We’ll fly down to Florida around when the child is born, probably within 24 hours after we are told the birthmother is in labor, or the day before a scheduled C-section.
Once the child is born, Florida requires the birthmother to wait at least 48 hours before waiving her parental rights. The birthfather can sign any time after the child is born. These waivers are irrevocable, so when both waivers are signed the uncertainty is removed about whether this child will actually become our child.
We’re not actually allowed to leave Florida until some interstate paperwork clears, which should take 10 days or so but could take up to 3 weeks. So at some point we’ll get a call saying that we’re allowed to return home.
For the first several months, we’ll have physical custody of the child, but legal custody will reside with the adoption agency. That changes with finalization, which is done by a court in Florida (probably with us on the phone rather than flying to Florida to appear in person). Finalization should happen a bit over 90 days after the child is born. At that point we become the child’s legal parents and a new birth certificate is issued.
