[w8ting4Thomas]

We decided to process our readoption pro se (to save the $1200 I kept being quoted for our county in GA).

Anyway, just to vent...after 2 postponements (and the county clerk of court trying to stongarm me into an atty) the judge's office called tonight and 'claimed' they didn't get a document I sent personally directly to them and also that they didn't get our (15th thousandth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) set of FBI/GBI fingerprint results.

Of couse they only bothered to notify me the 5th day before the hearing, which is their deadline for us to have a hearing Monday, Dec 8.

So YET ANOTHER delay for Thomas to be readopted and have a legal name change. I broke down in tears (which I now know is ricidulous) but it was literally a few years ago before all of this started and I am tired of paperwork and having to be 'top on the process.' I am tired and want to give my brain a break. I did call our DA's office to plead for an 'exception' to their "policies." I will take Thomas in with me in the am to put a name with a CASE!!!!

Don't mean to take away from those still waiting with my whining. But when you are home you can still only take so much. We all have our days and today was mine.

[littlegirl2]

I am right there with ya! I also want the paperwork to be done. We are going to court this month to finalize our readoption, legal name change, etc... I was also having one of those days :-) You said it best - "I want to give me brain a break"!!
The good news is you (we) really are right around the corner to being done, really done, with NO MORE paperwork!
I will be praying for you to get finished quickly. I like the idea of you bringing Thomas in...someone HAS to have compassion to move quickly for you and your family!
Good luck and keep us posted!

[saranbr]

Oh I hear you. That is why I gladly handed over the $1500 each time-- FINALLY once in the whole process all I had to do was give him the adoption paperwork and then show up in court. What some of us consider luxurious living !

[mksilvermoon]

just a hunch - but make a call and speak to the clerk and ask them for a copy of their complaints/service policy ... we had a terrible time with people who were supposed to be 'helping' with Carmen's re-adoption and eventually ended up hiring a lawyer with a heart of gold who did not charge us anywhere near the going rate (i know! who knew people like that existed? UK by the way) oh and I always hand delivered documents to people in the end - made it impossible for them to 'claim' they did not get them - break something, take a deep breath and know that you ARE nearly there & buy something sparkly to drink for that day and put it in the fridge!

MK

[dance_muffin]

So sorry to hear you are going thru this. I certainly feel your pain. Our hs agency dropped the ball for our readoption paperwork. We had to fedex overnight delivery paperwork to the judge two days before the hearing. The clerk in Surrogate's Court was extremely difficult to work with as well; she did nothing to help expediate anything. I did have a lawyer that was covered thru dh's employer. BUT he didn't have any int'l adoption experience; so it really was on me.

That said, go in PERSON with EVERY document that you have in regards to your son's adoption. I walked in with a suitcase full of documents. The clerk can make the copies right there. Also, bring your ds, I brought my dd with me when judge's clerk said she didn't have documents that I had gave the courts numerous times. I think it made a difference to see a child in person that this is affecting.

Hang in there; it WILL happen.

[Slatond10]

Definitely understand your pain. My domestication of the foriegn adoption in SC took 4 times longer than the actual international adoption took! I was definitely frustrated with the additional paperwork and time required for our local system to work! Also when I showed up to court, I had not rec'd the required documents to complete and have in hand, so it was postponed another 2 months. ( that was my day for tears)

But you will have a "JOYOUS" day when it is done. Please share with the forum so we can with you.

[w8ting4Thomas]

OK...so MOM ON A MISSION got this handled today!!!!

I went to the courthouse (Thomas in tow) and REFILED the paperwork they claimed I never filed. Then I starting harassing DFACS about our missing fingerprints that I was told a month ago were ok and at the judge's office but weren't!!!

I couldn't get anyone from DFACS to return my call (shocker!). I also went by the Judge's office with copies of everything I had just REFILED downstairs with the clerk (oh and the clerk tried the thing again with me about getting an atty bc it would be easier...grrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!). I made the secretary in the judge's office sign that she had received my docs via hand delivery.

Anyway, long day short...as I was on my way to DFACS (with Thomas in tow, poor child!) The judge's office called and said DFACS had just hand delivered our fingerprints and they would be "honored" to hear our case Monday after all.

Now that's why we are MOMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We will see Monday whether I was truly successful!

[jennsult]

Good for you! We also had a lot of problems with our re-adoption. We finally (after 1 year) had a re-adoption hearing in early Nov. I am now going thru the SSN hell. Will it ever end?

[autumnm]

Forgive me, I'm new to this. What is the readoption process and why is it necessary? Under what circumstances do adoptive parents have to do this?

Thank you in advance for your help!

[drjeanne]

Yea! That's great news for a Mom on a Mission! I'm happy to hear you made some progress! I can't wait to see your post on Monday about how successful you were! Those poor people just hate to see you coming with that baby in tow....especially on a Friday! hahahahaha

YOU GO GIRL! Hope you have a great weekend!
Jeanne

Autumn, I can't really explain readoption correctly but, all states are not the same. I live in Kentucky and it's not required to re-adopt, but, it was recommended to us to go ahead and do it just in case there were any sorts of legal issues over inheritance problems in the future (probably won't be and probably wouldn't be an issue anyway but, why risk it?). Also, our daughter has a Kentucky birth certificate now so, whenever she needs a birth certificate in the future, it will be easy for her to access a copy of it. I'm sure all these adoption experts on here can explain much better than I can!

Good luck!

[w8ting4Thomas]

Autumn - we came home on an IR3 visa so we did not HAVE to do this step. On an IR4 I believe you do. Anyway...reasons to do it ,even though not required, are bc this will also take care of his legal name change and also give us GA birth certs (they will state he was born in Guat) but they will be in English - much easier than a Spanish doc when he is entering school, getting married (though he is never leaving home, so he won't need it for that!!!!! heheheh), etc.
PM if you still have more questions. I will help with what I can. Each states process is a little different and the counties can vary too even in the state. But I found a Yahoo group that helped get me the paperwork I needed and we did it on our own. The paperwork was actually easy (took about 1 hour). Our county has just been a REAL pain in the you know what!!!