Court

I'm going to try to update our blog as much as I think I can be of interest to anyone.  Many things I do not feel I can discuss until we are back in the USA.

First, before we left I was thinking a lot about all that Kimberlee and Brody could teach our new children.  After 3 days, I think our new children will be the teacher. The little boy jumps at the chance to throw trash away without being asked. This morning I was sitting on his bed, and he was just a fussing at me. I thought we were playing a game of tug-a-war with the blanket. Then it hit me, he wanted me off his bed so he could make it up. How strange, a child that wants to make up his bed and clean up.

Tuesday our court date was set for the afternoon. That morning around 10:30 the director walked into our room and said, "the judge has had a death. He is leaving town this afternoon. We must go now. We leave in one minute."  Only problem was we all were still in our pj's and no one had had a bath. 30 seconds after our 1 minute warning the director starts laying on the horn. About the only native language I have learned is a blow of the car horn is African motivation to move!  So we hit the car running and half dressed. Before the door was shut Rashid was jamming gears and slinging dirt. The judge had given us 30 minutes to be in court, it was a 25 minute drive, and the deadline was given 20 minutes ago. Rashid was bound to make it up on the drive. You have heard of a near death experience.  Well I had about 3 of them on the drive in. Another driving tip from Africa: if a car is coming head on in your lane and the horn does motivate the person back into their lane, just flash the lights and everything will be fine. I may be a little off in my translation. The flashing of the lights could also be the signal for I just pooped myself your so close. (That's what I was on the verge of!)

So with 5 years off my life and foot print permanently pressed into the passenger side floorboard, we made it to the city. Then the dash uphill, in a suit, carrying a child, in high altitude.  We got to the court house and I'm sure I looked like a dumpster fire. Sweat pouring, greasy hair, with my wife sporting the crazy 80's hair due to the short prep time and the windows down on run into the city that would make a moonshiner proud.  "Great, this judge is going to love us, mozingos. (Mozingos are what white people are called here.  It is funny to have a child come up and rub your arm to see if the white feels different.)

We walk into the court, which is really the judges office. A very distinguished old man. A heavy set man who wore his age and wisdom in the gray of his hair and small beard. Judge Moses!  Very befitting of the name. He called the birth mother up and spoke to her quite some time in Lugandan. There were laughs and some stern looks. At one point I would bet the bank he asked her how she felt about her children being raised by white people.  Then the moment I almost lost it. He called the children to stand in front of their mother. He gave her instruction. She spoke to the children. That is when it hit me. He had instructed her to tell her children bye. As a parent I could not imagine the turmoil in her heart. I did all I could but I could not prevent the one tear I quickly wiped from my cheek.

New train of thought. I had to put my pad down for a day after that last paragraph. I must move on or I will not finish. The judge is notorious for giving adoptive mothers a really hard time. Jennifer was not excited when she was called before the judge.  He asked her why we were adopting, and why Uganda. After that he smiled and started to thank us for coming to Uganda. PS he asked me nothing. I could have been a hillbilly from the back side of no where. I guess he thought if I had this hot of a wife I must be good!  After court we all went to lunch, including the birth mother.  Awkward would come close to describing the moment.  Here is a good way to end this. Because of the situation, what has taken some people as much as 5 hours we were in and out in an hour. God continues to move the process forward.

Last minute update.... Our court ruling was moved up to July 2nd!  That is three extra days! Go God!!