Two trips to Ethiopia??!!

When we started the adoption process we were told that the only thing predictable about international adoption is that it is unpredictable. Well, that is certainly proving to be true.

This past week we learned that the Ethiopian courts are now requiring families to travel to Ethiopia - not once, but TWICE! We will now be required to attend the initial court date (which occurs after a referral) and then travel back to Ethiopia 6-8 weeks later for the Embassy date and to bring our child home. Apparently this is due to over 50 families (none from our agency) deciding, when they travel for their Embassy date, that they do not want their child. This is Ethiopia's effort to ensure that a family has met and seen the child before their Embassy date and therefore this will resolve some of these problems of families deciding at the last minute they do not want the child referred to them. (I can't imagine deciding that you don't want a child, but sadly it happens.)

While we are a bit stressed about the extra cost of airfare and time off work to do this, there are some positives. First - we will get to see our child sooner!! (But I imagine leaving them after that visit will also be very hard.) In addition, our child will be eligible for an IR-3 visa since we will be at the first court date which will make them a U.S. citizen immediately upon arrival in the United States.

Although we definitely weren't expecting this huge change, we are comforted in the fact that God has had this planned all along. :)