OUR SECOND TRIP – June 2009
DAY ONE – Thursday/Friday, June 4/5
With less than a week’s notice, we were off to Moscow again for our court date. We flew from Los Angeles to Atlanta, then on to Moscow. Again, we stayed in a rental apartment, but this time we were disappointed, as it was rundown and a bit dirty.
Only six weeks had passed since our first trip and the landscape had transformed from bleak and snowy to lush and green. A type of poplar tree was blooming and often the air was literally filled with fuzzy, dandelion-like seeds. The days were really long; there was some light in the sky until 11:00 p.m. From our apartment near the Beloruskaya train station we could easily walk down Tverskaya, a major thoroughfare lined with banks, shops, coffeehouses, theaters and restaurants, many of them open late or 24 hours a day. Friday night we enjoyed some of the Asian cuisine that is very popular in Moscow, and shopped at Yeliseyevsky’s, a historic deli. This market has been in business for over a century, and is housed in an 18th century mansion, complete with chandeliers, stained glass, and ornate columns, mouldings and medallions. My Russian improved somewhat between our first and second trips. I can now use some adjectives and the occasional verb, so that was helpful while we were out and about. While shopping, we got caught in an evening rainstorm and took the metro back to the apartment.
DAY TWO – Saturday, June 6, 2009
Galina, our translator for the second trip, and Jenya, one of our drivers, took us to the orphanage to see Ilya. Galina was very helpful with the adoption process and had previously been a language teacher and a professional tour guide, so we learned a lot from her as well. When we saw Ilya, we couldn’t believe how much he had grown in six weeks! On this trip we spent a couple of hours with him each day, between lunchtime and naptime. He was less apprehensive around us than the first time we met him. Since the weather had warmed up, we spent most of the time outside. With us holding his hands he went down the stairs to the entryway at breakneck speed. In the outdoor play area we put him on the swings and some other playground equipment, but he seemed nervous. Then we found out he had never been on a swing before, so we stuck to walking around and looking at some smaller toys.
Afterwards we had lunch with Galina at Taras Bulba, a Ukrainian restaurant set up to look like a village, with waiters in traditional costume. The food was wonderful. I especially liked the flavorful, salty cheese. After lunch we reviewed in detail everything that would happen during our court hearing, and discussed what kind of questions might be asked.
In the evening we walked on Tverskaya again and had dessert and hot chocolate at Shokoladnitsa, a Russian chain similar to our Starbucks. We were surprised when the hot chocolate turned out to be literally “hot chocolate” – a cup full of melted chocolate. If you want American hot chocolate you have to order “cocoa”. (Didn’t stop me from drinking it, though…)
DAY THREE – Sunday, June 7, 2009
Galina and Jenya took us to the orphanage again, and we got there before lunch. The caretakers gave us a big bowl of mashed potatoes and vegetables and a little meat and we had the opportunity to feed Ilya. We weren’t too handy at feeding him. We transferred about a third of the food out of the bowl, most of that into his mouth, but some of it onto his bib, his clothes, and our clothes. At some point the caretaker took him and the food away and brought him back in a few minutes. She had fed him all the rest of the food – those ladies are fast! Then he drank a baby bottle of “compote”, made by boiling dried fruit in water. After lunch we played outdoors and he was more at ease with us than on Saturday.
Afterwards Galina and Jenya dropped us off at Izmailovsky Park, a big outdoor weekend market. It can be seen from a distance, as the grounds are decorated with huge facades of traditional Russian buildings. Part of it is like an American flea market, with booths for clothing, household items, etc. We skipped that part, but walked through the sections where local artists sold their paintings and crafts, as well as an area with many souvenir stands. We ate tasty shish kabobs cooked outdoors on giant iron grills and tried the “kvas”, a traditional drink made from fermented rye. There were so many beautiful things at the market that it was hard to decide what to buy. We came home with unique gifts for our friends and family, as well as some keepsakes for ourselves. I got a colorful, hand-painted wooden egg showing a Russian chicken family: rooster and mother chicken wearing Russian scarves and their chicks in the barnyard. The egg is hollow and inside are smaller eggs, each painted as one of the chicks.
When we got back to the apartment building, a young boy was trapped between floors inside the tiny, ancient elevator, and was crying for help. It was not long before he was rescued, but from that day on we did not take the elevator, and our apartment was on the ninth floor!
DAY FOUR – Monday, June 8, 2009
Galina and Dennis, the other driver, took us to the orphanage and Ilya seemed even more comfortable with us than on the previous days. We played outside and he reached his arms up for us to pick him up. Art “flew” him around and he smiled. At each orphanage visit, when we went back indoors, he was eager to go back to the room where his “group” plays, sleeps, and eats. It was easy to see that he loves his caretakers at the orphanage. While we were playing, the social worker who would represent Ilya’s interests at the court hearing arrived and spoke with us.
