Home for a little over a week!

Yes, we have been home for a little over a week! Maya Mishelle is settling in nicely! It feels like she has been a part of our family forever, and sometimes it is hard to believe that she has only been home with us for only a week!

Maya loves the pool!!

Trying out the float, indoors!!

Swinging is Fun!!

Maya climbed right into the baby tub with Sofia! Ha ha!!

I guess if I had to say anything not so postitive, it would be that her and Caleb fight like cats and dogs-but isn't that what all brother and sisters do? Plus, Caleb has a horrible sinus infection right now, which doesn't add to his pleasantries! The good thing is that Hannah and her seem to be old buddies.

Cheese!!

I guess nap times are also a struggle, but when she does take them, she sleeps for at least two hours! This little one is full of energy and loves to laugh and giggle, and play, play, play!!

She is also getting to know our other family members. When we came home from Guatemala, she met Grandma & Grandpa, and Nana & Papa. She has a thing for men, and went to the grandpas right away! She also played with her Grandma and Nana! We have since spent time with both sets of Grandparents, and whew-she loves them!! Maya is a very affectionate little girl, and when she gets to know you, she covers you with kisses and giggles!

Grandpa pushing/pulling the cars for the kiddos!

I have to say, that her foster mom was magnificient! We will always love her for helping Maya to be such a happy, and sweet little girl! She was with her for about 9months, and in that time, they grew to be very close! I believe that because of this bond, it was easier for Maya to come to us, and accept us as her new parents! Lidia, our foster mother, loved Maya very much, and shared pictures of us with Maya and told her who we were! We were blessed to have crossed paths, and I pray that we can continue to stay in touch through the years.

Sofia is all settled in, and it feels like she has been here since birth! She is an angel sent from God! Anyone that has met her, knows that she is the happiest baby, ever! Just make sure she is fed and changed, and she will smile all day long! She is starting to learn to crawl, although she gets all around the room pushing herself backwards!! As soon as she learns to prop her legs up, she is going to be all over the place!! It is nice to have a baby that wakes up smiling in the morning!

What amazing eyes!!

Yeehaw!!!!!!!!!!! Check out my onsie riding up!! Ha ha!

Happy Girl!!!!

I love to smile!!

Caleb gets more and more handsome everyday!! He is starting to repeat words that are said to him, and he is growing like a weed! Caleb is Caleb-he is still his opinionated little self, and always demands to be first! Sadly, we missed his hilariously demanding personality while we were in Guatemala the most! Ya see, when he is sweet, he is as sweet as sugar, and when he is crabby-watch out-he lets everyone know! I continue to pray that he outgrows this demanding personality, and pray for patience for all who encounter it!! I have a feeling when he begins to talk, we will all know what he has been thinking!!

Playing with Dora in the bath tub!!

I love to slide!!

No more photos-please!!

Hannah is my big angel, and we are so lucky that she was blessed to us from God! There isn't a day that goes by that we don't thank God for giving her to us!! She is amazing, and the best big sister anyone could ask for! She has taken her role on like a pro, and it fits her like a glove! She plays with Maya, Caleb and Sofia so well!! Don't tell her, but they adore her! Don't get me wrong, she still likes to be the only child, and recently went on a Daddy/daughter date with Bus. She is the oldest, and I think that the gap between her and Maya is pretty big, but she doesn't let it affect their relationship.

Our beautiful girl!! She is such an amazing daughter!!

Swinging with Sofia!!

Pretending to take a nap with Maya!!

Sisters!!

The whole gang taking a picture for Father's Day!!

Giggling in the back yard, together, in some shirts sent from my GAFI secret friend, Kelly Migoya!!

Bus, and I? Well, we aren't getting any younger, and as a matter of fact, I just QUIETLY celebrated my birthday last week, and Bus-well-his is this Tuesday, exactly one week after mine! Ya see, I am exactly one week older than him, and that makes me the boss!(At least for one week!) Ha ha!! We are doing great, and taking our roles on as mother and father of four pretty good! Don't get me wrong, it is pretty exhausting at times, but rewarding as well! We feel like our family is complete, but ya never know what tomorrow brings!! With 4 kids and 3 dogs there is never a dull moment at our house! If ya don't believe me, call sometime around 8:30pm,bath time, it is CRAZY then!!

Well, enough for now-If you are wondering how I had time to type this, we were having quiet time/nap time, and everyone is settled into their beds for a quiet little snoozy/movie/book. Finding time to post is much harder, although I always have time to snap pictures, and so maybe next time there may be no words, just pictures, but know that we are thankful for all the prayers that have been prayed for us and our children! We are thankful to be home all together as one family, and hope you have time to drop us a letter by email or mail, or give us a call, so you can see how crazy it really is!! Ha ha!

