We had a hearing today... It was a scheduled dependency review for both Lilly and Olivia. It was decided, of course, that both girls would remain in the care of the State at this time and that everything was happening in a reasonable matter.

While we were there it was decided that there was no reason not to move to a "permanency" hearing (as there has been no parental involvement in this case, nor the previous one) . The attorneys and the judge could not seem to find a reasonable time to meet for that hearing and the judge suggested that they could have the permanency hearing right then. This is a big Woohoo! for us as it changes Olivia's plan from family reunification with a concurrent plan of severance and adoption to a plan of only severance and adoption. They then moved on to find a date for the severance hearing. CPS will post for the bmom and the bdad and the hearing will be on July 14. What this means is that Olivia will move on to being available for adoption (by us) on July 14.

Praise God. This is a good six months earlier than what we could usually expect.

Once Olivia has been freed for adoption there will apparently be another six month wait while the Adoption Unit for the state gets their stuff in order for us to go to court and take final custody of our girl.

She should be around a year old and we expect we will be having a REALLY big birthday/adoption/baptism party around then.

It's been a very good day for us and Miss Olivia Elizabeth Marisol.

that everything goes forward as planned!


~m

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