7 months old

Lizzie is now 7 months old. Well, 7 months & a day :)

Sometime in May I had a brief conversation with the attorney in Iowa, Lori. Everything out there was good & great. She wondered if we were any closer to getting things finalized in California. I figured we were because we had an attorney here who was being paid to gather the correct papers (birth documentation, etc) and tell us what we needed to do (implied we did not need post placement visits, being a private adoption).

Each email I sent ended with "Let me know if there is anything Richard and I need to do!" and figured we were all good, since I never heard back really.

So I talk to the Iowa attorney, she says well, give the California attorney a call because you should be getting a date soon! 180 days past birth is when things can be finalized! And then she says if I can't get a hold of him, call the county, things would have been filed long ago, assuming he has everything needed, but sounds like he hasn't needed anything else from anyone.

County of San Diego has no idea who we are when I call them in May. Not under either of our names, under Lizzie's birthmom's name, not anywhere.

I finally get to speak with California attorney, who at this point, yes, almost 6 months (180 days!!!) later says it might be best to file & finalize in Iowa.

WHAT!?!

Would have been good to know that like back in November when he was hired.

So we now wait for the new Iowa attorney to have the papers (including all of the post-placement social worker visits we actually do need), and then he can file & get us assigned a court date we get to go to Iowa for a court hearing to finalize. Right.

Immediately start on the home study post-placement visits. Those are fine, turns out Lizzie is adjusting. And that the boys are fine with another sibling. Good stuff to know. And a new Iowa attorney is hired for the finalization part on our behalf. And things are moving along. Just more delayed than we would have liked.

Getting closer. for real this time, hopefully!