The BIG day has arrived. It is raining for the first time upon our awakening. The skies are grey overhead but light on the horizon; hopefully it is but a passing shower. But even the weather cannot dampen our spirits this morning. I laid awake around 1 to 2am thinking about the questions the judge would ask each of us this morning at 9am. Why did you choose Russia? What is your story? Do you know what the medical condition of the children is? These are some of the questions likely to be asked. We are ready!

Christina will stay at the hotel today and await our return. We hope to have a positive judgment and then papers delivered before 4pm so we can pick up the boys. Christina was still sleeping when we left for court and planned for a 10:30 breakfast. I've included some pictures of The Turtle hotel room before it adds two young boys to its compliment of guests:

Our hotel room overlooked the local zoo. We enjoyed five huge windows looking northwest over various pens of animals ... something for the boys to enjoy in the next few days. The views are captured below:

We were picked up at 0830 sharp and travelled the 3 blocks to the court house so we could await Alexander's arrival. He was there in less than 5 minutes after us. The Director and Worker from Chernyahovsk, also seeing Alexander's car, met him on the sidewalk as did we. We all formally shook hands and exchanged few smiles. There was a certain tension amongst our Russian friends. It was the first time we spoke with the Director that she did not smile.

We proceeded into the entrance foyer and checked in at the front desk. Everyone's passport was necessary to proceed. After check-in we had some confusion as Alexander was trying to figure out which hearing room we would use. During this time Nataha showed us where the restroom is located. Alexander secured the proper information and we headed down the hall to the left, the last door on the left. They took us in and Natasha explained where we would sit and how. She showed where each person would sit and why. The room was crude. The layout was similar to American courts but no bannister rail to separate the masses from the Prosecutor area. The room was much longer than wide so the Prosecutor area had tables set perpendicular to the Judge's bench. It did make it easier for the four of them (Prosecutor, Worker, Director, Secretary) to watch each person speak. There were no electronics in the room other than lights. The Secretary would capture notes by hand on a white pad. We would speak practically from the back of the room where the masses sit on barely stable benches. There was no carpet or drapes. The sound echoes badly here.

Alexander then wished us good luck and left the room. It is now 0855. At precisely 0900 by my watch the Prosecutor and Secretary entered the room. They did glance at us but did not change there straight-faced expression. They proceeded to where the Director and Worker had seated themselves and made them move to the opposite benches from where they were. We all then sat quietly awaiting the Judge. Tick, tock. Tick, tock. Now 0905.

The Judge then entered the room. We all stood until she was seated. She spoke softly, hardly loud enough for me to hear so I don't know how Natasha was able to translate and listen simultaneously. She announced the hearing was open.

The Judge asked me to stand and speak: my full name, birth date, where I was born, a description of our house, how much money I make each year and my story. The story is how we came to know of the boys and what we did as far as visiting them. The Judge is looking to know that we know a lot about the boys, their characteristics and their medical history. I don't know how long I spoke but afterwards Natasha said I stayed on the main points she had stressed the day before and didn't elaborate too much (i.e. a compliment!). When I had finished the Judge asked that I sit down and Carol stand. She was asked if she agreed with what her husband had said. "Yes."

Carol was very anxious this morning. She was not nervous externally but everyone knew she was not her normal self. She remained calm and gave very short answers to the Judge; she was prompted to say more at least once after a "Yes" answer. This was a difficult thing for Carol to do. There was much at stake for everything we've worked on for at least 7 months. Although we believed a positive outcome was inevitable there was always the possibility of something unusual happening.

Carol's time standing was about 1/10 that of mine. She sat with a sigh of relief. Now the Judge said she would read the papers. Our dossier and the entire file on us and the boys was before her. It is big, perhaps the size of a large photo album and about four inches thick. She reads many of the papers aloud, sometimes mumbling, but somehow Natasha translates. This lasted about five minutes. Then the Judge asked the Prosecutor if she had anything to add. She did not. The Judge then asked the Worker to speak on behalf of the Region. The Worker spoke for about five minutes. The Judge then asked the Director to speak. The Director noted she would not cover the items covered by the Worker although she did mention again the night spent at the Orphanage and how well it went according to her staff; in fact she was pleased to the point of telling the Judge that she hoped more people would follow suit in the future. This was refreshing. Carol had established a new precedent in Russia! One has to figure the name of BUIE will be long remembered here.

The Director actually did smile a few times during her speech. She was very complimentary of us and the interaction with the boys. We were very pleased with her comments. She then sat and I stood again. The Judge wanted to know if I had anything to add. I at this time requested some relaxation of the 10 day rule in Russian law whereby the children are to stay in country after the ruling. I based this on Alexander being behind in school and his health concerns (those already mentioned in these notes). There was a bit of discussion at this point about my request. The Judge wanted to understand why and know about the laws in North Carolina. She wanted to know how they were different; i.e. was this request appropriate considering the same request in NC. In the end she did not waive the time. So, here's the NEXT SURPRISE which we learned sketchy details about only on Wednesday evening:

The Judge ruling has immediate effect. It does mean the papers, when written and signed, can be carried to the Orphanage and the children obtained. However, they are not considered FINAL until the 10 days has passed. Thus, much to our dismay, there is a 10 day period over which someone could request the boys be returned. This was never made clear to us before Wednesday afternoon. One of the reasons for choosing a Russian adoption was based on the immediate ruling. However, the intent or meaning of 'immediate' was not made sufficiently clear to us before the 8th of September; it was always described as FINAL. As far as we are concerned, it will have NO EFFECT on our boys. This is because the rights of the mother and father were terminated by the State by the end of 2001. There are no other relatives of these boys. Thus, effectively, there is no one to 'request the return' of the boys before we leave. So, practically, the 10 day rule means nothing for our case. But if there had been a grandmother or aunt or someone of similar relation, this could have been a problem. Thus, we have learned a lesson. Other prospective parents should be aware of this law.

