New Court Process = Another Month Delay?

By now, everyone remotely connected to Ethiopia adoption - certainly anyone on my friends and family list! - knows that adoptive parents are required to travel twice to Ethiopia. The first trip is to attend the Ethiopia court hearing, and the second trip is to meet with the U.S. Embassy to obtain a VISA and bring our child(ren) home.

What we have just learned is that "court" will now consist of two hearings, adding as much as a month to the process. The latest information is that the court will hold the first hearing as usual, 4 - 6 (?) weeks after a referral is accepted by the adoptive parents. The birth family will be required to attend this first hearing (as has been required all along). Adoptive parents will be required to attend the new second hearing, a few weeks (give or take?) later. The Embassy appointment will be another 4 - 6 weeks after "passing" court.

Our best-guess timeline now looks like this:

- Receive a Referral: July/August
- Courts close: August - September
- First court hearing for birth family: October/November
- Second court hearing for us: November/December
- Embassy Appointment: December/January

We continue to pray that this is a pessimistic outlook, and the reality will be much shorter. We hope to know more later this week, after we speak with our caseworker.

My optimistic side - not the side that usually wins the argument, but it makes an effort from time to time - prays prays prays for a timeline that looks more like this:

- Receive a Referral: End of June
- First hearing: End of July
- Second hearing: Mid-August (courts, stay open!)
- Embassy Appointment: September

Time to buy more ice cream.