African Adventure

If you check this blog on occasion and read any of my posts, you may have wondered why I committed to doing a couple of things this month and then seemed to disappear. Maybe you thought I was struck by lightening or fired from my job in a dramatic screaming match with my co-workers. Nope. My husband and I have been in the process of adopting a little girl from Uganda, and the planets seemed to align three weeks ago, causing us to make quick plans for a two-week trip out of the country. Our brave (and/or crazy) friend and OT, Lee Anne, had offered some time ago to watch our flock of kids while we were gone. She added her toddler and preschooler to the mix and managed to make every single appointment and swimming lesson and we are grateful and amazed. (As soon as I got back, she made plans for a rehab trip to Hawaii.)
We had heard the stories about Ugandan adoptions and the long hours waiting. We hoped to avoid at least a little of that by getting everything in order before we left. We have a remarkable Ugandan friend who offered to do much of the legwork for us and we had an attorney lined up who had a court date set for the day after we arrived. It didn’t go smoothly. It took ten days to get the ruling. Thankfully, the judge decided to approve the adoption. (Many people choose to get guardianship instead, which is easier, but requires an extra step at home.) We were thrilled and relieved, but that only left us two days to get a passport (one of her caregivers had lost the one we so efficiently did ahead), have her heath checked, gather more paperwork, and meet with someone at the American embassy. By Friday we knew we were in trouble and headed to the embassy with what we had. We made it through the gate and stepped up to reception just as they were locking the doors. We had no idea they closed early on Fridays. Disappointed, we had no choice but for me to leave for home, while Ron stayed behind with our daughter to make the bureaucrats happy. He is hoping to bring her home next week.
I got home on Sunday night and have spent the week putting my kids back together (they had fallen apart), making phone calls and trying to sleep at normal times. I feel like I’ve come through the fog and I’m ready to take care of my responsibilities including updating the book club and gathering advise for tantrum-throwers (a task that seems particularly timely).
Carol