Day 40: I'm back...again

I am writing this through a jet lag haze so you will have to forgive me in advance for the grammar, etc...

I made it back to the boys’ country and was met at the airport by my faciliator and her husband.  They said “Hello, let’s go.”  And boy did they mean go!  I am glad I brushed my teeth and freshened up on the plane because they had me running all over the place all afternoon.  But man, when they say they are going to get something done…they get it D.O.N.E.!

A quick update on Joey – I was so sad to learn today that no one visited him while he was in the hospital.  By now we know how the orphanages are and really I did not expect that anyone would visit him but since he is in a ‘better’  (although better compared to horrendous is not saying that much) I had hoped that maybe one of his nannies would, but sadly no.  Our facilitator called the hospital and they said he would only be allowed to check out of the hospital on Fridays.  Taking him out this Friday would possibly hold up paperwork and would keep me from seeing him so my facilitator signed him out of the hospital last Friday and took him back to the orphanage.  I think this is really amazing because by signing him out she was taking all the liability upon herself.  She knew it was beter for him and for us so she did it.  I am very grateful!  So our sweet little Joey is at least back in his groupa where things are at least familiar.  He ought to be healed by now and our facilitator thought he was when she saw him so the extra time in the hospital was not benefiting anyone, especially Joey, poor guy he was probably lonely and confused.

So from the airport we threw my luggage in the trunk and drove all over the place.  We went first to some office to get documents, I have no idea who’s office or what documents.  It became very clear that on paperchase days you keep your head down, go with the flow, and sit in the car unless they call you to come.  After sitting on 4 long plane rides it was not much fun to be sitting in the car all afternoon but it felt incredible productive!

Finally everyone, we are nearing the end…they are legally our boys all we have to do is make it through all this paperwork!  So to be at this point, even as boring as it is, feels like such a relief!

Anyway after we got whatever documents we got we headed to the notary office, then the court house (which is away from the city in the same village the orphanages are in) to pick up the court decree (stating us as their parents!).  We found out the court will not release the decree until tomorrow but they did get it ready and stamped so my facilitator could take a copy to the notary.  After we left the courthouse we went to both orphanages to get another document.  I cannot tell you how hard it was to be right there in front of the orphanage and not to be able to see my boys.  Broke my heart.  It was all I could think about.  But there was a lot to be done before the end of the business day so we moved on.

We could not get a document from Joey’s orphanage so our facilitator called the lawyer for the orphanage, she was not in the village, she was in the city shopping, so we ran back to the city outside a shopping area and she had it in her purse.  Then it was back to the notary where I signed our official requests for their passports!!!  Then it was off to exchange some money, stock up at the grocery store, and to the train station to send a dossier we brought over for another family.  I finally just ate my first meal at about 7:00pm...I could stand to lose a few pounds so this is not a bad thing.

Today it feels like it is all coming together and the end feels like it is in sight now…I am a very happy mama!

Tomorrow it is all about getting the boys’ birth certificates changed and their names changed on their (what eqeals our social security) numbers.  These things have to be done in the city/village each child was born in which is not a problem for Valentin because our apartment is in his birth city, but Joey was born about a hour and a half away.  It will be a lot more car rides and sitting around, but again I am just so excited to be near the end!!!!

Sadly I will not visit the boys tomorrow either, our facilitator told us there will not be time.  But I will, Lord willing, see them on Wednesday.  I can hardly contain myself...

A few days ago I came across these pictures of Joey on the internet.  There is a group that brought gifts to his orphanage and took pictures, I could not believe it when I saw our little Joey.  These pictures were taken very shortly after he was transferred to that boarding school.  He is the one in a light and dark blue sweat shirt.