Thursday June 14, 2007 Applying for Visitors’ Visas at US Embassy

Dennis had very brief crying episodes at 10:30, but didn’t get up. I was up at 6:00 when he began to stir a bit. I was so anxious to keep him quiet if he did start to cry so that he wouldn’t wake up the rest of the family (that sounds sooo good!) that I couldn’t relax. Besides, the springs on this bed are rather noisy, and I didn’t want that to wake him up, either. That still gave me eight hours of solid sleep (spaseeba bolshoya, a very big thank you, Lord) and some time to journal. John and Nick were up about 7:00, so ten hours of sleep for them, and we were all quiet enough that Dennis didn’t wake up until 7:45 AM. Hurray! Remarkable what a good night’s sleep can do for your outlook on parenthood and the possibilities of the day.

Nick told John he was hungry (might be the first time, although he occasionally requested a cookie at the orphanage) long before our scheduled breakfast at 9:00, so John took him and a packet of instant kasha (like oatmeal) to the kitchen and prepared it in the microwave. He ate the whole bowl. We all showered today (first time we’ve bathed the boys). We don’t have a tub this time, and I think the shower was a new experience. John was able to coax Nick through his pretty peacefully. Dennis cried throughout, but not hysterically. Nick found his comb and combed the hair of all the men. We were all ready for breakfast early. When we went down (just a couple of steps and through a door) a few minutes early they began to prepare that sumptuous meal we had come to know at the beginning of the trip. We had plenty of food in the order for two to feed all four, even with their decent appetites. They fixed a bowl of our kasha for Dennis, too. I wasn’t surprised when he ate the whole thing.

Sasha picked us up for the US Embassy. We didn’t have all of the applications and forms for the visitor’s visas the boys need until just then, so I tried to entertain a bit as they sorted through paperwork.
Then off to the Embassy. We arrived around 10:30. Security is understandably tight, so no water bottles or snacks, etc. I did bring a plastic bag with a diaper, a changing pad, a couple of wipes and a clean shirt for Dennis. Dennis carried a small plastic ball and Nick had his comb. John had a stack of papers easily six inches high. No one is permitted to accompany us to the appointment, so Sasha stayed with us until we all made it through security, then went to wait for us outside – not having any idea when we would finish. The waiting room for adoptions was small and pretty full. A sign said the occupancy allowed was 13 people, but we exceeded that by a few. John went up to one of the two windows to check in. A couple from Kentucky, who just adopted four-year-old Eli from Priluki (we were there two years ago on a mission trip) arrived immediately behind us. Both men started handing in the various papers, but we took much, much longer. It was hard to figure out the corresponding Ukrainian documents and their English translation. At one point it looked like we didn’t have the original court decree, which is absolutely required, and they said we would have to get it from Kharkov – that going home this week didn’t look likely. No! John went out to Sasha, who said we had it with us. John searched again. The “original” court decree looked like a copy because it was in fact photocopied showing the staple on the original, and then an original signature was placed on it.

During all of this, a lovely Ukrainian young woman had taken it upon herself to keep our Nick occupied. She knew where they kept the toys and entertained him going over colors, numbers, animals, by looking out the window and combing his hair for well over an hour, until she and her mother went in for their appointment. That was a life-saver, because Dennis was pretty full of energy by then and required most of my attention. Other people, all very polite, asked about them, their region, where we are from, etc.

Somehow it seems we could have been better prepared – at least having the necessary applications given to us before we were picked up to go to the Embassy. The couple from Kentucky was in and out long before us. Our appointment time of 11:00 came and went. The necessary documents and forms were finally identified and signed just after 12:00. The cashier hadn’t left, so we could pay the fee, but all of the consulate representatives were now gone for lunch, so we were told we would have to wait about and hour-and-a-half. What!!! This time we did go to the nicer waiting room with toys for the kids (I didn’t earlier because of Nick’s entertainer, and John needed information and my signature on some of the forms being filled out). At least now it was two adults for two children and when Nick needed the restroom, John could hold Dennis. But we had only a water dispenser, no food and no ability to leave since they had all four passports. We had to take away all of the crayons, markers and pencils because they became hazardous. Dennis took a couple of tumbles, one right off a chair to the hard floor, and I should have seen it coming. Bad, bad, Mama.  No lost teeth, however, or even a mark on his noggin, and the tears didn’t last long because he had a toy vacuum cleaner to continue dragging around the room.

