High Five for Friday #28: The Island Adoption Edition

High five, friends, we made it to another Friday!  This post is about celebrating, both the big things and the little things.  Let's start with something big:

#1
We finalized Earth's adoption!  As the post title says, it was a very island adoption.  I'm so relieved that this isn't the first time we've done this dance, because if it had been the first time, I would have been freaking out in that picture instead of smiling.  Here's what happened:
10-25: Our lawyer emails a summons to us and to the Ebeye Clerk of Courts stating that the hearing will be on Ebeye on 11-3
10-31: I ask Ms B to remind Elizabeth about court and to tell them that we won't be visiting on Monday like we usually do since we'll be over on Tuesday.
11-3: D and I wrangle all four kids onto an afternoon ferry accompanied by one of my friends and the kids' godmother.  Once we arrive on Ebeye, everyone else heads to the courthouse while I go to meet Elizabeth and Job to walk over with them.  I know immediately when I arrive at the compound that the adoption isn't going to happen- Elizabeth is napping and Job isn't there.  It turns out that they never got the summons so they had no idea that court was happening (Ms B also forgot to deliver the messages).   When Elizabeth tells me that Job is working on the furthest island down the causeway and that there's no way to reach him, I laugh (instead of crying- see why it's good that I've done this before?) and tell her that we'll figure something out.  Happily, the judge handling our case has worked in the Marshall Islands for over 20 years and knows how to be flexible when necessary.  We did half of the court session that afternoon and then the judged stayed the proceedings until the next morning when Job could be there.
11-4: I catch an early boat to Ebeye all by myself and meet Elizabeth and Job at the court house.  Job's interview takes five minutes and he and Elizabeth leave when he's done.  I'm the only one in the room besides the lawyer when the judge realigns the trajectory of Earth's life and approves the adoption.  (It seems like something so momentous should have been made more of, but the mellowness also seems right since this adoption has always been a quiet family arrangement)  I spend the rest of the morning talking with friends and visiting with Elizabeth and Job, then head back to Kwaj. 
 In a final, island moment, I asked Job about the summons, since I knew that he'd asked the clerk about it.  Job told me that the clerk had given it to the police to deliver but that the police couldn't find him.  (Pause here and go look up Ebeye on Google Earth- see how small it is?)  At the very least, the Marshall Islands can always make me laugh.

#2
We have family visiting from Majuro! 
Mama Lila flew over with Lomodro and Arlena and they'll be staying until we leave for America.  I'm so happy to be able to spend time with Mama again before I go, since we won't be able to stop in Majuro on our way back to the States.  I got to spend over an hour just sitting and talking with her last Monday and it was wonderful.

#3
Earth will be baptized this weekend and he's going to wear the same dress my brother and I wore for ours:

My mom is actually trying to talk me out of it but since I finally have a child that both fits in the gown and is being baptized in church, I think he'll be wearing it.  Check back here next week for pictures!

#4
Our pack out is next week and I'm freaking out a little bit.  One of the benefits our company gives us is moving service, meaning they'll come pack our house up for us.  It's great not to have to do it ourselves but between having small children, a busy schedule, and no empty space in our house, I have no way to separate the things that need packed up from the things that are staying.  Wish me luck!

#5
Our plane tickets are bought and wonder of wonders: we're all sitting together.  Of course, Earth's ticket hasn't been purchased yet (for yet more island reasons) and once it is, it'll take some phone calls to get him in the back with us, but hey, we're leaving and right now, I'll celebrate what I can!




How was your week?  Are you celebrating anything, big or small, in your life right now?  I'd love to hear about it- leave a note in the comments below!

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Comments

  1. Oh my goodness! Amazing news! I am so happy for your family. Although of course you have been a family the whole time, it is nice to have everything finalized :-)

    Earth looks too sweet in that baptismal gown!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Erin! It's so nice to have everything done legally, so that we're a family in every sense of the word.

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  2. So glad you are going with the baptism gown. After all, it is the only garb appropriate for an angel.....

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    Replies
    1. He might be a hot angel, since our church isn't air conditioned!

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  3. Such wonderful news! I'm so excited for you and your family! Best of luck with everything coming up!

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