May 28th 2008

Pics top - bottom: Cole getting his award. Me, Dad and Carter graduation. Ella's hand painted wall hanging from Brack and Jenny. Carter with his girlfriend Lenora and her little sister Emma. Carter and Cole racing !

It’s been so long since I’ve updated the blog...and I’m sorry ! I really wish I had some big exciting news to share with y’all .....but unfortunately , I don’t. We are still waiting to hear news concerning the scheduling or the finalization of Ella’s birth Mother having an interview by the new PGN. And sadly enough, we are not alone. Hundreds of other families are in the same boat with us..... Just waiting....

We have kept busy over the last four or five weeks though ! The boys are officially on summer break ! Yee haww ! They celebrated today by hooking up the water slide and having a race. Our afternoons have been busy with baseball practices and when we’re not practicing we’re playing a game ! Carter had an opportunity to ‘pitch’ this season and did pretty good ! Cole held his own with the ‘big boys’. Cole is only 8 but was able to join the 9, 10, and 11 year old team this season. Cole played short stop and he did terrific ! The boys had their awards day this week. Carter scored advanced in math, reading, and science and a perfect in social studies on his SOL exams! Cole achieved accelerated reader and the honor roll ! SOL tests start in 3rd grade...and Carter has been nervous all year about these tests. Cole has another year before he has to get nervous! We're are really proud of both our boys !
I finally graduated nursing school and we are all thrilled. Wendel and the boys got pretty tired of hearing me say " I can’t...I have to study.."

As far as the adoption, we are just waiting to hear something. It’s been a hard couple of weeks. We were under the impression that we were close to being finished with all the drama...only to learn that the drama had just begun ! We did get a chance to have someone talk to Ella’s foster mother this weekend ! She said Ella is doing well and weighs 19 lbs. ! We can’t wait to see her again. We’ve worked a little more on her room and we placed the beautiful hand painted name hanging on Ella’s wall above her bed. My brother, Brack and his girlfriend Jenny purchased this for me as a graduation gift from one of my favorite sites http://www.ellaminnowpea-giftshop.blogspot.com/

It is my wish that the next time I post an update for the "Burke party of five" that we are able to share that our fifth family member is well on her way to joining us! Say a little prayer for us please, and also pray for Ella’s birth mom . Pray that her interview goes smoothly, that she is able to make the interview on such short notice, and has a sense of peace and comfort in her decision to have her baby raised and loved by us.
Until next time......

One week of school left for me !!! Praise the Lord !!! I cannot wait to have my life back ! No news to report on the adoption front. Right now, this new central authority is trying to conduct (what I would consider) illegal actions regarding cases that were to be grandfathered in under old laws. It's a very long complicated mess...not worth trying to clarify here...but our agency remains optimistic .....so I'm just goin' with the flow and just hope that before long Ella is able to come home to us ! Keep us in your thoughts and prayers please !

The Drama continues.....

I feel sometimes like We're caught up in some kind of soap opera with this adoption. The very minute we think things are progressing forward, we learn the next minute, we're not quite there. There are some issues right now with PGN affecting not only our family, but hundreds of other families. There appears to be some power struggles between PGN and the new Central Authority. Long story short, We're in a bit of a temporary delay.....so we're not sure at this point when we'll be bringing Ella home. I know the minute we have Ella home, this heartache and emotional roller coaster will be well worth every minute of frett and worry we've endured...but it has been way more emotional than I EVER in a million years imagined it would be. Continue to say a little prayer for us ( and hundreds of other families) as we wait on pins and needles to hear if we will soon be able to bring our children home.

April 24, 2008

Finally !! The moment so many of us have been waiting for ! We are ALMOST OUT of PGN and almost ready to get our little one in Guatemala!! Our attorney will possibly be picking up our file early next week ! PRAISE THE LORD !!! I also had my nursing pinning ceremony last night with many friends who have supported, cried, laughed, studied, and worked very hard for the last two years to get to this point !The first picture is of me, Brack, and his girlfriend, Jenny. Next is me, Wendel, the boys, Wendel's cousin, Jaren, Wendel's folks, and his sister, Stephanie. Next is me with my Papaw Wilson, and my favorite Uncle, Steve. Next pic is the cutest little girl in the world...Miss Ella ! Next photo is of myself with my best friend Jessica, and our Nursing Instructor's this semester, Mrs. Clarkston and Mrs. Watson.

Next picture: L-R , Jessica, Me, Leslie, LeighAnn, and Donna. LeighAnn was a trooper and decided (bravely) to wear the very traditional white nurses cap. She looked so good. Much more than alot of us did in them !

We are just glad things are wrapping up and Thank the Lord that we have all made it. Thanks again for all the support and well wishes guys. We feel really blessed with such a great family and friends !

Ella is looking so

Hey batta batta .....

Well, the boys had their first 'player pitch' game today and they did great ! They had a good time playing and we all got a tad burnt because Mom (me) forgot to put sunblock on everyone. ooopps! We have officially moved into PGN as an email from our agency this week confirmed ! WhoooHOO!! What does this mean ? Well....this is the last leg of our journey to bring Miss Isabella Rose Burke home ! Three reviewers in PGN will review the case one final time...and then Ella will be given a final DNA test along with her Birth Mother, a new birth certificate with her new name on it...and then pretty much...we travel to Guatemala for an Embassy appointment...obtain her visa... and she comes home ! Sounds very simple...when actually it's quite complicated and can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months. Just keep us all in your prayers for smooth sailing while we wait out these final weeks of Ella's adoption. I have FOUR weeks of nursing school...the boards...and I'm finished. It's been one heck of a year for us ! I look back and quite honestly ...not sure how I've managed to pull off all the paperwork and emotional involvement with an International Adoption, keep up with two kiddos, and survive (and pass) Nursing school. I feel like I've aged about 10 years and literally feel exhausted ! But, everything is winding down, we've made it and this has all been possible by God's own will !!

Brack bought Ella some hand made / painted alphabet letters of her name while we were in one of the markets in Guatemala last month. They're so cute and will look so sweet hanging in her room ! Thanks Uncle Brack !

Ella with earrings !

Our punkin' has recovered from her sinus and ear infection ! Thanks for the emails. Our sweet adoption co-ordinator was on company business in Guatemala and was able to visit with Ella and get some photos for us. She looks like she's grown since we were in Guatemala just 3 weeks ago and check out her little earrings! Sweet! Still looking at a mid summer pick up (providing PGN is kind to us !) Say a prayer that things go smoothly for us. Some families fly through without a problem while others linger there for months without a real reason. We'll just have to pray that all goes well and Ella gets to come home soon.

New medical update for Ella ! She ended up being sick with an upper respiratory infection the week after we were there for our visit (bless her heart) and was treated with some mucolytics and antibiotics. She's weighing in at a whopping 16 pounds , 12 ounces! I've got to stop buying clothes now...because the ones I have bought more than likely, will not fit her by the time we have her home! She's doing so good and we are so thankful to have such a wonderful foster family caring for her!