We're Parents!!

So sorry for the delay in blogging today but we had to call the grandparents, godparents, mailman, etc. Just kidding. I saw the comment that some of you are stalking the site today for news.

We are successful! We have cleared court and we have been declared parents of our beautiful little girl.

We met our driver/guide at 9am this morning and went to pick up our agency coordinator. We left early because Moscow traffic is definately hard to guess. There's not a lot of predictability. We actually got their early and waited about 30 minutes so she could finish getting ready. After that we drove to the courthouse...again traffic obliged and we got there in about 20 minutes.



We went into the courthouse and saw the Social Worker for the region was there. Greeted her, and then sat to wait. Of course...we're nervy to begin with and then we found out there was a case before ours at 10am. That case the guy was yelling at the judge (or just speaking loud...hard to tell sometimes). So that case didn't wrap up until noon. So we go into the court room. It's a very small room compared to what you see on LA law. There is official judicial bench...then a long table with four chairs on each side. On the left is where the social worker, transcriptionist, and prosecutor sit.

On the right...me, Andy, and our translator. The proceeding was announced and court in session. We stood for the judge. We were asked our names, education, occupation, place of birth. General questions about items in the dossier. Then the judge left to deliberate and she came back and announced that they agreed to our petition.

I know that's a little anticlimatic, but pretty much that's what was involved. It was a very professional and straight forward proceeding.

I was asked to make a little wrap up if I had anything to add. I basically started sniveling at that point becuase I got emotional. I tried to suck it up, but couldn't manage. So I made a very short two liners.

Andy managed not to make jokes (except in the hallway for an hour--- I think he got it out of his system), but we forgot to say 'Your Honor' after saying everything. Except at the very end. Andy...southern boy that he is...kept saying "yes ma'am" so hopefully that worked.

Andy was expected to do most of the talking as the man of the household which is funny as he was the only man in the room. :)

We are so ecstatic about this finally being over. Hopefully it will all be down hill from here.

We're not going to see Alina again until next week so we could stack up visits closer to the time of pickup. We hope to do our 'gotcha' on the 23rd because it's 10 days for court decisions to be finalized in Russia.

I got to try Andy's tuna pizza. Completely nasty (yuck). But I ate Pillau which is a spicy rice and pork dish. It was delicious.

Tommorrow we get to be tourists for once. Last trip we didn't get to do anything. So first thing we're going back to the Kremlin to try an see something. I think I want to go see Lenin's tomb and Stalin's grave in the Kremlin wall. That should be interesting :) Later this week we're going to Victory Park and the World War II museum. Andy wants to see a T-34 tank (whatever that is)

Bless all of you for your love and support. We will type at you soon.