This has been a long process. We had to wait til the mother didn't do anything for a few years and the fathers have never been an issue. The mother was the one we had to get around. We have had the kids since they were little and the boy is 9 1/2 and the girl is almost 8 and we have had her since she was 4 months old. When the lawyer filed the papers for severing of rights she put in them the court doesn't need your permission to do this so the mother knew it was all over for her unless she could afford an expensive attorney. We have been so blessed to have a wonderful attorney who has fought for us the whole way and of course her being an adoption specialist attorney didn't hurt. Than God is is almost over with and we don't have to ever worry about the mother getting the kids as her life style isn't conducive to their well being.