After an 11-month process, my sister and bro-in-law, Jim & Rhonda Andersen, just received approval from both the US and Guatemalan governments for adoption of David and Christine. They will be flying down to Guatemala sometime in the first two weeks in August to bring back their children. We’re very excited for them and for our entire family. It’s going to be great, David already has his own soccer ball.
Uncle Bruce
Cute kids, Bruce. Mazel Tov and good luck to the family.
Some friends from my congregation adopted two children, Kevin and Valerie, from Guatemala and one, David, from Paraguay. So far the two boys have been in my Sunday school classes.
Gonna teach them to unicycle?
All 7 of my cousins were adopted from Japan, they’re all awesome people.
Cute kids!!! Why were they adopted? Bad parents/conditions? Although…ummm…what is this?
That is the hand of an agency person holding Christine upright. She has an affliction, can’t remember the name of it, that makes it hard for her to hold herself erect. But over the past eleven months, we’ve seen her make dramatic improvement, which leads us to be very hopeful of a complete healing and normal life.
As for why they were put up for adoption, I’m not competely sure of the exact reason other than their mother cannot provide adequately for them. I can’t imagine how tough it must be to say good-bye to your children in the name of love and hope for a better life.
Bruce
Great looking kids Bruce! How long till Uncle Bruce gives them their first unicycles?
Yoobee (that’s U.B. or Uncle Bruce) will have them on unicycles as soon as their little legs are long enough. If I’m not mistaken, David will be three soon and Christine is just over a year old
awww, theyre so cute!
Im sure they’ll be a lovely edition to the family.
Here’s a copy of an email I received from my sister, Rhonda the nurse, on Christine and her medical struggles.
Christine was born premature at 4 1/2 lbs and was in respiratory distress. She was on a vent for a week. She also had encephalitis, which is an inflammation of the white brain matter, she was septic, which means she had a blood infection, she had a urinary tract infection, and a hole in her heart. She was hospitalized for a month and at 6 weeks old, still functioned like a newborn, ie. flaccid, no head control, weak cry, etc.
Based on the monthly MD reports and pictures, she seems to be fully recovered from everything! She’s 20 lbs, is walking, and has four teeth!
Also, according to Sue, the agency director, David, is the perfect child - active, well-mannered, intelligent, smiles all the time and talks perfectly.
We’re hearing on “The Big List” that Guatemala City birth certificates are now taking 4 to 6 weeks to be issued. Could be a while before we bring our perfect children home!
David and Christine are here and adapting very well. According to my sister, Rhonda, they are in the best of condition, physically, socially, and all the other -ally’s available. I had an opportunity to talk to David on the phone last week. Here’s how our conversation went.
Tio Bruce: “David, ¡Hóla! ¿Cómo estás?”
David: “Bien.”
…and from there the conversation went downhill. David is doing well with picking up English though. He should be fine once he starts school next year. Christine doesn’t speak much of anything yet but Rhonda hopes to pass on some of her limited Spanish to Christine as Christine grows up.
We will probably get to meet them at Thanksgiving. Can’t wait!
I misspoke earlier about their ages. David is 4½ and Christine is 18 months.
Wow, great news.
But 4½ is a little too old for 3 wheels, I say you start weaning him to one ASAP!
It’s been a year since my sister and bro-in-law brought David and Christine home from Guatemala. They all live in Marion, IL about a half mile from Grandpa and Grandma. When they arrived, Christine wasn’t speaking yet and David knew no English. But they have both been in school for the past year, Christine in pre-school and David in kindergarten, and have really come a long way. They are two very beautiful, very intelligent children and have settled in wonderfully to a great life with Mom and Dad. Of course, we got David started out right. He played on his first soccer team last Spring. We got to see them last Thanksgiving and will be there again this Thanksgiving. Can’t wait!
you have to teach them to uni:)
Woah Christine looks so much older.
Agreed…cute kids though
Yes she does. I think it was a combination of growing plus healing from some sickness that she experienced. She sure is cute!
New photos of David and Christine. They are doing great. My sister and bro-in-law couldn’t have asked for two more well-adapted, intelligent, and on-the-move kids.
Christine is one absolutely beautiful little girl, the love of her Daddy’s life (besides his wife of course), and David is a boy on the go. Christine has completely overcome her earlier afflictions and is growing like a weed. The report on David is that he has many little girlfriends in kindergarten. He is also very cute on the soccer field. Following his Mayan heritage, he is quite a bit shorter than some of his teammates. Sis Rhonda says that he gets his short little legs going like the wind but never gets anywhere fast.
Hopefully, we’ll get to see them sometime this summer.
Photos are of David’s Awana Pinewood Derby. He won second place. Christine had a ball with all the beautiful colors.
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Maradona was 5ft 5in.
