Next Steps

Once we receive the official paperwork (this coming week) and return it to our adoption agency, the agency will inform the staff in Ethiopia that we’ve accepted this little one, and a court date for the birth family will be scheduled.  Our coordinator seems to believe that the courts are scheduling hearings for early June at this time.  Then, the court date for us can be scheduled about 4 weeks later.  So, we would hope to make our first trip in early to mid July. 

We really hope to get this court trip in before the Ethiopian courts close for the “rainy season,” which usually happens around the end of July through September.  It would be a little maddening to sit here doing nothing for two months waiting out the rain.  So, if you’re inclined to pray for prompt scheduling, we would be grateful.

After our court trip, we’ll come home (sans baby) and wait for another 4 to 6 weeks for things to be wrapped up in Ethiopia.  Then we’ll go back to Ethiopia for an appointment with the Embassy there (which mercifully does not close for rainy season), and we’ll bring our girl home at that time. 

Best case scenario, I think this would be early September.  We sure would like to celebrate her first birthday here at home…