Friday is a great day to wrap things up, so I'm going to explain some of the terms people have used in their search engines that have brought them to my blog. May I also suggest that if you don’t find the information you are looking for, or would prefer privacy, just email your question(s) directly to me at guatemalablogger@adoptionmail.com .

Fostering in Antigua, Guatemala

Many people have fostered in Antigua, and my fellow Guatemalan Blogger’s wife fostered their daughter Mia there. An “e-pal” of mine is there at present with her adorable daughter M. It sounds like they have been having a remarkably wonderful time together. They’ve just gotten out of PGN, and I wish them a “speedy pink” as we say.

A fellow blogger Carla fostered her amazing little daughter there. She is a wealth of information, and very humorous as well.

Apartments for Adopting Parents in Antigua, Guatemala

I would strongly recommend contacting someone who is in Guatemala to get a recommendation, although real estate information is available on the internet. I cannot tell you if this information is reliable; you need to do the homework.

If you are working with an adoption agency, they should be able to help you find lodgings, or put you in touch with their in country coordinators or someone else in Guatemala who can help you. And last, but not least, talk to someone who has fostered there.

Director Barrios - Director of PGN (Procuraduría General de la Nación)

A very controversial figure, he initially claimed he was pro-adoption when he took over as director of PGN in March, 2006. However, there have been numerous holdups and bottlenecks since he took the reins. That being said, over 4,000 children were brought home to the US last year.

Adoption First Birthday

This is a wonderful topic for discussion, and I plan on blogging about it when Ella hits her one year mark next month. One of the most controversial aspects of this anniversary is what to call this day: gotcha day, adoption day, homecoming day, family day, coming home day, and the list goes on. This subject has been discussed ad nauseum and it really comes down to a personal preference obviously.

Another decision adoptive parents must make is which date to celebrate? Some celebrate the day the actual adoption was completed. Some celebrate on the anniversary of the day their child was put in their arms forever, some on the date of the US embassy appointment, and others, the day they arrive home.

Regarding the celebration itself, some do it privately and low key, savoring the intimate nuclear family. Others throw a huge bash with extended family, friends and neighbors. Cooking traditional foods from the child's birth country is also a popular option. May I recommend the cookbook “False Tongues and Sunday Bread: A Guatemalan and Mayan Cookbook" by Copeland Marks.

Finding Birth Mothers

I did a blog on this, linking to an extremely helpful website for finding birthmothers.

Are Adoptions Still in Progress Between the US and Guatemala?

Recently in a comment following one of my blogs, I was asked if adoptions are still in progress? Yes, there are several agencies who are still taking applications for Guatemala, and processing adoptions successfully. I can’t stress how important it is to find a legitimate agency. Call the Better Business Bureau; ask for references and call; ask the agencies the difficult questions, especially the ones that start with “what if;” and research, research. I've included two links to help you in your search.

- The Joint Council on International Children's Services

- a yahoo forum dedicated to agency research

It’s Friday, and I want to wish everyone a wonderful and restful weekend, and don’t forget to count your blessings.