Friday, August 15, 2008

Has it only been 4 days?

So many different stories in the last 4 days.  So many stops and starts, hopes and dashed hopes.

  
Tuesday - great day.  Learned about the mysterious "packet" left by the judge!   

Wednesday - even better day.  After reading packet,  interpretation is I should be there on the 10th.

Thursday - hold off as they may want to push it back a week - will let me know Friday.  

Friday/Today - Wow, where do I begin?   "the problem (ah oh, here it comes) is that apparently a couple rejected two children after completing the adoption in Ekat and now it is a big scandal creating concern regarding people's commitment to these kids".  

Now, somebody (Olga I think?) thinks I should maybe stick to my original plan of 8/20 - 27 - I don't hear the rest because I interrupt to remind them that I canceled those plans at a cost of $750.00 already.   

I don't understand the difference now if I go on  the 20th of August or the 10th of September since the judge isn't there.  I don't understand why I would defy what the judge has requested of me which is to be there on the 15th.  I ask, who is concerned and bringing this up as the judge isn't even there.  I think the answer was Olga but I don't know for sure.  I said I could move my arrival up from the 10th easily enough to spend more time with the kids if that would help.  

They called the "somebody" back and came back to say that the 10th will work but we need to wait for Olga to give us exact travel dates which she will have by Monday.  

Oh, and the judge's vacation is now until 9/15 not 9/6.  When did that happen?

Nothing makes sense.  The judge's vacation was 7/30 to 9/6 - now it's until 9/15
Olga's vacation was to be 8/3 to 8/20 - yet, she's there now communicating about the packet, dates, what to do, what not to do, etc.  

It is exhausting to me though and every time I have to wait again, it feels like forever.  I know better than to get excited about any news or become hopeful.    I won't go into the "at leasts"  because I'm afraid that as soon as I do then those will change too.   Very disheartening.   And, this doesn't even take into account all the Georgia/Russia/US issues going on.  Uggghh  I thought I saw the light but it's feeling pretty dim at the moment.

This will make for a very long  weekend.  

On a OMG note - how could a family go through this process and change their minds before they even get out of the country?   I've heard details about a case that we're assuming is the same and it's pretty pathetic.  I can't say that an orphanage is a better environment to grow up in then with those "parents" but I hope somebody else finds the children soon.  



Thursday, August 14, 2008

Back to waiting

Today I cancelled the flights for next week's trip and prepared the itinerary for the trip in September after spending at least an hour on the phone with Expedia and Lufthansa.   After incurring a $750.00 fee for cancellations and learning the refund would take 2 to 3 "billing cycles", I then spent a long time on the phone with Enroute Travel.  I thought that I had it all done.    Prior to booking I sent the itinerary to AO for their input and received an email back saying to hold off - they may have us travel a week later than the 9/10 arrival.  That is disappointing as I want to get the reservations booked and I'm so afraid that things are going to continue being delayed.   So far though, nothing really has changed except for the interpretation of the judge's notes, the translation and the communication between Olga in Russia, Franks, AO and me.   I, of course, would rather get there sooner then later and just have the extra week with the girls which is what I told AO.  Hopefully, tomorrow we'll have a concrete plan.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

So far so good

Based on experience, I am holding my breath until the moment I walk out of the courtroom in Ekaterinburg.  Anything could happen between now and then and it will be one phone call delivering the news so I'm hoping now to not hear anything more from the agency, the judge or anyone in Russia!  That's a change!  I'm worried about the situation in Georgia and have been following it closely.  My concern is that as the US becomes more involved, the already fragile relationship will become completely broken.  If this happens, it would seem possible that they may pull the visas and not allow the adoptions to proceed.   Always something to worry about.

As for today, I did receive another phone call and it was with even better news then yesterday.   Supposedly Olga has had a chance to read through the judge's request, relay that information to Franks in No. Carolina who then relayed it to AO in San Diego who then called me with it . . . maybe that's part of the problem - too many middle people.   Apparently, the judge more specifically requested that I be there no later than the 10th and that she is shooting for a court date of 9/16!  So that would have us leaving by the 8th.  She doesn't get back until the 6th which is a Saturday and I would like to already be on a plane so that she can't say not to come - not that she couldn't do that after we arrive but . . . 

I'm planning to call the airlines tomorrow and see what I can salvage.  In the meantime, I received the passports today with the visas for the 8/20 trip and now need to send them back.  That was another $600 down the drain but, in the long run, I'll be saving a lot of money by not having to pay drivers & translators for another trip.

So that's the story for today - hopefully nothing changes between now and 9/16!   

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

When you least expect it . . .

Today AO called and said that prior to leaving on vacation the judge had prepared a packet for Olga.  Unfortunately, Olga left for her vacation prior to receiving the packet and returned yesterday to find it.  Apparently it included a request for the girls documents to be delivered along with me and my updated documents by September 15th!  And somewhere in there it said something about needing me there to spend the "official" time with the girls prior to a court date toward the end of September!  What a shock - this is the first time since March that I have not been expecting to hear news from the judge and now I get it while she's not there!  Of course, I've already paid for my tickets to go visit next week but I'll have to leave around 9/12 to get there by the 15th so there's no point in going just to turn around and return a few days later. Visas and flights will have to be changed now but I am so excited that instead of going and having to tell them goodbye again, I'll be going back to get them and start our new lives together!  Hopefully, I'll get more details tomorrow and can start making arrangements!