Packing our bags.....court date!

We found out that we have a court date already! This is really exciting news for us and means that we have started preparing to go meet our daughter. Plane tickets have been purchased, travel shots are scheduled, and a series of conference calls have been had.

We are knee deep in attachment and bonding research, and connecting with other adoptive families who have gone this road before us. I am so grateful to have the support of all these amazing families!

I have a few more sweet pictures of our girl, oh I can't wait to get my arms around her! She seems to be a little timid and shy from what I've heard, but very sweet and tender too.

We will travel to Ethiopia and spend approximately a week there. During this time we will be interacting with E and spending time at her transition center, Hannah's Hope. During the week, we will go to court and gain custody of E. While we will then be seen as the legal parents of E in Ethiopia, the adoption will not be recognized in the U.S. until we pass Embassy (this is the purpose of the second trip we will take to Ethiopia).

In all this excitement, I find myself having such a wide range of emotions. Today, I actually broke down and cried at the nurse's station at work. It hit me all of a sudden that E's birth family member was testifying at that moment, and relinquishing her rights as E's legal guardian. The emotions and the immensity of the decision overwhelmed me. I literally hurt for this family member of E, and can't even fathom how they must be grieving the loss of sweet little E. While we are so blessed to bring E into our family the hard truth of the matter is, that adoption is born of loss. Today, I felt the heaviness and pain that adoption brings, and the hurts, confusion, and transitions sweet E is going through.