Chapter Forty-Three

The Corrigans’ Summer of Discontent

“Long distance ...

Runaround.

Long time waiting

To feel the sound ...

Cold summer ...

listening.

Hot color melting the anger to stone.

I still remember

The dream there ...

I still remember

The time you said goodbye.

Did we really tell lies?

Did we really count to one hundred

Looking for the sunshine?”

-Yes

    We were not alone in our insufferable wait for Anguel.  

    The Corrigans too were under duress that summer.  After being shot down for another child from Bulgaria, they dug in and decided to pursue an independent adoption from Ukraine. 

    At no time did they let on anything to anybody at Building Blocks about their independent Ukrainian adoption.

    By August they still hadn’t heard where N’s documents were at the MOJ.  They emailed Denise on Aug. 1 asking if she was able to “unravel the mystery of the dates” and if the documents had even moved out of the MOJ or had just arrived.

    Two days later, they received Denise's response:

According to Valeri, the Ministry held your documents to ensure that the director approved the adoption.  So the documents actually started to process on the later date.  The Ministry was awaiting Dr. S to send a statement in writing that the adoption of this child would benefit her.  She sent the letter and it was approved.

    The Corrigans immediately responded back with questions about the process. They inquired if additional documentation had been sent to Washington, D.C. for authentication.  

    They asked what happened on June 26, to which Denise responded: “The docs were accepted in the Ministry, then the ministry req approval from Dr. S. they got the approval from us and then they just told the atty. they got all they needed and started the process.  They did not say before now they needed anything.”

    On Friday, Aug. 4, the Corrigans emailed and asked for clarification on the letter from Dr. Sabrutova.  

    “Did MOH need the letter to approve the papers to move along,” they asked, “or was it MOJ requesting them?  I thought that the orphanage director approved these things up front … MOJ was the really important level, so I am confused about things.  So I would really appreciate a bit more help on understanding things.”

    This is Denise’s “coherent” response to this, a reiteration of her previous blame-laying: 

Because you have a bio child, the NEW Min of Health said that NO parents with children can adopt from Bulgaria.  We went to the carpet and fought to complete your adoption.  The old Min of Health did not care if families had bio children because he new that Bulgarians would not adopt these children, the new one does not care. 

Bottom Line your docs then were approved by the Min of Health.  We went into the MOJ and the Minister of Justice wanted IN WRITING from the director that your child had no chance of being adopted by a Bulgarian couple and that your child was in need of a home.  The director did this and had the letter approved by the local min of health who is the boss of the orphanage and then the letter went to the MOJ and the documents started processing.

Basically the MOH approved the adoption, then the MOJ wanted to cover their butts because of the law and wanted reassurance from the director the child would be ok with you as parents.

    What a hoot. If they went to the carpet to “complete the adoption,” were there any burn marks?  And how come the MOH was being so strict with BBAS clients?  What was up with that situation? (Again, keep this in mind for later).

    Meanwhile, the Corrigans began to gather their documentation for their Ukrainian adoption, while all the while worrying about N in Burgas. 

    Later Sue was informed that Lori Homeyer had been placed “in charge” of their case during the time that Lori had come aboard BBAS as an “employee.”  

    Although they really liked Lori, they told Denise that the arrangement was unacceptable. Denise attempted to tell them that they would have a court date in September and then projected a November 2000 pickup. 

    As Lori Homeyer told us in November 2004, her hands were tied and she was unable to help the Corrigans out.  Denise was deliberately keeping information from Lori which did not help the Corrigans.

   That November, they traveled to Ukraine and successfully adopted a two-year-old boy (Another Ukrainian adopting couple we had been corresponding with ran into them over there. It really is a small world sometimes in international adoption).

    She and Rob continued to post public posts on the EEAC Bulgaria list. This particular post, “Documentation Process,” on Sept. 22, mentioning BBAS by name, drew an immediate, private response from Denise.

Hello – I don’t really know how typical or atypical we are but we are adopting thru Building Blocks. Originally we were told 4 months of paper/court work.  Our little N is in Bourgas.  Our first trip was in Jan. 2000.  We brought our dossier with us and it was entered 2/17/00 to MOH.  It was there a long time – until 7/21.  Then to MOJ.  We have not yet been assigned a court date.  I really don’t quite understand the hold up but it is a pretty slow process.  I don’t know if the location of the orphanage plays a role.  Where are you adopting from?  Others have had faster processing times.  Good luck.  Sue.

    As always, Denise responded privately when one of her rogue clients dared to ask anything publicly, lest her agency have a worse reputation than it was shortly going to receive from Daniel and Elizabeth Case. 

    She sent this barely a half hour later, reiterating those salient points of that great time BBAS and its Bulgarian reps had made fighting for the Corrigans at the MOH:

Read your post.  Sorry about your wait.  I know this is hard.  If only we did not have to take the extra time to fight and get the MOH to let you adopt a child because of the new director of the MOH giving us a hard time because of your bio child and his rules.  I wish the Bulgarian gov’t would have seen the kindness and love you gave N while in the orphanage like the director of the orphanage saw and plead your case to the MOH.  It is a good thing we networked and fought to get her placed because now the MOH is making it easier for parents with one bio child to adopt one child.  Your sacrafice in waiting had made a difference in so many other children’s lives.  Thank you.  God Bless.  Have a Great Weekend.  Denise.

    Another family was just signing up to adopt at the same time. Denise kept the lie going to them that she was telling Sue Corrigan here. “Your sacrafice in waiting” ... like they had been given any choice in the matter? Much less foreknowledge.

    If Denise intended this email to soothe over Rob and Sue’s growing disdain and anger, it sorely missed its mark.

    The fun with N’s adoption was just beginning for the Corrigan family. 

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