Eden's Case Cleared!!

We celebrate in each step with the adoption and this is definitely worth celebrating!!  We received the news via e-mail on Monday from the embassy that Eden's case is cleared.  As most of you probably have been reading on my blog, Bereket's case is NOT in the clear yet, though!  His case is still being investigated and hitting delays, mostly due to the disappearance of his birth mother.  The embassy wanted an interview with Bereket's birth mother, but she cannot be found.  Our agency is now going forward to get a court order from the court of the region (Woreda) where Bereket's birth mother is from.  This is a bit confusing, but it means more work and more time (posting an article in the local newspaper for 2 weeks) so the Woreda court will write a letter claiming that indeed she has disappeared!

Unfortunately as the days pass and Bereket's birth mother has not been located, I feel a deeper sadness and wonder if we will ever see her again and I wonder if something has really happened to her!! There is no way to comprehend the lives they lead there.  After visiting ET in June, it has helped me to understand only a little!!  Right now I am thankful that we had that "surprise meeting" at Bereket's orphanage with his birth mother.  The time we had with her will always be imprinted on our hearts, but there was so much more I wanted to know about her and Bereket.  We had hoped to visit with her again when we go back to ET, with an interpreter this time!!

Today, though, we celebrate that Eden's case is cleared!!  We also hope that we won't have to wait too long for Bereket's case to be cleared!!

The family who took this picture of Eden for us were visiting their daughter at the same orphanage back in May.  They are now back in ET visiting Eden for us again and delivering a care package that I put together for her.  They are in ET for their embassy appointment and to bring their daughter home with them!!