Court

We had court yesterday and I think it could not have gone better.  There was a judge, a person on either side of the judge (the jurors), a court reporter, and a lawyer.  Then on one of the spectator benches were the orphanage director, the social worker, and the legal person for the orphanage.  On our bench was Scott, Vanya (our facilitator), Sasha, and me.  Sasha seemed nervous and squeezed right in between Scott and me on the bench.  The judge had questions for all of us and Vanya was translating as she went.  She asked us why we wanted to adopt from Ukraine, if we would be able to support another child, what kind of work Scott does, do we have a large enough house, etc.  She questioned the social worker and the director.  They both said they thought our adoption of Sasha was the best thing for him.  The director said she felt like Sasha is already mentally checked out of the orphanage knowing he is going home with us and that she has never come to one of the adoption hearings and had the child sit with the adoptive parents instead of sitting with her.  She said he has really bonded with us and she has seen the love between us.  Then they judge questioned Sasha.  He stood, very shyly, looking at the floor.  She started asking him if he liked us, if he wanted us to be his parents, if he is prepared to move to the U.S.  He smiled the entire time and kept saying, 'dah, dah, dah.'  He did not hesitate or seem to waver at all.  He sat back down and snuggled into Scott.  Then they said his new name, and he broke out into a big smile.  The judge and the two jurors went out of the room for a few minutes and came back in and said the adoption is approved!  There were no hitches or issues at all and everyone was in favor of the adoption.  So we finished up in about an hour.  Sasha had to leave and go back to the orphanage and we had to do some paperwork (it seems endless!).  We went and had some lunch and then headed on to the orphanage to visit with Sasha.  He seemed very happy and content and wanted to know exactly when we would be able to get him from the orphanage.  We now have a 10 day waiting period before we can pick him up for good.  Our adoption day seemed to go very differently than many I have read about.  We were not allowed to pick Sasha up for court so we did not change him into clothes we brought for him.  He met us at the court house instead.  Then he went straight back to the orphanage with the man that brought him.  We did not get any pictures at all.  When we went out to visit him, we still did not get any formal pictures since it was his first time meeting Ali,  we were just all trying to be in the moment.  Below are a few shots Vanya got of us visiting.  So officially, here is Benjamin Alexander Selman!  Even if it was not a typical court day, it was a very good day.