We have passed Court!!!

We have a little bit of time here at the hotel before our afternoon visit with Landon today, so I wanted to just share our excitement with you!

Court was a pretty neat experience all around! While we waited for the judge to ask us to enter the room, we filled out our Embassy paperwork with Olga out in the waiting room area. This helped occupy our minds and keep us from getting nervous. The one document that the judge had not had in advance was our apostilled photos from Trip 1...so we gave those to Olga, who showed the head Dr. (who by the way also attends and testifies in court of our connection, and his condition in general). After they viewed those 10 photoes, I then showed both of them our little photo book I keep in my purse just so they could see all our favorite photos from the 1st trip. Little did I know how far this little photo book was going to go. The ladies loved the photos so much, that they asked to show the judge when we were in the middle of our hearing! She (the judge) also smiled as she looked through the album. I could tell from their facial reactions, they can see the love and connection we share with our boy!!

All that was said in regards to us in court was very positive. The judge left the room to think over her decision for about 5 minutes, and came back and read us the official decree- we passed!!! We are officially parents!! We, of course, have to wait for the 10 day wait to be over before being able to bring him to the hotel with us, but it is official as of today! I can't tell you how excited I am! When the judge was reading the decree, and Olga was translating my eyes filled with happy tears (as they are now, just remembering!)!   I can't put specific wording in regards to the hearing on here, b/c it's a private closed court hearing...sorry for the lack of details...but it's just to make sure we are not breaking any rules..but just know that it was all good!

Thank you all for your prayers! We can breathe a HUGE sigh of relief...on to the FUN part! Getting ready to bring him HOME!!!

We have an exciting afternoon ahead of us too! I am so excited! We will be able to take Landon today out of the orphanage for a brief ride to a local photo shop to get his passport photos taken. We will then be leaving them with our driver, to give back to Olga for our Embassy paperwork (which we brought in advance here this time, to ensure the process can be finished on the 23rd). We then will bring him back, but I am looking forward to a ride in the car with our boy!!! :)

One last thing before we head out: An idea of our itinerary for our return...

Option #1 - We arrive on Sunday, the 19th. Then, Monday, we visit him 2x. Tuesday, we get the court decree and pick him up for good. Wednesday, we will have a free day with him where our driver will take us to Red Square to allow us the time to enjoy his culture with him. Then, Thursday is our Embassy apt. and Friday we return home

Option #2- We arrive on Sunday, and POSSIBLY the adoption decree comes on Monday. We then pick him up that same day, and have EITHER 2 free days with him (Tuesday and Wednesday) and go to the Embassy still on Thurdsday OR we could get our embassy apt. on Wednesday.

Either will work, I think the embassy should be able to work with us- they said they are going to do their best. I believe we will be booking our flights as soon as we return home.

Pak-ah! for now!!! Thanks to all who have us in their thoughts and prayers!!!