Thursday, March 31, 2011
Good News!!!...and no news?????
Last Thursday we received the long awaited news that Derartu was cleared by the Embassy. This means that we are now free to go over and bring her home!!! I can't tell you how much of a relief it was to finally have this resolved. What a horrible time it was to wait and not know. Most adoptive parents say that once she comes home that we will forget what the waiting was like much like a women forgets about the labor and delivery once the baby has arrived. I have a hard time imagining that I will forget the roller coaster of emotions we have endured for 4.5 months, but we will see when she gets here. The obvious question is "when do you go get her?" The surprising answer is that we don't know yet. Under normal circumstances we would have chosen dates and booked plan tickets by now. But we were told two weeks ago that Abdu's case was going to be submitted to the Embassy. This was great news because if he was cleared then we would go get them both. Knowing our luck, guess what has happened? We have now gone the past two weeks and he still hasn't been submitted to the Embassy. Why? Because of a missing letter from the Ministry of Women's Affairs (MOWA). MOWA is an organization in Ethiopia that provides a lot of the documentation for the courts and embassy during the adoption process. I don't fully understand the reason for their existence or what their core mission is, but I do understand we need for them to write a lot of mandatory letters during the process. MOWA is the poster child for the Ethiopian way. What seems to be a routine letter that is required for Embassy submission all of the sudden is like the most drawn out process you have ever been a part of. Not only that, some times it will take two days to get a letter and others it takes weeks. It is almost like MOWA will get to it when they get to it, no rhyme or reason to the method. So that is where we stand. A little girl who is clear to come home but we can't because we are waiting for a routine letter to be submitted by MOWA so our son's case can go to the Embassy. Things will also get a little complicated the longer this drags into April because we have Faith's First Communion at the beginning of May. Her first communion is a hugely important life event that we don't want to become something we "have to get through" because we are recovering from the trip or preparing for the trip. This needs to be celebrated as the wonderful day that it is. I know I ask this every time, but keep praying that things get resolved VERY soon!
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Is it good news or just more news???
We received another update from our agency yesterday and are being told it is good news. You can imagine after 4 months of being jerked around we are a little cautious about believing that any news is good news.
So here is the news: Last week Wednesday Derartu's case was finally submitted again to the US Embassy. Our thought is that there is nothing else they could possibly need at this point considering the full investigation her case went through. Oh but we were wrong. Yesterday the US Embassy said they need another document from the orphanage where Derartu came from. Our agency made it sound like this document was a formality and easy to get. They tried to make it sound like this request is a positive sign. The problem is that this is just another request on top of many other requests that will just push things out a little further.
There was a bit of what we consider good news in their communication with us. Apparently Abdu's post-court paperwork is progressing well and they hope to be able to submit it to the Embassy next week on 3/23. If this happens and they get that other document for Derartu our kids could be assigned one Embassy date together which is definitely good news.
Don't get me wrong, we see that God's plan may be at work here with the timing. It would be wonderful logistically and financially to go one time and bring both of them home which it appears that we will likely be able to do at this point. However, this timeline is only positive if the Embassy doesn't ask for more documentation on Derartu or, heaven forbid, they take Abdu's case down the same path that they took Derartu's which would delay him for months. The bottom line is that we won't know until his case is submitted and the Embassy can review it.
One other tactic that we have taken is to get our local US Congressman's, Marlin Stutzman, office involved. They were absolutely wonderful in getting a couple of things done for us late last year with some things that we needed from government agencies. The lady that we are working with has an extensive background in international adoption within the government and is well connected there. As I type this she is putting an inquiry into the Embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to get an explanation as to all that is happening with our case. Our agency is wonderful but they don't give us a lot of detailed explanation about what is happening, so hopefully this will yield some results.
Our agency did end their message to us yesterday by saying that if all goes well we should be able to bring both of them home in early April. So we need everyone to pray hard for us! We need for these little ones to come home and be with their family and we sure could use to get rid of all the anxiety, stress, frustration and worry.
The rest of the family is doing great. Tami's grandmother passed last week so we attended that funeral over the weekend. What a GREAT lady and a GREAT example of discipleship. Grandma Rita will certainly be missed! It was truly a celebration as she was a strong woman of God and we know that she wasn't afraid, but rather looking forward to her homecoming.
The kids are doing wonderfully in school now that we are through this horrible winter and they are actually attending school on a regular schedule. Faith is on a break from winter swimming and the two older boys are playing Upward basketball. Faith also tried out for the school play but didn't get a part:( She was very disappointed and so was I as I was at the cut and had to watch as she anxiously awaited the calling of her name that never happened. But she rebounded quickly that evening which was promising as sometimes she really lingers on bad news.
We hope all is well with our friends and family who follow our pathetic little blog. We pray for all of you often in our family shared prayer each evening before bed. I hope to have some good news to post about our adoption really soon!
