So Sorry!

I want to start out by apologizing for not getting to you sooner. I can't say we've been BUSY per se. Because we haven't. WE have 4 doting adults and one baby boy so we're anything but busy. It's just that I.CAN'T. TAKE.MY.EYES.OFF.OF.HIM - not even for the five minutes it takes me to blog. So, I am sorry, but I've been caught up in something far more wonderful - getting to know our beautiful son! I owe you a lot of time so I think it is best to go chronologically. Court Date: Thursday, December 5th WE were lucky enough to share this date with another couple from our agency who are adopting a two year old son. So, when Girmachew picked us up for court, we were escorted to their hotel before we went to the court house. Our new friends climbed aboard and we set off to the court house. After climbing what I think is 5 flights of crowded, narrow stairs, we made it to our destination - a small waiting room with approximately 50 seats and 75 people in it all waiting for their turn. WE sighed, big sighs, as we knew we were in for a long wait. Just as Darryl and I congratulated ourselves for being prepared with lots of snacks and water, they called us and our new friends into the room. I think we were 3rd to be called. Amazing! We sat down in the chairs at one end of the room and faced the judge - the four of us. The judge asked us a series of yes or no questions - probably 10-12 in all. Questions about keeping his culture, about if we had met him, how many times, etc and we answered "yes" or "no" in unison. Then, suddenly, just as we were anticipating another question, she said something like - "well, it seems all your paperwork is in order(UHHHHHHHHHHH YAAAAAAAAAAAAAA) so, he becomes legally a permanent part of your family". At which point I let out an audible gasp and we all got up and thanked the judge and left the room. The whole process took about 5 minutes. Such a simple enough ending to years of waiting - to years of hoping, to putting all of ourselves into and just like that - he's ours. We're done. And I couldn't help but cry and hug our new friends and kiss my Darryl and be so happy, in the narrow hallway of a very simple courthouse. WE then went to the Agency's office to immediately begin the immigration paperwork and were greeted by MArtha who we knew only by name and knew so much about but had never met. She offered us coffee and we got right down to business filling our Citizenship Part 2!!! As our new friends were leaving the next day, they were able to go and see their son, and we were sent back to our hotel to wait until we could see Amanuel again. Great day, one that needs to be remembered.