FAQ: How Long Will You be Gone to EE?

Much longer than I EVER thought I would leave my kids for! :-)

Quick answer: We will leave together (2nd honeymoon?) and Pat will stay the first 2-3 weeks. I will stay and be gone 5-6 consecutive weeks .

Long answer: From what I understand, typically for adoptions from this EE country, both parents must travel over and have their court date with the gov't and receive the official referral to be matched with the child. Then, a day or so later after completing some paperwork, the parents can travel to the child's region, meet with the powers-to-be at the orphanage (social worker, lawyer, director, etc), and then meet the child! (I can't wait for that day!!!) Then after more paperwork, a court date is assigned. Depending on the region, this date can be 2-4 weeks out. The last family that was in our region had 2 weeks between their first court date to be matched and the second date. (I think this was on the quicker side for this region.) This second court date is when the child officially becomes a member of the family! Happy Day!

However...this country then has a 10-day waiting period before the next round of paperwork can begin. This 10-day waiting period is written into law so that the family of the child has a chance to come and claim the child. I've never heard of this happening with a RR family. Once the waiting period is over, the paper chase starts again for the child's birth certificate, passport, visa, embassy medical exams, etc. This can take a couple weeks too. Then home! :-)

So...long answer to a simple question. Right now, we are planning on us both going over together for 2-3 weeks. Pat will come home right after court. Then, I plan to stay for the waiting period and do whatever it takes to get home ASAP. I'm planning on being gone 5-6 weeks. Gulp! That was hard to type. I will rely on the Lord to get all of us through this. It definitely will not be easy. My parents have very graciously volunteered to come and watch the kids for us while we travel! What a blessing! There is no way we could have done this without their support. (My mom is even more excited now that I told her I would buy disposable diapers for the baby instead of insisting she use cloth. :-) Can't blame her!)