One Down...

One week down...more than two weeks to go. I'm fighting the urge to feel sorry for myself and become inpatient.

When I get this way, I think of how long Maxim waited for me...and how the other children sit...and rock...and wait...and wait...

There is no comparison. My life is easy and blessed. Their lives are marked by continual rejection and the brutal nothingness of orphanage life. So I will wait. And I will thank The Lord. I will continue to share these precious children with you in the hopes that their stories their faces will pierce your heart and you will be moved to action.

In my waiting, I have been blessed. Blessed to serve and blessed to receive hospitality. Tonight I was treated to some sightseeing by a new friend. Her husband drove her all the way across town, and that is a long, long way here, to pick me up and show me the center of the city. We walked in the park, visited an art museum, had a bite to eat and shopped a souvenir shop. I shared photos and stories of my family. She gave me some history lessons and encouragement and praise. Good times!

Here are some photos from this afternoon. Sarah, the crochet art photo is just for you!

Evgeniy and Alexandra, love forever! (or something like that)

Chess club! With life sized board.

Foot Problems Today

No Visits with Maxim today. :(

I'm nursing a mammoth blood blister on my foot. I don't even want to put on my boots. These boots were fine last time I was here and I did just as much walking then. The blister has gone down a bit from last night so I think I'll be good to go tomorrow. I'll bandage up and head out anyway. I prefer to be more a more disciplined visitor for the sake of my son.

Yesterday was busy and fun. I did two long visits with Maxim. Even though we are still stuck in the hallway outside his grouppa, they added an exam table for us to sit on now! Maxim is warming up to his masked momma, getting a bit more comfortable. I was able to ask the carers some questions last night. I asked if Maxim has a special friend or just another child in the grouppa that he likes to hang out with or play with. Their answer was, "no...his friend is the ball." So there you have it, he prefers to play with balls and doesn't care about other children. We have some real work to do, don't we?

I also visited an orphanage for disabled youngsters, ages 3-7. It was a NICE place. Fancy furniture, fancy toys, well kept. I was told that most of these kids have "parents." In fact, many of the kids were ready to go home for the weekend. Ukraine. One sweet blind girl sniffed me thoroughly when I met her. It is how she distinguishes different people. I know that I smelled like Maxim at that point, I'm wondering if she could tell the difference between him and I if we were to visit her together?!

Later on in the evening, I had a full language immersion experience at a home Bible study. After sharing, praying and studying (I was completely lost most of the time) I learned a new way to play UNO and also learned how to play Dutch Blitz. It was a really fun group of young adults and I had a great time.

While on my way to the bus stop yesterday, I met this woman, Neenah, who claimed to have been robbed. She was standing on the sidewalk praying to God to send her someone to help her. She needed a couple of dollars for bus fare just to get to her home in another village. I only had big bills, so I gave her the equivalent of $6. We both praised God right then and there on the sidewalk!! Pray for Neenah if you think of it. Life is rough here.

It was supposed to be a photo, but my friend had it set it video. Oh well...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZoTGP9WLKM&sns=em

When can he come home?

So, when can Maxim come home?

I'm asked this all the time, so here is how it works in Ukraine:

After passing court, being awarded the adoption by a judge, there is a 10 day waiting period. This waiting period applies to all civil matters and is not normally waived, except in certain cities and for a fee...I don't want to get into that! Our court was on the 15th, so the waiting period is over on the 25th.

On the 25th, a stinking Friday, I'll be able to pick up the decree of the court naming me as Maxim's mother. This will be the official date of his adoption. Once I have this decree, actually several official copies, each one tied and glued with red thread, in my hands, I will be able to apply for Maxim's new birth certificate. This must be done in his birth city. This a an all day drive from here. I will likely not get to apply for the new birth certificate, replacing his birth mother's name with mine, until Monday. *sigh*

With a new birth certificate in hand I can travel back to Krivoy Rog (another full day of driving) to apply for Maxim's passport. This has taken five business days for others here...more if bad weather affects transportation. You see the application is done here in the region and the passport is made in Kiev and sent back down here. Bad weather can cost time. See how the little delays add up?

With a passport in my possession, I can take custody of Maxim and travel to Kiev, probably around February 4th if all goes well. He will have an immigration physical and a visa appointment with the US Consulate. Then we can fly home. Can't wait!

No Coincidence

After landing in Kiev Monday afternoon, I was able to spend some time with some old friends before heading to the train station. We met in this city EXACTLY two and a half years ago...July 15, 2010. Coincidence? I don't think so.

