A Favorable Decision

Major events of the day: Court Day! and a Favorable Decision!

Morning weather report: 35, feels like 27. Projected high: 42 with light rain in the morning. Temperature is predicted to drop a little through the morning so the light rain may instead be light flurries. There was also a very light dusting of snow and we saw ice on a mud puddle. It won’t be long before there’s no more rain, just snow!

Meanwhile back in Memphis: Overnight low of 48, heading to just 56. (Everyone back there must be freezing! 8-D)


News Flash: We just returned from court. The Judge rendered a favorable decision, making us the VERY proud parents of David and Kate. No waiver on the 15 day waiting period though.


We picked up the kids at 9 am. They were dressed up in their court outfits and were very excited! It was only a short trip, so we arrived at the court building a little early and waited in the lobby before being called upstairs to meet with the Judge. Then we waited a few more minutes in the hallway before the adults were all called into the Judge’s chambers. We started right on time with a full house: The Judge, Prosecutor, Recorder, Raisha (Dept of Guardianship Lady), Tatiana (RBS Social Worker), Svetlana (our Attorney), Masha (our Translator) and a pair of very nervous Americans. (David and Kate were probably even more nervous waiting in the secretary’s office)

We stood for a reading of our rights, which is very similar to the US list. Then the Judge asked Bill a LOT of questions about family, marriage stability, income, and then a couple curveballs based on military background as well as preparedness for the challenges of raising older children who come with a lot of background as well as how we will handle the challenges of language. The Judge also asked our opinion on the unfortunate cases of abuse of children adopted from Russia which led to suspension of adoptions from there. We both understand that it is her duty to protect children being adopted from future abuses to the fullest extent possible.

Then it was Cathe’s turn to stand and tell a little about herself as well as answer some of the same questions and some new ones. Cathe had not been asked quite as many. We were both on edge as we ran through her checklist of questions as well as a few from our application. If anyone had grimaced or said something, Cathe would have burst out in tears. Emotions were running high!

Tatiana gave a very passionate speech about the children and their background. She also told about the abuse and neglect they suffered before being placed in protective care. Next, she described their academic performance then finally how she has seen them change since coming to the RBS, and even more in the past three weeks we have been together. Her closing remark was a passionate positive endorsement on our application for adoption and a statement of how the judge would do a disservice to these children if she did not place them with our family.

Then Raisha (The D.o.G. Lady) spoke. She told about the legal process the children had gone through to be removed from their mother, and the process for termination of the mother’s parental rights. She also knew about the mother since they were from the same city. She gave a very strong favorable endorsement to our application.

Next, came the hard part. The children were individually called in to answer the Judge’s questions. Since both are over ten, the Judge wanted to make sure that they really do want to be part of our family, not just wanting to leave the orphanage. David went first. The Judge asked several questions to which he mostly responded “Да,” or “Нет.” Then the first curveball came his way when the Judge followed up one of his “Да” responses with today’s new addition to our Russian vocabulary, “Почему?” (Why?) Then came another curveball when she asked him if he wanted to be adopted into a family, “Да.” Followed up with, “This family? Or should we try to find you another one?” He quickly replied, “I don’t want another family. I want this one.” Everyone in the room could see his visible relief when the Judge told him he could go back to the other room and send in his sister.

Kate, our little talkative, part cherub, part banshee, Paparazzi-in-training timidly entered the room, got very nervous and had a hard time answering the Judge’s questions at first. The Judge asked Kate many of the same questions and threw the same curveballs as David. Kate did a little better with the “Почему?” follow-ups and explained that she wanted us to be her parents and that she wanted a family. The Judge asked if she understood that she will leave Kazakhstan and she probably won’t come back to visit or to live. Kate replied that she understood that she would go to the United States and its ok because that’s where her family lives. She was so nervous that the Judge momentarily paused asking more questions for a few minutes so Cathe could comfort her. After regaining composure, there were only a few more questions. If you look up the definition of “Scurry,” there would be a picture of Kate hustling out of the Judge’s chambers when dismissed.

After some very positive closing remarks we all shuffled out of the room to await the Judge’s decision. We did not have a chance to get a full group photo with the Judge since it was time for the kids to go back to school. We had been in the Judge’s chambers for almost an hour and a half.

Twenty minutes later, we were called back into the Judge’s chamber for the decision: Approved.
We are now their parents and after the fifteen day waiting period, they will be fully placed in our custody.

Greetings from Bill, Cathe, David and Kate!