Things have not went as expected lately as far as Isaiah's case goes. We were supposed to have the final hearing for the termination of parental rights last week, but it was continued due to a conflict in one of the lawyer's schedules.
I hate when court gets continued. I don't like going to court anyway. But when I know its coming up, I get myself mentally prepared for it. Then, when it gets continued, I have to go through all that again. And, this was the worst hearing to be continued. It would have been the last time we had to go to court with these parents. And, afterwards, visits should have been done for good. And, most importantly, we would have been able to get started on the adoption process.
Now, we are still doing weekly visits with the mom and still waiting on a new court date. I'm guessing it will be about a month away. But its hard to say for sure.
I am surprised by this, but I think the mom is almost as ready for this to be over as I am. She has been acting differently at the visits lately. She doesn't try to pick up Isaiah when we get there, she hardly says hello to him, and she barely says goodbye when we leave. It makes sense that she would start to distance herself from him at this point, its probably her way of protecting herself from all of this. But at the same time, she knows she can end all this by voluntarily signing over her rights. She has made it clear she won't do that though.
There is something else going on with her, but I haven't figured out what it is yet. She cut her hair and started wearing it a different way a couple weeks ago (after wearing it exactly the same for the 2 years I have known her). She has also been wearing new clothes and shoes (after wearing worn out things all this time). And some different furniture has appeared in her apartment. So, money is coming from somewhere. And she doesn't have a job. I don't know if its a new boyfriend or a new money making venture (we know she has done prostitution in the past), or family could be sending money, who knows. I'm so thankful visits are supervised!
But, even though we don't know when it will be yet, there is an end in sight. So, we will all continue to muddle through until court happens.
