Mama Says Just One More: The Official Update on Court

Mary says….

Thank you everyone for your prayers. Court went well yesterday, everyone in attendance was very nice to us. They had us state our names, birth year, and address. Then the judge would call one of us to stand and they would ask us questions about our income, our house, our religion, why this country and if we felt we were bonding with Alina and Vitaly.

We adamantly said yes and told how they run to us when they see us and call us Mama & Papa. We told them of our love for these two children and how we can’t wait to get them home.

Then the judge asked me if we had any other children. I said “Yes sir, we have six children at home.” After a couple more questions about the kids, he asked how we planned to introduce Alina and Vitaly to the other children. He must not know that we have internet. J And I forgot to mention it to him. I did tell him that our children back home are very excited to meet their new siblings and that the new children will be grafted into our family just as every new baby has been. They will fit in just fine.

Then it was time for us to tell the court what we wanted them to do:

1) Approve the petition to adopt Alina & Vitaly

2) Change their names to the new ones

3) Add us as their parents on Birth Certificates

4) Please waive the 10 day waiting period

Okay, I have to set the scene a little. There is a long boardroom type table, Tom and I are on one end and the judge is on the other. Slightly behind him on either side are two older ladies who are the witnesses. Then in front of him is the court reporter who spent most of the time typing on a computer. Closer to us sit the representative from the local child welfare office and the prosecutor on one side and our translator and the orphanage lawyer on the other side. *sidenote – two interns sat off to the side. Not part of the story but couldn’t leave it out.

Okay, so Tom was the lucky one to state our petitions first. On the first three, the little old ladies behind the judge were smiling and nodding in agreement. Then he got to the 4^th request and every head turned and looked at him (including the court reporter) and like a switch flipping the little old ladies then started turning their heads from side to side in the “No” fashion. It was like Tom had just asked to have all the money in the state treasury, the way everyone looked at him! “Are You Crazy!”

Then it was my turn. I forgot what I was suppose to say (in my defense, I thought only one of us was going to say that) and just as our translator was reminding me, the judge said “Do you agree with what your husband said?” Me “Oh, Oh yes.”

After that, they went around the room and were asked if they agreed with the petition to adopt the children. Everyone said they agree, and the judge said “Congratulations. You have two new children. I hope you have the strength to raise 8 kids.” With that, we all rose and left the room. It only took 30 minutes. And the judge did not say anything about the 10 day waiting period. We weren’t even sure that court was over. In the next room, we asked our translator if that was it and she said yes. So we were very happy.

Yes, we are a little bummed about having to wait the additional 10 days. But we have to look at it the right way, God has opened so many doors for us in this process that if He closed this one, there must be a good reason. So we’re doing our best to remain positive and to see what God has for us.

On another note, we had a God moment. Aside from the court. J

When we told the children last night about their new official siblings, they were VERY happy. So happy that the girls screamed with joy. Thankfully Skype has sound so we were able to hear them. And big brother was happy too. We had not told the children (except Ethan) of the kids’ new middle names. So when Phoebe read Vitaly Dallas last night, she said “Hey Ethan, he’s got the same middle name as you.” Ethan: “I know.” Phoebe: “That confirms you’re brothers.” Ethan: “That’s right.” Their reaction definitely blessed our hearts. Thank you Lord for giving us children that love others. Thank you for giving us family and friends that have shown and continue to show Your love to us. We miss our kids more than they know! Thank you Jim, Mary, Russell and John for being the hands and feet of Christ by keeping our precious treasures. We know you miss having your house in order and your schedule back, but thank you from the bottom of our hearts for what you have done for all of us.

Alina and Vitaly are playing together nicely. Vitaly had a meltdown yesterday because he wanted more water to drink and we didn’t want to give him any until he used the restroom (the current score is tied at 2 for number of times being peed on, neither one of us wants to break the tie). Cold water. That’s all I’m gonna say. He wanted more. Hee hee

Anyway, Tom was holding him as he was crying and yelling and kicking. He was making such a ruckus that even the nannies were watching us. One of them came up and asked Tolly if he wanted to come to her. He said “Nyet, me Papa”. At that moment we learned that even though he was upset with us, he still preferred to be with us. What a moment! Thank you Lord.

Enough talk, more pictures………I hear ya.