Hanging out at the Santa Rosa Apartamentos

A couple months ago, we moved to a new apartment complex in Antigua called the Santa Rosa Apartamentos. With Max becoming an active toddler, this move has been a blessing as there's tons of green space for him to roam around in as well as many other adoptive families to hang out with and talk through the adoption process 'ups and downs'. It has been wonderful to see Max adjust to all the activity. He really likes to play with kids his age, but LOVES playing with the older kids.

Included in this post are some photos from our Saturday hanging out at Santa Rosa celebrating one of the older kids' birthday as well as a few photos from Lily's birthday party (one of Max's girlfriend's) that took place yesterday. At this time, Max is juggling several girlfriends in town besides Lily (they include: Jessica, Lydia, & Ana, who is only 5 months old!). Despite his admiration, we have noticed that he is somewhat shy with showing his affection... I'm sure as he gets older, his father (and possibly even his Grandpa 'Hey You' John) will have to teach him some tricks in how to handle the ladies.

Hope everyone is well, we miss you all!

xxoo Jen y Max

Looking for a Charitable Cause?

Looking for a charitable cause? Well Mark and I have something that you may want to consider.

Given the current climate of Guatemalan adoptions, funding for the care of children waiting to be adopted has significantly decreased. In fact, many orphanages across Guatemala have been dramatically affected and are seeking help from different charitable resources until adoptions start moving better again. The facilitators here in Guatemala that we have worked with to adopt Max also have an orphanage down here known as Rosa de Amor. A couple weeks ago, Mark and I went to the orphanage to donate some much needed supplies and also tour the facility. There are approximately 18 children in the orphanage, some babies and some older children. Most of the children have families already identified who will be adopting them. However, these children will not be going to their forever homes tomorrow, so help is needed now to keep them happy and well-nourished.

Our adoption agency (Faithful Adoption) in conjunction with all the families currently adopting from Guatemala within our agency have decided to organize a donation campaign to help Rosa de Amor even further as they (and other orphanages across the country) are not sure when funding will improve. If you are interested in helping our donation campaign, please read the information below on how to either send baby supplies or make a tax deductible monetary donation. This donation campaign will be running through April 21st. We would greatly appreciate any help as this is a cause near and dear to our hearts.

Max continues to be a wonderful little boy and is currently napping which is always a good thing! We hope to have good news about our case next week as the transfer of lawyers has been taking place this week and is looking promising. More news soon!

xxoo Jen & Maxito

Instructions on donating baby supplies:

To donate baby supplies, please send all non-food items to:

Fluid Equipment Development Co.

ATTN: Lisa Leachman - Guatemala Project
800 Ternes Drive

Monroe, MI 48162

Needed Baby Supplies:

1. Baby nipples

2. Crib sized blankets
3. Cloth diapers
4. Baby wipes
5. Baby baths
6. Clothing items (especially pajamas and pants infant to toddler sizes)
7. Teething rings
8. Baby shampoo
9. Baby powder
10. Towels

To send tax deductible monetary donations, please mail checks to:

Faithful Adoption
9112 N. Haven Ave.
Portland, OR 97203

*Specify on check "Lisa Leachman - Guatemala Project"

Again, Mark and I greatly appreciate any help you can offer. Thank You!

Easter Sunday in Antigua...

Well it has just been about 36 hours since Mark left ONCE AGAIN to go back to Chicago. I am really beginning to hate goodbyes and all that is associated with them. This time, when Max saw his Dad drive away in the taxi to the airport, he actually cried. Prior to Mark's departure, we told Max that Daddy was going on a business trip and would be away for a few weeks. We are not sure if he really understood any of this, but it was touching and bittersweet to see how attached he had become to his Dad over the past month.

Needless to say, Mark and I are really hoping that some good news will be coming our way this week as we are in the process of changing lawyers so that our adoption case can progress as it should have so many months ago (this is actually a longer story that we can go into more detail later). We hope that this will finally put us on a better pathway. A pathway that will allow us to come home to the United States! Overall I have really loved this experience and will have TONS of stories for Max when he is older, but we are ready to come home!

Anyway as far as life in Antigua, yesterday Max and I attended an Easter egg hunt with some other adoptive families down here. It has been wonderful to see how Guatemala celebrates Holy Week (Semana Santa), but by Sunday we were ready for a little Easter Bunny activity. Max had lots of fun finding Easter eggs, eating jelly beans, and throwing periodic toddler tantrums - oh, how I love being a single parent in a foreign country...