The Judge then asked the Prosecutor to speak. She did so for only about one minute and then had NO QUESTIONS for us. Natasha later said this was very unusual for a Prosecutor although this Prosecutor, in her experience, asked very few questions. The Judge asked each of us if we had anything further to add; we did not. She then excused everyone from the hearing room. We entered the hallway where we stayed about three minutes before being asked back inside. The Judge read her ruling: the children have been awarded to William and Carol Buie! The Director was nearly in tears. I'm sure I don't have to describe Carol's state but to say that she was less emotional externally on the outside than you guessed just a moment ago. She held together very well. We were escorted to the Judge's bench where the Judge was standing already and she shook our hands, wished us well and offered congratulations. She was please as were we. The long, tiring hours of the trip had come to a climax as we stood before the Judge in a Russian court. There was a certain calm about us. God's will had been done. We were in the place we were supposed to be. There were smiles and congratulations from everyone as we re-entered the hallway where Alexander (agency) and his sister, Natalia, were waiting. They were very pleased of course. Their long hours of hard work, ensuring the papers were in order had been completed ... at least to the point of obtaining the court ruling. Now we begin the process of taking the ruling to obtain birth certificates and passports. Fun, fun, fun. And, of course, go to get the children!

Natasha and Misha brought us back to the hotel while Alexander stayed at the court house to await the papers. We met Christina in the room and sat with her in the lounge while she was having breakfast. Natasha let us know that we'd not be going anywhere until at least 1345. We now had three hours to sit and wait to find out what would happen next.

I took off for the Internet cafe and sent a couple of emails home to let the family know of our success in court. Carol and Christina had some fun in the billiards room of the hotel and ordered a pizza for lunch.

We all ate upon my return (around 1230). Natasha and Misha picked us up at 1345 and let us know it VERY UNLIKELY we would be able to get the children today. What a let-down. We had prepared their clothes, the gifts for the Orphanage staff and the Director during the past three hours. Carol and I were very unhappy with this news. But what could we do? The Russians are in control of the agenda and things go as they say. We relented not wishing to make a scene at this point in the process. We are so close, so close to having the boys in our arms. The emptiness of the boys absence was on our hearts. It would be a long afternoon and evening.

We headed for a gov'mt agency that prepares the new certificates of birth; it is on the other side of town. Alexander was late arriving there as the papers did not get finalized at the court until just after 1400. As it turns out there were many exceptions made for us this trip. The adoption hearings are usually done only on Mondays, sometimes Tuesdays. Very seldom is one done on other days. Ours was scheduled for Thursday. Another reason not to make a fuss. The paperwork after court was not usually prepared until Tuesday. So the secretary had also made an exception and completed the work the same day and done by 1400. Another reason not to make a fuss. Now we were at the gov'mt agency signing birth certificates which are usually only done on Tuesdays. Another exception. Another reason not to .... We then proceded to the Passport agency which is back across town near the hotel. We came to some resistance by the guards at the entrance. This was the first real taste of the changes made after the Aeroflot plane and Beslan terrorist incidents. The guards were given strict times at which they would allow people to enter the office. We were outside of those times. Natalia was not satisfied with this response. She got on her cell phone and made a call evidently to someone in the passport office. A woman appeared down a long hall and motioned to Natalia. She informed the guard of this and she, myself and Natasha went down the hall. Carol, Christina and Alexander waited outside the guard station. The building is 1960s vintage German. I don't think much maintenance has occurred over the years but that is changing all over K'grad. The hallway had much maintenance in progress. They were installing CAT-5 cabling at the time. For you non-engineers, that is high-speed network wiring for computer networks. The passport office was at the end of the hall, maybe 30 meters. The office was small with two women working behind the counter. There were no computers to be seen. All work was manual by pen and paper. Much Russian was spoke between all there (except me!) and we left in about five minutes. I was told the passports would be ready at noon on Monday. This means we could leave for Moscow on Tuesday if I desired. I informed them that I would not change our Friday, Sept 17, return flight plans to the US, so staying another day in K'grad would likely be better for us both for the boys and my pocket book. I shudder to think what I'll be paying per night at Hotel Ukraine (2 nights already planned).

By this time we knew that many exceptions had been made on our behalf. But it was insufficient emotionally for Carol on our return to the hotel room. A long, emotional embrace allowed us to shed some restraint, gather our strength and prepare ourselves for the evening ahead -- the evening we had thought and planned to be shared with the boys. It would not be easy.

On the return to the hotel Natasha suggested we have a fine, quiet dinner at a very nice restaurant/casino. Yes, casino. We made reservations for 6pm and returned there by taxi, our fist taxi ride in K'grad. It was 28.50 rub which amounts to about $1. I gave him 40 rub. The dinner was very good but the credit card bank could not be raised on dialup so I had to pay in cash. This was unfortunate as American cash is highly valued here and you want to use credit when you can ... to perserve your cash on hand. I tried to swing a better exchange rate with them but they would have none of it. So we left by taxi back to the hotel. A long night awaited us.

Tomorrow's plan:
+ Breakfast at 1000
+ Internet Cafe time
+ Leave for Orphanage at 1300
+ Party at Orphanage at 1530
+ Boys go with us!