More Mexico Updates

I know...I said I was going to go to bed, but I had a bit of espresso this evening so, here goes:

As I stated in my last post, a lot has happened since I arrived in Mexico, and as I've hardly had a minute to think, let alone process it all, the chronology has sort of gotten blurred...I hope I don't leave out any major details, but aside from court on August 12th, these are the main developments since the reopening of the courts:

1.)  A new visitation schedule was created--this is explained in the Aug. 12 posting.

2.)  No date is yet set for the next hearing.  Had it not been for the stalling tactic of Ana and her lawyers to request the submission of new evidence in the form of her "witnesses," the hearing would likely have been decided on already.  It's unfortunate that this was allowed, as it was really already supposed to be too late to submit new evidence, but chances are that if Carlos and his lawyers are able to appear for cross-examination, it will end up working in their favor, as was the case with her previous "witnesses," who had trusted she'd had her lies straight before asking them to testify.  Even if it doesn't serve to help them in any way, the most that they will be able to testify is that they've known Sage, he's lived with his mom while in Mexico, and he's "happy"...usual parental abduction stuff.

3.)  For some time now, Ana has been claiming that she's living with her parents in Salamanca.  Over the last several months, however, she's also been claiming that she's driving Sage everyday to a school in Celaya, about 45 minutes away.  Due to several previous incidents, comments made by Sage, etc., Carlos and his lawyers believe that she is actually now living in Celaya and not documenting this with the court.  After doing some research, it was determined that there would be no good reason for her to drive Sage that far for school everyday, as the schools are no better and maybe worse, the highways are naturally dangerous when driven back and forth everyday, and the time it would take there and back would be exhausting for a 4-year old boy who has been in school all day.  Up until this point there has been no easy way to prove Ana's false address, but as we were heading to the prosecutor's office a few days ago, we happened to drive by an elementary school that teaches both Spanish and English.  Intrigued by the idea of killing two birds with one stone (determining the reality of Sage's living conditions, and also ensuring that he learn his native language in a good school), we looked into it and found that it was also the best school in Salamanca.  So, Sage is now signed up for school there, to start this fall, and a motion put into the court that Ana is required to keep Sage in the school.  We should hear the judge's reaction to this request soon, but Carlos and I attended an orientation for the school this evening, and it seems that IF this goes through, Carlos will be able to attend school functions for Sage just as often as Ana does.

4.)  The final very specific development that has come about in my now 7 days here deserves its own post, so for now, I bid you goodnight, or as I've said many times here in Mexico...buenas noches :)

--Sonia