So here is the news: Last week Wednesday Derartu's case was finally submitted again to the US Embassy. Our thought is that there is nothing else they could possibly need at this point considering the full investigation her case went through. Oh but we were wrong. Yesterday the US Embassy said they need another document from the orphanage where Derartu came from. Our agency made it sound like this document was a formality and easy to get. They tried to make it sound like this request is a positive sign. The problem is that this is just another request on top of many other requests that will just push things out a little further.
There was a bit of what we consider good news in their communication with us. Apparently Abdu's post-court paperwork is progressing well and they hope to be able to submit it to the Embassy next week on 3/23. If this happens and they get that other document for Derartu our kids could be assigned one Embassy date together which is definitely good news.
Don't get me wrong, we see that God's plan may be at work here with the timing. It would be wonderful logistically and financially to go one time and bring both of them home which it appears that we will likely be able to do at this point. However, this timeline is only positive if the Embassy doesn't ask for more documentation on Derartu or, heaven forbid, they take Abdu's case down the same path that they took Derartu's which would delay him for months. The bottom line is that we won't know until his case is submitted and the Embassy can review it.
One other tactic that we have taken is to get our local US Congressman's, Marlin Stutzman, office involved. They were absolutely wonderful in getting a couple of things done for us late last year with some things that we needed from government agencies. The lady that we are working with has an extensive background in international adoption within the government and is well connected there. As I type this she is putting an inquiry into the Embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to get an explanation as to all that is happening with our case. Our agency is wonderful but they don't give us a lot of detailed explanation about what is happening, so hopefully this will yield some results.
Our agency did end their message to us yesterday by saying that if all goes well we should be able to bring both of them home in early April. So we need everyone to pray hard for us! We need for these little ones to come home and be with their family and we sure could use to get rid of all the anxiety, stress, frustration and worry.
The rest of the family is doing great. Tami's grandmother passed last week so we attended that funeral over the weekend. What a GREAT lady and a GREAT example of discipleship. Grandma Rita will certainly be missed! It was truly a celebration as she was a strong woman of God and we know that she wasn't afraid, but rather looking forward to her homecoming.
The kids are doing wonderfully in school now that we are through this horrible winter and they are actually attending school on a regular schedule. Faith is on a break from winter swimming and the two older boys are playing Upward basketball. Faith also tried out for the school play but didn't get a part:( She was very disappointed and so was I as I was at the cut and had to watch as she anxiously awaited the calling of her name that never happened. But she rebounded quickly that evening which was promising as sometimes she really lingers on bad news.
We hope all is well with our friends and family who follow our pathetic little blog. We pray for all of you often in our family shared prayer each evening before bed. I hope to have some good news to post about our adoption really soon!
Friday, March 4, 2011
STILL Waiting.....
What a soap opera this adoption process is turning into! I am going to try to attempt to document everything that has happened over the past few months. I apologize if it is confusing but I know that we get a lot of questions about what is happening so here is my attempt to explain.
Derartu's case was flagged for an investigation. This is being done pretty regularly now in Ethiopia because of widespread allegations of adoption fraud. So the US Embassy is investigating a lot of cases and adding new guidelines to make sure that the children being adopted fit the definition of "orphan" as published by the US Department of State. Tami and I fully support the Unites States' efforts on this front although it has been extremely frustrating and disheartening.
Prior to the investigation the US Embassy kicked back Derartu's case twice because certain documentation was missing and some of it wasn't on the proper letterhead. Yes, that's right, the proper letterhead. So now it is mid-January and her case is submitted a third time and it is flagged for investigation. The director of our agency met with Embassy officials and told them that they would do an independent investigation as she knew our agency would get it done much faster than the Embassy could do it. 3 weeks into the investigation we asked where the investigation was and were told that the lawyer doing the investigation needed another week. Fast forward 2 weeks and we ask where the investigation was and were told that it was done and now was being translated to English for the Embassy. We are now two weeks into the translation of the report and it still isn't done. We were told that Derartu's case would be submitted this past Wednesday and it just didn't happen.
On top of this investigation the US Embassy continues to add new documents and guideline requirements at least once per week. Last Friday morning we were told that our case would be submitted the following Wednesday. Not an hour later we get an email from our agency that says the US Embassy just informed them that Tami and I both have to sign a Privacy Act document that gives the US Embassy permission to share information with our agency about our case. Now up to this point that was happening but apparently there was a "magical" need for a waiver. The kicker here is that Derartu's case couldn't be submitted until the ORIGINALS were in the US Embassy in Ethiopia. Keep in mind that this is Friday and they submit the following Wednesday. So we signed them and sent them over night to our agency in Washington State so they could get them to Ethiopia.
I followed up early this week to see if they could get the document to the US Embassy by Wednesday so our case could be submitted. At that point I was told that submission wasn't going to happen anyway because our investigation still wasn't translated (after 2 weeks) and now the Embassy has required that the next of kin sign a waiver stating they understand that they understand the child is being adopted internationally. Ethiopia is not a place where you email, scan, fax or fedex a document to the next of kin. Someone is going to have to track them down to get a signature. Who knows how long this is going to take.