Enjoy the photos and we miss you all!

xxoooooxxx Jen & MAX

Daddy Went Shootin'

When in Guatemala, do as the....

I was invited by a good friend here to go shooting at a range in the mountains. I figured, well our case isn't going anywhere, let's get some frustrations out!! I have never shot a gun in my life let alone touched one. Holding a 45 for the first time, I kind of felt like McLovin messing around with the cops. I had to be an embarrassment. And yet, on my first round, I hit all 12 directly in the heart. The guys I was with said I was "a born killer". EXCELLENT! Uh, yeah, I was a little freaked out. And then they handed me the bad ass rifle. It was the kind Rambo used. I'm still not sure if I hit the target, but I keep remembering how cool I must have looked in my sunglasses, big airport headphones, and shaking hands. Overall, it was a little unsettling hearing gunfire all around me, especially when I see people with guns in front of most stores here. Being a person who is not a fan of guns, however, I appreciated the opportunity to understand what they are all about. Hmmm, I thought later. Is shooting guns in a foreign country a good thing for me to be doing? I let that go when I received the very cool knife as a souvenir.

Well, speaking of guns, it's Semana Santa here!! That's Easter related stuff. Again, more traffic, more processions, more incense, and more crazy and beautiful "carpets" on the streets. We knew that it had to be a big celebration when we saw a boy out today helping create a carpet. He was about 10-12 years old, and he had his zipper down, was holding his penis with one hand and drinking a 32 oz. Gallo with the other. God, I miss being young!! So, when in Guatemala... OK, I didn't go that far, but I did enjoy a Gallo. While most of the carpets are made of sawdust or pine needles, today we saw one made entirely of vegetables. Very cool (see pic). Not so cool when Max grabbed a turnip... mostly because I told him to go for a carrot.

New words for Max -- Mama, Daddy, Yes, Night Night, and Good Price

Max is still really friggin cute.

We MIGHT be in the PGN on the Monday after Easter. C'mon everybody!!! Make this happen!!!!

Chinese food in Guatemala = BAD

Meat cooked by street vendors = bed for 3 days

History lesson of the day -- (Refer to picture of church) It used to be that Mayans had to use the door at the side of the church if they were going to attend. Look at the size of the door just to the left of the column, and see where it is located. Yes, that's a door.

Gonna go eat the equivalent of Guatemalan shake and bake now. Gotta say this stuff is good. Bringing it home so we can cook for everyone!! Best to all!!

Mark, Jen and MAX xxxoooxoxoxoxoooooxxxxo

This Butt's For You

Well, once again, no good updates, so Max says you can kiss this. We have been complaining quite a bit lately (something friends know I'm good at) and we might be getting close to getting to the bottom of things. So, enough of that... Keep strong thoughts of progress in your hearts!

Jen and I are very excited because of some new developments on the Max Yoder front. Primarily, we have been reminded how cutting edge we are. The happening people in the hispanic world are following our lead. Both J Lo AND Christina Aguilera have named their newborn boys Max. Uh huh, that's right. We're cool. Strangely, Aguilera's "Beautiful" was the song playing in the hotel the first moment that we met Max. Awwwwwww. As cool as we are, we're hoping Max doesn't get J Lo's butt. Max from the block!! Max has also spoken his first word, "This". Wow, how exciting is that? Such a fun dramatic word. Basically he just points and says "this" at everything. I have to say, I like the Stevie Wonder impersonation that we taught him better.

We continue to take in the Guatemalan lifestyle. Many will appreciate that in the past we have enjoyed a Guatemalan specialty, Fud pizza. Well, we have decided that we will now make it through the entire Fud menu. We enjoyed their hawaiian pizza last night. We didn't finish it if that tells you anything. We're looking forward to chile relleno Fud next.

We also went to another procession last weekend. The city was absolutely packed with people. There were beautiful "carpets" created all over the city in the streets. They are generally made with with colored sand or wood chips and flowers. The amusing part is that we thought these would be cherished and the procession would avoid ruining them. What really happens is that Mary is the end of the procession. As soon as she passes the carpet people run out to nab the flowers. I have to say, I also felt a little stupid when I saw Romans lining the street and asked what they would be doing here in Guatemala. They were never here right? Someone informed me that they crucified Jesus. Oh, right. I was placed on the stupid chair for half an hour.