In the late afternoon we went on a Moscow River “cruise”, which lasted about 45 minutes and afforded some nice views of the city from the water. We saw the Kremlin, Gorky Park, glass-enclosed pedestrian bridges, and many other sights. On the way back to the apartment we took in the artwork at a few more metro stations.
DAY FIVE – Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Tuesday was a trying day filled with both happiness and sadness. On the way to the courthouse in Krasnogorsk (Moscow Region) I got the very sad news that a very dear relative, John Dellisanti, had passed away. Our new son is named after him: Ilya John Lacher. I think that it is no coincidence that we lost him and gained a son on the same day.
Our court hearing lasted about an hour. Present were the judge and two court officials, as well as Art and I and Galina, our translator. Art and I each had the opportunity to tell the court about ourselves and our home and how excited we were to adopt Ilya. We answered some questions, and the social worker spoke as well. The judge had many questions for the social worker, mostly about some paperwork that wasn’t in order. She seemed very disapproving and there was a lot of serious discussion between her and the social worker. I was concerned that this would affect the outcome. However, in the end, the judge left the courtroom and a few minutes later her decision was announced, that we would be allowed to adopt Ilya, effective June 22! We were very happy and relieved.
After leaving the court, we went to a notary and gave Jenya, who represents our adoption agency in Russia, power of attorney to do some of the remaining paperwork. This will save us some time on our next trip.
Then Galina took us on a tour of the massive Church of Christ The Redeemer, which we had seen from the outside on our first trip. It was spectacular inside, with marble floors, many icons, and beautifully painted walls and domes, shining with gold leaf. There was a second, smaller chapel directly beneath the main one. It was also beautifully decorated, and included a small museum showing the reconstruction of the church.
We had planned to visit the orphanage again on Wednesday, and fly home on Thursday, but moved our flight up one day, due to the bad news we had received. As it turned out, I started coming down with the flu, and by Tuesday night I felt horrible, so we couldn’t have visited Ilya on Wednesday anyway.
DAY SIX – Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Our flight left Moscow on time, but could not land in Atlanta due to bad weather. It was rerouted twice, and the airline put us up in a hotel for a few hours Wednesday night. I was sick, miserable, and grouchy, and Art got me through it all with his usual patience and good humor. Finally, we arrived in Los Angeles mid-morning on Thursday, where we splurged on a taxi ride home.
Now we have a short time to finish getting Ilya’s room ready and put together our baby supplies and paperwork for our third and final trip.
DAY ONE – Thursday/Friday, June 4/5
With less than a week’s notice, we were off to Moscow again for our court date. We flew from Los Angeles to Atlanta, then on to Moscow. Again, we stayed in a rental apartment, but this time we were disappointed, as it was rundown and a bit dirty.
Only six weeks had passed since our first trip and the landscape had transformed from bleak and snowy to lush and green. A type of poplar tree was blooming and often the air was literally filled with fuzzy, dandelion-like seeds. The days were really long; there was some light in the sky until 11:00 p.m. From our apartment near the Beloruskaya train station we could easily walk down Tverskaya, a major thoroughfare lined with banks, shops, coffeehouses, theaters and restaurants, many of them open late or 24 hours a day. Friday night we enjoyed some of the Asian cuisine that is very popular in Moscow, and shopped at Yeliseyevsky’s, a historic deli. This market has been in business for over a century, and is housed in an 18th century mansion, complete with chandeliers, stained glass, and ornate columns, mouldings and medallions. My Russian improved somewhat between our first and second trips. I can now use some adjectives and the occasional verb, so that was helpful while we were out and about. While shopping, we got caught in an evening rainstorm and took the metro back to the apartment.
DAY TWO – Saturday, June 6, 2009
Galina, our translator for the second trip, and Jenya, one of our drivers, took us to the orphanage to see Ilya. Galina was very helpful with the adoption process and had previously been a language teacher and a professional tour guide, so we learned a lot from her as well. When we saw Ilya, we couldn’t believe how much he had grown in six weeks! On this trip we spent a couple of hours with him each day, between lunchtime and naptime. He was less apprehensive around us than the first time we met him. Since the weather had warmed up, we spent most of the time outside. With us holding his hands he went down the stairs to the entryway at breakneck speed. In the outdoor play area we put him on the swings and some other playground equipment, but he seemed nervous. Then we found out he had never been on a swing before, so we stuck to walking around and looking at some smaller toys.
Afterwards we had lunch with Galina at Taras Bulba, a Ukrainian restaurant set up to look like a village, with waiters in traditional costume. The food was wonderful. I especially liked the flavorful, salty cheese. After lunch we reviewed in detail everything that would happen during our court hearing, and discussed what kind of questions might be asked.