Out of all of the train wreck situations I have heard adoptive families going through in Ethiopia, ours is right up there with the worst.
Now let's get to the sliver linging part. We thank God that He has called us to Him and given us the wisdom to pursue and grow our relationship with Him. This is what has gotten us through all of this turmoil and allowed us to trust in Him and His plan for our family. The good thing that will likely come out of this is that we will likely be able to bring Derartu and Abdu home at the same time. We originally thought we would have to go twice which is inconvenient and expensive. Abdu's case appears to be progressing more "normally" and should be ready for submission to the Embassy in the near future like Derartu's case. Now there is always the chance that the Embassy decides to investigate or kick back Abdu's case but we are keeping the faith that this won't happen.
So, as always, we need your prayers. We have run the gammet of emotions during this process. Any of you who know me well knows how patient a person I am (NOT!). I think that is another blessing that has come from this process. God has forced me to TRUST. I haven't been very good at it but it has made me very aware of my control issues and has caused me to reflect on how that affects me and what I need to do to change it.
On the homefront things are great. We are sick of winter and bummed that all the snow days have extended the school year by several days. The kids are doing wonderfully in school and everywhere else. Faith is going to her first Reconciliation this weekend in preparation for her First Communion in May. We are so excited for her as this is the centerpoint of our Catholic faith.
Derartu's case was flagged for an investigation. This is being done pretty regularly now in Ethiopia because of widespread allegations of adoption fraud. So the US Embassy is investigating a lot of cases and adding new guidelines to make sure that the children being adopted fit the definition of "orphan" as published by the US Department of State. Tami and I fully support the Unites States' efforts on this front although it has been extremely frustrating and disheartening.
Prior to the investigation the US Embassy kicked back Derartu's case twice because certain documentation was missing and some of it wasn't on the proper letterhead. Yes, that's right, the proper letterhead. So now it is mid-January and her case is submitted a third time and it is flagged for investigation. The director of our agency met with Embassy officials and told them that they would do an independent investigation as she knew our agency would get it done much faster than the Embassy could do it. 3 weeks into the investigation we asked where the investigation was and were told that the lawyer doing the investigation needed another week. Fast forward 2 weeks and we ask where the investigation was and were told that it was done and now was being translated to English for the Embassy. We are now two weeks into the translation of the report and it still isn't done. We were told that Derartu's case would be submitted this past Wednesday and it just didn't happen.
On top of this investigation the US Embassy continues to add new documents and guideline requirements at least once per week. Last Friday morning we were told that our case would be submitted the following Wednesday. Not an hour later we get an email from our agency that says the US Embassy just informed them that Tami and I both have to sign a Privacy Act document that gives the US Embassy permission to share information with our agency about our case. Now up to this point that was happening but apparently there was a "magical" need for a waiver. The kicker here is that Derartu's case couldn't be submitted until the ORIGINALS were in the US Embassy in Ethiopia. Keep in mind that this is Friday and they submit the following Wednesday. So we signed them and sent them over night to our agency in Washington State so they could get them to Ethiopia.
I followed up early this week to see if they could get the document to the US Embassy by Wednesday so our case could be submitted. At that point I was told that submission wasn't going to happen anyway because our investigation still wasn't translated (after 2 weeks) and now the Embassy has required that the next of kin sign a waiver stating they understand that they understand the child is being adopted internationally. Ethiopia is not a place where you email, scan, fax or fedex a document to the next of kin. Someone is going to have to track them down to get a signature. Who knows how long this is going to take.
Out of all of the train wreck situations I have heard adoptive families going through in Ethiopia, ours is right up there with the worst.
Now let's get to the sliver linging part. We thank God that He has called us to Him and given us the wisdom to pursue and grow our relationship with Him. This is what has gotten us through all of this turmoil and allowed us to trust in Him and His plan for our family. The good thing that will likely come out of this is that we will likely be able to bring Derartu and Abdu home at the same time. We originally thought we would have to go twice which is inconvenient and expensive. Abdu's case appears to be progressing more "normally" and should be ready for submission to the Embassy in the near future like Derartu's case. Now there is always the chance that the Embassy decides to investigate or kick back Abdu's case but we are keeping the faith that this won't happen.
So, as always, we need your prayers. We have run the gammet of emotions during this process. Any of you who know me well knows how patient a person I am (NOT!). I think that is another blessing that has come from this process. God has forced me to TRUST. I haven't been very good at it but it has made me very aware of my control issues and has caused me to reflect on how that affects me and what I need to do to change it.
On the homefront things are great. We are sick of winter and bummed that all the snow days have extended the school year by several days. The kids are doing wonderfully in school and everywhere else. Faith is going to her first Reconciliation this weekend in preparation for her First Communion in May. We are so excited for her as this is the centerpoint of our Catholic faith.
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