Finally, I must be losing my touch. I saw the weirdest item at the grocery store and I neglected to buy it. Right next to the microwave popcorn sat microwave pork rinds. Same packaging and everything. How did I pass this up?? I continue to toil over how this even works. I am hoping beyond hope that I can find this again. I'm taking orders for packages if anyone is interested.

Continuing to enjoy our time here with the great one -- Max. Everyone is missed.

xxxooo - Mark, Jen and MAX

Oh, and I don't care if people say he's married...the yellow Wiggle is gay.

Cutting Crew

It was haircut day today. Yeah, Jen had already given Max a Moe, and wanted a chance at redemption. Me being the control freak father, I grabbed the scissors and away I went. Now, I have consistently said that if Max turns out to be gay it's my mother-in-law's fault. Well, I am still in full belief of this, as I kept Max's attention away from my scissors of death with him staring in a comatose state at a Wiggles video that she gave to him. Let me tell you, the yellow wiggle is gayer than Uncle Steve. Their songs are gayer than anything Depche Mode ever did. Gayer than Dave and Wendy going to an Indigo Girls concert.

Anyway, it is good to see that Papi is developing skills for the future. People say that you need to always plan on losing your job. I now know that I can be a barber and a minister. Up next, tranny bartender at El Gato Negro. Max's haircut is AWESOME. Layered nicely, and everyone noticed. I guess I'm still not sure if "Oh, Max got a haircut" is a complement, but I will take it as such, being that everyone saw the subtle Clooneiesque stylings that I gave our young Guatemalan boy. Before and after shots are provided for your confirmation.

Yesterday, our neighbors invited over some Mayan friends that Jen sees in the park on an almost daily basis. Ruth has scammed many an American out of their hard earned $5. She lives in a village close by and has children and very little money. Our neighbors thought, what better way to help out poor people than to invite them over and order Domino's. I have to admit, I think they were on to something. Ruth and her family stayed in our complex all day eating pizza, bread stix, and cinnamon rolls until no one realized the were still here. They then gave new meaning to the term "para llevar", or "to go". She took the leftover pizza, put it in two Domino's boxes, balanced the boxes on her head, along with the remaing 1 and 1/2 liters of Coke, and headed for home. It was quite impressive. I see myself inviting her over for another meal just so I can get a picture. I wonder what she can do with Chinese food.

Finally, we are heading to bed soon and there is loud music playing outside. Normally, I would attribute this to living near the Mega Mall and people testing out the installation of new car stereos. But here, Jen and I truly enjoy the fact that it seems like there is always some sort of band playing music in the area, and we really don't mind. Many celebations, and many people just having fun. That's what we are doing our best to do.

Hope you are too. Wish you were here.

Mark, Jen, and MAX

xxoooooxoxooooxxxxxooxoxoxxxxxxoooo!!!!!!

No News is Good News??

Unfortunately, in our case no news is not good news. Jennifer decided there would be no updates here until we receive our own update indicating we are back in the PGN. I made no such declarations, so it's daddy time!! We hope to hear today or tomorrow whether we are back in. Everyone send good thoughts! No one wants to be here when 2015 rolls around.

So, it has been difficult, but I am managing to adjust to this warm climate. I will periodically sweat and the sun often times makes me feel hot. I have found that drinking a Guatemalan tonic called Gallo will help curb these hot flashes however. Max was scared of me when I first arrived, but that is understanable. Many people get frightened when they see me coming. It wasn't long before being thrown around by papi was pretty cool though. He also appreciated someone finally filling up the swimming pool so he could also cool off. I already have him doing laps. He is up to 8. I will be shaving his eyebrows this week so he can hopefully gain speed.

Finally, I got a little taste of Chicago as I wandered through the market the other day. I encountered a man in a wheelchair, who I gave some money to, who unfortunately had no legs. He was wearing an Anthony Thomas Chicago Bears jersey. I felt bad when I thought about the millions of dollars that Anthony Thomas received when he was a Bear, and he could run about as well as the gentleman I encountered and he has very little. I may try contacting Thomas.

Everyone is missed. Enjoy the pics. There are a few of a recent Easter processional also.

Mark, Jen and MAX

xoxoxoxo