At 1 PM we were invited to come back for the “interview”. It was blessedly easy and smooth and we were quickly done. Unfortunately, it was so late now that the possibility of getting the visas today was dwindling. The boys’ photos had to be processed through a database (wanted to make sure they weren’t international terrorists, maybe), and that took hours. He said we could come back at 4 PM and see if they were ready. Only one of us had to return. The young woman who had helped John through all of the paperwork came around to our side then. She said these kids were just too precious and she simply had to hold them. This was the first time in her three weeks here she had been on the other side of the protective enclosure. I was quite flattered on the boys’ behalf! She came all the way outside, so she was likely on her way to lunch, too. She is a college student in the States. Her parents work at the Embassy so she is here for a summer internship.

Free at last, free at last! Sasha was faithfully waiting, having no idea what was taking so long, and with no cell phones permitted inside, and no passports to go out and come back, we had no way to let him know. On the way back to the apartment both boys fell asleep, but of course woke up when we stopped, so we went to the Ukrainian cafeteria for lunch. I tried to get Dennis down for a nap then, but it proved a futile venture. We have already decided we prefer to sleep at night, so don’t even try to get a nap for/from Nick.

John and Nick left at 3:30 with Sasha to see about the visas, Dennis and I had a really nice afternoon. Turns out entertaining him in the right setting is easy and not even physically demanding: a single room where you can always see him and enough safe items scattered about that he can move around, or bring to you (with a very enthusiastic “thank you” or “spaceeba”) and receive back (with the correspondingly enthusiastic “you’re welcome” or “pahzhalusta”). That’s it! Around 5 PM John called to say they were on St. Andrew’s Slope and Sasha was picking up something at the State Department. No visas today, but they should be available in the morning. I suggested he find something for Nick to eat, I had already given Dennis the 4 PM meal, and he should buy whatever souvenirs he wanted. I met the family in the next apartment/hotel room – Sasha had told us they were next door. They are from Alabama and are here to adopt a 15-year-old from Zaporozhe. They met her when she was in the states on a “cultural tour” for a week or so with other older orphans from Ukraine. The mother and daughter, Anna, had already been to Ukraine to visit her once. They were also trying to adopt an 11-year-old, but for seven years the director has illegally failed to have her registered, so it won’t happen on this trip. They are a great family of believers, and it would be great to spend more time with them. Anna loves kids and would have watched ours, had the need arisen before they leave tomorrow morning at 4 AM (by van).

Oksana called to check in and let us know she wouldn’t be able to join us this evening, but let us know that Anya is in town. So I called Anya and we made plans for supper. The Ukrainian café is a good landmark on our block (across from TGIF’s and Patio Pizza). She gave us the most beautiful bouquet of flowers and a magnet showing a stork nest up in a tree with two baby storks!

We decided to eat at Patio Pizza for a change of taste. It went well, but if Nick was comfortable with Oksana, he adored Anya. We let him try some pizza after his borscht. I had some baby food for Dennis. He acted voraciously hungry, and then fell asleep between bites less than halfway down the jar. Guess that was enough revive him, because then he was his usual eating-machine. We visited with Anya back at the apartment until 9:00, and Anya persuaded Nick to go to bed without a fight. I introduced her to the family next door, since Zaporozhe is her home town and she could tell her where they might like to stay and what they might like to see during the inevitable waiting time.

John has been trying to get our tickets home changed to Friday, but it has been hard to reach the travel agent in California, especially with the 10-hour time difference. I guess there was never a chance to go home early because no seats have been available, at least not with whatever restrictions come with the “adoption fares”. Just have to keep reminding myself this has been a surprise to God, and our eagerness to finally be at home with the boys isn’t necessarily necessary.