she said yes…
We had a 30-minute call with the team and bio family today and it was brought up that bio dad signed the consent to terminate his parental rights. The topic was broached with bio mom about her predicament and rights… apparently there is a statute that states that if a parent involuntarily (not by choice) loses parental rights, that any child(ren) s/he has within 3 years may be taken from her/him. Bio mom said she would be willing to voluntarily consent on our two kids in an effort to keep the “newborn baby” – which is anticipated to be born in August/September.
My husband and I felt like flies on the wall as we texted back and forth from separate locations.
I wouldn’t say we were surprised by any of the dialogue we heard. I think we were in some ways relieved that bio mom wasn’t going to kick and scream to the end. Based on the chains of emojis texted back and forth you’d think we had ourselves a little celebration to say the least.
But of course… all steps forward are hit with a few potholes.
The ideal scenario is for bio mom to meet with her lawyer this week and sign the papers. Bio mom has the papers and her lawyer is someone she has been working with for the entirety of the case. Barrier? The social worker is going on vacation as of tomorrow morning so I’m not exactly sure who will be doing the following up to make sure this meeting happens. I left a voicemail for our lawyer (who doesn’t use a cell phone or email… totally efficient in my mind) to see if he can do anything from our side of the state.
What’s the big deal of getting these forms signed?
Well, for starters it would aid in everything coming to a close and our children being able to know what exactly their future holds.
Two, it would potentially mean the judge would “hear” both petitions (bio dad and bio mom) to terminate parental rights on May 22. This helps us keep on track with the goodbye visit on May 31.
If bio mom does not sign over this week, we are looking at postponing the goodbye visit (to June… ek) so that bio dad and bio mom can say goodbye during the same visit so as not to confuse and kiddos and cause added trauma.
A delay in the goodbye visit could also mean a delay in the adoption hearing (from July to August or even September…) which could then delay other important details like big brother starting kindergarten with his forever last name.
This part of the journey feels like I’m stuck in jello. I can’t eat my way out, I can only stand in the sun and melt or sit in the fridge and congeal.
Please pray that things move along with bio mom signing the papers this week. Our God is bigger than any mountain.
Published 5/12/2015
