March 15 – Middle of the 10 day wait

We are suppose to get the court decree on March 21 – next Tuesday. I am so excited. If all goes according to plan, we will get the passport and birth certificate that day (provided we get the decree that morning). Then, pick up Zoey from the orphanage and leave for Kiev on the 22nd on the 6:45am train. Hal-le-lu-jah! Kiev will be a nice change from the village. I will hopefully get the medical exam on the 22nd or 23rd – then have my Embassy appointment set for Friday morning at 8:30. If all goes well and the airlines still have availability – we will be home Saturday evening at 6:30pm CST! It doesn’t even seem real – I am so beside myself to get out of here. If we leave on the 25th – we will have been here 93 days! I still could not have imagined the journey I have been down when I left home on December 23rd. How naïve was I?

I have been sick the last couple of days. My ear infection will just not give and now I have sore throat and coughing – among other sinus problems. I have taken the medicine I was given here – but it is just not strong enough. Something tells me the plane ride home will be miserable. I have not seen Zoey the last few days because I have felt bad. But, mother has gone in my place. Every day Zoey asks where her mama is. I miss her so much – but intend to get back over there ASAP. On Monday – we were going around getting paperwork completed for the passport and BC – and I didn’t get to see her that morning. The caregivers said she sat at the window all morning asking where her mama was and cried. I went at 12:30 after visiting the director – but could only spend 5 minutes with her. She was so excited. She kept rubbing her hand on my face and smiling. Then, when I had to give her back – she cried, kicked, and screamed. I felt so horrible. I did make it for the 4pm visit and she was so excited to see me.

While we were chasing down paperwork – I went and bought some clothes and a stroller (in the waiting time) for the trip home. I got some cool threads – but they will be too hot once we deplane in Dallas. I am going to have to put her in diapers for the trip home. I hope she doesn’t get use to it. I got a potty chair for her – but will only be able to use it while here in Ukraine. I am not taking that thing on the plane.

What else?? Well, things did not go well for all the other couples here at court. The judge did not grant their adoptions. Now, these families will have to appeal to the supreme court of Ukraine. This really is a sad situation here. I have been so torn up – yet thankful for the miracle God granted me. These people have the proper paperwork she requested – she just denied their adoptions. I spoke with the director of the orphanage yesterday and she is upset too. She has to tell these kids who do not understand that these parents will be leaving them. There are now approximately 12 families here waiting to adopt. Those that have been here 2 to 3 weeks without a court date are disconnecting from the children and trying not to attach. It is so sad. My heart aches and breaks for these children and these families who wanted so much to adopt them. Some of these families have been in this process since October and November. Also, in passing the director mentioned there were about 15 more kids about to come off the registry.

I just can’t wait to get out of here and get home.