Daily update...

I wish I could write more right now, but I can't.  I'm too scared, tired, and just plain exhausted from all of the changes this week to even come up with words at this time.  Our plan is to sit back (easier said than done), pray and wait to see what's going to happen with Ethiopian adoption as a whole.  After that time and a lot of soul searching, we'll probably have some pretty tough decisions to make as to how we are going to add another child to our family.  Ethiopia is in our hearts and it's where we've believed that our child is for 2 1/2 years, how do we let go of that?!? 

Posted on the CHSFS website yesterday:

Information from the Department of State.

Government of Ethiopia Plans Major Slow-Down in Adoption Processing
March 9, 2011

Citing the need to work on quality and focus on more important strategic issues, the Government of Ethiopia’s Ministry of Women, Children, and Youth Affairs (MOWCYA) will reduce to a maximum of five the number of adoption cases it processes per day, effective March 10, 2011. Under Ethiopian adoption procedures, MOWCYA approves every match between prospective adoptive parents and an Ethiopian child before that case can be forwarded for a court hearing. The U.S. Embassy is working with Ethiopian government officials and adoption agencies to learn more about this change in procedures. We will continue to share information as it becomes available.

Given MOWCYA's current caseload, the U.S. Embassy anticipates that this change could result in an overall decline in case processing of some 90 percent. If this change is implemented as proposed, we expect, that parents who have begun the process of adopting from Ethiopia but have not yet been matched with a child could experience significant delays. It is not clear if this change in procedures would have any significant impact on cases in which MOWCYA has already approved matches.



Prospective adoptive parents should remain in close contact with their adoption service provider to obtain updates on individual cases.