingers and  pull himself up. He would have a huge smile on his face every time he did like he was really proud of himself. He would do that over and over again. Cristian also loved it when I would kiss him multiple times on his cheek fast and then hug him and then do it all over again. He would laugh and laugh. After the first time I did that he started pulling his head in so that I would do that. It was so cute. His adorable little laugh also appears when he is lifted in the air. He loves it! He enjoys drinking his bottle in your arms but likes to hold it himself. He falls asleep easily. We spent a lot of time cuddling and it usually didn’t take long before he would fall asleep. Cristian likes to be active. When I arrived he was trying to learn how to crawl. By the time I left he was crawling all over the place.

I got to be one of the “mamas” that made the trip to the city for passport photos, DNA tests and physicals when Cristian went. We all had a baby for the day and he was mine. I loved every second of it. He was a sweetheart the whole day!

I attached some pictures that I took while I was down there. I thought you would enjoy them. He was hard to get to smile for the camera because he always wanted to play with it.

Anyway, I just wanted to let you know how wonderful your little boy is. I am praying that you will get him soon! I would love to hear back from you if you have time.

Blessings,

Kristi