We woke up refreshed after another awesome night of sleep:) Today we head back
to Fastiv to get our district approval for the "reasonability of adoption"
signed. Next is the court application and then we head back to Kiev for getting
this document notarized by an officially registered notary in connection with
the proper "Ministry." basically it is like the county Human services agreeing
that we can petition the court for our adoption; and it is done with State
approval much like an apostilled application. We took the girls with us today so
they can enjoy the festivities of "sign-wait-drive" experiences.
Today I chuckled about our morning oatmeal experience. I wondered if someone had
painted the bottom of the oatmeal box white like the trees, it would keep out
the bugs. Oh well, just glad I happened to notice all of our little friends when
I went to close up the box, and before Natalie's spoon hit her mouth. No
worries, poppy seed rolls are available at every street corner, and McDonald's
coffee is on order.
Today it is another rainy day, and the locals feel the same longing for snow
that we have. Kris is playing Christmas songs (The Moscow Boys Choir) and
working on Christmas cards while the taxi driver smokes another cigarette and we
all sit in the steamed up car.
We are hugely thankful for our taxi driver, who is the first driver that we have
ever had that does not speed! He is extremely cautious. Most all drivers seem to
visualize an invisible buffer that surrounds each car. We can see all drivers
of any sized vehicle using this buffer to literally "push" anything out of the
way. It's actually quite amazing to watch this technique at work with other
cars, opposing trucks at highway speed in their own lane, old ladies threatening
to take OUR space with their rickety bicycles, and even pesky children and dogs
that seem to need a lesson in "priorities of the roads." Well, at least it seems
to work most of the time. We have seen many smashed cars in the last week,
including a live fender smasher that produced a memorable sound like no other.
The occupants were all safe, just property damage occurred.
George informs us that once the court is applied for, we should switch to public
transportation to minimize our pricy taxi that can take nearly 2 hours one way
each day. I reluctantly agree, but secretly contemplate other options.
to Fastiv to get our district approval for the "reasonability of adoption"
signed. Next is the court application and then we head back to Kiev for getting
this document notarized by an officially registered notary in connection with
the proper "Ministry." basically it is like the county Human services agreeing
that we can petition the court for our adoption; and it is done with State
approval much like an apostilled application. We took the girls with us today so
they can enjoy the festivities of "sign-wait-drive" experiences.
Today I chuckled about our morning oatmeal experience. I wondered if someone had
painted the bottom of the oatmeal box white like the trees, it would keep out
the bugs. Oh well, just glad I happened to notice all of our little friends when
I went to close up the box, and before Natalie's spoon hit her mouth. No
worries, poppy seed rolls are available at every street corner, and McDonald's
coffee is on order.
Today it is another rainy day, and the locals feel the same longing for snow
that we have. Kris is playing Christmas songs (The Moscow Boys Choir) and
working on Christmas cards while the taxi driver smokes another cigarette and we
all sit in the steamed up car.
We are hugely thankful for our taxi driver, who is the first driver that we have
ever had that does not speed! He is extremely cautious. Most all drivers seem to
visualize an invisible buffer that surrounds each car. We can see all drivers
of any sized vehicle using this buffer to literally "push" anything out of the
way. It's actually quite amazing to watch this technique at work with other
cars, opposing trucks at highway speed in their own lane, old ladies threatening
to take OUR space with their rickety bicycles, and even pesky children and dogs
that seem to need a lesson in "priorities of the roads." Well, at least it seems
to work most of the time. We have seen many smashed cars in the last week,
including a live fender smasher that produced a memorable sound like no other.
The occupants were all safe, just property damage occurred.
George informs us that once the court is applied for, we should switch to public
transportation to minimize our pricy taxi that can take nearly 2 hours one way
each day. I reluctantly agree, but secretly contemplate other options.
While we wait in the taxi the rain turns to snow. I take a quick walk to
photograph the Statue of Lenin in front of the county courtyard and admin
building. Still killing time I then go to exchange some money and am overwhelmed
by the elderly crowd appearing to be cashing in their pension checks. My
assumption is not correct with the little babushka in front of me. She digs two
newspaper parcels out from her soiled coat and unwraps two stacks of Ukrainian
money about 6" tall. After 15 minutes of waiting I catch a glimpse of the
deposit slip over her short shoulders and see that it is for $60,000 rph
($7,500usd). Of course my curiosity will never be answered. Was it her year end
deposit for selling things? Who knows....
