On the adoption front... nothing.  Zip.  Zilch.  The courts were originally supposed to open October 5... but they didn’t.  Courts didn’t open until the following week.  We were anxious to hear something.  I can’t tell you how many times I checked the phones to make sure they worked.  (I know, just a tad bit OCD or something).  Friday we heard that another YWAM family received a court date assignment.  I was so nervous.  I was on the verge of tears - just waiting for THAT phone call.  However... it didn’t come.  Three court dates were issued to YWAM families, but ours wasn’t one of them. 

I know our time is soon.  But there are still so many things that could go wrong still.  I have fears of some background check not being right, or a date in our homestudy being wrong, or our USCIS paperwork somehow not REALLY being in order.  I’ve double triple quadruple ok, I checked a LOT of times.  I have rechecked dates, fingerprint dates, USCIS paperwork, homestudy paperwork, our passports, etc.  I know we have done everything we can... and it’s in the Ethiopian courts’ hands now. 

So, Christmas is still doable.  The court dates given out last week were in beginning to mid-November.  If we were assigned a similar date (and pass the first time), we would most likely get an Embassy date of December 22.  If that happens... Chaltu and I would fly back home on Christmas Day.  What a Christmas present!!! 

So, what am I doing to pass the time?  I am trying to go on with life as normal.  Being a military family is never dull, and adding an adoption to that only makes it less dull!  Shawn leaves on Wednesday for a couple of weeks for a training.  As soon as he gets back, he will be moving to Brigade where he will be the Assistant S1 until we PCS (move to a different duty station, for you non-military people).  This is a good thing on quite a few levels.  He is ready to not be the one in charge for just a little while.  He will be assisting, rather than being the go-to guy.  This will also enable him to possibly take paternity leave once Chaltu comes home. 

In addition to going to training, then getting a new job, Shawn will be getting his ‘list’ at the beginning of November.  We are trying to prepare ourselves for what places will be ON the list.  His career field can go anywhere (he’s a personnel officer), so we can go anywhere!  We’re trying to think of cool things to do/places to go at different duty stations.  Ft Drum... well... cold and miserable - but right near the Thousand Islands, and relatively close to home (NW PA).  Alaska - um, large houses, cool nature, we will probably never go there again, and it would be a second consecutive overseas tour, so the military would send us ‘home’ for a vacation.  Ft. Lewis (near Seattle) - ok, I am going to say it right now... I WANT to go there.  My BFF lives there (the one going to Ethiopia with me).  YWAM is there.  SEATTLE is an awesome city.  The nature is beautiful.  It’s so GREEN.  (ok, grey and green, but the green is REALLY Green, and GRASSY NATURE GREEN is my absolute favorite color of all time).  See, we’re trying to find the best in every place we could possibly end up.

And I already have Chaltu’s bag packed.  See, I told you I was neurotic.  I know it... and knowing you have a problem is the first step to recovery, right?  However... if we are flying home on Christmas Day, then I need to get this baby girl some CHRISTMAS outfits!  So my whole bag already being packed thing may be a moot point anyway.  I think I need to fond the PERFECT easy wearing, cute, pink (preferrably), Chrsitmassy outfit with matching hairbows.  So, if you find one, the PERFECT outfit that says, “I’m the new kid, the absolutely most adorable kid, and *I* am my family’s Christmas present!”  That is the outfit we need.  So, if you see it, please be so kind as to provide a link.  :)

That is all for now.  I’ll update as soon as I get some good news about a court date.  :)