DE Release Letter

We FINALLY got word on Tuesday that our DE (Department of Education) release letter had been received! This basically is a letter that says Elijah is free to be adopted internationally. The DE tries to explore all options – trying to contact birth parents or other relatives, etc – before issuing this release letter. Now that this letter is in hand our entire file is being notarized/authenticated over in Russia and should be submitted to court next week.

I am a little bit unsure the process from there…I have gotten mixed messages and timelines so we will just wait and pray and see. We are praying desperately that we will get a court date assigned to us next week, soon after submitting our file to court, but we have been told in other regions this can take around 30 days after the file has been submitted.

Once again, we ask for your prayers…prayers that every person that comes in contact with our file will feel a sense of urgency to complete their part. Prayers that our facilitator on the ground knows exactly what she is doing to help expedite the process. Prayers that the judge will see our file early next week and issue us a court date so that we are back in Russia within the next couple of weeks. Continued prayers for Elijah that he is continuing to grow, attach to his caregivers, be happy and cared for…and that the Lord will be preparing him for this adoption. Thanks for all of your support and prayers!!