She Said Yes!

When our heads hit the pillow last night, we knew that we were looking at a loong day ahead of us the next day.  We had to leave by 6:00 to be in Tokmok by 8:00 to pick up the Children's Services lady to come with us to the orphanage.  I knew that the main goal of the day was to collect all the needed documents from the orphanage, which included a medical exam (not normally needed at this point, but the orphanage didn't have the original report from her October exam to give us -- so they scheduled another one).  I also knew that Sasha was going to have to "make a declaration" or something like that that she wanted to be adopted by us.  Honestly, I wasn't a bit worried about that one!  Anybody within a mile radius of Sasha knows that she can't wait to leave with us!  She calls us Mama and Papa -- and shows us off to everybody.  But . . . apparently it's not quite that simple.

We met again in a large room (this time upstairs from the director's office) -- and again, there seemed to be some intention on some of the staff's part to persuade us that perhaps we didn't want Sasha.  Her teacher came in and gave us her handwriting and math books.  Honestly, I didn't think the handwriting one was all that bad!  I mean, I don't know a good Russian letter when I see one, but I could see that Sasha was attempting to do the work well -- at least for most of it.  Same with the math.  The only thing that struck me was how small they expected a 9 year old to write.  My little Quince would give up with spaces that small, too!  AND, why in the world do they think a very active girl like Sasha would want to just write her numbers over and over again in a notebook.  Learning needs to be fun -- at least for a little while. 

They also mentioned that she had had another fit that morning -- and I knew it was true because Sasha was very sorry toward her caregiver when the lady came in.  She went over and gave her a big hug.  I asked for specific details -- not because I'm worried so much as I want to know what kind of things set her off -- just as I know what sets my own children at home off.  I didn't get a lot of info -- just that they wanted her to do something that she didn't want to do -- so she was yelling, "I don't want to do it, I'm not going to do it!"  (I have no idea what IT was.)

Sasha was there while most of this was being said to us.  Her little lips were trembling and and she got a very furrowed brow!  She buried her head on Quincy's shoulder.  We had also already been told by Halya that she had been worried all morning that we had changed our mind because we hadn't come yet!  She goes through this every day, I guess -- but this was the first time we were hearing it.  I asked Halya to tell her that we will not change our mind (trying to get it through to her that it didn't matter what we were hearing or seeing -- we were her mom and dad -- and that's that!)

Finally, the time came for this "declaration" -- The assistant director had already marched in and out of the room a few times, barely acknowledging us.  She certainly never introduced herself to us.  She sat on one side of a very looooong table.  Q and I were off to the side in chairs --  not at the table but against the wall to Sasha's left.  Halya was between us and Sasha.  The children's services lady was to Sasha's right (thank the Lord for that lady!) and then were probably 4 other ladies in the room.  Sasha was incredibly nervous.  Who knows what she was actually thinking was happening.  I don't know that anybody explained anything to her before the assistant director asked her if she wanted to be adopted by these people.  Each time Sasha was asked, she answered "Da" (yes, in Russian) -- but the A.D. for some reason wanted Sasha to be able to say more.  The Children's Services lady always made what the A.D. just said sound great.  "Do you want to go to America and have them for your Mommy and Daddy?"  (Remember, Sasha was always answering yes.)  Finally, the A.D. said, "Do you understand what we are saying?  That you are going to America but you will retain your Ukrainian citizenship until you are 18?  Say that back to me."  UH OH.  There was no way Sasha was going to say all that -- or anything close to that.  Halya had tried to stay quiet because things are very touchy with the orphanage and it ALL depended on them at the moment.  Believe me, there wasn't a person in that room that didn't know exactly how Sasha felt.  Finally Halya said, "If you don't say it, they won't let you go."  Immediately, Sasha said, "I want to go!"  Thank the Lord (again) for the Children's Services lady, she immediately said, "That's good enough."  Still, all the orphanage people said they were too busy to type up the declaration (I think some of them didn't want to get in trouble with the A.D. -- so Halya said -- OK, I'll type it up!)  As I sat there and listened to everything (nothing was being translated, but I definitely understood that they wanted Sasha to say something specific -- and I knew that Sasha was not going to be able to overcome her shyness, I just prayed!  "Father, please don't let this sweet little girl with so much life in her be stuck in an orphanage because she can't say a few words right now. How incredibly tragic that would be!"  There was absolutely nothing Q or I could do, except pray.  To interrupt or try to help her would probably ruin it all.

So, with a GREAT sigh of relief, we are happy to say that Sasha said YES!  The Director was still not too happy about signing the document -- he had "heard a rumor" that she hadn't really said it -- but I guess God won in the end.  AND, for some reason, they decided that Sasha didn't need the medical exam!  They would just re-do the one in October and put a new stamp on it!

Our prayers needed for tomorrow are that the mayor will be in his office tomorrow to sign the final paper that Halya needs before she can hop on a train tomorrow night and get the final paper submitted to the MSP on Wednesday in Kiev.  There should not be a problem with having the document ready -- or that he wouldn't agree to sign it -- just that he needs to be there!  The judge was also out of his office today and should be back tomorrow.  (If it weren't 11 degrees outside, I'd think they were out golfing together!)  Halya still doesn't hold out much hope that he would waive the 10 days since he never has before -- but she said that she will still ask.  It's OK if he says no -- we will definitely plan to go home for the 10 day waiting period -- if we can afford it.  I know that time will be hard on Sasha -- but I can use the time to really get our kids at home more prepared for Sasha's arrival.

PLEASE keep praying!  We still have that 1% chance!!!