The Courts have opened!

The Ethiopian courts opened about a week ago. Families are being assigned groups. A group is about 10 families that will have their cases brought to the Ethiopian court and then the courts will grant them their children. Sometimes your case can go to court and not pass. This isn't typical, but does happen. It doesn't have anything to do with the family, but with the paperwork. There can be a missing piece, or an outdated piece. The agency will then help the family get the proper and necessary paperwork to another court date.

Families are given a letter group. I have heard that families for group T-U-V have been assigned. There will not be a group W (who knows why!). The next will be X and we have been updated that we might be in group Y or Z. There are groups that are going to court today! I should hear soon whether they have passed and when they will be travelling.

The other very cool thing that has happened is that we got the go ahead to send out our Welcome Bags. You are allowed to send a photo book, with no more than 15 labeled photos, 2 toys equalling 10.00, a disposable camera, a letter, and a T-shirt...We, of course, chose to "represent" and sent them T-Town shirts. This will likely be the first time that the children find out that they are being adopted. They will get their packages and KNOW....right at that moment...that we are coming to get them.
I sent the packages to Merrily the head of AAI, and she will be going to Ethiopia on the 20th. So our girls will probably know about the 22nd I think? Would you pray that the girls will not be afraid? I would be afraid, and very very sad to leave. I don't even know if the girls secretly are hoping their father will come back.

We also got our OK from homeland security to adopt. This is also a big deal. Paperwork wise...this is a hang up place.

So....perhaps our case will go to court this month...I am hoping.....If that is the case, we can expect to get a Embassy date...and that will be when I will travel. That date is usually 6-8 weeks from the court date. We could possibly have our girls home at the very end of December. However, what is the real chance at that? Things always happen. I am hoping for them home by the end of January.

By the way...when I talk of a court date, that is where we adopt the children by proxy.

I am still checking my email a million times a day, and will let you know when we get the date!