Eighteen Months, Part II

We've all heard horror stories about families who have raised adoptive children for years only to have once-estranged biological parents sue to take the children back. We've seen on TV heart wrenching scenes of the children being forcibly separated by court order from the only parents they had ever known.

At this point, that would more or less be us if, G-d forbid, this scenario were to play out with The Toddler. I have long since banished from my mind the possibility that TT would ever leave.

The good news is that it is looking increasingly unlikely that any such thing will happen. As each day passes, it seems more likely that TT will, indeed, stay with us.

As I have said before, this is good for two reasons. First, and selfishly, I don't think we could bear the thought of her leaving (no more than we could have borne any of our other children being taken away from us). Secondly, under any objective or subjective standard, it is the right result for TT. She is in a structured, secure environment where she is smothered with love and attention by parents and siblings. She is loved unconditionally and is the center of attention.

Unfortunately, it will still be a long time until this situation finally resolves itself. It is said that the wheels of justice turn slowly. Well, the wheels of justice in family court turn even more slowly.

And, of course, it will be tragically sad for the biological parents. There is no getting around that.