SB’s birth mom has filed an intent to appeal. She has not actually continued the process, but is expected to at this point. What happens in these cases is the parent appeals, but they are very rarely given a new trial, and if they are, they never win. It’s like a one percent chance that she might get him back, and our lawyer explained that it is even lower in this case. So, basically what this means to us is that we just have to potentially wait much longer before we can finalize the adoption. It just delays things for SB, makes him a ward of the state even longer, without a forever family. It’s sad. (This was part of why the Brothers that we had last year had to wait so long for adoption. Their Mom filed an appeal, which she was denied.)

In addition, some things came out in court that mean BioMom will be required to pay for her own appeal. I would rather see her use this money to get her life on track. We will see what comes of that. So, like the last 18 months, we just have to sit and wait and watch. But at least now we have a very good reasonable expectation that our future with this little guy is secure. 

I have to admit it’s a huge letdown after thinking this was over. I will also say that we are tired, and ready to let our license go dormant for a good while. I have some other volunteer opportunities I want to pursue that would conflict with my having an active foster license. If an appeal is pursued, and this part of our lives is made to drag on further, it’s not going to make me want to work at all at maintaining a relationship with BioMom in the future. Frankly, I’m angry. I haven’t been mad until now, but I am. 

It’s time for all of us just to move on and move forward. Easy for me to say, I know. I’m the one keeping the baby. But we tried really really hard, we did. It’s just time for an ending. It really, really is.Â