Nastia's Day

Our court hearing for Nastia (note the change in spelling from Nastya - we're going to try this out as it is closer in spelling to her full name) was even quicker than for Henry. I would say in less than 30 minutes, we had a conclusion in our favor. The typical players were present but this time our child-to-be was also present as she is of the age that she must give her consent. By this I mean she has to actually stand up & speak! I am going to speculate that she did not know this until we were on our way to the courthouse. So, let me back up...

Yesterday we traveled from Mariupol to Odessa. Our facilitator warned us there would be a lot of police on the roads ince it was the day after the holiday. Apparently they are looking for drunk drivers (for which there is zero tolerance here, according to our facilitator). Within a few miles of getting our start on the 8-9 hour trip we were pulled over (the police here stand on the side of the road and point at you with a black & white striped batton to indicate you are to pull over). It was fairly standard fare (if our memory serves us correctly, we have now been pulled over in Ukraine 8 times!). Nothing out of the ordinary. He gets in the police car. They "talk" or whatever (we really don't know). And he gets back in the car & says to us, "Everything is just fine. They are just checking." OK.

But the second time we got pulled over (which wasn't but 10 minutes later) I can see the police is giving our facilitator a breathilizer test. Immediately I think "This is not good." There was NEVER any indication that he was driving drunk. And I assure you HE WAS NOT. If there is one thing I know after spending as much time as we have with our facilitator, I know he knows the law and how it works. Not only was he NOT driving drunk, he *knows* to NOT drive drunk. He is a smart & good man. And I am a smart enough girl to know that I don't like this situation AT ALL. Everything imaginable runs through my mind at this point but mostly I think two things: 1-I'm mad as hell that a country's law enforcement has been pressed to corruption (I'll stop there...) and 2-If I ever get outta here, I will NEVER come back!! After about 30 minutes the situation somehow gets miraculously "resolved" but I will NEVER forget the incredulousness & edge of dispair... I cannot decide if I am more mad or sad for the brokeness...

We get pulled over one more time (and it's not even noon yet!) but again, "Everything is okay. They are just checking." And I wonder 'can't you get a "checked for the day" pass'?! But the rest of the trip is uneventful. Or at least I think it was. Quite possibly I lost consciousness. Note to self: do NOT take two Dramamine. I could not shake the drowsiness & disorientation for the rest of the day & ended up going to bed before dark! But I assure you, the three stops by the police were all REAL!

Instead of Nastia's town, we are staying in Odessa. It is a tourist destination that is historic & quaint. It is on the Black Sea in southern Ukraine & the weahter is fabulous!We are staying in a lovely apartment with at least 15' ceilings & some very nice historic details. English menus & people who speak enough English to take your order are much more common here! If we could just stay here for the rest of our time in Ukraine....

We made the hour+ trip to Nastia's town this morning for our court hearing @ 11:00am. If it weren't for the poor conditions of the road, the trip would be interesting & maybe even enjoyable (lots of small "villages" with cows & horses & goats & crops & tulips in bloom!).

Our first stop once we hit town was to pick up Nastia from the orphanage. We find out that not only is she still in the infirmary, she had a fever over the weekend :(. Other than a stuffy nose & cough, she seems okay. My issue is that apparently when kids are in the infirmary, they are not allowed to shower. REALLY? On the day that she gets "real" parents for the first time in her life?? But I withhold judgement on this because 1-quite possibly the American culture values showering more than the Ukrainian & 2-I believe with all of my being that this child has gotten wonderful care since she arrived at this orphanage (which, it turns out, is not as long ago as we thought). And, OK, 3-Once she's mine, I'm putting the child in the shower EVERY DAY for the rest of her life!! :) And we love her even without a shower for at least two weeks...

In court our little previously-Oscar Winner is NERVOUS! She *gets* how important this is and how much she wants this. When it is her turn to speak, despite the judge being very friendly toward her, she needs coaching from the orphanage representative & local inspector. When she is done speaking, she lets out her "drama sigh" & has a seat! It's pretty funny!

And in less than 30 minutes, the case has been made (without a single question from the prosecutor!?), we have been dismissed for the discussion of a recommendation (during which there was not enough time for cigarette smoking or phone calls!), we are called back into the courtroom (office) & the court has ruled in our favor. She is Anastasia (Nastia) Landyn Sapienza (as far as we can tell, at this point, she intends to go by "Nastia")! Hugs & spaseeba all around & we're done. We even forgot to take a photo! So back at the orphanage, Nastia recruits the little girl (who we also know & is now in the infirmary apparently with the same crud) in the next room to take our picture but I cannot in good conscious post it. It is not good :(. I promise to post a new picture of Nastia before we leave Ukraine!!

After a visit with Nastia at the orphanage, we return to Odessa & will spend tomorrow here (our last childfree day!) & return to Mariupol (smogville) on Thursday. This evening we walked the streets of Odessa, tried to find short-sleeved shirts (no luck - neither of us iswilling to pay top dollar for Ukrainian fashion...that we don't really like), and had Mexican for dinner where a Corona is a Corona! And there was another couple at the restaraunt speaking English (I almost went over & sat with them as if they were family)!

So, the real "work" here is done. And, yes, we are only at the half-way mark (yikes!). We will wait out both 10-day appealate periods (Nastia's, unfortunately, ends on a Friday before a 4-day weekend & will not go into affect until the following business day) & then begin all the necessary paperwork to bring them into the US. We are still on target to return to the US at 7 weeks.

I'm strong out of the gates but not the best "closer", so this "waiting it out" time will be the hardest for me. I am homesick :(. I want EVERYTHING (I'll spare you the laundry list!) about my life in America right now... But despite all that I miss about my life, my "family" is here. So here is where I will stay for now...

I can't say it enough...thank you for your prayers, cheers, & words of support! I could not have survived this experience without you all or prior to the internet!!

Much love...

PS. This is kinda funny, so I'll throw it in. We're standing out in the hallway waiting to be invited into the courtroom and Nastia & the local inspector (who seems to have known Nastia for quite some time) are having a conversation in Russian but I hear Nastia say "doctor" (although, I frequently think I hear "English" words when people are talking in Russian & I am quite sure I am wrong). Then the inspector says to me, "after school. doctor" & motions toward Nastia. Girls. They'll drop a bomb on ya' at the most opportune time. Won't they?!