The Road to Mariada

First off, thank you to all of you who sent such beautiful replies to our post about Mariada, we are truly blessed to have such wonderful friends!

We have had so many questions on what the next steps are to bring Mariada home that I thought I would just post them. Here's what we know, and I can only hope that I have it right. Mariada's abandonment papers where signed by a judge in February, once he/she signed them it put Mariada up for adoption, but only to an Albanian family. After six months she will be placed with Bethany Christian Services and available to be adopted internationally. Bethany has already chosen us and we as you know have gladly said that we would be her family. Her six months is up in August, but like a lot of Europe Albania shuts down for the month and goes on holiday. This includes the Albanian Adoption Committee (AAC). So in September the AAC will meet and formally assign Mariada to us, we will then sign some papers which will be sent to the judge and he/she will set a court date. Bob and I both have to be in the country 10 days prior to the court date. We get to meet Mariada as soon as we get there. The ten day rule is time for us to bond and we will be watched by a social worker that will testify that there is in fact a bond. On the day of court Mariada, Bob and myself will all testify that we want the adoption to take place. God willing the judge will then sign the adoption paperwork. After that Bob will fly home and I will stay with Mariada to get her visa and passport etc. completed ( about 3 weeks). Then Bob will fly back, hopefully with Ben and Sara and we will all come home as a family to all of you! I think that's it, although I'm sure there's one or two things that I have forgotten.

I promise to bring my laptop so you can follow along!

In other Gezon news we had a lovely Mother's day. Bob knows I want a butterfly garden so he brought home a butterfly bush to start it off, and Ben gave me the nicest card that he bought all on his own! What a great kid. We had diner with my Mother and Grandmothers and then went over to visit Mom Gezon in Holland. Tulip time is just ending and it was so beautiful to see all the tulips, what a great year for them.

Lucky is doing well. This was his week off from treatment but I'll post a picture from last week, he came home and headed for his favorite spot in the yard, can't really blame him it was a beautiful warm and sunny day.