It's Official!!

WE PASSED!  WE PASSED!!  WE PASSED!!!  We officially are parents to our beautiful and smart little boy.  Apparently the social worker picked up the disappearance letter from the Kebele and delivered it to the judge the day before our court date---talk about cutting it close!  That is all that was needed for us to pass.  It's too bad it took seven weeks to do it.

Susan called me the minute she found out the news and I happened to be at work at the time.  When the phone rang and I saw who it was I was walking a patient at the time.  I hollered for someone to help with the patient as this was the call I was waiting for.  When I answered it I knew by the tone in her voice it was good news.  She said "you passed, it is over."  I was ecstatic and once I hung up, I immediately started getting hugs and congratulations from my co-workers.  After all, they have also been on this journey with me the last two years.

What now?  Well, we move onto the last step which is Embassy.  The agency has to wait for the adoption decree from the courts and then get it translated.  Once translated they get the new birth certificate and then use that to get his passport.  He also has to get a medical exam by the Embassy doctor and have repeat blood tests done.  Once all these things are done and his file is complete, it is submitted to the US Embassy where his file is reviewed.  Hopefully at that time we will be cleared to travel.  They could also request more documentation which can't possibly happen to us again, could it?  The Embassy will e-mail me when we have been cleared and we will schedule an Embassy date.  This will be when I go back to Ethiopia to get his VISA and bring him home. 

Unfortunately, this whole process will take about 6-8 weeks, if we are lucky.  The latest news is that the Embassy will only be scheduling half the appointments they normally do in July due to staff training.  Our agency says it should not slow things down too much though, due to only about half the cases passing court right now.  This remains to be seen but I don't think we deserve any more delays.  We have had our share.

Well, now that we have passed court I can finally show off our son to the world!  World, meet Nathan Emmanuel Hertzfeld!