It's 8:00 in the morning here in Kiev. It will be hours before Daniel wakes up! But I'm enjoying sitting here at the computer watching him sleep. It amazes me that no matter how old they get, they still look like babies when they sleep.
We had out court appearance last Monday. It was nothing at all like I'd expected. I had a small panic attack right before we went in. Not ANY reservations, just the fear of the unknown. They have our dossier, basically our whole life story in a folder, and can ask any question about it. It's hard to feel prepared when you don't know what they'll be asking. I just said a little prayer that God would give me the words to say to whatever question was asked. Mine and Bill's questioning seemed like a blur to me, but when Daniel stood to be questioned, I was awed. Here is this 15 year old boy, who spoke with such self-assurance with every question asked him. He had tears come to his eyes, but he never lost his composure as he told the judge he wants to be adopted by us because we love him like a "real" family is supposed to and that "no" he didn't want to stay here to be near his brothers because he would probably end up like they have. Before we knew it, the whole thing was over. The judge made his decision right then, there was no deliberation. This adoption is approved pending a 10-day waiting period! Wow! We have a son!
1st Official Family Photo
I think we're the only family I know that didn't get a photo in the court room. We didn't get the cool court room with the holding cell in it. It was just a small, plain room with a place for the judge to sit up front, the jury & prosecutor in the center, and 2 rows of seats for us in the back. Everything was over so fast and the judge was up and out before we knew it! We took this photo downstairs in the court house, so we could have the Ukraine flag in the background.
Daniel's birth mother came to court that morning.
We were a little concerned when we 1st heard
she was coming, but she just wanted to get a
look at the family adopting her son. We got the
thumbs up. She told him we are a good family.
Handsome boy! He didn't sleep the whole night before court.
On the Tuesday after court, Bill and the girls flew home. He had to get back to work and the girls needed to get back to school. It's just been me and Daniel for just over a week now. We are doing good, finding our way around the city. It's some really good mother/son bonding time. I've watched so many movies that I would not normally watch! Some Kung Fu movie made in Thailand & translated into Ukrainian (neither language I speak!); a King Kong movie where he gets an artificial heart transplant, they capture a female "Queen" Kong , they fall in love, & eventually escape together; and a lot of action movies-all in Ukrainian. It's been fun though, just hanging out together.
Trolley that takes you up the big hill from the new parts of Kiev to Podol, the old town.
This is the view from the park in old town.
Kiev Zoo Park
We asked this peacock to please show us his
beautiful feathers and he did it!
We had been joking all day that I was taking him to visit
his brothers and sisters at the zoo!
This wasn't running that day, so we didn't get to ride.
So, today is Wednesday. We are going out to find some other cool parks to look at. There are parks everywhere here! Friday we will return to Baryshevka to get final papers from court, then go and apply for Daniel's new birth certificate. Once we have the birth certificate, we can apply for his new passport and Visa. Hoping to be traveling home in the next week & a half! I am going to miss this place, but I can't wait to be home and have our whole family together!
We had out court appearance last Monday. It was nothing at all like I'd expected. I had a small panic attack right before we went in. Not ANY reservations, just the fear of the unknown. They have our dossier, basically our whole life story in a folder, and can ask any question about it. It's hard to feel prepared when you don't know what they'll be asking. I just said a little prayer that God would give me the words to say to whatever question was asked. Mine and Bill's questioning seemed like a blur to me, but when Daniel stood to be questioned, I was awed. Here is this 15 year old boy, who spoke with such self-assurance with every question asked him. He had tears come to his eyes, but he never lost his composure as he told the judge he wants to be adopted by us because we love him like a "real" family is supposed to and that "no" he didn't want to stay here to be near his brothers because he would probably end up like they have. Before we knew it, the whole thing was over. The judge made his decision right then, there was no deliberation. This adoption is approved pending a 10-day waiting period! Wow! We have a son!
1st Official Family Photo
I think we're the only family I know that didn't get a photo in the court room. We didn't get the cool court room with the holding cell in it. It was just a small, plain room with a place for the judge to sit up front, the jury & prosecutor in the center, and 2 rows of seats for us in the back. Everything was over so fast and the judge was up and out before we knew it! We took this photo downstairs in the court house, so we could have the Ukraine flag in the background.
Daniel's birth mother came to court that morning.
We were a little concerned when we 1st heard
she was coming, but she just wanted to get a
look at the family adopting her son. We got the
thumbs up. She told him we are a good family.
Handsome boy! He didn't sleep the whole night before court.
On the Tuesday after court, Bill and the girls flew home. He had to get back to work and the girls needed to get back to school. It's just been me and Daniel for just over a week now. We are doing good, finding our way around the city. It's some really good mother/son bonding time. I've watched so many movies that I would not normally watch! Some Kung Fu movie made in Thailand & translated into Ukrainian (neither language I speak!); a King Kong movie where he gets an artificial heart transplant, they capture a female "Queen" Kong , they fall in love, & eventually escape together; and a lot of action movies-all in Ukrainian. It's been fun though, just hanging out together.
Trolley that takes you up the big hill from the new parts of Kiev to Podol, the old town.
This is the view from the park in old town.
Kiev Zoo Park
We asked this peacock to please show us his
beautiful feathers and he did it!
We had been joking all day that I was taking him to visit
his brothers and sisters at the zoo!
This wasn't running that day, so we didn't get to ride.
So, today is Wednesday. We are going out to find some other cool parks to look at. There are parks everywhere here! Friday we will return to Baryshevka to get final papers from court, then go and apply for Daniel's new birth certificate. Once we have the birth certificate, we can apply for his new passport and Visa. Hoping to be traveling home in the next week & a half! I am going to miss this place, but I can't wait to be home and have our whole family together!
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