Court - Day 2

Our court hearing was this morning from 10:00 – 11:20am. We were in a larger, much more formal courtroom for this part of the process and there were people from the orphanage, the ministry of social welfare, the ministry of education, the ministry of health, our lawyer, translator, the prosecuting officer (verifies the documents as authentic) and the judge. We started with more formalities, introductions and reading of the relevant requirements. Then I was asked more questions including questions about our religious affiliation and if the children would have the opportunity to choose a religion themselves when they are older. Lisa was up next with more questions about the kids and whether the biokids would become rivals of the adopted kids when we die and it’s time to settle our estate. After that, the representatives from each of the ministries spoke. Finally, the judge read through the list of each document in our dossier and gave a summary of it. If you’ve ever adopted or if you’ve heard us talk about the dossier, you realize that this list took quite awhile. After that, we were excused from the courtroom while the court deliberated. This was odd in that “the court” was just the judge. Our translator joked that we go outside while she talks to a mirror so she can deliberate. After a few minutes, we were invited back in and the judge read through her decree. As of today, Nov. 25 2008, the court orders that Yana Sergeevna Jelyabovskaya’s name will become Kimberly Yana Merrick with no patronymic name and that Gennadiy Sergeovich Jelyabovski’s name will become Peter Gennadiy Merrick with no patronymic name. Further, they will legally become the children of Mark and Lisa Merrick.

There. It’s done. We are now, legally, a family of six. The order of the court is held for 10 days during which time if additional information becomes available that would alter the court’s decision, it can be brought forth. After 10 days, this window for new information is closed and the children will be given into our custody. We get to see the kids at 4:00 this afternoon to tell them it’s all-official. Now we just have to wait the 10 days and get their passports and newly revised birth certificates. We should get physical custody on Friday, December 5th. We fly to Moscow on Sunday, December 7th. We bought six tickets for that flight today :-)