Family, but Not Really

A lot has happened since I posted this rant and rave. And yet...not much has happened either. At the Status Conference DHHS came forward and said they would consent to adoption for us, and not her. At that status conference her attorney also stated they planned on hiring an expert to testify to the importance of siblings being raised together (never mind that these kids barely know each other). However, in the status conference this morning, they've determined that they will not be doing that because it's too expensive. One has to wonder how they hope to have a snowball's chance if they don't hire one. The judge determined that since no one has filed for adoption yet, we will need to have a placement hearing...and as an aside he said...unless someone decides to file for adoption in the very near future. DHHS has been working overtime to get all of our adoption paperwork put together so that we can file as soon as possible. We're already halfway through what is usually a 12-week process. And I predict we will be ready to file within a couple weeks. We heard today that the hearing won't be until mid-September. Our attorney says this is a good thing because he will be in school by then and it will make it harder for them to disrupt his life. I get that. I really do. But I was really hoping to have this all said and done by the time he started school.Ah well. The GAL has also recently gotten 2 attorneys, as she is not an actual attorney. This has proved helpful for us as well. Her attorneys are also standing behind us. So it's basically like paying for one attorney and getting 4 because we have the state's attorney on our side as well.So yes, a lot has happened (and I'm probably forgetting something), but we're still playing the waiting game, doing visits every weekend, and so nothing much has happened.