Paperwork. Oh the paperwork. I'm feeling a little paperworked out right now. Really, though, it hasn't been THAT bad. Our first week home was similar to a whirlwind.
Last Sunday, we went to a campout for the day. It was fun, but til the day was over, we were all whipped. Our main goal in going was to stay awake as late as possible in an effort to get our sleeping habits back in US time zones. Of course, we wanted to see all the folks at the campout, too!! The sleeping thing really didn't work out too well. For several nights Jason and I were both awake around 3:00AM and didn't go back to sleep for a couple hours. The children were exhausted all week. One day...I forget which one...they didn't get up until noon, when I woke them cause their daddy was almost home to eat lunch.
Monday I did laundry....and more laundry. We had most of it done before we came home from Russia, but being in a "smoking" room didn't do too much for the smell of our clothes. We didn't notice it while we were there, but pulling them out of the suitcase at home was a different story. Monday afternoon I got to go to the doctor for the bloodwork and chest x-ray. I was tested for HIV, Hep A, Hep B, Hep C, TB, and syphilis. My poor children started whimpering and crying as soon as they saw the needle heading for my arm!! We're still waiting on the results of the tests so the paperwork can be finished up.
Tuesday morning we got to head in to the psychologists office to see if we are still mentally sound. We met with the psychologist for about a 1/2 hour and then got to do the extremely fun "personality tests". They were a little shorter than the last time. The first one was only 175 questions and the second one was 500 or so. The only one that I think I answered incorrectly was the one that said, "I am scared of snakes." I said 'false'. I decided after nearly stepping on one barefoot (in our garage) that I should have said 'true'. We haven't heard yet if we are considered mentally stable or not, but I did talk to the office girl this morning and she thought that it should be ready to pick up tomorrow.
Tuesday afternoon, poor Jason had to go in for his bloodwork. He struggled. Having bloodwork done just really isn't his thing. We got a good laugh when he came out with wet hair from the cool washclothes, and a juice box in one hand.
Thursday I had to make a special trip to town to get my TB test checked. I don't have it. Why can't they develop a blood test for that?!
Wednesday and Friday were just spent at home...until time to take supper to the field. (They started in the field Monday and spent the whole week there.) By Friday, I finally found the time to unpack everything and put it all away.
Sometime last week I spent a while in the courthouse getting the correct people to write up a 'proof of home ownership' letter and getting a copy of the deed to our house. Now all we're waiting on is the physician's reports and copies of their licenses, local police clearance (we need to go in for that tomorrow), letters from the Medical Board of the state of Ohio stating that our doctors really are doctors, and the psychologist's report and copy of his license. The list is dwindling.
I hope to head to Columbus Wednesday for the apostilles for all these documents and then they can all be shipped off to our agency. Then the true wait can begin. As soon as the docs are translated, they can be submitted to the judge, who will then review them and set a court date. Actually. She (the judge) is now required by law (not ours) to find something wrong with our paperwork, so we'll then find out if she needs something more from us. She will have sixty days after the paperwork is handed in to set a court date, and it could be set for 10 days later or for three months later. All that depends on her mood and her schedule. Holidays will play a big part in our return time, I suspect. Our agency is wanting all our paperwork by the end of this week in an effort to get us there and home again with little Nickolay before Christmas. Guess that's what ya'll can pray for!! If we get a court date for, say, December 16, we'll get stuck there during the holiday season, which could tack an extra couple weeks onto our stay in country. If we can get a court date for early December, however, we can be there, get all the paperwork done, and be home again by Christmas. If we don't get a court date set until later, it would likely be at least the end of January til we could go back. US offices are shut down over there for the week between Christmas and New Years, and their offices shut down starting at New Years through the middle of January (the 16th, I think). Many of the judges and other higher-ups over there actually take the whole month of January off for vacation.
So. That's that. In the long run, the judge has total control over when we get to go back. The whole process could have the tendency to make me really, really tired. However, we're choosing to simply pray and enjoy looking at the pictures from our first trip. We can hardly wait to see him in person again, to pick him up and give him a big squeeze and a kiss, to see if his hair is shaggy or short, to watch him toddle around as I'm sure that he is by now, to hear his little giggle. In short, we can hardly wait until he is home with us. This wait between trips is by far the hardest one of all. Waiting for a 'referral' isn't very fun, but after a while it's just part of life. Waiting for the first trip travel dates isn't very fun, but not as big of deal since you've never touched them before. Waiting between trips just plain isn't fun. We still hate to get our hopes up (though they already are) as so much could still happen....family could change their minds, a random family from there could decide to adopt him....who knows. He already feels like he is our son....his 8x10 picture is framed and ready to hang on our bedroom wall, his little bed is here and waiting on big brother to move to the bigger one, his little pile of clothes is growing, bags are already being packed so we don't have to rush around at the last minute getting ready to leave. Please pray that this 'wait' goes quickly.
Blessings to you all~
The Garbers
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