Part Two....

(Did you like my little cliffhanger there? I get it from all the Dallas reruns.)

Driving up to the baby home felt very strange, like we had been there just the day before and like we had been there a lifetime ago at the same time. Walking down that long hallway that smells like boiled cabbage, past the head doctor's office, past the kitchen, I was counting the steps, exhilarated by the familiarity, and the person who waited for us upstairs.

Up the stairs, past the painted tree in the stairwell, through two heavy doors, and into his group. He was playing when we walked in, and my husband spotted him first. The caretakers were busy with other kids when we walked in, and so we just stood at the doorway smiling and waving at our boy-- who had come to lean against the gate. He had grown and changed over the last two months, but he was still the baby that we met back in April. His face had lost some of its baby fat, but he still has no chin to speak of, and HUGE (edible) cheeks. I wanted to walk over and scoop him right up, but it was an agonizing 10 minutes before the caregivers handed him over. He was cautious, as always. I carried him outside, ad my husband was laughing at me, saying "He's too heavy for you!" I hoisted him up a couple of inches and said "Not my baby boy!"

We played outside which was really nice-- they have these cabana type things that are full of toys, and two comfy armchairs, he loved it! He was giggling and smiling at us for most of the time.

When it came time to leave he jumped into his caregivers arms, but we took a deep breath and tried to remember that it would get better.

Court Date:

The next morning we got up, and I was once again a nervous wreck. Dear Moscow, you are bad for my stomach. We carefully ironed our shirts (OK, honestly, my husband is the ironer-- so he ironed and I fretted over the spongy mess that my hair had turned into). We put on our suits, and admired our general hotness, and then went off first to the baby home to visit for a while and then court.

Once again our boy was all smiles and giggles-- and very eager to see the caregiver at the end of the two hours.

And then off to court!

Court was much easier then I thought it would be, but it was still a struggle to keep a calm face! When we went in, the state prosecutor was sitting at her desk to the left, and the court secretary (in a skimpy tank top and jeans) sat to the right. We sat on benches behind a podium along with a Social Worker from the baby home, and the Head Doctor. The judge came out, and she was really great. She was obviously very supportive of international adoption. Her smile was warm and not rare-- there was something almost maternal about her. There had been three successful cases that morning (all from our agency), so we felt confident. But as my husband and I have chanted throughout this whole process; it ain't over until it is over.

My husband stood up first with someone from our agency who translated, and answered questions about our house, why we are adopting from Russia, our income, and if our families support this adoption. Rather hilariously, the last questions they ask are "Have you met this child? and "Do you like him?" Guess how we answered?

Then I stood up and answered just a few questions, mostly reiterating what my husband had already said. I was on the edge of tears, about to break down and just beg. I did manage to contain myself though.

Then the head doctor stood up and explained his history, and said that she supported our adoption. Then the social worker (who we had never seen before) stood up and also said she supported our adoption. Then the state prosecutor also said she supported our adoption.

The judge then went into her chambers and about ten minutes later came out and read her decision. When she said "You will be listed as his parents on the birth certificate" my husband and I both bit back the happiest tears that you can imagine. The judge congratulated us on becoming parents, and we shouted "SPASEEBA!" (Thank you) in perfect unison.

To Be Continued....