Court Dates and Things Slowing Down

I am on two Yahoo groups with a bunch of other expectant adoptive parents. They are both groups for people adopting from Ethiopia. We all SO celebrate when anyone has any of their steps accomplished or move through various areas of government. About a month ago there was a flurry of referrals and visas and medicals being issued, for which we were all so happy. When these things happen it gives the waiting parents HOPE! All of those of us waiting can 'see' more children moving into the orphanage, which in turn gives us hope that maybe our referrals will come sooner.

When things are quiet for too long it is disconcerting. There have not been court dates for so long and some families have waited 4-5 months. One poor family, due to some unusual circumstances, has been waiting since last May!!! When we first signed on with Kidslink we were told 4-6 weeks (mayb 6-8 weeks) for the court date. Now we are being told 2-3 months. Things are taking longer for a variety of reasons. Just one more area in this long game of waiting.

The reason all these families had to wait so long was an unusual one and hopefully will not happen again. Seasonally, the Ethiopian courts close for the months of August and September and if you don't get seen by August 5th (thereabout) you will have to wait until October, when they reopen! To add to this two month delay, the government decided to inspect all the orphanages and Kidslink received an *excellent* review. Not that I am surprised due to all the parents who are coming home and reporting on all that they see while picking up their children. Hopefully, this was a one time procedure.

Kidslink decided (who knows why) not to put any families through court during this inspection process, so this put an even longer delay on those families waiting.

But I am thrilled to report that yesterday was a *wonderful* day for our Yahoo groups families!!! FIVE families made it through court!!! Five sets of children (at least 9 children) now have mummies and daddies that are officially theirs!!! YEAH!!

Kidslink says that now things will pick up again. So I am hoping that the New Year brings good news for lots of waiting families!!

Update: Gee, before I even finished writing my next post I have to edit this one!! YEAH!! Another family made it through court yesterday!! Make that 10 kids in new families!!! Merry Christmas!!