Productive days

Yesterday (Thursday), our facilitator picked up our court decree after waiting literally ALL day for the court workers to give it to her. It was supposed to be ready on Wednesday according to the normal 10 day wait period, but people like to take their time doing their jobs here :) Hats off to Yulia for sitting all day on our behalf while I got to enjoy two more visits with my son. She also had time to submit a file to the vital statistics office for what I think she said was an application for Micah's new birth certificate, but I'm not sure... All I know is she did two major things yesterday. She was also doing the same thing for my friend, Sherry White, who is in the same stage in her process and at the same orphanage for Gavin and Johanna.

Yulia also said that she would call later to let us know when to be ready today to go pick up the new birth certificates for our kiddos. I went to bed at 10pm with no call, but I knew she'd call some time this morning. So I got up at 7, taking my time because nothing happens in this country before 9-10 am.

Except today. At 8:20, Yulia called and said to be downstairs in 5 minutes because Niko was there to pick me up. Yikes! I rushed down with sopping wet hair but with my teeth brushed :) We picked up Sherry and Keegan and were on our way. Niko informed us that today was going to be a big day. Yea!

We quickly got to the 1st vital statistics office and it was for Micah's birth certificate. Here is a picture of the office.











We had to turn in Micah's original birth certificate in order to request a new one. Here is his Ukrainian birth certificate:



This process was very long. We had to wait 2 hrs for the new certificate to be ready, so we went to another vital statistics office for Johanna White. Hers was processed while she waited, but it still took well over an hour, and Sherry said she even fell asleep! Keegan and I enjoyed ourselves in Niko's van playing games on our iPads :) Here are some pictures of the neighborhood.













There are different offices for each district of Kiev that process forms for where people are born, are married, or die - kind of like each county of California. All three of the children being adopted between us were born in different districts.

We got back to "my" office and had to go to a different room than before, and Niko and I had to wait again while the girl processed someone else first. When it was my turn, it turned out she hadn't even started my form! I was shocked. So she pulled up this database system on her computer and chose some items from the drop-down menus to get the right form up, put the court docket number in, and Micah's birth certificate came up.

This is where it got emotional for me. She highlighted his birth dad's name and DELETED it! Then she did the same for his mom's name. Then she changed his name to Micah Charles Ray and added the info for Barry and me into the parent fields. Wow. Totally surreal. His original info no longer exists in the computer. Then she had this big giant ledger book with a page with Micah's original info, and she crossed off the old info and hand wrote in the new. At least there is some remnant of his past there. They also kept the original sealed birth certificate. (I got a copy).

Then we finished up with Gavin White and had lunch while we waited. After all the birth certificates were completed, we went to the tax agency where they issue tax id's and social security numbers. We had to apply for new numbers with their new names so we can close out their government bank accounts here. The money goes to the orphanage, but the legal parent has to withdraw it. I wonder how much it will be!

We saw Yulia in the afternoon, and she said she was going to call the passport office to see if they're open tomorrow. I said, "Tomorrow? It's Saturday!" She said, "I know but since Monday is a holiday, they might be open tomorrow to trade." I was like, what?! I had no idea they did that here! We've been praying for a quick trip home, but I honestly didn't think any of this would move as fast as it has so far.

So, I called Yulia at 7pm and asked if the passport office is open tomorrow. She said so calmly, "Yes, it is open tomorrow." I exclaimed, "Really?!" This woman is the sweetest thing ever, but she does not joke. So tomorrow, Sherry and I will be able to take our kids OUT of the orphanage for the day and go on a car ride to the passport office where the kids will take pictures. I'm positive there will be some waiting involved. I'm taking my son out if the gates and into a car. I am so excited.

We still don't know what this means as far as when we can come home because Monday and Tuesday are holidays here. I am rushing the passport process for a nominal fee, but it's still supposed to take 2-3 days. I don't know if that means Wed or Thurs/Fri. If it's Wed, then I will be able to take Micah for his medical, bust him out for good, get his visa by Friday, which means I can bring him home next weekend, BEFORE the 4th, which is what Barry and I have been begging God for. Now I know it's possible, but I also know I still may have to wait. I'm really okay with either, but wouldn't it be so cool to celebrate Micah's coming home with fireworks?

Time to rest! (Remember that it's 10 hrs ahead of California).