God was with us last Monday in court! The adoption court session lasted 1.5 hours of very serious discussion and testimony. It was very stressful not only for me, but for K too. Thankfully, she was excused from hearing most of the testimony, but she also had to testify while I had to step out of the courtroom. In the end, the judge deliberated for about 10 minutes, and came back to inform us that the adoption was approved, and would be legal on November 16, 2009. Hallelujah! What my lawyer didn't tell me prior to the court session was that this Prosecutor hasn't been approving any adoptions which seperated siblings, but she did approve my adoption...thanks be to God again!
K was VERY relieved, as was I, and I snapped this photo of her all smiles! After the court session, we all went over to the orphanage for a little party for K and me with all her friends, and to see her brother. It was nice for K to see everybody, especially her brother and her best friend. The little girls were laughing when K talked, because they said K has an American accent when she speaks in Latvian now! Can you imagine?!
We took some photos to remember the visit, and all were so happy to see how happy K was.
We still have a 30 day waiting period to go through before we go back to Latvia for our final trip to complete all the paperwork, have K's interview at the US Embassy, and have her final medical exam. This trip will be in mid-January, 2010. This trip will be much more relaxing for everybody, and we're hoping to have her brother with us during our stay to visit more.
God's PEACE and JOY, EP
