We thought we might hear something last week, but we did not receive a call. I had already steeled myself over the the weekend not to hear anything for at least the first part of this week. I needed to do so for my own personal safety. If I continued to make a mad dash to the phone every time it rang, I was bound to break a leg or twist an ankle.
Today, my friend, Kim, and I drove downtown to pick up our packets for the 5k we're doing tomorrow night. We stopped to pick up lunch to take with us to work and after returning to our parking lot, I dropped my race packet into my car. As I was juggling my purse, a drink, my friend's race packet and my keys, I could hear the faint sound of the Michigan fight song coming from my purse.
My phone is ringing.
I dug my phone from my purse, but couldn't make out the numbers on the display because the sun was so bright. Sneaky Jessica, our caseworker, was not calling from the phone extension that I have assigned to her on my contact list so it didn't show up with her name either.
Something in my stomach fluttered.
"Hello?" I said, trying not to sound too expectant.
"Hi, it's Jessica."
"Hi, Jessica...how are you?"
"I'm great and so will you be in a minute. We have your court date."
"You do?! Really? When is it?" I asked, trying not to cry and expecting to hear the word "December."
"November 18th," she replied.
November 18th.
I know it's hard to keep track of what this milestone means, so I'll explain. Even my own mom was not appropriately stoked when I told her because she was under the impression that she would need to be with my girls on that date and I would be in Ethiopia--which would not be possible for her as she is on vacation.
On November 18th, while I try to sleep (as ET is seven hours AHEAD of me), the Ethiopian court will review our case. Our representative will be there to serve as our presence there. M3's mother will need to appear, sign paperwork and attest to her intention to allow us to adopt her daughter. If everything is in order, and we pass court, M3 is considered our daughter.
We have to keep things in perspective. 60% of cases do not pass on the first go. M3's mom could decide not to come to court. Or, she could change her mind about the adoption altogether and take her daughter home with her, which is her right. If M3's mom comes to court, however, she must only do so once even if our case is heard later.
If we pass and M3 becomes legally ours, the next step is being assigned an embassy date. We will plan our travel around that date and take her there to have her paperwork completed so that she can come home to the States.
Big day!