Do yourself a favor and go read their blog: http://letitbetome.blogspot.com/

I ate a wonderful dinner with these great friends at a Crimean restaurant. What could be better than fantastic friends and a plate of plov? Well, I'll tell you what...how about a glass of champagne? A celebrating couple sent a glass of sweet bubbly to everyone in the place!

Here is a chuckle for you...when you think of salad, you think macho, right? Check out the "Salad for real men" on this menu! It's a delicate mix! ROFL!

The Evening After

This is what I get for skipping my morning visit.

Blech.

In spite of my efforts, I was unable to sleep well last night. Up at 3am, 7pm at home, I could not fall asleep. Not until the morning that is! Me? Jetlagged? Oh yes.

My remedy for this was to just stay in bed all day long. Will that help? Probably not, but that would never happen at home, would it? I took the opportunity to be lazy and rest.

So I missed my morning visit with Maxim. And so I also missed all the friendly faces that I generally see in the daytime. I half expected to be well received after having a successful court hearing yesterday. The night shift didn't even know who I was. Sigh.

I was confronted by a woman in blue scrubs...a nurse? Who knows, but she was trying very hard to communicate something to me...cover my face? USA? Epidemia? Oh, I got it. Due to the flu epidemic in the USA, I am required to buy and wear a facemask when I visit.

I don't blame them, with so many children in such a tight space. For me it's just a pain to go to the pharmacy and buy masks. Minor inconvenience.

However,

Maxim seems to have another syndrome...white coat syndrome. He took one look at me in a mask and started to wimper and reach for any arms but mine. He wanted nothing to do with me tonight. I finally snatched him from the caregiver's arms. My young friend Sasha crawled over to us and closed the grouppa door!

As long as he didn't have to look at me, Maxim was fine. I laid him face down on my lap and patted his back, trying to work out a little gas. Poor sweetie has been very bloated. I made up different tunes for pat-a-cake. He relaxed, passed a surprising amount of air, and nearly fell asleep!

Through a crack in the door I could count 13 children, some in wheelchairs, some on sofas, some on the floor(!!), all watching some TV drama. Soap opera perhaps? The clatter of dishes and the scooting of chairs broke the spell after awhile. The grouppa was preparing for dinner. Maxim started to wimper once again.

Using charades and best please, I asked to feed Maxim. They absolutely would not let me into the grouppa room, but sent out a bowl of food (bread, fish and potatoes) and a cup of kefir for me to feed him. The caretaker demonstrated the proper way to shovel massive bites into his mouth without allowing him to catch a breath. I said thank you, took the spoon and proceeded to give him tiny bites, making sure that his mouth was clear before giving another.

I'm not sure that Maxim appreciated my feeding style, but we both lived and I'm grateful for the experience. Spooning the kefir into his mouth was much more difficult and even more sad. I cannot even describe the way he swallows. It is unlike anything I have ever seen before.

Then it was time to go. I never want to leave him, but it's best for him until he learns to trust me better. I must not miss any more visits.

Isaiah 49:15

Can a woman forget her nursing child, or lack compassion for the child of her womb? Even if these forget, yet I will not forget you. Isaiah 49:15

Introducing,

Maxim Isaiah Nance

My courtroom experience was completely different that what I had been preparing for. I was ready for 90+ minutes of tough questioning from the prosecutor. She didn't ask me one single question! Either the judge was very busy today, or everyone was in awe of the sheer number of children that I am mothering. I'm leaning toward the former! 

Sorry the pictures are out of order and I cannot fix them here without my computer. The photo above is a quick snap of Mxim's new grouppa room. Very dark and crowded.

Below is me after passing court, with the orphanage representative, the inspector (social worker) and the prosecutor. The judge did not have time to get in on the photo!

Christmas decorations are still up at the orphange.

The judge presented me with these gifts after reading her decision to grant the adoption.

Maxim was born in Sevastopol, which is on the Crimean peninsula. How and why he was transferred to this city and region are a mystery to me. He would have normally been transferred to the invalid home in Belogorsk, outside of Simferopol. That's right. If we had not adopted Theo, Zhen, and Maxim, they might have been living in the same invalid home. They might have been friends.

Now they will be brothers for life.

If you say MACK-sum, this little boy will not know who you are talking to. They way his name is pronounced here is more like Mock-seem. Once he is settled into the family, we will likely give him a nickname that has nothing whatsoever to do with his actual name

The Gift

If you have adopted a child from Krivoy Rog, then you might know what these items are:

If you have not adopted a child from Krivoy Rog, let me tell you:

It's a boy!