Read This Friends!

It was a quiet weekend.
I decided that today would be the day we move forward. My plan was to contact the attorney and determine the best route for our paperwork to be turned over to Heather.
Once again, my plans are not His plans.

First, I received a message that another IBESR extension was announced.
Two more weeks to submit.

Funny how doors keep opening when it seems that we've hit a brick wall.

I sprung into action.
Would he turn over our file willingly? Not likely.
I was told that many attornies are literally fighting to hold onto dossiers, rather than relinquish them to agencies per families requests, because dossiers = income.
I believe he would fight also.

I contacted my husband.
I got online and found a flight.
I called the Sisters and arranged for airport pick up and transportation to the attorney's office.
I called my father-in-law and told him I needed help - my parents are out of town and Eric has games to coach and the kids will need to be picked up after school . . .
and I tried calling the attorney,
over and over and over and over again.
Finally, he answered
and in his non-chalant tone stated that Oh, I forgot to email you - you were submitted.
Excuse me? Come again.

Blah, Blah, Blah . . .

I had so much more written, but there was an internet mishap and it was lost.
More importantly, it isn't relevant or important because

WE ARE IN.

5 digit number confirms that our son has a file number in IBESR and all that really needs to be said is this:

I can't even breathe! So very blessed.

Where do we go from here?

Thank you friends for your prayers and support.

The question is this: if not submitted into IBESR, where do we go from here?

We will need to collect our files from the attorney and get them to an agency. They are willing to work with us and are eager to help us move forward . . .
but, what laws will apply to us? What will our timeline be? What costs will be repeated / applied?

How much longer will our son be without a family?

I cannot answer these questions, but truly appreciate your love and concern for us. When I know more, be sure that I will share.

In the meantime, Hallelujah for all the families who received receipt into IBESR at long last.
God is good and knows His plan for us. Our job is to be open to His will and follow.

Weekly Rant

I've felt peaceful this week, despite the looming deadline for our attorney to submit paperwork to IBESR prior to the Hague Convention regulations being put into place.

I spoke with Ashley and Shasta and feel absolutely certain that with them is where we will move forward. They have Haiti's orphans in their hearts and understand our heartache, and that of other families in similar situations, who wait and long for their faraway children.

That nice feeling has changed though.

(CODE: Be forewarned. Read at your own risk. Angry adoptive mama about to write.)

Today, the attorney emailed.

I have very little to say because I am so angry that I have literally been gritting my teeth for the past three hours.  I was fortunate to have a short day at work . . . although that allows me to come home and fume about his words and lack of all caring or motivation regarding our case or adoptions in his country at all.

jackass

With tears in my eyes, I sip a glass of Riesling at 1:45 in the afternoon . . .
ears burning and blood pressure pumping . . .
So, I returned his email.
No more nicety nice -
do not worry friends, I kept my respectful balance and tone -
however, I let him have it.

Why has our dossier been in your office for 11 months with no urgency until we informed you of this impending deadline?

Why haven't you been more proactive and diligent in pursuing this adoption when you were handsomely paid to do so?

Why has our child lost another year of life living without a family who loves him?

People have written that foreign adoptees are too cordial and polite to these individuals paid to represent them and their child's interests at the highest courts. Why do we continue to politely ask for updates instead of demanding the information we should be getting on a regular basis from the one responsible for advocating on our behalf? It is so difficult to be assertive without fearing coming across as disrespectful or harsh, yet we witness their behavior that is less than ideal, and say nothing. We wait so long with our hands tied. We pray and cry and keep paying for extensions and updates and supportive measures. When is it okay to ask for answers?

When you are about to change roads, that's when.

We probably won't be submitted on time, and ya know what?
That's okay.
Not that Dimitry will be institutionalized longer, but that his file and our adoption will finally be in the hands of people who truly care about him getting a family forever.

To those of you who may not be submitted either, it's okay.
God's hand is surely still in this,
and maybe,
it'll be even better this way.

In the meantime,
look at this -
https://www.facebook.com/#!/media/set/?set=a.464912393539248.113982.291700304193792&type=1

Holy mackerel!
Brings tears to my eyes again :)

One week left

Five work days in this week ahead.
Five business days to submit paperwork . . . or, at least, that's how I assume it works there just like it does here.
Then again . . .
someone raised an interesting point this past week:
Are we SURE this whole September 15th submission date is legitimate?
Hmmmm.
Nice to think it could be rumor, but better to act on it as fact.

I fluctuate between heart ache and fear over losing more time to be a family with Dimitry, but I also have to admit that there is a positive side to this --

If we move our file to an agency, we will actually be working with someone who cares about orphans in Haiti. Wow, that will be refreshing.
We also might be eligible for grants to assist us in this costly process.
That would be totally cool.

How many more trips?
How many more months, or worse yet, years??
How many more hurricane seasons and natural disasters and birthdays and Christmases?

So many unknowns.
So much to worry about.
So much to let go of and let God handle.

Whew. It's hard to be strong this long.

It's even harder to be an orphan.


 

11 days remain.

Yesterday was a promising day: several emails teasing us with progress and dossier submission on the horizon.

Today was silent.

Holy roller coaster

 

UP    and                UP   and                  UP    and  

                        down,                     down,                       down . . .

 

 

Ugh.

Get a load of this!

So, this is kinda funny.

Not ha ha ha, but more like are you freaking kidding me?!

18 days to submit paperwork . . .
and I sent a couple more emails last night.
I contacted Father Joe with a plea to intervene and talk with Mr. Law face-to-face on our behalf.

I also emailed The Man. This time, we offered a "financial incentive" for Mr. Law to get off his tail and act. The response I received describes his efforts on our behalf, while the nuns are apparently trying to sabotage this adoption.

WOW

My GI system was not acting quite right this morning,
before the aforementioned communication,
but it's difficult to describe the state it's in now.

This man must be very confident in his position to say such things.

Oh, and there is surely a special place in hell for individuals who have such generous resources and means in a country plagued by corruption and destitution, but display the level of apathy and indolence as this.

To state that all of his efforts have been for our case, when so many months have passed with my begging for his intervention and assistance, is more than absurd.

There have been no secrets or underestimation on my part about the lack of resources in Fondwa available to the Sisters, yet he now has the audacity to blame them for our lack of progression and goes as far to say that it may be intentional.

Yes, I've heard that devastating poverty and kind hearts will make people vindictive and malicious.

WTH?

Oh my word, Mister.
I'm glad you don't answer to me ultimately. I'm sure I could never give you what you rightly deserve.

Along this journey, many obstacles have entered our path, but if the enemy thinks we will give up and crawl away with our sad tails between our legs, he is going to be greatly disappointed.
We are supported and loved and faithful.

There are too many children waiting for families . . .

I may not be the strongest or the toughest or the most patient of waiting mothers,
but I'm not going anywhere.

(and I could probably get in trouble for all of this)

Dimitry is our son.
Someday, this journey will be a memory, but the outcome will be such a wondrous blessing.

20 days to submit.

Watching Isaac.
Praying the forecast is wrong and it won't hit Haiti with hurricane force winds.