The One That Is All About The Court Day

Dave sez,

LOL

So, I just asked Cathy what stood out in her mind about today. Without missing a beat, she replied, "We have NO patience. God keeps giving us opportunities to build and develop patience, and we haven't done it yet!"

Today started at 3am, when the alarm went off so we could Skype with Justin. The first question he had for Mom was, So, when are you going to court? Cathy told him that today was his brother's court day. So, when are you gonna be coming home? Are you coming home Saturday? Cathy smiled. I'm thinking. Why? Do you miss me? Nah...maybe a little bit. How 'bout if I come home - tomorrow? Justin smiled really big.

We spent about an hour with him, and then went back to bed for a nap.

Our court appointment was for 10am, so we agreed to meet out at the orphanage at 9:30. Skipping breakfast - because feeding butterflies is never a good idea - we caught the Number Eighteen to Independence Square, headed down to Maidan Station and out to the Holosiivska stop. Normally it is not a long wait for the 507 from Holosiivska out to the orphanage; but naturally, since it is court day and we need to be there at a certain, specific time! Every. Other. Bus. But. The. 507. The. One. We. Need. To. Catch. Goes. By! I tell you what, that bus is rarer than hens teeth! We finally caught the 507 and made it out in time to jump from the bus to the car for quick hugs with Ethan and we were on our way to court.

Where we waited for the judge. Not only were Cathy and I anxious and nervous, but so was Ethan. He chattered away with question after question for the social workers and our facilitator in Ukrainian and fidgeted.

Last year we were in a court room. The courtroom was filled with benches but no state or defense counsel tables. just a podium for plaintiffs. On the judges right, our left at the front of the court was a cell. There were three chairs behind the bench for judges. The judge sat in the one to our far right, enjoying a view out the window during the proceedings. I will never forget how close Cathy, Justin and I became by expressing how we felt about each other before the judge, our facilitator, and the social workers.

This year, we were in the judges chambers. Along with the judge, her two clerks, and a court reporter, there were two social workers, our facilitator, Ethan, Cathy and I.

"I remember you from last year!" the judge said to us through our facilitator. "How is your son?"

He is awesome! He's great.

She was incredibly warm and friendly to both of us and especially to Shani. She asked both of us why we were adopting again. I told her that Justin introduced us to Shani, and we got to know him and we came to love him as much as we love our son, Justin. The two boys are friends and we all want to be together. Cathy answered the same question the same way, but the way she put it was so much more eloquent. I can't remember the exact words she used, but I will never forget what she said.

There are three things we have to ask the judge: we would like permission to adopt Shani, we would like permission to change his last name, and we would like permission to be named as his parents on his new birth certificate. The way Cathy put that is: "We would love to adopt him! We would love to change his name. We would love to be named as his parents."

The judge called Shani up next to her. She asked him how he was and several questions about what he wanted. She asked about his Math and English. His Math is not so great. She asked if he could calculate how far it was from Ukraine to his new home. He couldn't. She kidded him that if he could calculate it he could go. Then she asked about his English. She asked him to say something in English. He said his new name. She told him he had very good English.

We stepped out into the corridor while she reviewed the case for a final decision.

A few minutes later she invited us back into her chambers to congratulate us. In ten days we would have the court's final decree and we could then proceed to getting his new birth certificate, tax id number, final physical, passport and visa. Then Ethan and I will be wheels up for home!

Then, the adventure really begins! Brothers. Two boys - and ANOTHER year of "firsts"!