Don't Count Your Chickens...

Well, we didn't get to adopt our boy on the 9th of February like we thought.  I got a call earlier in the week stating that before we could adopt Jonah the Cherokee tribe wanted him to have his roll number with his birth name, then we would go ahead and change it once he was adopted.  My attorney and I had both talked to the tribe social worker and he had confirmed with us we did NOT need a roll number before the adoption.  Little did we know that a new social worker was assigned to this case and said we HAD to have his roll number prior to the adoption.  So, my attorney, the GAL, and our social worker got all the paperwork ready and the social worker from the tribe agreed to bring all the paperwork herself up on Thursday morning.  I got the call saying it was a go at school around 2:15 p.m.   Just in time for my baby shower that my co-workers gave me.  I got home and Boyd and I were so excited.  Another obstacle the Lord got us over.  We were just so thankful it was truly happening.  Then...

About 9:30 p.m. (the night before our scheduled adoption) our home phone rang and it was our attorney.  She was doing some research on-line and found out that the birth mom was pregnant when she got a divorce.  Even though we already have a paternity test done and know who the bio father is, we now have a legal father in the picture who has to have his right terminated.  Are you kidding me???  I can't even begin to tell you  how I was feeling at that point.  Boyd was trying to console me while dealing with his pain as well.  The attorney told us she would call us first thing in the morning and let us know what the judge said.  I called everyone who was going to come to court with us for this special day and told them to be on stand by and I would let them know when I found something out. 

The next morning we were on our way to the hospital to drop by and visit our new great niece Camille, to visit an aunt who was having heart surgery, and to take Callie to an ENT.  My phone rang and it was our social worker stating that the adoption was NOT going to take place.  My heart sank.  I knew it was a possibility, but still was so upsetting.  I cried and cried.  Boyd kept asking me questions and I couldn't even get the words out.  I finally got my composure and explained everything to him.  I think by that point I was just down right mad.  Mad at the legal dad, mad at our attorney for finding this out, mad at the judge, and just mad at the whole system in general.

Anyway, fast forward to the present.  We have gone to court and of course the legal father is MIA, so we are going to have to publish it in the paper.  Another 45 days at least.  BUT, I am thankful this was caught before we adopted him and would have had to set it aside.  Now it's just a waiting game.

Our little girl is getting closer to be ours.  Her parents rights were terminated and now we wait for our social worker to get all her paperwork together.  I'm guessing it will be June before that's finalized.

I am so thankful that the Lord has walked with us every step of the way.  He's never left our side.  I'm also so thankful for the support our family and friends have given us.  Even though times are hard, we still have SO much to be thankful for.