I am back in Ohio now, and I can tell that I have not entirely gotten used to the time change, because I am up at 6am of my own volition! So wonderful to be home, to be back with my family. So interesting to realise what things are so easy here, and still there are many things that are harder - more complicated.
I sent the CARE directors an email before I left Uganda on Friday. I expressed my gratitude for letting me come to the Babies' Home, and of my understanding of how we left things. They have not finished getting accredited to do adoptions with the US. They hope this will take a few weeks to complete. In the meantime, we have to transfer our paperwork, this beastly paper the I-600A, from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to Kampala Uganda. This will probably take me several weeks. I also have to finish their intake papers - the papers that they require of me. Most are duplicates of things I had to assemble for the immigration papers - medical certificates, letters from employers, police clearances. A few things are new - a letter from us of our intent to adopt, among others. So hopefully all of these things can be accomplished this month.
I sent the email on Friday, and have not heard back yet - Tuesday morning. If I hadn't been in Uganda myself, I would be going crazy. But now I understand how things roll there. I wouldn't be surprised if they check their email once a week. Also between the power going out, and other random things like all yahoo mail being inaccessible as times - well, sometimes you just don't have a choice. Also the 2 women who answer the email are the same 2 who spend hours at the Babies' Home, who meet with agencies about accreditation - they are the people who do it all. Still, I am checking my email many times a day!
Once all the paperwork has been completed, then we will do the official match. I was told to come to Uganda to "choose a child"- as crazy as that sounds. But that's not how this will work. They will match us with a child - one whose orphan history has been thoroughly investigated. One whom they deem best suited for us and our family dynamics. I cannot begin to imagine how lovely and concrete that will feel.
Then our lawyer will secure a court date. The judges schedule them 2 months out. So at the earliest, we will be returning in June. Both parents need to be present for the court hearing. We'll be able to plan on that date, and make arrangements for our children back home. The most tricky part seems to be after - waiting for the judge to make his decision. In the best of circumstances, he will approve our adoption within a few days. But I don't know how often that happens. It is up to the discretion of the judge, his schedule and anything else he may require upon our court date. Some families wait a few weeks; some unfortunate families wait months to have their child approved for adoption. Once it does go through, we apply for a visa at the US Embassy and take our kid home.
This is the most insane thing, this international adoption. I came into it blindly, thinking we would be filling a need, and therefore would bypass all those people waiting years for a healthy baby. Ha! It is almost discouraging, seeing how countries do not make this easy. But then at the bottom of it all is the child. Do you want them to be moved halfway across the world without investigating the backgrounds of the people involved? How much precaution is too much? When I look at those little faces, I am relieved that they feel it necessary to find out so much about me.
Back to the waiting game.
No comments:
Post a Comment