Court Date

We found out today that our court date is set for this Friday. We have to get dressed up and answer a bunch of questions, such as "Why do you want to adopt a child who will need care for the rest of her life?", and "How will you provide a good life for her?", etc. We have to get all dressed up. Hopefully I can find an iron around here somewhere.

Some of you have asked whether we can bring Ava home this trip. The law says that there is mandatory waiting period of 10 days between the time we are given permission to adopt the child, and the time we can physically take custody of her and begin the process of getting passport and visa. Some parents stay in the country to finish out the wait, and others go back home and return for the child once the 10 day "appeals period" is finished.

Our plan is to return home for the wait. Technically the law states that in very unique situations the wait period can be waived, for example when the child is in urgent need of medical care. Our facilitator told us that he has never actually seen this done, and is urging us not to get our hopes up, however, he is going to request it. Thankfully we brought brochures from the Little Lighthouse showing the kind of therapy she will receive, and Viktor plans to show the judge in order to plead our case. Perhaps when the judge sees how tiny she is......maybe, just maybe? We can pray, and we will pray. Maybe you would pray with us too. The judge is a woman, and maybe that will help. (No offense against men).

While we wait for court we go up to visit Ava twice a day at the orphanage in a room the call the "music" room. I guess they call it that because there is a piano in there but I have never actually seen it played. I was also very happy to see that on weekdays there is a physical therapist (I assume) who works with the kids in the special needs room. They love the therapy. I heard so many giggles coming out of them while being rolled on the giant ball and doing somersaults on the mat. So they do get out of their cribs after all! I am not sure if they have done any work with Ava or not. There are some very delightful children in that room. I got to hold one in particular today and my friend Stephanie will be very jealous when she finds out who it was!

I am missing home!!! I am so thankful John is here, I can't imagine being in a foreign country alone. Things that I am missing from home:
1. MY KIDS!
2. My coffee pot- Normally we would just get a cup "to go" somewhere but I guess there is no such thing as that here. Either you go into a restaurant and sit down, or you make your own. We have resorted to buying an electric teapot, and making instant coffee with hot water.
3. My washer and dryer-We are washing clothes in the bath tub and hanging them over chairs and closet doors to dry.
4. High speed internet
5. Church
6. My Bible (I brought a tiny New Testament with Psalms to conserve suitcase space and either it got left in Kiev at the apartment or it's hidden in one of the hundreds of side pockets somewhere)
7. Hanging out with my sister
8. My calendar-I can't figure out what day it is
9. My bed- we are both sleeping on a twin!
10.Breakfast! The only breakfast we have found consists of soup, bread, cabbage, carrots, beets, rice, chicken, fish, liver...You get the idea. When I wake up, I'm craving french toast, or hashbrowns and eggs. NEVER beets or carrots! This morning I ate buckwheat with soup for breakfast, and yesterday it was chicken and rice. Wonder what tomorrow will be.