From People.com

Madonna gets custody of Mercy.

Madonna's family has just gotten bigger, now that the pop star has legally won the right to adopt a daughter from Malawi.

"I am extremely grateful for the Supreme Court's ruling on my application to adopt Mercy James. I am ecstatic ... My family and I look forward to sharing our lives with her," Madonna said in a statement through her spokesperson Friday.

Preparations are already underway to bring Chifundo "Mercy" James, 3, from the African country to America private jet, after the singer stayed up throughout the night hoping for a courtroom victory.

"It's the early hours in New York now but my client has been awake all night waiting for this," Madonna's Malawi lawyer, Alan Chinula, tells PEOPLE. The attorney spoke to his client as soon as the ruling was made official, at around 2 a.m. her time Friday. "She was ecstatic when I broke the news to her. She said, 'Thank heavens.' "

Chinula says he is "now awaiting instructions from New York to start preparing travel arrangements for Mercy. I have to be there for her passports and everything."

It is likely to take three to five days before the paperwork is ready and the child is able to leave and join fellow adoptee David, also 3. He was formally adopted in 2008 after some controversy and legal challenges.


Private Jet Arranged
Madonna, 50, is not expected to fly out to Africa from New York, but Philippe Van Der Bossche, director of her Raising Malawi charity, has been asked to arrange a private jet as soon as possible.

It is believed that Mercy may, in the short term, be moved to the Kumbali lodge where Madonna stays when she is Malawi.

The ruling – by Malawi's highest court – was made after a lower court had turned down Madonna's first bid to adopt Mercy in April. That court had said the singer had not spent enough time in Malawi.

- Good for the child but after this no more African children for you Madonna
[Edited 6/14/09 14:49pm]

I remember when Madonna first moved 2 the UK with Guy Ritchie, she said that she wanted 2 be more like a real English mother.

Now she is a single mum with lots of children by different fathers and 2 of them are black. Well done Madge.

comegetwild said:

What color the kids are shouldn't have any bearing on the joke you just tried to make. It's sort of rude, my friend.

Ottensen said:

Yeah,that comment was uncalled for.I applaud Madonna for doing this.It just makes me respect her even more.

^^^OMFG I said the "B" word. Now we are all corrupted and offended. We are all going 2 hell.

Hey fellas get off U're pre-programed politically correct bullshit soapbox, it's just a damn joke 4 4ks sake. Geez lighten up.

It really pisses me off that people can't even mention a black or Asian persons skin colour in case they get "Offended" yet the only reason they get "Offended" is because that's what they have been told they should do since day one. Madonna is a white women with black children but I can't mention that cuz U're knee jerks but Michael Jackson is a former black man with white kids and that's up 4 open discussion. It's bollocks.

Yes I know Madonna is not trying 2 pass those kids off as her biological children like Micheal is but that's not the point. Calm down.

Sorry but I refuse 2 watch my P's and Q's just in case I offend U. If U don't like me... That's cool, If U don't agree with me... That's also cool. But if U get knee jerk reaction offended... Then I'm sorry but 4k U. I don't really care. Peace.

That is absolutely good for her and her FAMILY.

comegetwild said:

WTF?

purplesweat said:

Damn man, talk about going down like a lead balloon.

OK OK so I get the picture, it seems as though senses of humour are a bit thin on the ground around here.

So fine, I shall never utter the nasty "B" word again. From now on there is no such thing as colour or race, we can all bury our heads in the sand and pretend that we are all aquamarine or turquoise or something. That way no one has 2 pretend they are offended.

It was just a joke people and if it's aimed at anyone, then it was aimed at the British people, of which, I am one, so I'm afraid there will be no apology coming. Peace 2 U all though.

This message was brought 2 U by The Getalife Corporation. Thank U 4 U're time.

I'm outta here.

comegetwild said:

You could've at least explained what you meant by your "joke". It seems as though it was meant to hint that Madonna is not a "real" mother and that there's something to be said about two of her children being black (which explains your hostility about the word "black" in your posts afterward).

If you don't want your "joke" to "go down like a lead balloon" don't be judgmental and racist, it's a rather simple concept.

I don't think that post was racist, it just suffers from a "foot in mouth" disease.

As for Madonna, I hope for the sake of those children that its not a "bandwagon" she's riding on for some agenda,,,,I really REALLY hope that she's sincere about mothering them.
[Edited 6/15/09 4:44am]

purplesweat said:

"Sigh" OK so I'll explain it, it's not racist, it's not calling Madonna a bad mother, I'm not being hostile, the joke is exactly what the joke says.

When Madonna moved 2 London with Guy Ritchie, she did actually tell the British press that she wanted 2 be a more traditional English mother 2 her children but there is a stereotype in the UK of a lone mother who has many children by many different fathers and it is quite common that one or two of those kids are mixed race. Therein lies the joke, admittedly not quite as funny when U have 2 explain it 2 the committee 4 knee jerk reactions but then they never are, are they?

Can we move on now.

comegetwild said:

It's ok comegetwild I got the joke and thought it chuckleworthy, it may just of been too english a joke for the American (I cannot undertstand irony crowd).
[Edited 6/15/09 5:57am]

There was a blog awhile back on white celebrity mothers adopting black children. At least Madonna would know how to care for their hair because she's been around the black culture. Also, I am hoping that she's not competing with Angelina Jolie.

angel345 said:

WTF?!

angel345 said:

I don't think she is. She seems committed to Malawi itself in addition to adopting these kids. I don't know about Angelina in that regard, but Madonna seems quite into improving the general situation.
[Edited 6/15/09 11:52am]

UGH! Can't stand this bitch!

At least Madonna has been around the black culture??? African americans have all different cultures, it's not just one that you pick out and stick with!

Malawi is a whole different culture from what other African americans are used to. The continent of Africa has a shitload of different cultures and languages within itself.

It's not that simple to place people of the same background in a big pile.

kremlinshadow said:

I'm Australian.

midiscover said:

most Janet floons can't stand her or Mariah

Chic35 said:

My point is unlike Pitt-Angelina who admitted not knowing what to do with their African daughter's type of hair, of which most of them are tightly curled, Madonna would because she's been exposed to it, and would braid her own hair. She said it back in the day. As for the African culture, I stand corrected for there are many.

Chic35 said:

Most African Americans don't have that much connection to African cultures or languages. I think the person meant Madonna knows about black culture as it is practiced here in the US.

angel345 said:

So how does being around black culture ensure you that you'll know how to do black hair? Lord hammercy. The white mothers of most mixed kids I know were around black folks all the time but that didn't stop them from walking around looking a hot mess 'bout the head.
[Edited 6/17/09 8:56am]

SCNDLS said:

Deep, ain't it?

Harlepolis said:

Girl, e'ry day it's something new.

Oh and good for Madonna. She's providing a good home and opportunities for this lucky child where there were none before so good for her for sharing the wealth in a way that REALLY matters. If Malawi won't let her adopt any more black kids she can come get me, I'll call that heffa mama all day long.

SCNDLS said:

I'm amused that they fuss about how she'll do her "hair" and ignore how well she'll do about the IMPORTANT obvious.

Harlepolis said:

The hair thing is significant but it's definitely not the end all be all. It seems as though Madonna's an excellent mother so she gets props from me all day.

SCNDLS said:

I hope so,,,,for that child's sake.