Adoption coming soon!!!!!

I told my parents last week that I felt an international adoption was near. Of course I constantly HOPE that an adoption is near but we rarely know exactly when one might begin. But the timing is particularly good this time. Since we have three new, it's helpful that two would give up their beds! (Today I move Brandon to Hogar II, which is now great timing so that he doesn't have to observe his best friend getting new parents, while he still waits, and waits, and waits...)

Yesterday morning we got a call from a well-known lawyer in town saying that Rudy's new parents arrive next week. Within an hour he had brought us laminated pictures of the couple to be able to prepare Rudy. Now in just 5 days they have their first hearing in court and will meet him!!!

This is really amazing since the judge with Rudy's case quit. But the other judge is now carrying on with his case (now if she'd just pick up our national adoption that's been so stalled...).

Rudy has been assigned parents since September last year, which is why we never moved him on to Hogar II, but FOUR TIMES the case was kicked back from La Paz for more clarification or proof of things mentioned in the reports. That is the new routine these days, as certain people try to stall adoptions out as long as possible.

His new parents, from Spain, have had their file waiting here for over 4 years. That means they've probably been processing this adoption for their first child for 5 or 6 years. Now THAT is patience!

Yesterday in the afternoon I told Rudy we needed to have a meeting--me, him, and the tias. A couple hours later we sat on the floor in the playroom with Maria, Rosa, me, Adelaida, and a few babies in our laps. After a few false starts wondering how to begin, Maria explained to Rudy what would happen. She said that God sends very good gifts to His children, and He has decided to send new parents to Rudy. He listened wide-eyed through her little speech and then grinned shyly as she showed him the two little pictures of his new mother and father. Since even before he was born, or abandoned, or living with us, those pictures have been sitting in a file in the court in Cochabamba, waiting to be shown to their new child.

This is going to be a fun adoption.

Throughout the rest of the day, Rudy warmed up to the idea of new parents. When I took him and 4 other toddlers and a baby to the pharmacy with me, he thought we were arriving at the place where he would meet his parents. I managed to bring him back from the point of tears, and he proudly showed off the pictures of his parents to several of our friends at the clinic. This morning at 8am as staff arrived, I could hear him yelling to everyone that he has parents and did they want to see the picture.

He sleeps with it, carries it around constantly, and loves showing it to us. Of course I've taken pictures, but for security reasons can't put them here. ;-)

Rudy's our little leader of the pack of toddlers at the Baby Home. He also leads them in loving and talking to the babies. In fact, Rudy is pretty much always talking. That's why when he's not here, we all feel it and the others constantly ask where he went and when he'll be back. So it will be a big adjustment for all, but we're so excited!!!!!! And next week will be super busy (as if things could get any busier) as we observe the new family and begin the next round of paperwork to complete the adoption.

A completely unrelated picture--just a cute one I snapped yesterday of Baby E while helping/playing with babies a few hours at the end of the workday.