Yesterday we received this email from our agency:
America World is writing to inform families that the Ethiopian Federal Court announced a change in the court policies today. This change requires both prospective adoptive parents to appear at court in person to testify to their desire and commitment to adopt their referred child(ren).
Beginning today, families need to be prepared to travel to Ethiopia approximately 4 - 8 weeks after receiving a referral in order to be present in Ethiopia for their appointed court date. Families will remain in Ethiopia for roughly 5 -7 days and will then return to the US. After officially passing court, families will then travel back to Ethiopia approximately 10 -12 weeks later to pick up their adopted child(ren). Once more information and details have been received in the weeks ahead, America World will be in the process of exploring the possibility of escort service options in lieu of a second trip [on a case by case basis]. Families travelling to Ethiopia and meeting their children prior to passing court enables children to return on an IR-3 visa, thus allowing children to become US citizen upon arrive into the US.
Our agency has always cautioned us that there can always be changes made during international adoptions at any stage of the game. I guess I never realized how big that change can be. Basically what this means is that instead of one trip to Ethiopia we will be required to do two trips. We had a conference call with our agency today and there still seems to be a lot unkown as to how this will all work out and if it will effect our waiting time. I have to admit that yesterday I was initially upset, but I am trying to hang on to what I know to be true and God's promises. I know 1 thing for sure: That God wants Jimmy and I to adopt. How and when we get there I don't know but God does. God knew way before we got to this point that this bump in our journey was coming and He will guide us through it.
So once we get our referral we will both have to travel to Ethiopia for court approximately 4-6 weeks after our referral. We will be in country for 5-7 days and then will have to leave our baby (can't even imagine how hard that is going to be right now) and not be able to return for 10-12 weeks to pick him/her up and bring them home. The extra trip is going to add about $5000 extra to the adoption cost. They said in the call that the second trip could possibly be as short as 3-4 days and that they are not sure if both parents will have to be present for the second trip. Like I said earlier a lot is unknown that hopefully will become clearer over weeks to come. So we need all the prayers we can get - not just our family but all the families that have been informed of the changes.
I just read a devotional yesterday about Laying aside Anxiety: running with peace. The thing that hit me most about this devotion was Philippians 4:6-7 - Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. When I read that verse I thought there are definetily things in my past that have caused me anxiety that I now am thankful for. For example: infertility. If we would have never experienced infertility, we probably would never have gone down this adoption road and I am so thankful for those experiences now. But then I got that email later yesterday... It is a whole differnt story to try and be thankful as you are right then and there experiencing anxiety. So I am working on casting my anxiousness on God and being thankful as I do it. So thank you God for continuing to surround us with such a supportive group of friends and family cheering us on!!!!!