George has finally appeared and the taxi has now become an office for us to sign
our application with the court! The Christmas music has given way to the taxi
driver's choice of "disco"! The song that is playing while we sign is Diana Ross
- I Will Survive!
our application with the court! The Christmas music has given way to the taxi
driver's choice of "disco"! The song that is playing while we sign is Diana Ross
- I Will Survive!
 |
| Behind these Windows is the Magestrate that can make court happen - or not |
Thirty minutes later Oksana, from the children's services, appears with George
to jump into the taxi, and we whisk away to another "official" next step in the
process. The building's appearance is very plain, has no signage, and is a
typical old block structure of an unmarked business with metal barred windows
and graffiti on it. After 20 minutes, I jump out for some fresh air and
realize by the ornamental weigh scales on the security bars that we are in fact
waiting outside of the court building. We are starting to loose our
understanding of each step, but it's becoming okay since George seems to be
commanding each step well.
It's noon and the flakes have turned into large masses of snow covering the cars
and objects not reflecting heat like the road. The passing by pedestrians are
now showing how far they have walked by the amount of snow caked onto their fir
lined hoods. Again, it's great to know that our driver is a safer driver with
the road conditions deteriorating and the drive back to Kiev almost upon us.
Oksana and George have returned from the court to announce that we have been
assigned the highest magistrate of this District court of Fastiv. As part of
legislative reform to control any manipulation of the system a petitioner can no
longer request certain judges. George spent a lot of time describing this new
process which uses a computer to assign cases to the courts. Although it is a
sign of equity and reform, it is viewed as potentially risky with the
possibility that we might have absolutely no ability to influence which judge is
chosen and when court will occur. It becomes apparent that George is very
uncomfortable with this notion of a computer system having so much "control." As
it turns out, our designated judge has a sick assistant and has no motivation
for seeing any cases for the rest of the year. George and Oksana happen to run
into him in the building and Oksana uses her good working relationship with him
to plead our case.
They have convinced him to review our case, and so we must pray for a favorable
change in heart when Oksana checks in with him tomorrow!
Our day continued in similar fashion in Kiev, finding the right kind of Notary,
then waiting for document prep for our official application with the Ministry of
Social Policy. We are in a long hallway of closed doors and lots of traffic back
and forth with continual opening and closing of doors in a seeming game that
resembled the old Natuonal Adoption Center' famed Scooby Doo Hallway. The sound
of stamping documents is heard through the walls and Kris and smile at each
other thinking about all of the official-ness of it all
to jump into the taxi, and we whisk away to another "official" next step in the
process. The building's appearance is very plain, has no signage, and is a
typical old block structure of an unmarked business with metal barred windows
and graffiti on it. After 20 minutes, I jump out for some fresh air and
realize by the ornamental weigh scales on the security bars that we are in fact
waiting outside of the court building. We are starting to loose our
understanding of each step, but it's becoming okay since George seems to be
commanding each step well.
It's noon and the flakes have turned into large masses of snow covering the cars
and objects not reflecting heat like the road. The passing by pedestrians are
now showing how far they have walked by the amount of snow caked onto their fir
lined hoods. Again, it's great to know that our driver is a safer driver with
the road conditions deteriorating and the drive back to Kiev almost upon us.
Oksana and George have returned from the court to announce that we have been
assigned the highest magistrate of this District court of Fastiv. As part of
legislative reform to control any manipulation of the system a petitioner can no
longer request certain judges. George spent a lot of time describing this new
process which uses a computer to assign cases to the courts. Although it is a
sign of equity and reform, it is viewed as potentially risky with the
possibility that we might have absolutely no ability to influence which judge is
chosen and when court will occur. It becomes apparent that George is very
uncomfortable with this notion of a computer system having so much "control." As
it turns out, our designated judge has a sick assistant and has no motivation
for seeing any cases for the rest of the year. George and Oksana happen to run
into him in the building and Oksana uses her good working relationship with him
to plead our case.
They have convinced him to review our case, and so we must pray for a favorable
change in heart when Oksana checks in with him tomorrow!
Our day continued in similar fashion in Kiev, finding the right kind of Notary,
then waiting for document prep for our official application with the Ministry of
Social Policy. We are in a long hallway of closed doors and lots of traffic back
and forth with continual opening and closing of doors in a seeming game that
resembled the old Natuonal Adoption Center' famed Scooby Doo Hallway. The sound
of stamping documents is heard through the walls and Kris and smile at each
other thinking about all of the official-ness of it all
 |
| Fastiv Admin bldg housing Children's Services |
By the way..... Don't stand in front of one of these doors, or you are liable to
get whacked when they randomly slam open without notice every 30-45 seconds with
a document toting worker scurrying about!
Please join us in prayer for a court date before dec 31st!
get whacked when they randomly slam open without notice every 30-45 seconds with
a document toting worker scurrying about!
Please join us in prayer for a court date before dec 31st!
Have you seen your daughter yet?
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