February 28, 2005
We have a court date
The judge set our adoption hearing for 12:30 p.m. Thursday. (That's 5:30 a.m. Eastern Time.) We can almost see the finish line.
We are hoping the judge will allow us to take immediate custody of Tara. There is a possibility that the judge will approve it but make us return in 30 days for her. Keep your fingers crossed for us!
On Sunday, we toured a church compound that was built 900 years ago. Wow! Monks who had lived there built these catacombs, underground tunnels. They lived in there and most had only bread and water. There is a tiny prayer area. At least one monk chose to live his life in an area that had only one hole about 8 inches in diameter in which bread and water was placed each day. When the monk no longer took the food, they assumed he was dead and closed up the hole.
Several monks' bodies are in these little glass caskets throughout the catacomb. There is no electricity down there; we got skinny candles and skulked around. The ceiling was quite low. This was not for the claustrophobic! Many people were stopping to kiss the caskets. Some of the bodies had hands sticking out of the decorative robes. Just wow.
John says he feels like a monk here, trapped in our apartment. I told him to watch out or I will lock him in the bathroom and slip him bread and water.
Posted by Laura at February 28, 2005 12:11 PM
Posted to
HI LAURA AND JOHN----BEEN CHEKING THIS COMP ALL MORNING ON MON., TO HEAR THE COURT DATE. THEY SURE TAKE THEIR TIME. I HOPE IT MAY BE SOONER FOR THE FINAL CUSTODY, THAT IS AFTER THURSDAY. JUST HANG IN THERE, EVERYTHING IS FINE HERE WITH AUSTIN.
LOVE MOM
You saw the cell of a real anchorite! Wow, that is fascinating. I have this book called the Women in the Wall, about the anchoresses in medieval times. I had a class on Medieval women's studies in college. Back then, sometimes being walled up beat the alternatives.
Well, I can see why you & John would relate to the anchorite.
I hope they see fit to give you custody on Thursday. What can I say about the 30 days? Except try not to commit hari-kari!
sal
Maybe you will be the one couple who gets a break. Sometimes things go good, why not for you? I say whether it is now or later that you and Tara are united, the main thing is that it will happen. So all of us hooligans can continue to bag on eachother on this blog, right Sally Sunshine? Heidi Jane? Whammie Pammie? MOM IN ALL CAPS and Aunt Ellie? Chuckle. Glad you are seeing some of the sights. Have you seen a post office yet? I can't see John as a monk, I don't think they make the robes for guys that tall. But if he got a robe and a fur hat and went around barefoot he could pass for some kind of Yeti-Friar. I don't know how you can roam around in those tunnels. After all the MRIs I have had I am way too phobic! What are you guys playing, Indiana Jones and the Catacombs of Kiev? Well, at least we know what the priceless treasure is,...Tara! So keep searching, Dr. and Mrs. Jones.......
Posted by: Karen Wiz at February 28, 2005 03:10 PMI want to congratulate you on getting your court date. Hopefully your prayers will be answered and you can get the 30 days waived. I think spending some time at the lavra had to have been very calming for you. I know that when I was there The lavra was the most calming part of this experience. You give me hope for my plans for adopting to go well. God Bless Jonathan
Posted by: jonathan lundberg at February 28, 2005 04:44 PMBoy Laura they sure want to keep you and John there long enough. Glad to hear you finally have a court date. I'm keeping my fingers and toes crossed that you will get immediate custody of Tara. I just can't imagine you having spent all this time with her. Then have to leave and come back later for her. What would go through the imagination of Tara. How awful. Lots of prayers for you all. I'm sure Austin wants both of you and Tara home soon.
Pat
Hello.
Hang in there. I'm praying for you and every time have a happy tears in my eyes seeing you with your beautiful new daughter. You are getting to the end of it now. I'm sure, that Austin will be a very proud young man having such a beautiful sister to protect from now on.
May God bless all of you.
Greetings from Winnipeg, Canada
Grace
I will be crossing everything in my sleep at 5:30am on Thursday, woman!! I am so excited for you!!
I love Karen Wiz's comments: Yeti-Friar! Yeti-Friars are sometimes pals with Desk Monkeys, i hear, so hopefully that means GOOD LUCK for YOU TWO for Thursday!
Hey John, when you first came to Kiev you thought it was a mixture of New York and New Orleans! Wha happened? Next time (LOL), adopt in the summer at least! =)
Best of luck & love to Jonathan Lundberg & his family for their own adoption.
Posted by: Pamela at March 1, 2005 08:49 AM