No Cole in Our Stocking--But We'll Celebrate Christmas When He Gets Here!

The news from our lawyer came from Guatemala came today: Cole would not be home for Christmas. As much as we thought it wouldn't happen there was that Tiny Tim in both of us hoping and praying it would be a Merry Christmas with Cole's arrival.

Maybe our pal Thomas was right. He said, "Rob, you and Merry haven't been bad enough...otherwise you'd get nothing but Cole for Christmas."

As sad as the news is...we have decided to celebrate Christmas with the little guy no matter when he comes home. The Christmas tree is going to stay up for as long as necessary until we bring him home and we'll celebrate his first Christmas in style!

Cheering us up was a nice gift from our friend Julie waiting at our doorstep when we arrived home tonight--a cozy quilt for his crib! We've been spending a lot of time in his little room, sharing a glass of wine, hanging up all his new clothes, listening to Latin Lullabies and looking up to the Little Prince on the wall for inspiration.

Merry and I are going to spend our time without him getting our house ready for the holidays and sharing the season with friends and family. Thought it is hard, we're determined not become whiny adoptive parents who morn every minute that goes by...we're just saving up all the energy and love for when he arrives home.

Many are asking what is the delay? I am told by our lawyer that a large share of the responsibility lies with the US Embassy in Guatemala. They haven't given enough priority to international adoptions and are thus short staffed. This shortage of people to process paperwork has resulted in delays of up to six weeks, when it is normally a two week period. Even we pass through PGN in the next few days it won't leave enough time for the Central Registry to process the paperwork prior to the country's break for the holidays...much longer than the US holiday season.

Thank you to all for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers. It means so much to have such a great support network. Keep the faith little guy...we'll be there to get you shortly and boy we won't remember this wait for one minute!