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.