Always look on the bright side of life ...

Today is Monday and Monday means business takes place again. When one is in the midst of an adoption weekends are not that special. In fact they are the time when every piece of paper stands still. So today came two important pieces of information. We received a 25 page fax confirming the offer on the house was accepted. This was the good paperwork news. Then there was an e-mail from our agency about the ICPC process.

It turns out that Alabama, the big conservative pro-life state wants a long list of documentation before they will grant us permission to leave the great state of Texas. This list includes strait forward things like our homestudy, the disruption agreement, termination of parental rights, the transition plan and documentation that we revived all of Isaac's records and information. These things our agency has. No big deal. On the other hand the also wanted information about birth parents. HELLO, DHR he is from China and was found by a police officer like most orphans there. Also his eligibility to be considered an orphan on the Hague treaty is a USCIS issue and he would not have been issued a visa without this information. But hey, what is another piece of paper. Then they wanted a written report from the social worker in Texas about how our transition visits went with Isaac. No big deal. Our social worker was with us throughout the whole process and is so happy for the outcome of this potentially disastrous situation. Of course it will take her time to get this written up. The next thing they wanted is for our homestudy to be addended saying that we have experience parenting a child with Isaac's "kind of issues." Ok this is where my Mama bear instincts take over. First off my new little guy was NEVER the one with the issues. He is three. Three year olds are a product of their environment. His former parents had a choice, disrupt or be disrupted because they expected a 3 year old boy who survived orphanage life with a cleft palet and returned home with serious food allergies and parasites, to be just like their biological daughter and sit in the corner and color quietly while they went about life as normal.

Yes John and I have over 40 hours of adopting parenting education. We both have taken child development and psychology classes. We both have worked in the field of therapeutic recreation and worked with kids who have committed haneous crimes. We attend a monthly adoption support where we receive incredible support from other amazing adoptive parents and social workers. We have a son who is already in early intervention. ALL OF THIS IS IN OUR HOMESTUDY ALREADY. But no, they need a $250 addendum that will take a week to get piece of paper to say that again.

With all that said, it looks like Dallas is our home at least until the end of the week. Fortunately we received two nights free at the Marriott due to our door breaking and having to move to another room. We still have $200 worth of gift cards for the Hyatt and we might move back there at the end of the week.

So what is the bright side you might ask?

Here is what is good about life in a hotel:

1. Complimentary breakfast and dinner (M-Tr) It is nice. Not the food I would make at home but hey it is nice.

2. The dinner comes with drinks which makes the room not seem so small after all.

3. Our room is magically cleaned everyday. I wish for this at home but it comes with lots of scolding from my husband who does not appreciate the title of Maid on his buiess card.

4. We get to go swimming every day and only steps from our door. It is a small quiet pool that we usually get to ourselves. Swimming is a great bonding activity and Isaac is coming leaps and bounds in the pool. Emerson also swam across the pool the short way today by himself.

5. We truly are able to bond much better without the distractions of life at home. Yes, John has 21 orders waiting on him. We have a house to close on. I have the school year starting soon. Isaac needs to get to the doctor ASAP for numerous reasons. But really us all loving each other is the most important step right now. Do I wish that we were in a mountain cabin or camping at the beach to accomplish this task. Sure. But the most important things is that this we are learning how to be a family.

So for now we continue to explain to government officials that we truly are parents to this little boy who has been through so much. That we will love him unconditionally. I recognize that there are horrible "adoption gone wrong stories" that make agencies skid dish and paperwork needy, but when is enough, enough? Hopeful we can leave this weekend. Hopefully..