I'm an OFFICIAL MOMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Document, Yep! New Court Date, Yep.

Hello All,

Just a quick update - as I can't really think clearly! Could this all finally be happening???

Yep!

The document has been completed, is sufficient, and has been submitted to MoWA for review before the court date!

There has however, been a little change in date. The court date is NOT tomorrow, but it is on FRIDAY! My worker informed me of this change today and I just stated - well, it's easier to celebrate on a Friday :) I'm hoping that this peace of mind I have is a sign that she is FINALLY coming home!

I also asked when I could possibly be traveling and she stated that it could be as early as April 13th! Why is this amazing?

1. Because it's 17 days after court AND
2. That means that I would be arriving April 14th or 15th! EXACTLY one year after I was officially able to begin this whirlwind of a process to bring her home. That's right, I may be turning 26 years old in Ethiopia! And I certainly couldn't even imagine a better birthday miracle!

Hoping for an AMAZING outcome on Friday!! It's just beyond comprehension that I could be planing my trip to Ethiopia to pick up MY DAUGTHER in just 2 days!!

I must stop typing because I can only write in CAPS and can only finish my sentences in exclamation points.

Photos from Amy!

I just received new photos of Beamlak from Amy Breedlove!! Many many thanks to both her and Renee :)

I love the photos :) They made for a great Sunday.

Passing Court Still Possible

Hello All,

A little update on the status of our court date. Our court date is scheduled for March 26th. That's the great news - it's now under two weeks away. Gladney let me know February 26th that this would be our new court date and that they were confident they would be able to complete the new process to get the document in that time. Great! And it's true - they completed the process. The bad news - the document isn't sufficient for MoWA (as in it is not worded correctly). So what does that mean? Does it mean that they return to the court and request re-wording of the document?

Nope - not that simple - which I still do not completely understand. Now they have decided that the best opportunity to receive a document in the exact language that MoWA prefers will be by traveling to Hossaina, to request the document from a kebele there (Beamlak's birth family is from this town in SNNPR, though Beamlak was born in Addis).

All we can hope for now is that they will issue a document in the exact language MoWA prefers - otherwise - I don't know what the other options are.

I'm sure hoping March 26th is our day. Right after our last court date I wrestled with the decision to travel to Ethiopia - even after finding out that I would not be allowed to visit Beamlak. I finally decided that I just couldn't make the trip - there was no way that I could travel all the way to Ethiopia, visit Addis and not visit the home that was and continues to be the home of my heart.

Photos and Update!

I received the following photo of Beamlak earlier this week:
I couldn't help but laugh (and be a little sad) about her hair and the look on her face saying... "really, do you need to take this photo?"

I received the following update this morning and I was SO GRATEFUL to wake up to it this morning. It was certainly the beginning of a WONDERFUL day today:

"Surprise…here are a few more pictures for you. Ryan said a family that recently traveled took them. She is as beautiful as ever!

Also, I hope to have an update for you tomorrow. Belay did say that **** did go to the local court with the three witnesses and everything went well. Belay said our staff still needs to get the document and make sure it is worded correctly for MOWA to approve. I hope to have an update for you early part of next week. I will let you know as soon as I hear something. Belay said he feels very good about getting this done."

Yippie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Whoever the family is, I am so VERY grateful to them!!! I love the photos! More updates to come about the process :)