Tomorrow We Go to Court

Tuesday, which is tomorrow, we finally get our day in court. That will be our first of 2 court dates to complete the adoption process for Sweetpea. We lost the last court date in May and then it seemed so far away to wait for June 23rd, but now it is upon us.

The lawyer called today and informed us that he will not be there tomorrow due to a death in the family. He is sending his stand-in and the show will go on, thankfully. He then spent the next 20 minutes on the phone speed talking me through the "talking points" of the process tomorrow. Mostly dates and details that we will have to verbally testify to -- as if they do not have it printed ad nauseam in the ream of paperwork we have already submitted -- but perhaps for succinct-ness (word?)we will have to reiterate it once again. I am going to work on a cheat sheet tonight putting these important facts down on paper for us to quickly reference in case nerves or mommy brain kicks in? Otherwise it might sound something like this....

What's your name? ugh, ummmm, yea, hon could you answer that one for me?
What is the child's name? Top Button, no, Second Button, sorry no, Bottom Button, ugh, Cody (the dog) ergh! I'm sorry it's coming to me now......Sweetpea!
Where do you live? In a house! (Smiling sweetly as I revel in easily mastering one of the questions!)
What are the series of events that led to the placement of this child in your home in 2 minutes or less? You-have-got-to-be-kidding-me!

Get the picture of why I feel I need a cheat sheet?

Please pray for the kids as they are going with us and the bottom two are really scared. They are scared for all kinds of reasons but none that we can dissuade easily or reassure them away from. Sweetpea is covertly afraid that her first parents will show up, even though they are still oversees and have been abundantly clear that they had no desire to ever appear in court. She is also afraid that the judge will "make the decide" to send her back to them. I think that is a very understandable fear and a decision that would be very, very rare for him to make but it's in the margin of possibility and she is living in that margin with her fear.

Second Button has been telling her story of going to the judge and how he let her sit on his lap and bang his gavel and gave her a lollipop when she left. I have told Sweetpea she is NOT seeing the same judge and to not expect the same treatment. The retelling of the story was to assure her that judges are nice people, not a contract of what will happen tomorrow. Either way the wind blows tomorrow, fear or over-confidence, I am packing a lollipop on my person just to be on the safe side.

After the cheat sheet my biggest angst is what will we all wear, it is court after all, and a significant moment in our family's history. I have not yet applied my grey matter to what will cover all the bitty bodies. As if you couldn't guess this one, Sweetpea wants it all to be matchy-matchy. She has such a huge need to belong and find her significance in belonging. So I had best get this posted and let those brain cells spin in the direction of creative clothes coverings!

Please pray for all our hearts and for a favorable ruling in regarding to our petition to the court!