Meke's crib

Meke's crib is here -- all 25 pieces of it that are now strewn across the floor of her room because I cannot figure out how to put it together! My sister kindly gave me her son's old crib, but unfortunately it didn't come with instructions. I spent a couple hours today trying to assemble it. I hate not being able to solve something that I set out to do. I will give it another try and I know I will get it together!

Not much else new with the adoption. My power of attorney is STILL not in Ethiopia. I sent it to the state (that took over 2 weeks) then to the Assistant Stork in DC who kindly informed me that it needed to go back to the state. (It had an apostille on it from the state, not a state seal which is required. I thought I requested the same thing as I did originally but apparently not.) Luckily, Laura at the Assistant Stork knows a courier in Harrisburg who can get the document turned around in a couple of days. Laura took care of sending it to her which made it easy on me. Anyway, the POA should now be back in DC to go to the US Dept of State and the US Ethiopian Embassy next week then on to Ethiopia. The good news is that this snafu is not affecting my timeframe for a court date.

About that court date. I fully expected to have one assigned by now. However, Grace (from the agency) has informed us there is a delay in many of the court dates right now because the Ethiopian government recently started requiring additional documentation. I've been saying for weeks now that I should get my court date assigned any day, but still don't have it. Here is Grace's description of the timeline:

"After referral, and after abandonment if applicable, your dossier will be given to MOWA who then review it and make a recommendation for the adoption to proceed. The papers are then filed in the courts, about 4 weeks from that filing your child will have their court date. After the court date, if it passes that first time, 5 or 6 weeks later you will travel. You go to the US Embassy Wednesday, pick up the Visa Friday. "

So, any day now I should have the court date assigned, then travel about 9 or 10 weeks later. It seems like this process is really dragging. I know it's a small price to pay, but I'm bummed that I am missing this time with Meke. We will have a lot of catching up to do!

Still no decision on her name...