With lots of love and messy little kisses,
Sabra, Bus, Hannah, Caleb, Maya and Sofia
Oh, yeah-
&
Bob(yellow lab) and Chi-Chi & Chia(pekinese/shitzus)

So many pictures, so much time!! Ha ha!!

Ok, so I was going to go straight into the pictures, but I wanted to share that we did have a great time at the zoo, and market! It started to rain when we were at the zoo, but we didn't let it spoil our time out! Hey, guess what? There was a 6.8 earthquake here, off of the pacific coast, earlier today, but we were driving down the very bumpy road(Ha ha, Christie-"Weeeeee"), and would never have felt it! The people in the playroom, said the tv was swinging from its arm! YIKES!!! Anyway...we have had a good day, and hope to head to the pool and some shopping as soon as we have our McDonald's lunch, and Maya wakes from her nap!!

Here are the pictures, Can't wait to be home tomorrow!!

Love, Sabra, Bus, Hannah & Maya Mishelle

Hannah and lady selling Mayan dresswear!

Hannah trying her hand at making the beautiful fabrics that they are wearing.

Hannah dressed in Mayan attire

Maya Mishelle in her bath-she loves it!

Maya Mishelle during her bath-she loves it!

Momma and Maya Mishelle after her bath!

Guatemalan Elephant, and yes-I do believe he does speak spanish! Ha ha!

I think he needs to pick up a little weight!

Hippos! I was going to say Bus and Sabra stopping for a drink of water!

Skinny bears!

Pink Flamingo!!Papa and his girls at the zoo!

Momma and her girls at the zoo entrance!

Papa and his girls at the zoo enterance!

Maya Mishelle in her cadilac, or should I say Yugo, driving through the zoo!

Lion when we first got there!

Lion trying to ignore us!

Lion done with us, and ready for a nap!

One day until we fly home!!

Well, the illness disappeared as quickly as it came, and the smiles are starting to return. There is still lots of adjusting going on, as Maya was used to playing with 6 & 7 year old boys(her foster brothers). She is doing ok, but very jealous of Hannah, and quite frequently lets Hannah know of her jealousy. I know that in time, all will be well-but I think it is a bit of a shock for Hannah to not have her little sister smiling and hugging all over her! We just keep reminding her that it is going to take some time, and that we are all adjusting, and will be for many months! Please pray for Hannah's understanding and patience, and Maya's heart to heal, and to accept all of us. I can't even begin to imagine what it will be like when we get home and she realizes that there are two more kids! Ha ha! Oh, what joy the Maslin household will be!! Hee hee!

Today is kind of a free day, as we are waiting for Maya's visa to be dropped off at 3:30 pm. So, we are hoping to go shopping, and to the zoo. It is the rainy season here, so it will be touch and go, as the weather changes at the drop of a hat! For example, Hannah and Bus were in the pool yesterday, when the largest bolt of lightening struck, very quickly followed by an ear shattering clash of thunder. Need I say , they quickly got out of the pool-Bus laughing, and Hannah shaking in fear!!

We are so excited to be coming home, and can hardly wait to see Caleb and Sofia, as we have missed them so much! We have had a great time, but the hotel room is getting boring!! We will be on our way tomorrow, though, and we are counting down the hours/seconds!

Here are a few photos we took yesterday!

Love, Sabra, Bus, Hannah & Maya Mishelle

Sisters with beautiful smiles!

Big ol'smile!

"Papa" & Maya

Maya wearing Hannah's flip flops!!!

Our silly little comedian!! She can make something fun out of anything!! Ha ha!

Not such a good embassy day :-(

Nothing terrible happened with regards to the adoption, that all went fine. But poor little Maya didn't feel very good. She just slept in daddy's arms (which isn't typical of her). She kept saying her legs hurt. Since she had shot yesterday, we thought she was a little feverish from that.

Well, apparently it wasn't. Right as they were about to call us for our second interview (just about finished), she vomitted EVERYWHERE!!!!!!!! Ironically, I was talking to a US Medical doctor who lived in Guatemala as a medical missionary. He very aptly commented, "She doesn't feel too well, does she?" To which I replied, "You aren't going to charge me for that diagnosis, are you?" He informed me that he would count is as part of his missions work.

The good news is that we made it through, and now little Miss Maya is ours forever. She is such a little princess and as I told Hannah, this morning's experience was just one of the "gems" that make up the entire necklace. Now, I'm dating myself, but as some who read this will remember a television show that started with a song that said, "You take the good, you take the bad - and there you have the facts of life." We wouldn't trade her for all the riches in the world!!!

