One procedure in the Guatemalan adoption process is getting more stream lined. In the past, we would get the notification that we had "pink" from our agencies or lawyers - pink being the color of the document with your appointment time and date at the US Embassy in Guatemala to finalize the adoption of your child. This was the last stop before bringing your child home, so the words "you've got pink" always triggered great excitement.

According to a notice from the US Embassy in Guatemala City:

“…the Consular Section at the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala City will no longer issue adoption interview appointment letters, or “Pink Slips”, in hard copy. Beginning November 19, all appointment letters will be sent directly to the petitioner via email. It will no longer be necessary for a representative to pick up the “pink slip” at the Embassy. Adoptive parents will be responsible for notifying their attorney or facilitator of the appointment date, rather than being notified by a representative.”

This will shave a few days off the process and cut down on unnecessary bureaucratic procedures. How refreshing!

And according to reliable Kevin over at Guatadopt,, almost all the children that were removed from Casa Quivira three months ago, are finally back at the home in Antigua. I’m assuming that their adoptions will now move forward, and hopefully they will be united with their adopting parents sooner rather than later. I would say that these innocent children have had enough traumas for a lifetime, and I do hope that the Guatemalan government will not pull another publicity stunt like this one, that has caused so much pain and anguish.


This being the day for “Love Thursday” posts, I’ll now turn to a little Ella update. As many of my readers are aware, Ella was rather late in starting to speak and much preferred sign language to communicate with us. Well now she is talking up a storm and I am in heaven. I can’t get over her sweet little voice saying, “wah wah peas” (water, please) or ‘Mama more.”

Probably the cutest thing she’s done since she started talking is regularly taking down the sign language book off the bookshelf and looking at each page closely, practicing the signs as she goes along. With all the seriousness of a little professor, my beautiful little daughter senses that she is losing one language as she gains another. Now I just need to get that on camera.