September 15, 2015 Court day

Court day was so full of ups and downs I didn't know weather to laugh or cry at the end of the day...my nerves were wrecked and I was exhausted!  Also, the internet connection in Krivoy Rog (Yes! I can say names and places now!) was terrible so I was unable to post the whole time I was there.   So I'm trying to catch up now that I'm in kyiv.

So, judgement day...... We woke and went to Annie's school early because we were not sure what time we would be called to court and I wanted to spend some time with her before I went... Turns out court was not until noonish so we had the whole morning together!

When we got to Annie's school I was a bit concerned with showing up so early... it was 830am and I'd never been there before 10 (usually the kids were eating "breakfast" at ten).  So I was thinking they would be just waking up or I'd find the nannies in their jammies or something embarrassing... turns out the breakfast I was always witnessing was "second breakfast" and they always wake up pretty early so we were not imposing. Actually, Annie was up and dressed and waiting for us in her room!  Like she was expecting us!  she also had an absolutely precious dress laid out on her bed just in case she needed to go to court with me.  So us girls sat and read books and played games in Luda's room all morning waiting to hear from Iryina... Annie did my hair for court...it was really sweet!  At some point Yuliia went to use the restroom and got stuck!  Really stuck!  It took them hours and several tools and elbow grease to get the door open!  She had a great sense of humor about it and it became a very funny memory!

at the school we must cover our shoes

In the mean time Iryina showed up all flustered and excited and asked to talk to me outside of the room....She was so so excited that I could not imagine what on earth was such good news...?  Had they decided to allow Annie to not appear in court? (this sometimes is allowed with SN kids).   maybe something bad had happened...maybe court had been rescheduled...?    Out of breath, dressed in her very nice court dress with little blue bags covering her cute matching heels, Iryina stood there to tell me that for the first time in the history of Krivoy Rog the 10 day wait had been waved for us!!!  She said she requests this as a formality every time and is never granted the wave but for some reason they said yes this time!!! This is crazy, wonderful, chaos causing news!  Instead of being in Ukraine until October we could be home next week! 


We sat around for at least a half hour more as we waited for something (no idea what) and then had to leave to go to court and, yes, they did allow Annie to skip court and she was very grateful!  So Katie, Iryina and I went to court and Yuliia got out of the bathroom just in time to say goodbye to us and spend the rest of the day with Annie while we were out at court.

Court.  Never been in a court room before....Not even in the US....So I have nothing to compare it to but it was one of the most nerve wrecking, uncomfortable experiences of my short life.  I remembered clearly the warnings from other families about not crossing your legs so I worked really hard on that!  Apparently it shows disrespect (slouchiess) to the judges and officials....probably an old soviet tradition.  So, I sat terrified, trying to remember all the things that I had rehearsed... What are the requests of the defendant?  Um... I want my daughter!  Just give me my daughter! Nope.. that's not right... um.... I request that we be allowed to adopt Cucherenko, Ludmyla pavlama into my family, I request that we change her name to Annelise Ludmyla Knight on her birth certificate, I request that you add my name and my husband's name on her birth certificate...and what was the fourth thing?  Flushed, I look to Iryina (who was every bit as tense as I was despite her multiple experiences in this room)... She mouths me the right answer as I struggle to stand up straight and not fidget :)  Praise the lord she was my translator and could easily "help" me communicate what needed to be said.  At some point there was a heated argument that I did not understand.  Even my sister (not allowed into the court room) heard it and thought our adoption was being denied!  It was a moment frozen in time as the blood drained from my face... What is going on?!  Why is Iryina so upset?!  Will I be allowed to adopt my darling?!  Iryina argued with the prosecutor (yes a prosecutor) for some time and was quite upset at the result so you can understand my alarm!  When all was said and done they did not grant my request to add both parents to her birth certificate...Whew!  Iryina was very upset but I was relieved to know that is all that this was about! So we left the court... a very happy momma and a frustrated facilitator!  The reason for Iryina's arguments was that they usually do allow the other parent's name to be on the birth Certificate even if it is a married individual adopting and this allows the rest of the paper chase to go much more smoothly.  She really knows her stuff and fights so hard for her families! 

From court we went straight to more paper chases... notary office....first passport office...etc

In the end we didn't get to go back to Annie that night because there was such a paper chase but I assured her I would see her as soon as I could!  We actually ended up on the other side of town at some really interesting mall "Ashaun"while we waited for Iryina at one of the paper chasing stations.  I found some wonderful books and a really inexpensive rolling bag to put them all in for travel!  What a wild day! 
Here are some pictures with explanations..

from the top of the stairwell at her school

The school is full of cute hand made art displays

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katie's first time trying to weigh and tag fruit properly

This cathedral was outside of the mall where we waited for Iryina to work at one of the offices.   I asked Annie and she does not know the name... Think it could be called "Spaso-Preobrajensky  Cathedral"  I think it means "transfiguration cathedral"  not sure if I spelled that in English right...beautiful non the less :)

Annie did my hair before court :)

She was very carefully trying to make a plan with what would work best for my hair!

Annie wrote some contact information for the people she loves in her new notebook