Friday, April 15, 2011 (updated)

The court is completed!!! Sasha Koshevyy is now Jason Sasha Ritzman.......Details to follow!
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Today began with  a lot of peace.  We know this day was bathed in prayer thanks to all of our family, friends and prayer partners. Praise the Lord...for all He has done!

We met Sasha at the orphanage early this morning so we could ride with Sergei and Natasha. We all experienced a little anxiousness but Sasha felt it more.  On the drive to the courthouse the orphanage Social Worker (Natasha) reviewed with Sasha (in Ukrainian) the purpose of the meeting and then, role-played typical questions that the Judge who ask him. Sasha was wearing the weight of the day even visibly. He told us he had not slept well the night before. We are sure that Sasha has heard stories of the judge's quarters from other children and the Lord knows what is exchanged among them.

Lucas was nervous too and his was if the judge would ask him any questions - he told Sasha he didn't want to answer wrong and get Sasha in trouble. Sasha assured Lucas in typical Sasha fashion: Iss okay, iss Ukraine!

The courthouse building as seen below (picture before court) was nothing like we imagined it.  There are many, many impressive buildings in this huge city so we had our sites set high. While this doesn't look like much, the authority of the court hung in the atmosphere of the place. Inside the building was hopping.  After going through security, we went upstairs to the judges offices. The office, like most legal offices in Kiev, was very tight. The judge sat behind a workstation that she shared with a court recorder and a judicial clerk. The 7 of us sat in a very tight semi-circle extended from the workstation.

We waited nearly an hour with Natasha, our lawyer (Victor) and a Social Worker from Juvenile Services (Anna...sweet young woman).  It was nearing lunch hour, the Judge was behind schedule and it is a Friday: recipe for "hurry up" as well as potential tension. Not to be dramatic (forgive me, I, Dave am reading a Grisham book), we heard the Judge (Tatiana Doshekeviavenakoviwannamylunch) could be in a good mood or a not.......

When the lawyer shows tension it's hard not to get tense. When the lawyer expresses frustration it's hard not to get frustrated. We were finally summoned in. There was a crowd of us (nothing compared to that Boehr group...just teasing Bruce and Jill - congratulations to you all for getting a quick court date).

The proceedings were formal and the Judge's pace rather quick - it was almost surrieal as Victor tried to keep up in the translation so we would understand the proceedings and be ready for 'our part'.  We answered basic questions demographic in nature.  Sasha and Lucas sat in one chair together. People came and went out of the office without even knocking. At one point, a woman came into the room and distracted everyone as she admired how cute the boys were and asked "Dva?" meaning two...as in are you adopting two....

The judge basically read from a script in a book for us and was pointedly business-like.

But, when she came to Sasha's part everything changed. She called him to her side of the desk so they could see each other eye to eye. Her affect became much more animated and had a distinct maternal tone. The fast pace she kept in the beginning slowed a bit. She began asking him questions about his English (he said he spoke 'chooch' which means 'a little'). She asked how when he came to the orphanage (he said he didn't remember).  She asked how he got to the orphanage (his grandmother) and did she come to visit (no) and where was she now (hospital). She went on and asked him was he sure he wanted to go to America (yes) and did he realize how hard it would be to learn another language (yes but he would have help). The interview was the hardest part of the morning. It was also one of the most touching times we can remember.

When Sasha was done Victor prompted me and then, Jeanne to officially submit our request to adopt Sasha and change his name to Jason Sasha Ritzman.  We both individually stood up, addressed her as 'your honor' and made our requests all the while Victor translated. 

Back to her script the judge said she would take the customary time to decide.  We began to leave the office to wait for the decision in the foyer. Then...all of a sudden as we single-filed out of her office she said something in Ukrainian (or Russian, we are not still not sure). As we prepared ourselves for an additonal wait suddenly Victor then Natasha then Anna said "Congratulations"! The customary 10-15 minute wait had been judiciously overruled.  That was it! The judge decided what The Heavenly Judge had decided long ago - Sasha is ours and he is called Jason!

The picture immediately after court-Lucas-Natasha-Jeanne-Jason-Dave-Victor-Anna (The Team).  Sergei (driver) took the picture. Igor (our leader) and Tatiana (Orphange Director) were busy elsewhere.

Dave, Jeanne and a reluctant Lucas sped off to the US Embassy with Victor to see if we could get a document notarized.  Sasha and the rest went to the orphanage.  Igor then graciously loaned Natasha as chaperone to bring Sasha back to Kyiv to celebrate Sasha's dream that he explained every day for months: "go to the McDonald's...go to your apartment".  Oh the joy for each one of us when we met Sasha at the subway station by the McDonalds on the Dnipro River...Awesome! 

After a leisurely meal, we rode the tram up near St. Michaels church with Sasha in photoprapher mode snapping the most interesting shots and repeatedly saying in English, "This is my favorite day"! Great joy! At the apartment, the boys made tea for everyone and played on the computer.  After 2 hours we walked Sasha and Natasha to the Maidan Station via the ice cream stand with hugs and kisses until tomorrow when, as Sasha says: "Tomorrow, You come to me?" Yes, Sasha and in a few weeks - you come to us....

We'll continue the blog...the journey's half over.  On Saturday, we leave for Amersterdam at 5:30 PM where we'll sleep in the city on a lay-over and on Sunday we'll arrive at MSP at 12:30 PM.

Jeanne'll be back to Kiev around the 1st.  Then the transition to America and journey of life will continue. For every prayer, note of encouragement, email of updates and call of support we bless you and thank you a thousand times over.