Todays High Court Events

So for a week I have been stretched emotionally, spiritually, and physically really as I have been sleep deprived with stress. Tanzania just passed a new law that Single women cannot adopt and even married couples must live in Tanzania for 3 consecutive years before they are eligible. Basically this law will pretty much make adoption in this country extinct. It is a sad thing. I am not sure when exactly it will go into effect but you can see the added urgency for Neema and I to finalize! It seems that no matter what I provided for the social welfare officer (the one person that says yes or no...and the only and final sayer) he always needed "just one more thing" to complete our report. First, I heard that he was not going to be in Arusha this week because his father passed away, then i heard that Ed (Muslim holiday was going to fall on Friday - it is determined by the movement of the moon and there are two Eds a year - and they both happen to be right near two of my court dates - fortunately I was able to miss both of them by a day) Then just when I thought my report had been turned in, my lawyer calls me to tell me that the social welfare officer needed to see me again! AGAIN?!?! Why???? Court is tomorrow im telling myself. Ok stay calm just go see what he needs...So I go. And he says "just one small thing...." He wanted to go to the village where Neema is from and see where all her relatives are living. But he can't go until that night. (ok this is the night before court date) So we go. I take him to the tiny little hut where her 80 year old great grandfather lives. The hut that is made more poorly than the outhouse where my guards go to the bathroom! It ended up being good for him to see it. To see the water run off from the rain flowing into his home. To see the mosquito manifestation. To hear the neighbors complain about how the other relatives do nothing to help him. After that he said he didnt need to see anymore! Finally, I think he is satisfied that it is not in Neema's best interest to live in the village. However, he is concerned at how tiny Neema is. He says and her health card agrees that she is underweight. I try to explain to him that she just has a little frame and that children who have lived in orphanages are typically smaller than the average child but he insists that i dont feed her enough. He asks me if i want to keep her skinny like all of us American girls! I try to convince him that she eats a lot but that she is just naturally small. But he says I must bring her in to his office even after finalization to check on her and make sure she has gained 4 kilos. That is something like 8 pounds!!

So for Thanksgiving Neema and I went to Snow Crest Hotel and drank water out of wine glasses and ate up a big plate of vegetable spagetti. I gave Neema like 4 rolls. We had cake. Then when we got home at like 9pm I made her drink a whole mug full of uji (its like oatmeal but made with rice, sweet potatoes, vitamins, and minerals - what the box says) Eat and grow, baby!

7am rolls around we crawl out of bed and pray. We pray that the report will be complete, we pray everyone will show up. We thank Jesus that no matter what happens He still died for us and that we are still His. I drive to pick everyone up. The uncles...Calvin who is always late, is late. Her father who is always on time...is late. I'm still scared the moon says its Ed and we will pull up and the gates will be closed. Im trying to pray and im trying to believe and trust but im so anxious. Finally everyone arrives and we head to the court house. There we wait for the lawyer...he is late. I see the judge, im relieved he is atleast there. They are about to call us. Where is the social welfare officer my lawyer comes to ask me. Par for the course....then he comes, thank God.

They call us in and we are barely seated when the judge says that we are going to need to reschedule for December 7th because he is traveling. I hold it together knowing I cant ever cry in front of these men again. But then the judge says that he has the report and its been turned in and so now all we need is our verdict. I finally feel relieved. The report is done, that is the most important thing. No more "one more thing"s....so as I understand on Monday, Dec. 7 we will just go in and they will give the final say...which should be YES since the report is complete.

Thank you all so much for the messages, emails, and texts! And don't become tired of praying for us. :) We love you.

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!!