Days of Elijah Day 20 - It's OFFICIAL - OFFICIAL!!!

Elijah is 100% Birschbach now!!! The birth certificate says so! :-) Praise God!!!

We had a very busy day, but very productive and wonderful! We left a little after 8AM and dropped Max off at the bus station. He was able to catch a bus back to his home city instead of waiting for the train tonight. I'm so grateful he was able to get home sooner.  He is SOOO busy, especially this time of year. I'm SOOO grateful for all he did for us (including getting us a tour of the orphange yesterday - more on that a different day).

The driver helped us get in line to pick up the court decree. We waited on the same benches outside the judge's office while the secretary prepared the court decree...10 copies - all "stitched" together with thread with a seal over the knot so nothing could be added.  It took a little while and no one was ushered past us in handcuffs, so it wasn't nearly as entertaining this time. :-) But, still very exciting!!!



10 copies - It's OFFICIAL!!!!



The driver picked up Yulia from the train station while we waited and we headed off to Elijah's birth city to obtain a new passport. It was a beautiful ride, even though it was a bit hazy. The city we are in is pretty level (where people live anyway), but the ride to his city was mountainous.



A bit of snow on the mountain

 The city itself was pretty hilly as well. Very narrow and steep streets.



An Orthodox church with gold stars on the...what is that called? Onion dome things?




 After Yulia made the initial application, we had to wait about 45 minutes, so Debbie and I took a stroll around a bit of the city. (Have I mentioned this process is a lot of hurry up and wait?) The church above was right across from the Vital Records Office, so I used that as our landmark so we could get back again.


It was WARM here! Very, very mild! It was so refreshing to so much GREEN. These are irises and little pansies (not in bloom).




Playing with the macro lens on Sarah's camera that I borrowed for the trip. (I had to throw that in there because I know she misses her camera. :-))



The outside of the Vital Records Office. Government offices are tucked in unique places here. But look at the pink sign on the right...scroll down.



Juli - this one is for you! :-) It cracked me up that there was a Mary Kay office next to the office we got his birth certificate. LOL



WOOHOO!!!! It's hard to believe ALL that went into getting this ONE piece of paper!  6 months of paper chasing, thousands of dollars, LOTS of love and a whole lotta prayer! Thank you!

After the birth certificate was in hand, we booked it back to our city to get his new tax ID #. Yulia wanted to get in before they had their lunch break, and we made it. That stop was quick!

Next, we got to get my handsome son to bring him for his passport photo. The nannies had him all dressed up for this momentous occasion!  Isn't he cute???  They found a little suit coat for him. :-)  He was darling.  They told Yulia they tried to find a bowtie for him, but couldn't. They did the best they could, but it breaks my heart and speaks to the poverty of this orphanage. His pants really were this pink (girl's pants), it's just not the photo. Like I said, they do the best they can with what they are given.



Elijah's first ride in a "machina" with his mama!  He did really, really well through the whole process.

We waited at the passport office for our 3pm appt until 3:20, which is not too bad here actually.  And guess what Stephanie?!? "Ursula" was in a pretty decent mood. Yulia was pretty surprised how nice she was. Yulia had warned us that this lady in charge of the passport office/photos was the most difficult to work with in the whole country. So, thank you for praying.

We finished up our day of running around by visiting our special guy after he had his snack that he missed while out getting photographed.

What's next???
We wait for the passport to come back from the capital city. Yulia said best case would be Friday, but, barring any unforeseen circumstances, we should be home by the end of the year! After we receive the passport here, we spring Elijah out of the orphanage, travel to the capital and have 2 business days at the embassy, then HOME!  Please continue to pray us home and that Debbie's suitcase gets here before we have to leave. Guess where they found it??? O'Hare! Funny, huh?