Home At Last!!!

Dear Friends and Family,

After almost 2 years of being immersed in the adoption process, we have finally reached the light at the end of the very long tunnel. Three weeks ago Julie found a lawyer who helped us get our birth certificate released from the local municipality that was holding it up (for over 2 months!). Once this happened, our case began to move very rapidly. We didn´t talk about it with anyone because of the healthy skepticism that we have learned to embrace during this arduous process. But, happily, our skepticism wasn´t needed this time! Our case progressed from receiving the birth certificate to receiving the Guatemalan passport to dropping off all embassy paperwork to doing the final DNA test and doctors visit to the embassy visa interview very rapidly. In fact, Julie picked up the completed visa today and then will be able to finally bring Shira home. This will be the sweetest new year ever for us.

After 3 1/2 months of living abroad, Julie and Ravi are understandably VERY excited about returning home. They are also a bit apprehensive about the re-entry (could this be because of the 3 months of mail waiting for them and school calendars that haven´t been set up yet?!). We are all looking forward to introducing Shira to our community of friends. We know that you will understand if we take a bit of extra time to help Shira acclimate to her new surroundings slowly in the manner in which she is most ready to progress.

There aren´t enough gigabytes for the many thank yous that we want to extend. First and foremost, our parents have interrupted their lives and schedules countless times over the past two years to travel with us to Guatemala or to help with childcare at home so that Julie could travel to Guatemala. We feel so grateful for their love and support. Our friends have done the same. More times than we can count we have needed help with carpools, playdates and more so that Julie could travel over and over again down to see Shira. During the past 3 1/2 months of Julie and the kids living abroad, you have all been so incredibly kind to us with your supportive calls and emails, care packages sent down to Guatemala (and visits to Guatemala!!), inviting Daniel over for meals while he was living by himself, helping Liat transition back to school with both her parents out of town....and so much more. We couldn´t have made it through these past two years without the love and support of our community of friends and family and for this we are so grateful.

We look forward to beginning the new year with great anticipation and joy--reunited as a complete family of 5 in the same city and country. And we look forward to celebrating many happy times together in the coming year.

Wishing you good health, unified families (!!) and much love from our family to yours.

Julie, Daniel, Liat, Merav, and Shira

(letter from September 23rd)

3 Months in Antigua

We have been here over three months and are ready to come home. While we´ve enjoyed our time here, being apart from Daniel and Liat for this much time is wearing on us. But that being said, we´ve tried to look on the bright side and keep ourselves busy down here. These photos can show you what we´ve been up to these last few weeks:

Shira (wearing mommy´s shoes) and Ravi are getting along great!

Ravi with one of her teachers at school. Yes, they all wear uniforms.

A display of huipiles--traditional shirts worn by the indigenous women in Guatemala. The type of fabric used, colors and designs are specific to the regions in which the women live.

Shira wears her baby on her back while playing with Mommy Jane.

Ravi snaps a picture of me and Mommy Jane while we are at a restaurant.

Shira plays with her friend Luis while visiting Ravi´s school.

Ruins of a beautiful church that Ravi and I walk past each morning.

Ravi and her friends dressed up in Colonial garb to celebrate Independence Day.

The truck that delivers water bottles to our house twice a week.

4 brave women fostering their children in Antigua (including me on the left).

Fun with friends (Ravi is in the middle).

The market where I buy our fruits and vegetables.

Ravi signing the Guatemalan Declaration of Independence at her school.

View of my 2nd and 3rd favorite volcanoes (Acotenango and Fuego) over the market.

Ravi having fun in a hammock.

Do you often wonder where I am when sending emails or updating the blog? Here is a picture of me in my favorite internet cafe.

A chicken bus, which is a former New Jersey schoolbus that failed emissions testing and was shipped down south for another life.

Ravi singing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star in her school´s talent show.

Ravi in front of La Merced church.

Buying bananas in Panajachel on our very first outing from Antigua in almost 12 weeks!

Beautiful Panajachel!!!!! (on the shores of Lake Atitlan with gorgeous views of three volcanoes)

Sleeping Beauties

Me and Meravi hanging out






Mommy Jane and Shira take a swim


Ravi draws a picture of her Abba.

Gorgeous Antigua scenes!!!!!



Mommy Jane reads nightly books to Ravi and Shira.









Ravi´s school celebrates the Olympics with relay races in gorgeous old ruins nearby!!

Mommy and Ravi prepare to walk to school each morning.


We attend a dance recital to help children raise money to stay in school (even public school costs money here so the very poor cannot attend). This dance was to celebrate the corn harvest.

Ravi and Shira ride the giraffe in our house.

9 Weeks (but who´s counting, really?)

Time marches on and miraculously we are now in our 9th week in Guatemala. While I had hoped that this would be a neat-and-tidy summer experience (big spiders and large tantrums aside), it now appears that it will not be concluding any time soon, unfortunately. Everyone keeps asking when we are coming home and I simply have no idea. While we are Shira´s legal guardians according to Guatemalan law, she is unable to immigrate to the United States without a new copy of her birth certificate, which is being held up by a local municipality. We´ve been waiting for the new birth certificate for over 6 weeks now. When we finally receive it, we will be 4-6 weeks from coming home if all goes smoothly .

