So we went to get passports again today, but this time I took my lawyer.
Before we went, she investigated the situation and went down to La Vega herself to speak with them. All was well, they said I could with the situation we have and the legal guardian document.
Today, I got down there and waited about 2 hours to hear no again. My lawyer says that she worked on a case like this in college and the guardian was able to obtain passports to travel with the kids. My case is rare because I actually have rights signed over to me, I didn't just take in a child without paperwork. It is also rare because I am not married and can't adopt them until I am. I have not left the country since last year this time. My exit fee is going to be ridiculously HIGH when I finally do get to go to America for a trip.
One of THEIR solutions today was to sign the girls back over to sister. Let sister go get passports and then sign me back rights after we get the passports in hand. I would then apply for visas and could fly with them. I HAVE NO IDEA how this is even legal today, but that is what BOTH LAWYERS suggested.
I don't even understand why they would let me fly with them if they HAD passports...I just cant request them. What?
Amazing, I tell you.
I won't be going that route.
It's funny. Not getting passports actually answered another prayer I had. One prayer denied and one prayer answered from the denial. Cray.
My lawyer thinks that I can adopt without being married. This is new. Laws are super flexible here. One person says one thing and another person says another. Hence, I was told by the judge that signed my legal rights document, "now, you can go to get passports and visas to travel."
Wrong. But my lawyer is calling the judge and looking into this more.
The great part today is that I am not discouraged. Super calm and okay with this. It use to weigh heavily on me that I cannot leave the country, but it has subsided.
Life is good lately. After a few weeks of absolute craziness in the house with Daniela running away and couldn't be found for a few hours, we have had a great month of calmness...except for this new preteen attitude that I am not sure how to handle :)
Daniela has a great counselor that she is working through trauma stuff with that is Christian and is trained in violence theraphy. Our counselor wanted us to schedule a visit to dad in prison last week, but after much prayer, I lacked all peace to do that. The prison here is down right scary. There are only set days to visit and prostitutes and drug dealers are let into the facility. There are guards but they do not escort you, and inmates are not locked up. They are roaming free. We wouldn't be able to talk to dad behind bars or a window, it would be face to face. No. Thank. You. Sounds like a new round of trauma to me.
Jessica didn't want to go and oddly enough, Daniela did.
I am horrible about keeping you updated this month. I am going to try to write a little more often.
Love from the DR.
Before we went, she investigated the situation and went down to La Vega herself to speak with them. All was well, they said I could with the situation we have and the legal guardian document.
Today, I got down there and waited about 2 hours to hear no again. My lawyer says that she worked on a case like this in college and the guardian was able to obtain passports to travel with the kids. My case is rare because I actually have rights signed over to me, I didn't just take in a child without paperwork. It is also rare because I am not married and can't adopt them until I am. I have not left the country since last year this time. My exit fee is going to be ridiculously HIGH when I finally do get to go to America for a trip.
One of THEIR solutions today was to sign the girls back over to sister. Let sister go get passports and then sign me back rights after we get the passports in hand. I would then apply for visas and could fly with them. I HAVE NO IDEA how this is even legal today, but that is what BOTH LAWYERS suggested.
I don't even understand why they would let me fly with them if they HAD passports...I just cant request them. What?
Amazing, I tell you.
I won't be going that route.
It's funny. Not getting passports actually answered another prayer I had. One prayer denied and one prayer answered from the denial. Cray.
My lawyer thinks that I can adopt without being married. This is new. Laws are super flexible here. One person says one thing and another person says another. Hence, I was told by the judge that signed my legal rights document, "now, you can go to get passports and visas to travel."
Wrong. But my lawyer is calling the judge and looking into this more.
The great part today is that I am not discouraged. Super calm and okay with this. It use to weigh heavily on me that I cannot leave the country, but it has subsided.
Life is good lately. After a few weeks of absolute craziness in the house with Daniela running away and couldn't be found for a few hours, we have had a great month of calmness...except for this new preteen attitude that I am not sure how to handle :)
Daniela has a great counselor that she is working through trauma stuff with that is Christian and is trained in violence theraphy. Our counselor wanted us to schedule a visit to dad in prison last week, but after much prayer, I lacked all peace to do that. The prison here is down right scary. There are only set days to visit and prostitutes and drug dealers are let into the facility. There are guards but they do not escort you, and inmates are not locked up. They are roaming free. We wouldn't be able to talk to dad behind bars or a window, it would be face to face. No. Thank. You. Sounds like a new round of trauma to me.
Jessica didn't want to go and oddly enough, Daniela did.
I am horrible about keeping you updated this month. I am going to try to write a little more often.
Love from the DR.
