The news no one wanted to hear from JCICS and DOS

So today was the day that the US became Hague compliant. That means that as US citizens, we can only adopt from other Hague compliant countries. Guatemala is apparently not one of those countries according to the JCICS statement.
There is still hope that Guatemala will have their process in place and the US will deem is acceptable (by the way, when did the US become the decider?) and adoptions can start again. depending on where and what you read, it could be next week or another year at least.
I don't know what to say or think about this- except there are children who have a need for a home.
I recognize that processes need to be in place and procedures need to be set- but I foresee children being the ones who suffer in all the waiting and working out of details.

I made my decision today, I rescheduled the training classes to be a foster-to-adopt parent in my state. I set up my follow up home study for my adoption license with the state. Yes, I have to be licensed to be a foster parent even though it involves the same classes I took to become a licensed adoptive parent- go figure. So 4 Saturdays in classes, 4 more week night classes to make up the classes I will miss due to work travel, 2 more home study visits, another fire inspection, application, 5 letters of reference and another 6 months of waiting after all that and I should be licensed to be a foster parent. So realistically, it will be January of 2009 before I have a license to be a foster parent- then more waiting, more wondering. And being a foster parent is no guarantee that a child will be place with me that can be part of my family forever- because being a foster parent is really about helping reunite a family that is in crisis. The goal at the onset is always reunification of the birth family. 3 year ago I thought I would never be able to be a foster parent- I would not be able to love a child and then let them go- but every step of Bug's adoption journey brought me to realization that I could do it. It will be hard, it will be painful, it will not easy, but I can do it and I will do it- for Bug and for his first family who showed me the way.

I will not borrow trouble from tomorrow- each day is a new day and step by step I will get to the place I am supposed to be. All I want is sibling for Bug- my path to his sibling is just a Long Road Home for us all.

Please pray for the children and families in Guatemala,

love and hugs to you,
Deb AKA Momma Bug