I wish I had some Embassy pictures to post, but alas, our Embassy outfits will live as a memory in our minds only.

Pray for little Maya, she is so sick. Pray for us that it isn't a virus that we all catch. We certainly don't want to get sick on the way home!! Or worse, yet, bring it our kiddos and families back home.

We love you all,
Bus (and Sabra and Hannah and Maya)

Here is Maya not feeling too well. And of her taking a nap. She chose a nap over the pool, shows you how sick she must feel.

Together at last!

Finally, with way too many delays, we are together at last!! Yes, Maya arrived about 6:45pm!! They were suppose to be here at 5pm, but as before, they were a no show until 6:45pm! It was fun getting to know Sonia, and we would highly recommend her as a fabulous traslator!

Our meeting was good-a little slow to begin with! I believe it was very overwhelming for all involved! Maya had been to the embassy doctor, and of course, she had received a shot!! She was tired, and probably frustrated from the very long day!! Her foster mother was VERY sad, and was fighting back tears! We, of course, were a little frustrated with the facilitators, to say the least, and really didn't have anything to say to them, so there was a bit of tension.

After a short meeting with the foster mom, whom we love and adore, we left with Maya to go to our room. She was very sad, and cried for her foster mom for about 20 minutes. We comforted the best we could, and gave her some time to grieve. We had a cup of Ramen noodles, and some orange crush. Not real healthy, but what do you expect in a hotel room? Bus pulled out the ball, and the smiles and giggles began! The ball was all over the room, and of course I took some pictures, or should I say, tried to take some pictures!

We know that she will continue to grieve for her foster mom, and we respect that. But, in the meantime we plan to love on her as much as she will let us! Pray for her, and again her foster mom!

She is warming to Hannah, but of course, there was some jealousy! We told Hannah to give her some time, and they will be great together! She is already calling Hannah, Nannah! Too cute, if I have to say so myself!

Well, I know tomorrow will be a new day, so for now, I will post a few quick pictures! We are headed to the embassy appointment tomorrow, so we will be up early in the morning for that! I will try not to leave you hanging, like on Sofia's pick up! Ha ha!

We love and miss you all!

Sabra, Bus, Hannah and Maya

What we're ALL waiting for...

I know everyone is waiting for the big arrival...















Well, so are we. Much to our disappointment, Maya won't be here until after 5:00 pm tonite. She was supposed to come at 9:30 this morning. No one let us know. Finally, our translater, called the agency to get number to our lawyer. The lawyer informed her, that Maya's embassy doctors appointment was today at 3:00 pm. So, they were going to bring her after that. So, we paid our translater for an hour and half to talk with us in English.



Oh, then the big kick in the teeth, the airplane ticket for Maya to come home is over $1,000. That's the biggest rip off in the world.



Well, sorry to vent, but had to tell someone. Also for those waiting for pictures.... Here you go!!

We are here!

We are here in Guatemala-just VERY sleepy and tired! It was a long weekend, as many of you know, we went to Virginia for a family reunion! It was fun to see everyone there, and we had a great time. Unfortunately, we didn't get home from the reunion until 7:30 pm, and we had not packed a lick! So, we stayed up into the wee morning, packing, cleaning, washing,.........you get the picture! We had about 1 hour of sleep-my cell phone was dying downstairs, so the beeping kept me awake after I went to bed! All is well, though, cause we believe we have everything!(Pray that we do!)

Maya will not be with us until tomorrow morning, and she will be here about 9:30am Guatemala time(11:30am eastern time). We thought tonight would be a good opportunity to spend some time with our first born-Miss Hannah! She is excited beyond belief to be here, and is taking in every little detail as though it is the first time she has been here! It is fun to see things through her eyes-as they are so bright and excited, and make Guatemala new to us, as well! I can't wait for Hannah to meet Maya! I hope to get some pictures of the expressions and meeting!! Please remember to pray for Maya's foster mom, Lidia. I cannot imagine how hard it is to know that this could be the last time she will see Maya. I am praying that they have enjoyed each others company these last few weeks, since we knew when we would be going to pick Maya up!

I took a few photos at the airport of Hannah, so I will post these. I will try to post as soon as we can tomorrow, so that everyone can see the happy sisters together!

Thanks Moms and Dads, Ruthie and LaVern for taking care of our sweet littlest ones at home while we are away picking up the newest member of our family! It means the world to us to know that they are in safe hands, and to know that they are being loved on!

We will write more when we can,

Love,

Sabra, Bus, & Hannah