Outside Court Just After Our Big Day!

We’re home!

It took over 32 hours to get to Russia because we were affected by the snow storm in Chicago (besides other delays, we sat on a plane for 5 hours before taking off… then we were in the air 9 hours just to get to Germany…then after a layover 3 more hours to Russia). It was really not bad, however,  for motivated travelers like us!

We had a good trip and we were so happy to see Christmas being celebrated in a land where many people once wanted it, but were forbidden it (open celebration was not an option in the days of the Soviets).

God was very good to us from start to finish.  We praise Him that court  went very smoothly and the stern judge even smiled at our photo album of us and the baby.  We did very well with our court speeches.  The adoption was granted without question!  Our translator, Natalia, and the adoption agency representatives were awesome.  They are really “on top of things.”

There is a mandatory 10 day wait (from our court date which was Friday the 11th) before the court decision confirming our adoption can legally be signed.   This wait is just a formality and we already consider ourselves to officially be his parents.  We convinced Sergei, the Minister of Education (who represents orphan affairs), to allow us to ask for a waver of the 10 days.  The judge did not grant the waiver, however, because she said there was no legal grounds to do so.   Legal grounds for waiving this includes a life-threatening or very serious and urgent medical issue.  Most general medical issues are cared for by the orphanage doctors and Nicholas is in too good of health to be classified as an emergency case.  He would have to be facing surgery for it to qualify as an emergency and for us to get the waiver. But we are very thankful that he is not an emergency case!

As it turns out it did not matter whether the wait was waived.  Friday (the day of our court hearing) was the last flight from the remote location of the orphanage (in Kotlas) until sometime after the Russian holidays (Russian Christmas is January 7th).  We wouldn’t have been able to get him out of Kotlas even if the 10 days had been waived, as we were in the larger city of Arkhangelsk for court and couldn’t have gotten to Kotlas.    So, it will likely be the second or third week in January before we can pick him up.

We make plans but the Lord directs our steps (Proverbs 16:9).  I truly believe that!  God ordained this outcome for our good and for his wider purposes.  Why do we have to wait another month to see Nicholas and to bring him into our family?  Only God knows, but we completely trust his wisdom and intentions for us (Romans 8:28). Kimberly and I are resting in the goodness and power of God right now.  He could have made things otherwise but He chose not to for His good purposes. It was hard to leave our baby behind, but if the Lord wills, we will have him home in January.

Here’s a few pics from our trip (click to zoom):

Munich Germany at Sunset

In the hotel in Arkangel Russia

In Arkangel

Last Day Breakfast in St. Pete

Shot at 3AM on way to airport in St Pete