Progress

I'm not even going to try to pretend that I understand all the steps involved in  finalizing the adoption here.  I just listen to my lawyer and go with whatever he says and do whatever he tells me to do.  However, he seems to be pretty content with how things are going, and it seems to me that everything is progressing very well.  I'm thankful for how things have gone up until this point.  I've read blogs and heard horror stories about bad translators (I haven't had one to deal with), drivers making way more stops than needed (haven't used one), and lots of wasted time and money having to go through a representative in order to communicate with the attorney (not the case in our situation).  I couldn't be more pleased with the direct communication I have with our attorney, who is constantly telling me to give him a call for absolutely anything I might need or be curious about.  It sure makes this process a lot less complicated (which I'm sure would be a different story if I didn't speak Spanish).

We are leaving on Monday to go to Villa de Leyva (a well-known place outside of Bogota) for a week of vacation with some friends.  (It's another place on our Monopoly board, so we're excited to visit!) Our attorney told us it would be fine for us to travel that week, but when I confirmed the dates with him, he told me that it just meant we may have to push some things into the following week that we could have gotten done next week.  However, he wants us to enjoy Colombia, so he made a few phonecalls to work around this little travel opportunity.  We are hoping that Julian will be able to spend the week with us, as well.  As quickly as time is passing (yes, it really does feel like it!), I want them to have as much time together as possible.

Anyway, the attorney told me yesterday that I needed to take Juan David to get a chest x-ray and blood work today for his U.S. Embassy exam.  Our appointment for his exam is on July 9th, right after we come back, but the results of today's procedures will be sent straight to the doctor that he's going to see.  He said that by going today, it will save us a lot of time when we get back because we won't have to wait on the results.  He also told me that he'd presented our paperwork to the court and hoped that we'd get a good judge.  Today he called to say that the judge approved everything.  :)  Now he said it goes before a legal advocate for the family (defensora de familia), and as long as it goes well with her, we may have sentencia (when we sign the adoption decree) the week we get back. That usually signals the beginning of the last week, as much as I understand it, anyway.  Like I said, I'm not pretending to get it.  I just do what I'm told and trust the person telling me to do it.

Being a single parent for the last few days, especially in this situation, has been quite a challenge for me at times.  I don't mind staying in Colombia, but I miss the support of a second parent and the break that a second parent provides.  I miss Mike, so, yes, I am anxious to get these boys home.  I'm really looking forward to our vacation, though, so I don't have to feel all alone with these two boys.  Our friends are bilingual, so that will be a good break for David to hear more English again.  They are also an amazing Christian couple, so that will be good for Juan David to observe and be around.  I sure do hope it works out for Julian to join us, as well. 

Tomorrow we're headed to El Camino Academy to celebrate the last day of summer school and to talk last minute logistics of our trip with our friend.  I'm excited to see some of my kids from last year to see how they have grown and progressed in their English. :)