Coming Home . . .

Coming home brought nearly as much culture shock as going over there.  A highlight?  Food!  Being able to eat whatever, without worrying about whether or not we'd be sick a few hours later.  Upon arriving in D.C., we immediately hit Starbucks - oh my word, BEST LATTE EVER.  Then the kids bounced between Dunkin Donuts, Wendy's and Annie's Pretzels (we were confined to our concourse).  We flew into Denver and stayed over night there before driving home - and our senses were just assaulted by the good roads, the order, the cleanliness and the beauty of this country - and the fresh air!  Oh, the fresh air.  I don't think you can truly appreciate it until you've lived without it for a while.

All the while, our hearts and minds were hurt and confused.  We didn't know where to park our thoughts, except on God.  Once we arrived home (to a house lovingly stocked with yummy food and clean happy doggies!), I was unpacking in our bathroom and I flipped my little daily bible verse calendar that I keep by the sink to June 24, our court date.  I HAD to know what God had to say to me on that day.  He didn't fail me - it said: "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”  John 13:7.  I was floored. 

Over the next few weeks, we waited for DNA test results and came to grips with the fact that should the adoption proceed, we would have to return TWO more times - once to testify, as we had not done that yet, and then lastly to pick up Maggie.  The test results came back positive - this man (named Hajji) was in fact Maggie's father.  And by the time the results came in, Ramadan was in effect.  Because Hajji is a strict Muslim, he decided he could not "sign his daughter over to pagans" during his holy time.  (The pagans would be us).

So we waited.  3 more weeks.  Constantly wondering what this man would decide, after hearing reports that the village women were trying to convince him to raise Maggie himself and not allow her to be adopted by Americans.  And wondering what effect his holy period would have on him, his conscience, and his heart.

But, true to his word, he showed up at our attorney's office the Monday after Ramadan was over, and signed the consent to the adoption.  One major hurdle removed!

And yet another one remained.  He would need to appear in court, and be questioned by a judge about whether or not he understood what he was signing.  The hitch was that we were to appear WITH him.  At the same hearing.  Which opened us up to great risk - what if he didn't show up?  What if he changed his mind?  What if the judge and his interrogation tactics (severe!) caused Hajji to gain a conscience and back out - - which, legally, he was entitled to do!

So we came up with the idea of asking the judge if we could have 2 separate hearings - one for him, to wrap up his consent, and some time after that, one for us.  Let him get his consent on the record and then we would come back for our portion of the hearing.  We were warned, over and over, that the judge would say no - that's just not how things are done here.  But we got them to agree to at least ask.

So our law firm scheduled a meeting with the judge to present our request.  The email message we got that day knocked us off our feet.  The judge denied the request for two separate hearings.  Instead, he said he didn't need to see us again AT ALL and he would just rule on our case after Hajji's testimony.  No hearing for us - no testimony needed from us.

Say what?!? 

Did he really say that? Oh yes, YES HE DID!

God came through in a way we didn't ask for or imagine.  Seriously one of the most amazing, breathtaking days of my life.  I knew, that day, that Maggie was ours.  Not only that, God had revealed Himself to us in a way that there was NO DENYING this was HIS hand at work.  "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine . . ." Eph. 3:20!

Hajji appeared in court when he needed to, and the hearing went according to plan.  Now all that was left was to wait for the judge's ruling.

Which came on September 5th - my birthday!  Does God love us or what?!?  What a day.  What a God.

The last step before being approved to travel again was to get the written guardianship order in our hands - which we were told would be at least 3 weeks.  Ha, not on God's timetable.  We received it in one week.  And then the roadblocks started popping up . . . .