I'm to going back up a little bit to give you a better idea of what a big deal passing court was/is for us. Let's get in our Delorean and set the time travel clock to February 16, 2013. We had seen the girls faces for the very first time two days earlier on Valentines Day, and honestly it was love at first sight. I cannot explain it, but looking at their faces was like looking at someone I had known for years. We felt the connection! On the morning of the 16th we got this email from our agency:
Hi,
I just got an email from the home and they are telling me that even though the laws are written that you can adopt these sibling girls having two bio children, the current courts are not granting these cases. The courts are denying them. With this in mind, I think that you need to pass on these girls and wait for a single child. I am very very sorry to have put you through this journey. A year ago this was fine. Things keep changing.
God has this all worked out.
I remember feeling like the wind had been knocked out of me. I sat in an auditorium filled with thousands of people who were completely oblivious to the strange pain I felt and cried into Lance's chest. That night as we lay in bed we both stared at the four pictures we had been sent of these precious girls. We admitted this sad news was just not sitting right with us. It was more than just disappointment. We didn't have any release from these girls. Now, I understand why we had this unsettled, no release feeling.
So, having this warning in the back of our minds, we were slightly anxious entering the court process. This was the final approval we needed and all the other approvals would be worthless if the Judge ruled against us. I hope this explains why passing court this past Tuesday was so HUGE! After going through all that we have on this journey, it feels SO amazing for things to be complete. The words below are some of the most beautiful words ever!
I know I've explained the last couple of steps in previous posts, but I just wanted to go over them again for those of you who have been asking about our timeline for travel.
Right now, we are only waiting on TWO things! We are waiting on written court orders and passports!
Yesterday, I got an email from our representative. She confirmed that we had passed court (which we already knew because we had read the notes from the hearing online) and said the home was expecting written orders next week! This would be AWESOME! A couple of other families with children in a different Delhi home have waited a bit longer for their written orders, so it would be so great if our home is correct and we get the orders next week!
One of the other Delhi families told me their home has said passports are taking about 10 days. This home does probably 4-5 times the number of adoptions our home does, so I'm really hoping they know what they are talking about! I think I would pee my pants if we get passports in 10 days! Our home said it would take a few weeks. We will see who is right!
IF we got written orders by the end of next week and passports two weeks later, we could be ready to travel by mid October! Eeeeeeek!
IF we got written orders by the end of next week and passports three weeks later, we would be ready to travel by the end of October which will be around Diwali and my birthday! I would love this except everything would be shut down, so it would be hard to get everything done that we need to get done in Delhi. I'm unsure what to do about this, but it may not even be an issue so I'll worry about it if it becomes one.
IF we got written orders by say the end of the month and passports took three weeks, we would be ready to travel around the beginning of November!
Of course all of this is purely hypothetical and we could be delayed at either of these steps, but I really believe we will be home before Thanksgiving!
Thanks to all of you who have prayed alongside us through this very long process! Please keep praying for these last two steps to be completed quickly!
Until next time! -K
I know exactly the feeling of "no release" -- we were investigating other options for our family too, and I wept thinking we were not supposed to be done with India. And that same day we received Kavya's referral! I'm so glad you'll be right in Delhi -- no need for an in-country flight for the girls before you come home. Kind of random, but that's a mom's brain! There's a Facebook group about therapeutic parenting for adopted children called Parenting With Connection -- thought I'd tell you about it if you didn't already know. God bless you as you wait for the final steps to be completed!
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Thanks Nancy! You have always been a source of encouragement throughout this process and I appreciate you! I am on that FB page! Lots of valuable advice and info there.
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