Gottcha Day- July 26, 2005

AND we are happy to report that there are two teenage girls laying on our bed watching TV and IT IS AFTER 9:00. I never thought I’d be happy about such a thing.

As one of the birth certificate women said to us today...congratulations on the births of your two teenage girls. She smiled. I would say that I have seen more Ukrainians smile today than in all the days we have been here combined. The judge winked and smiled at Jeff right at the start. Now one can ask questions about that, but we just plain took it as a good sign.

I thought of Larry Hanson’s “5 minute” comment all day today and I’m glad to see that (as always) Cathy set him straight.

For the detail mongers, here’s the chronicle of our day...

It rained early this a.m. so we walked out of the apartment to wet pavement and cool air. What a treat!

Our day began at 7:00 a.m. with a ring from Sergei. We left to pick up the girls. (Don’t miss how early we are leaving...this is Ukraine, and we are ahead of the 9:00 court time significantly!)
Arrived at camp to the father of the deputy director of the city council (just kidding) but he was not going to let us in, or anyone out. No way. Of course!
Sergei talked his way in and Jeff headed across camp to get the girls. We have never come at the time we have told them so one can’t blame them for not being by the gate at 7:30. They were saying good bye to friends. Lena was cabin hopping, Alla was bringing people to the front to photograph. We got everyone gathered and the guard stopped us from leaving, even though the paper had been turned in. So a nice young man hopped on a bicycle and headed for the far end of the camp to get the asst director. She did not hop on the bike so it was a wait for her to make it to the gate. Have any of you been around Jeff when things aren’t going according to plan? If you have, you can picture him.

We made it to the court house at 8:40...not bad! Court started at 9:07...INCREDIBLE. No hallway waiting.

Here’s how court went: (dedicated to Amy Carrizales who will ask)
Enter court room...not like on TV. There is a judge (a non vacationing judge) and a court reporter (I assume). The judge sits behind a desk. The 4 of us sat in chairs across from the judge against the wall. Sergei was next to me and the two internot reps next to Sergei. The judge read us our rights. (I don’t remember, nor do I care) and then asked who of us was going to speak to why we wanted to adopt. Jeff and I didn’t anticipate having to choose who would speak so we just looked at each other. I was sitting closest to Sergei so I said I would answer. Stood up...answered-”we wanted two more teenage girls, our friends adopted from Ukraine and are very happy” (I was coached) asked: how have your visits gone with the girls, it must be difficult, two teenage girls? answer: “very good” “no they have not been difficult” “What is your annual income?” answer: “&*(%$# “ “What state do you live in, Nebraska?” answer“yes” “Nebraska is not an expensive state to live in, no?” answer: “no” (oh brother) sit down. Question addressed to Jeff : “You are a teacher. Where and what do you teach?” “How will the girls receive English instruction?”

Questions to the girls: “These people want to adopt you, do you want to be adopted by them?” “Yes very much” And then I quit listening really. I was just happy that question was over.
I vaguely remember him asking them if they enjoyed school and found it interesting, if they tried hard and were good students. Then he spent the rest of the time lecturing them. Which was fine with me. Things like "you need to take care of your parents, this is a serious matter"...(I wanted to ask...who’s adopting who?)

Anyway, after the judge heard from all of us (15 minutes) he said congratulations. That was it.

We walked out and met the other couple we have run into now and then in this process who asked...”Did he wave the 30 days?” I said, oh, I guess so, I forgot about that. Then they produced their script of why they want the waiting period waved. Hmmm. Hadn’t thought to worry about that one.

The rest of the day was spent "driving" (see earlier reference to driving-first or second day in Odessa) and "waiting". Since you have probably gathered from the fact that I’m writing, we are not on the train to Kiev. Nor were we on the last plane out of Odessa. In honor of the nearly completed Odessa leg of this journey, let’ me explain "waiting" in our adoption process.

You can play along. You’ll need some props.
First, you’ll need an Escort, or other undersized car, preferably of the late 80’s era.
Then you need to find a slab of concrete. Find one with no shade. Hot pavement near an area where mostly trucks drive by. Now open all the windows (driving stance) and open a couple doors. Find some friends to play with you so you can sit 3 in the back seat. Give someone in the back a remote to control the radio. Or better yet put in a Russian techno disco pop C.D. Pick just 5 songs to play over and over again. Turn the volume just loud enough so you can’t hear the trucks driving by and so you can’t possibly think or talk. O.K., now sit there for an hour and 1/2. Only leave the car after a little more than an hour after you decide the 5 minutes promised was an understatement. Walk around, look hopefully down the street for shops. There are none. Go back to sitting in the car. There, you’ve got it.

Now to play “Van Puttens final full day in Odessa” you just have to start by driving a half hour, and waiting 1-2 hours. Alternate driving and waiting until 8:00 p.m. Stop at 1:30 for lunch - in the car- then freak out and go inside McDonalds. Whenever you wait somewhere have someone come to the car and tell you your papers need something else. That is always the impetus for driving and ending the waiting. The boxed edition is coming out at Christmas time.

Tomorrow a.m. we have to make a third birth certificate lady location, hope for the best there, another notary and get 2 passports, Now for those of you who know, that sounds like we got nothing accomplished today. You’d be close to right. But, you know, I just have to say, I have never been at such peace as I was today driving and waiting. Court was over, the pronouncement had been made, I didn’t (for some reason) care that everything went wrong today. At the end of the day we had two birth certificates with two new names, a notary approval of the court decree, and passport photos. Why nearly 12 hours? Because, that’s why.

There was a stretch of time this afternoon I couldn’t quit smiling. I think the girls thought I was looney. I was sitting between them in the back seat. One thigh was hot with Lenas body, one thigh was hot with Alla’s. They were taking their ”ride to camp” stance of hanging on my arm...even though it was plenty warm as the afternoon came. Lena’s hair was whipping my face like crazy and I couldn’t help but just laugh. How was it that I wasn’t just jumping out of my skin? And why can’t I transfer this to Omaha?

I was reminising today (first time I think I felt free to do this) at how desperately I wanted to adopt a child a while ago. How I was so scared to ask Amy C and Dorine N. at an Alpha weekend in 2003 ? to pray for me about it. How happy (of course) they were to pray for me. I was just remembering the path... and smiling so long about this crazy journey to adoption, and nearly through adoption and looking around at this place called Odessa. What on earth are we doing here??? Now the praying really needs to begin. We have adopted two teenage girls!! We didn’t have enough trouble?

It’s late here and I’ve got these kids to get to bed, so I better close! Our first overnight. Our “plan” is to finish here tomorrow. Fly to Kiev, finish there in record time. (whatever) and try to get an earlier flight than the Sunday flight we have. I guess I should be happy we may even be flying home on Sunday...overnight in NY and return on Monday. ?????

Keep praying. We soooo appreciated your prayers today. I hope God is smiling as big as Jeff and I.

(I just can’t take the time to post photos tonight! There are some sweet ones of kids at the camp, but I’ll just have to wait.)

We love you

(to the Owatonna girl: The “word” around here is that adoptions are just going to get easier. It does not look like the promised 2 month hault to taking dossiers is coming true yet. I may happen at the beginning of 2006, but the President gives the impression that he doesn’t want to disrupt adoptions and he may try to make gradual changes without stopping everything. But, who knows!?)