PBJ Update

After we learned while in Guatemala that PBJ's case had been kicked out again, we have been waiting to hear why, how it was fixed and when it was resubmitted. Finally, today, we got the answers. Here is what happened:

PBJ's mother is indigenous Mayan. She is from a tiny village that speaks a distinct dialect of Spanish. When she applied for her 'cedula' or birth document, they listed her as mute, since she could not speak to them and did not understand the other people. She isn't deaf and is not really mute, she just didn't understand the language. So, when the adoption files reached the reviewer, they had doubts as to whether the birth mom really understood her rights and the decision she was making. They had to schedule her to be interviewed with an interpretor and also get her documents corrected to not state that she is mute. This is all completed now and the files are back into PGN for several weeks. That starts the 8-10 week wait all over again. Back to the bottom of the pile.

Also, the US Embassy announced yesterday that they are adding a second DNA test on the child to the already-complicated process. The second test would come at the end of the porcess to insure the child was still the same one. Who knows if this will add more delays and how much it will cost. Hopefully it won't be too bad!


If we could just get her home before her first birthday in October.....