It’s Official! Up next…Gotcha Day!

Krista and I spent nearly four hours in the courtroom yesterday presenting our statements and reviewing nearly 60 documents for our petition to adopt Valera.  The Judge returned with his ruling and decreed that Krista and I are granted permission to adopt Valera.   We were also permitted to change his name from Valery Semyonivich Zobolev to Valera Stephen Marisov Lusey.   The judge was actually surprised when we submitted the name Marisov and I was able to explain the reason why during my statement.   I think the Judge liked my explanation and he also mentioned that it was a sign that I was to adopt from Tomsk, because another one of the Judges in this town is named Marisov and he said it’s possible that we are distant relatives due to the rare family name.  The only disappointment is that we have a ten day waiting period in case of any submitted appeals and since our court date wasn’t until Wednesday, our tenth day is a Saturday and therefore, by law, Monday becomes the tenth day and we probably won’t have enough time to get Valera’s passport and leave Tomsk on our scheduled date.  This will mean that we change all our airline flights, spend three more nights in Moscow (joy…), and I will have to use another 2 days of leave and return to the States on Aug 4th.  Please pray that somehow we are able to get his papers and passport in one day. 

Anyway, we are not going to let some minor details get in the way of celebrating that Valera, aside from some very unexpected appeal, will be our son.   So we are waiting for what they call “gotcha day”.  After the ten days, we will be able to take him from the orphanage.   Until them we are allowed to visit him as much as we want unsupervised on the orphanage property and also allowed to take him on supervised field trips with our agency.   We will visit with him twice a day for the next two weeks.

Our visit yesterday afternoon was great.  He’s starting to become more comfortable around all of us and has definitely formed a very tight bond with Krista.  No matter what we are doing, he’s always aware of where she is in the room.  We made an intentional effort to not over stimulate him yesterday and he responded extremely well.   Today we plan to purchase a stroller to take him to the park later in the week.  We will take it with us this afternoon just to familiarize him with it.   We all are trying to imagine what it will be like for him to see the park.  As far as we know, he’s never seen a park.   He’s never seen a water fountain.  He’s never ridden in an stroller.   It’s hard to imagine what he will be thinking.   We feel so fortunate to be able to love him and be the parents that get to share all these experiences with him.

We are so grateful that God has led us to this little boy and I know that our lives will be as transformed as much as his life.

I also wanted to share the statement that Krista presented in court yesterday morning.   It was very difficult for her to say without tearing up, but she read the statement that she obviously wrote from her heart.  I am so grateful to call her my wife and blessed that she is the mother to my children.

Here is Krista’s statement:

” Your Honor,

Before our first trip to Tomsk, I was told that when we came for court we need to be prepared to tell the judge how we bonded with the child on the first trip.  To be perfectly honest, I didn’t believe it was possible to truly bond that quickly.  I was prepared to enjoy spending time with Valera, and thought that once we got him home, we would begin the bonding process.  What actually happened was totally unexpected.  After our first visit, I was convinced that Valera was to be part of our family.  After the second visit, I completely loved him as my own.  I am a mother of two beautiful girls that I love completely and unconditionally, so I know what it is to love a child.  It is the same love that I have for Valera.  A love that will pick him up when he falls.   A love that will comfort him when he is frightened or unsure.  A love that will not waiver no matter what difficulties or health issues we may face.  And, ultimately, a love that will one day help him become a man of good character.

To that end, I plan to stay home with Valera to help him reach his full potential.  I have an educational background, and extensive experience working with institutionalized children.  I am very aware of the possible difficulties, yet I look forward to giving Valera all of the help he may need to overcome any obstacles he may face. 

My girls are very nurturing and compassionate and they very much look forward to having a brother to love.  After having met Valera our family will never be the same.  We have opened our arms, and he has captured our hearts. 

I know that Valera feels a bond to us as well.  If he were here, he would not be able to tell you with words that he has bonded with us, but you would see it on his face and in his actions.  When Valera sees  me, across a room or across a playground, he will try to get to me.  He puts out his arms to me, and as I reach for him, his whole face will light up in the biggest smile.  The first trip was enjoyable for him and us.  He recognized me each time and came to me,  but he also went back to his caregiver easily when it was time to go.  This trip has been a little different.  He will play with the girls, but his eyes will search the room for me to see that I am still there.  He comes to me and sits on my lap for much longer periods.  He wants to play, but he also wants me right with him.  Yesterday when I gave him back to his caregiver, he began to cry and kicked his legs to get back to me.  I believe that our separation between trips was confusing for him because he seems fearful that I am going to leave him.

Your Honor, I ask that you not allow us to be separated to be like that again; that you allow Valera to become a permanent part of our family.”

Our hope is that you are blessed by our story and we look forward to sharing our newest family member, Valera, with you.

God bless,

Chris

Js 1:27