In the evening we walked on Tverskaya again and had dessert and hot chocolate at Shokoladnitsa, a Russian chain similar to our Starbucks. We were surprised when the hot chocolate turned out to be literally “hot chocolate” – a cup full of melted chocolate. If you want American hot chocolate you have to order “cocoa”. (Didn’t stop me from drinking it, though…)
DAY THREE – Sunday, June 7, 2009
Galina and Jenya took us to the orphanage again, and we got there before lunch. The caretakers gave us a big bowl of mashed potatoes and vegetables and a little meat and we had the opportunity to feed Ilya. We weren’t too handy at feeding him. We transferred about a third of the food out of the bowl, most of that into his mouth, but some of it onto his bib, his clothes, and our clothes. At some point the caretaker took him and the food away and brought him back in a few minutes. She had fed him all the rest of the food – those ladies are fast! Then he drank a baby bottle of “compote”, made by boiling dried fruit in water. After lunch we played outdoors and he was more at ease with us than on Saturday.
Afterwards Galina and Jenya dropped us off at Izmailovsky Park, a big outdoor weekend market. It can be seen from a distance, as the grounds are decorated with huge facades of traditional Russian buildings. Part of it is like an American flea market, with booths for clothing, household items, etc. We skipped that part, but walked through the sections where local artists sold their paintings and crafts, as well as an area with many souvenir stands. We ate tasty shish kabobs cooked outdoors on giant iron grills and tried the “kvas”, a traditional drink made from fermented rye. There were so many beautiful things at the market that it was hard to decide what to buy. We came home with unique gifts for our friends and family, as well as some keepsakes for ourselves. I got a colorful, hand-painted wooden egg showing a Russian chicken family: rooster and mother chicken wearing Russian scarves and their chicks in the barnyard. The egg is hollow and inside are smaller eggs, each painted as one of the chicks.
When we got back to the apartment building, a young boy was trapped between floors inside the tiny, ancient elevator, and was crying for help. It was not long before he was rescued, but from that day on we did not take the elevator, and our apartment was on the ninth floor!
DAY FOUR – Monday, June 8, 2009
Galina and Dennis, the other driver, took us to the orphanage and Ilya seemed even more comfortable with us than on the previous days. We played outside and he reached his arms up for us to pick him up. Art “flew” him around and he smiled. At each orphanage visit, when we went back indoors, he was eager to go back to the room where his “group” plays, sleeps, and eats. It was easy to see that he loves his caretakers at the orphanage. While we were playing, the social worker who would represent Ilya’s interests at the court hearing arrived and spoke with us.
In the late afternoon we went on a Moscow River “cruise”, which lasted about 45 minutes and afforded some nice views of the city from the water. We saw the Kremlin, Gorky Park, glass-enclosed pedestrian bridges, and many other sights. On the way back to the apartment we took in the artwork at a few more metro stations.
DAY FIVE – Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Tuesday was a trying day filled with both happiness and sadness. On the way to the courthouse in Krasnogorsk (Moscow Region) I got the very sad news that a very dear relative, John Dellisanti, had passed away. Our new son is named after him: Ilya John Lacher. I think that it is no coincidence that we lost him and gained a son on the same day.
Our court hearing lasted about an hour. Present were the judge and two court officials, as well as Art and I and Galina, our translator. Art and I each had the opportunity to tell the court about ourselves and our home and how excited we were to adopt Ilya. We answered some questions, and the social worker spoke as well. The judge had many questions for the social worker, mostly about some paperwork that wasn’t in order. She seemed very disapproving and there was a lot of serious discussion between her and the social worker. I was concerned that this would affect the outcome. However, in the end, the judge left the courtroom and a few minutes later her decision was announced, that we would be allowed to adopt Ilya, effective June 22! We were very happy and relieved.
After leaving the court, we went to a notary and gave Jenya, who represents our adoption agency in Russia, power of attorney to do some of the remaining paperwork. This will save us some time on our next trip.
Then Galina took us on a tour of the massive Church of Christ The Redeemer, which we had seen from the outside on our first trip. It was spectacular inside, with marble floors, many icons, and beautifully painted walls and domes, shining with gold leaf. There was a second, smaller chapel directly beneath the main one. It was also beautifully decorated, and included a small museum showing the reconstruction of the church.
We had planned to visit the orphanage again on Wednesday, and fly home on Thursday, but moved our flight up one day, due to the bad news we had received. As it turned out, I started coming down with the flu, and by Tuesday night I felt horrible, so we couldn’t have visited Ilya on Wednesday anyway.
DAY SIX – Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Our flight left Moscow on time, but could not land in Atlanta due to bad weather. It was rerouted twice, and the airline put us up in a hotel for a few hours Wednesday night. I was sick, miserable, and grouchy, and Art got me through it all with his usual patience and good humor. Finally, we arrived in Los Angeles mid-morning on Thursday, where we splurged on a taxi ride home.
Now we have a short time to finish getting Ilya’s room ready and put together our baby supplies and paperwork for our third and final trip.
