Schedules

For the moment, our lives are based entirely on the schedules of other people. When and for how long we will visit Nicholas; When we apply for and then go to court; When can we bring the little guy home. It can get a bit frustrating, but we keep reminding ourselves that this is a bit of time out of time, and the reward will be tremendous. So – on to specifics.

• We visit with Nicholas from 1-2:30 each afternoon. This allows each of the bonding families to have private time as we are all staggered throughout the day – or as private as possible when we visit in the middle of the play room, with the other kids and the caregivers right there.
• We may apply to get a court date when we have completed 2 weeks of documented visits to the baby house. For us, this will be complete after Tuesday’s visit, and the application will be submitted Wednesday, 3/28.
• It may take up to two weeks following our application to actually get a court date. During this time, a final search for Nicholas’ birth mother will take place, as there needs to be complete documentation of the situation before things can be finalized.
• We will also have pre-court during those 2 weeks, which has been described as a kind of dress-rehearsal. Not sure why, that’s just how it’s done in Kostanai. Then a few days later, we’ll have court and presumably be named Nicholas’ parents. This could bring us out to around April 11, assuming there are no holidays which would extend the time-frame. We will be able to visit Nicholas every day up through court.
• Following court, there is a mandatory 15 day waiting period (kind of like an appeals period) before the decision is actually final. This has nothing to do with adoption – it applies to all court proceedings in KZ. Basically, nothing further can happen until this period is over, which means that his new birth certificate can’t be issued, which has to be done before the passport is issued, which has to be done before the exit visa is issued, which for some reason can only be done on Thursdays – don’t ask why. All of that can take another 10 days or so beyond the 15 day wait, and must all be complete before we can take him to Almaty to the international medical clinic for review required for the US Embassy clearance to come to the states.

Because we will have been away from home for about 5 weeks by the time we get to court, Jim will have to return at that point in order to get back to work. Since much of the current American population will also be gone by then, and since Nan’s grasp of Russian is pathetic, she’ll also be coming home then. It’s not a fun thing to think about, but seems inescapable unless something significant changes. Under the current plan, Nan will then return to Almaty around the 2^nd week of May. Nicholas will be escorted there, and after the reunion, there will be a whirlwind 3 days of visits to western medical clinic, US Embassy and then back on a plane – home again, home again, jiggety jig!

Excitement for today? Well, there was the really smart move Nan made. The rechargeable battery charger really doesn’t work well when plugged into the wall with an adapter but without a converter…220 into a 120 appliance means a loud pop, and a nasty smell. Tomorrow afternoon’s goal will be to get a new charger!

Today’s visit brought a few new discoveries:

If there's any sign of illness in the baby house, everyone is subject to a medical review on entry. Yesterday we had our throats looked at. Today it was stepped up to being swabbed with something that looked like iodine, and you don't want to know how it tasted!

Our boy loves getting kisses on his neck – it’s the first time we’ve gotten a giggle out of him…Triumph!!! Some other general play time in and out of the ball pit and showing off for the girls, then it was time for snack.

It was Daddy’s turn to display his small person feeding skills in front of the care-givers. And isn’t he ever styling??