Ethiopia - Day 4

Monday = court day. The day we came here for. The day we go before the Ethiopian judge and say we want to be the parents of this amazing little girl.

We arrived at court at about 9:15. The court is in a completely non-discript building. I don't even recall seeing a name on it...and had it not been for the security guards out front I wouldn't have even know it was an office building. We went up the elevator and into a hallway flanked with people...and then into the adoption court waiting room. All the seats were taken, so we just stood by the window. For an agonizing 45 minutes. I only noticed 2 birth mothers there (they go to court too...before the adoptive parents) and my heart went out to them as I looked around the room at all the laughing and chattering in many different languages. The "silence please" signs were pretty ineffective.

Finally our orphanage was called and we sat in front of the judge. She is a strikingly beautiful, very young Ethiopian woman. She was in the US for training over the summer and came to our agency's annual picnic. So, I had seen her before...although I didn't dare talk to her at the picnic for fear of making a bad impression. ;) She asked us a bunch (way more than I though) of yes questions...had we met our child, did our other children know about her, do we understand that adoption is final in Ethiopia, and about 5 or 6 others. Then she finally said, "Everything is here. She is yours." Steve and I were both just stunned. Other friends have been passing the first time recently, so we were optimistic...but to actually hear those words was an amazing feeling!

When we got outside the building Tesfa, the agency rep that came with us, asked if we had requested a birth parent meeting. I said yes, but that on the first day here another rep had told us it wouldn't happen until we came back for Embassy. "She is waiting at the care center now for you." I think I asked her to repeat herself like 3 times just to make sure I heard her right! Tesfa is this tiny, 80 lb. thing and extremely soft spoken. (Seriously, I sound like a drunken Scotsman next to her!) Apparently another birth mom came down for court and they were able to make the 2 day journey together. It was a very, very quiet drive to the care center...both of us too anxious to talk. We pulled in and there she was sitting in a chair in the shade, waiting for us. The interpreter came over and just like that it began. The one time we'd ever have to learn whatever we could about our daughter's birth family...no pressure! We all had tears in our eyes, but somehow managed to get through the questions we could think of at the time. (I, of course, have a bazillion more now...) We gave her the photo book filled with all the pictures we have of Mekdes as well as some of our family. She flipped through it with the interpreter, touching each picture. In the back I had put one loose photo that I'd gotten after the book was printed, she took it out and just held it to her heart. It was obvious how much she loved her and what a tough choice this was. We took some pictures of all of us...and were a little surprised when she took out her cell phone and asked to take some as well. (Everyone has a cell phone in Ethiopia!) After that we went to the office to give her some time alone with Mekdes...then we said goodbye with hugs and tears. I'm not sure if Ethiopians hug much...but it just seemed appropriate. Our little girl will always know about the wonderful woman that gave birth to her...