The Good, the Bad, and the Granny

September 2, 2007

We received our first round of paperwork this week, with all the legal agreements that need to be signed and returned along with the first payment of $1500. Altogether, they expect us to spend somewhere around $19,000 including the week in Ethiopia, all the translations of our papers that will need to be made, and all the bureaucratic red tape that will have to be cut. Did you know it takes almost 6 months to get a passport? Thank you, Homeland Security. *catch that sarcasm*

So these papers that need to be signed, there is one page that is entirely fine print, must be in eight point type or something. And it lists everything they're not responsible for. I would take most of it as common sense, but I suppose legally they have to say something about it. It declares them not liable for any of the blood tests being wrong (for HIV, Syphylis, Hepatitis, and others), not being responsible if the child has any attachment disorders, ADHD, and other things, and not to be held liable if the government of Ethiopia denies us.

That's a lot of stuff to worry about and a lot of hurdles to jump, but I signed all the papers and now I feel like I'm pregnant, just waiting for the day when I can deliver. We've started looking at new furniture for Dagny so we can move her crib and changing table into the nursery and I've started nesting a little, wanting to find that perfect little comforter for his bed. I suppose the wise thing would be to wait, but when did any new mother do anything wise?

Now we have to send the papers in and organize a home study. So someone will come into my house and see how everything works, what our plans are, what our reason are. And you know what worries me the most about that visit? My dogs. They're crazy and occasionally quite rude and I don't want anything to happen because of them. Is that weird?

And an update on Granny. I know she doesn't have anything to do with the adoption, per se, but she's a driving force in my life and so affects almost everything I do. The MRI showed that she had a stroke in the left hemisphere and it appears like she's lost the last 40 years. We try and see her almost every day, but she doesn't really know who we are. And she's mad at Jack, Vicki, and Verne for not visiting. I don't have the heart to tell her that they are all dead now, have been for awhile. I just say I'll do my best to try and get them in for a visit.

It's breaking my heart. We just moved her close to us in July and now we have to pack up her stuff and move it again, since she can't keep the apartment at the assisted living place. We've got to find a place to put her stuff in storage until (with luck and prayer) she can return. The only bonus of that is, with her not standing over my shoulder while I pack, I can get rid of everything that has passed its expiration date, which is half her apartment.