We made it home last night and it felt so good to back in the United States of America (Even if I do not like the current politics!). It was so nice to be able to drink water out of the tap and not to worry about getting sick if I swallowed some water while taking a shower. Although this sounds small, it is a great blessing to have clean water to drink from the tap. It is also very nice to control your own temperature in your own home. The list of blessings could go on and in which I have realized how important it is to appreciate all that we have. Though our house is modest, it seems huge now after being in the Ukraine. We both could not sleep after 4 am this morning because our bodies think it is in the afternoon. Although, we will quickly adjust.

We ended up being on the same plane as half of the hosting kids on the way back from Kyiv to Munich and from Munich to Chicago. We had to go through different areas with customs in Chicago, one for residents and one for non-residents. We did not see the group after we were done and they were not at the boarding gate. Our plane was to leave at about 5:30 pm and they were not there at 4:45 pm. If you have ever been to the Chicago O Hare airport it is huge and confusing and one could easily get lost. It has 5 terminals. I worried about the group so I quickly went back looking for them. I finally found them where we are to take a train to the our terminal to catch the plane. Natasha, the group leader and who we already know because she was in our home for a few days during the 2008 hosting, was relaxed and did not seem to concerned to hurry. I was panicking. It turned out they were on the 8 pm flight to go to Salt Lake City. So all was well and they had plenty of time so I did not need to worry about them. I was able to guide them to where they needed to go to check in with security.

Our court was Thursday at 9 am. The boys look sharped. They even had suits, although Vlad's was mismatched, but that was okay. The boys wanted to look their best for the judge. We had lots of questions from the Judge, prosecutor, and the 2 person jury. After the preliminary legalities the Judge went through (this took awhile) I was asked questions of why we wanted to adopt, could I really support and provide for their various needs, how we first met the boys, if we communicated with Vlad and how during the past year, if Vlad had talked to any of our kids during this time, what our family was like, what our home was like, were the boys going to have a bedroom to sleep in, if our kids were okay with the adoption, etc. Then Griselda was asked similar questions and also how we were going to teach them English and how we would get them in school. Then it was Vlad's turn. He was asked several questions related to if he really wanted to be adopted and how he felt about our family and about if he would be comfortable with and like our 16 year daughter. Vlad said I am a teenager and she is a teenager and of course we would get along because we are both teenagers. He got a chuckle from the Judge which released some of the tension in the court room. Vlad spoke with great confidence and fast. So the Judge asked Vald why he spoke to fast. He said it is because I am a rapper. The Judge and the whole courtroom busted up laughing. Then it was Dima's turn. Dima is a bit timid so his answers were more softer than Vlads. So at the end of his questioning when the Judge asked him of he wanted to be adopted by us, Dima, with confidence, answered with a firm and resounding yes. Then the assistant director of the orphanage was asked about her thoughts on the adoption and she was very positive, and stated how we visited the boys everyday, played and did things with them, and would give them English lessons (Griselda gave them the English lessons). So she was very happy to have us adopt the boys so the boys could have a good family to take care of them.

At 10:20 the court was done and then we had to wait for the verdict. At 12:07 pm we got the news that the Judge's decision was positive. The boys jumped with delight and were so excited. Afterwards we celebrated by going to a crepe stand and getting crepes stuffed with chicken, cheese, and mushrooms. It was very good. That is one thing I will miss. We then took the boys back to the orphanage where our parting was bittersweet because it will be about three weeks before one of us can get them. The boys were very sad that it will be so long but that is beyond our control. Now we have to play the waiting game before going back to wrap up the legalities left to do and pick up the boys.