We had a lazy morning debating about whether to get organised and head back to the zoo to finish off the bits we didn’t see on Monday. However, at around 11am we got a knock on our door – it was Magnolia our interpreter come to let us know that our lawyer wanted us at the courts by 2pm to sign our adoption papers. This was a big surprise, as we weren’t expecting to be signing until late next week at the earliest.
The other Australian couple here who arrived a week before we did only signed their papers yesterday, so to be signing ours today was a bit of a shock.
We hurried around to the shopping centre down the road to get some more cash for the various expenses we would have in the next few days – and then had a quick lunch. Magnolia picked me up at 2pm and we headed to the courts together in a taxi to meet up with our lawyer. When I say “courts”, I actually mean the administrative offices – it’s just paperwork done in a small crowded office with piles of paper everywhere. Nothing formal, and no fanfare or ceremony.
For some reason they only needed me there to sign, not both of us, so Leanne didn’t come with. We waited for the paperwork to be organised and we checked it for mistakes (standing around in the hallway), and then they ushered me into the office where I stood at their front counter and posed for a photo before signing the document.
Next we headed back downstairs to where there was a store offering photocopying services – convenient that they happen to set up right below the court offices – they seemed to be doing a roaring trade. We copied the documents and made additional copies of our passports and then headed back upstairs to submit them all. Quite quick and simple really.
This isn’t quite the last step, we still need to organise a new birth certificate for Andres (showing our names as the parents), and a Colombian passport so he can leave the country. We’ll be doing those in the next few days.
We spent the rest of the afternoon sitting around and snoozing – Leanne wasn’t feeling that great.
Hi Simon and Leanne and precious Andreas
We have been following your blog and want to congratulate you on becoming parents to Andreas. His is so amazingly cute. It has been a real blessing watching him warm to you both and in getting to know you we see his face just light up. What a darling he is. I bet mum dad and Aunty Rose can’t wait to meet him in person and hug him. I hope Leanne is feeling better and that you all have a comfortable trip home. This will probably be Andreas first long trip in a plane.
Love Wendy Chris Chantelle Kim and Michael (son inlaw)
Reading this wonderful blog 180Kms. north west of Alice Springs on the Tanami Road. Still can’t work out how to send email but got the one you sent 5/6.