A Very Special Day…

It was 2 years ago today that Peter became an “official” member of our family!  Let’s take a stroll down memory lane…

Our first time we met Peter, he was just 2 1/2 months old.  Rich and I flew to Guatemala City to spend a few days with him. When he first arrived at the hotel, he was dressed in 4 layers of clothing and was not very clean…notice the greasy-looking hair!

He did clean up nicely though!

 

I was blessed to be able to visit Peter 5 times in Guatemala…the final time was the pick up trip exactly 2 years ago…where does the time go!

On trip #2, I brought my 2 oldest daughters to meet their brother. Taylor, Hannah and I had a wonderful time there in August! We had some serious RED EYE going on in this picture…cheap camera!!!

By this time, Peter was on Foster Mom #2.  The first one was VERY OLD and couldn’t care for him so he was sent to an equally VERY OLD foster mom.

On my next visit, I brought my mom so she could meet her newest grandson.  We were horrified when we arrived to find a lethargic, dirty, weak little boy who didn’t smile anymore and could hardly hold his head up at 6 months of age.  I didn’t even recognize him in the hotel lobby…he was covered with at least 200 bug bites over his entire body!

I knew he hadn’t been getting any stimulation and was laid on his back for most of each day so on that trip, I hauled an exersaucer all the way down there for him!! 

Again, he cleaned up well and after a few days with his new grandma and mommy, he was smiling again!  He got medicine for the poor baby who was so itchy and miserable.  He was such a little trouper despite his discomfort,  Before we left, we met his 3rd (and final!) very wonderful foster mom, Brenda!  We LOVED her from the moment we met her and so did Peter!

 

(Mary M., if you read this, please email me…I can’t get on your blog anymore!)

My 4th trip to Guatemala two months later was again with Rich and this time we took our oldest, Taylor.  Unfortunately, I can’t find pictures from that trip.

FINALLY the day came to pick up Peter and bring him home to his forever family!!  This trip we brought Hannah.  What a great experience for her to see the process of going to the US Embassy and all that it took to make it complete!

Peter TOTALLY rejected me on this trip.  There were very few times that I could hold him without him screaming at the top of his lungs!  All he wanted was his blonde-haired sister, Hannah!!  To this day, he still adores her but he is Mommy’s boy too!

This is one of my favorite pictures of Peter and I…he actually let me hold him and love him! 

Last year on this special anniversary we celebrated with gifts, a cake, and going out to dinner.  This was taken a year ago…

This year we will do the same.  Here’s my little man this morning! We love you Peter!!!  What a blessing you have been to your family!

In honor of this very special day, I will be doing a giveaway tomorrow.  Please stop back and enter for a chance to win some great prizes from my Etsy shop!!!