Paperchase #2

My mum is due to leave in five days, and the plan had been for her and Ahmed's mum to be our witnesses in the court hearing. Back when we first found out about Maya, and made our frantic plans to dash across the world to be with her, we were told the following in an email from our lawyer:

Emma can come to stay with the baby when ever she wants. After I start the process I will need you and your witnesses for the court hearing in 3 or 4 weeks.

Our wonderfully supportive families decided that our mothers would be our two witnesses, so planned to make the trip to Mexico to be with us (and coincidentally meet their new grandchild, and see us at the same time) at around that time.

Well, I guess we were not sure what 'starting the process' meant. For us that had been back in June 2007, when we went to our first adoption support group meeting. Turns out that applying for FM3 visas isn't the start. The start is when the dossier and application is presented to court. And that still hadn't happened, as our FM3 visas were still not ready.

So my mother resigned herself to not being one of our witnesses, and just having a fun holiday in Mexico, meeting Maya, hanging out with us and learning 1 - 10 in Spanish, by repeating all the house numbers on letterboxes as we walked around Playas.

Aida contacted the Gobernacion office responsible for processing visas, and still no word on when our visas will be ready. We're starting to wonder if Ahmed's parents will still be here when the court hearing happens. Ahmed writes 'Court' on the calendar on 22nd May. He always looks on the sunny side of life, and decides that if we want it, the universe will provide. His parents are due to leave on the 24th. Gulp.