Way back on November 6th 2009 I posted a diary celebrating the news that the Ethiopian courts had decreed we were the full and final legal parents of K1....
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There was much rejoicing :-). You, my dear Kossack readers, have been with us since we first started our adoption journey. Way back when, you shared my procrastinations, and then you hi-fived us when our dossier was completed. Only a few short weeks later, you congratulated us on our referral. You were with us as we prepared to travel to bring him home. You saw our travel pictures. You learned to count to ten in Sidaminya. You shared a bit of school with us.
In summary, I think you - my TC family - get more updates than my real family does :-). So of course, there was only one topic I could write about today... K2's Re-adoption Ceremony.
Huh? But you got the OK that you two were his full and final legal parents, so what do you need to "re-adopt" him for?
Because Mr. Brillig and I did not both meet K2 prior to the Ethiopian court's granting us parental rights, he did not qualify for an IR3 visa and automatic granting of US citizenship. Instead, he came into the US on an IR4 visa. What does this mean? It means that in order for K2 to receive his Certificate of Citizenship and then apply for a US Passport, he needs to be "re-adopted" in a US court. He already had his green card so there was no danger of Arizona jailing him if we visited there (well, OK, given he doesn't Look Like Us there was some worry, but I digress with snark...), but obviously his life will be far simpler if we deal with all of this paperwork now.
There were two other things that we needed to accomplish. The first was simple - change his middle name from the court-given "Mr. Brillig's first name" to the one passed down through Mr. Brillig's family. The second was also simple, but this is the ONE and ONLY time we could do it - change K2's age from the clearly erroneous one on his Ethiopian birth certificate to one deemed more likely by doctors, dentists, child development specialists and K2 himself. We'll never know exactly for sure how old he is, but based on everything we do know, we kept his birth day, but asked the court to make him one year older.
We got all the required documentation together and submitted it, and this morning at 9am was our hearing. Was there any danger of it NOT being approved? No, although occasionally there have been issues changing a child's age. We knew if the Judge balked, one look at our big, strong, grew-over-9"-in-18-months child would convince her :-). Both K1 and K2 looked very polished, K1 in a stylish pants outfit and K2 in a brand-new shirt and tie. We went with our lawyer into a closed courtroom, which they do so families can bring cameras. The Judge was wonderful, and took the time to chat with us and explain to the kids what was happening. Then with a signature, some "magic words" and K2's double tap of the gavel, he was Fully and Finally Ours Again!
Once we get our paperwork from the court, we can apply for a US birth certificate from City Hall, and then his Certificate of Citizenship. I'm sure there's a Tea-Drinker reading this screaming "but... but... he's from AFRICA how can he get a US Birth Certificate??!!!" Rest assured, oh misguided one, we know K2 is not (without some Constitutional Amending) eligible to become POTUS. Unlike the current holder of the office.
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I promise you only have to submit your Top Comment nominations once in order to see them in print! Let's see who remembered to send in their picks today:
From trashablanca:
sidnora starts the thread here, in navajo's achingly poignant diary, The Celebration of the life of Kris Froland: exmearden and Sharoney and navajo move the discussion to occams hatchet, who links to exmearden's promise. Kris keeps her promises and I have no doubt she'll be there.
From BentLiberal:
Trix reaches a milestone and much celebrating and jocularity ensues in the Overnight News Digest comment thread.
From Yours Truly, brillig:
So Republicans censor event attendance but are big on transparency?? Gooserock has a comparison...
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor wants to know where tornado aid money should come from. lineatus has a suggestion.