Here is the update on everyone:

Liat headed home with Daniel over a week ago. They joined up with the rest of his family at our annual Michigan family reunion and then proceeded on to his sister´s house until they head home soon to prepare for school starting. While Liat was running out of things to do down here and welcomed a change of scenery, it seems that after being gone a week and a half she is realizing that we are in for a long stretch of not seeing each other, which will be difficult. We miss her immensely down here and Shira walks around saying, "Chee-at? Chee-at?" and looking at Liat´s picture a lot.

Life is finally settling into a predictable and pleasant routine for Meravi. She is no longer resistant to attending school each day and even got upset last week when she had a 3-day weekend. She said, " I won´t see my teachers for THREE days?!" Her Spanish skills are beginning to show through and I´ve heard her use words that can only have come from school. One of the only positive aspects of being stuck down here for so long is that the longer we are here, the more fluent she is apt to become. Ravi has become a doting older sister and, while there are still many moments of jealousy, there are many more moments of sweetness between her and Shira. Ravi loves to dance around our house to the songs of High School Musical 2 and entertain all of us. She has also been loving her news toys sent down with and from our visitors and is especially captivated by some cardboard dolls on which you sew different clothing. Last night she dressed up as a princess and told me that she had married a prince. I asked if he was nice and she replied, "Yes, he doesn't bite!" So, I'm very happy to report that Ravi is finally returning to her happy self after a rocky adjustment to her Guatemalan life.

Our littlest lady, Shira, is cute as a button and quickly gaining in size on Ravi. My theory is that Ravi is losing a bit of weight here and Shira is gaining it and they now are about exactly the same size. In fact, they can each wear each other´s clothing, which makes dressing them very simple. Shira continues to delight us with her steep learning curve and watching her language blossom is a continuing source of joy for me. Let me be very clear.... she speaks Spanish and we all speak to her in Spanish for any words that we know. She´ll learn English soon enough and we are working hard to help her retain the only language she knew for 20 months. Using Spanish only with her has helped her continue to develop her skills without the break that often occurs when someone´s first language is suddenly halted and replaced by another language. It´s been great practice for all of us to speak to her in Spanish and so much fun when she responds in kind! Shira has several teeth coming in all at the same time but doesn´t seemed phased by it. In fact, she is a smiley, happy toddler who takes most things in stride. We do see her stubborn side, however, and it´s pretty clear that she´s headed towards TWO very soon. Shira is very friendly and loves to call out to people on the street (from her perch in the backpack) as we pass saying "hola" or "cuidado" (from con cuidado--travel safely--a common phrase here).

As for me, I am hanging in there. As my good friend down here recently said, "Fun is a state of mind." I´m trying to embrace that adage. As I change my mindset from having a fun summer abroad getting to know the homeland of two of my children, to being stuck here with no particular end in site, I am trying to stay positive and upbeat. As always, we have so much to be thankful for that it is hard to really wallow in any kind of self-pity for more than a few seconds!

But visitors do provide a welcome distraction and we were blessed with two sets of them this month. Our dear friend Dave, leaving his sick wife at home came down to spend time with us and that was terrific. Ravi especially enjoyed having a playmate to beat in the game Angelina Ballerina and Liat enjoyed having a challah-braiding partner and someone to kvell over her horseback riding lessons. For me, it´s so nice to have people over the age of 8 to talk with! My aunt and uncle were visiting Guatemala and stopped by to see us in Antigua also, which was a lot of fun.

I took one week of Spanish school last week and it was terrific. Studying 4 hours a day and then having an hour of two of homework a night definitely takes one´s mind off everything! And my Spanish skills improved a great deal. I will certainly enroll in another week of study as soon as I have a chance.

As we settle in for what might be a long haul, we are trying to look forward to special events coming up, such as Ravi´s birthday and finding ways to embellish them. Anyone who wants to come down and celebrate with us is more than welcome. Our new house has lots of space! Ravi and I have spent time looking for JUST the right pinata. Fortunately there are tons of them to choose from in every size, shape, and color. She is leaning towards a princess!

We´ve had lots of neat experiences down here and even two slightly scary ones involving me almost being hit by a bus, which suddenly decided to back up with no warning (but thankfully my flight instincts are VERY well honed and I jumped out of the way!) and a tuk-tuk driver who tried to head out of town with me and Shira in tow (probably to rob us--but after I started screaming at him, thought better of it and simply let us out!). So, never fear, things haven´t been totally dull!

Although our new house is beautiful and spacious, there is no computer so I can only check email sporadically. Still, I love to hear from you all. It helps me feel less isolated down here when I hear news from the north! So email me at julierachelfisher@gmail.com and let me know how your summer is going and what your family is up to!

Dave and the little ones

Ravi and Shira dress up for dinner at a restaurant.

Ravi plays Curious George with Uncle Rick.

Ravi exploring the courtyard of our favorite restaurant with her great uncle and aunt.

Liat and Ravi relaxing amongst the plants at the nearby nursery.

Abba visits his girls!!!

Abba with a full armload

Liat's last riding lesson

Abba celebrating his birthday with his princesses
(or is HE the princess? Who can tell...)

LOVING our pool!

Liat and Ravi show off the challah they baked.

Uncle Dave comes for a visit and Ravi is DELIGHTED!!

Shira is not sure what she thinks, but sits on Dave's lap because she watches Ravi do it!! :)

And take a minute to watch this video of Shira talking on the phone to Daniel and Liat. She says "Papa" and then "Liat" then--after Ravi hits her on the head--says "Ravi". Enjoy!!!