Now that we have passed court, we wait! Seems to be a theme around here, huh? We wait while the IAN representatives in Ethiopia work hard!
Typically after court is passed, there is a wait before the adoption decree is presented. Our adoption decree was miraculously done at the time we received news that we passed court. This miracle will make our wait to travel shorter than most! This is such a blessing because most likely we will be able to travel before summer school begins. Krissy has really wanted to go to summer school. She has also worked so hard to raise/earn the funds to go with to Ethiopia. I did not want her to have to choose between the two events. Because our paperwork has a jump start, there is a really good chance she will be able to do both.
Thank you God for this adoption decree!
After the adoption decree is issued, Abebe will apply for Joshua Gebeyehu's Birth certificate. When the Birth certificate is completed then Joshua's passport will be created. Then all three documents - the adoption decree, the Birth certificate, and the passport - are presented to the US Embassy for review. After all documents are submitted to the US Embassy, Joshua will have a US government required medical appointment. Because his Birth certificate will indicate he is over 2 years old this medical exam will include a TB test. The results from the TB test are not in for 3 days. Finally after reviewing all the paperwork, the US Embassy will assign us an appointment in Ethiopia to receive everything we need to bring Joshua Gebeyehu into the US as our son.
Typically families hope and expect to travel 8 weeks after they receive the news that they passed court. We have a really good shot at a June 2 Embassy appointment. (For a June 2 Embassy appointment, we would be boarding a plane headed to Africa May 28!) That would make our wait a couple weeks shorter than most! However, although I expect to have a really good estimate as to our travel date sometime this week, our plans will not be officially approved until 10 days or so before we board our plane. So hang on folks, it is going to be a wild ride!!!
**Please pray for the staff in Ethiopia, the administrative staff , Abebe, Mitin, and Lelane, as well as Sister and the nannies. I am so thankful for all their hard work and the care they are giving Joshua Gebeyehu. Joshua Gebeyehu looks happier and healthier in every picture I see of him. Please pray that the paperwork gathering continues to proceed faster than expected. Pray for Joshua's medical appointment. I do not know how invasive this is, but I do not like the thought of him at the doctor without his mommy. Pray that it would not be a scary experience and for fast and Embassy pleasing results. Please continue to pray that God would prepare Joshua's heart to bond with ours in a deep way. Pray that he will feel like he is coming home not leaving home when we arrive in just a few weeks to claim him as ours.
