Our day with Nicolae - February 16, 2008

Today Teri and I spent the day with just Nicolae. It went very well.
First, we played outside in the snow together at a park near my apartment. It was so much fun to see Nicolae and Teri throwing snowballs at each other. We all had fun playing together and laughing. The kind of laughing that screams fun and great times!

When we got back to the apt., we all changed out of our wet clothes and relaxed for bit. We spent the next hour or two doing puzzles, coloring and talking with Bev via skpe. It was so precious to see Nicolae sitting on Auntie Keri's lap (aka...Auntie Teri) talking with Bev via the computer. Nicolae is writing a note to Bev. 12345...

Afterwards Teri and Nicolae made cookies together. Yum.
Then Nicolae and I spent time drawing and coloring together. It was a full day filled with lots of great memories.

Love,
Debbie

Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!

Today, Teri and I went to visit both of the boys. We went to see Cristian first. This is when I found out that I don't get to have the boys overnight this weekend. Seems I need to put in a request every week at the DPC in order for the boys to stay overnight at my house.

Once Ani, Cristian's foster mom, started telling me about it, I remembered that Sara had to do this for Luiza. I just didn't even think about it at all. I just figured once I was given the o.k. to have them on the weekends, it would be every weekend. So disappointing, but what can I do?

We visited with Cristian for a little over an hour, then headed to Nicolae's.

Carmen, Nicolae's foster mom, also told me about having to request to have the boys over the weekend. Both Carmen and Ani felt sorry for me. They knew the reason this happened is just because I didn't know. Now I know!

So, the new plan is to spend the day tomorrow with just Nicolae and Sunday with Cristian. Cristian is going to the mountains tomorrow, so I can only spend tomorrow with Nicolae anyway. Teri and I both thought it would be best to have a day just for Cristian as well.

Teri and I spent just about the same amount of time with Nicolae. He asked again if this weekend is when we were finally going to America!


Here is a picture of Nicolae and I pretending to wait to go to America.






It started to snow tonight just as we were leaving Cristian's house. It was amazing how much more snow there was after we finished visiting with Nicolae. In fact, it is still snowing.

Here are a couple of pictures of Teri and I right before we came home tonight.

Some other cute moments....

This last weekend, shortly after we got to my apartment, Nicolae says so happily, "So this is America! I love it! " It was so adorable. I explained that no we were still in Romania and that we would not be going to America until later. I also told him he would know it was America because we have to ride in a plane to get there. Then he said, " oh you mean next weekend!" I wish.
Why can't the government think like Nicolae?

Also on Monday while we were in the waiting room at the hospital, Nicolae and Cristian were playing together with the toys. There were other children there too. Well, it seems that one of the other children wasn't playing fair and Cristian ran over to me for help.
I think this is huge. He came to me instead of his foster mom.

Anyway, just wanted to share these moments before I forgot them.

Love you all..
oh. I just talked to mom again on skype. She is tired, but seems to be doing fine. Please keep her in your prayers.

Our First Weekend Together

Hi Everyone,
I wish I could say that the first weekend with the boys was amazing and everything I hoped it would be, but that wouldn't quite be the truth. Reality is... it was more difficult than I had wanted it to be. It was hard!
I have to remember though that there were a lot of new things for both of the boys. Being together all day, being with me,being in a new apt, having new rules....having RULES...and then throw in the language barrier on top of that. It was a lot to take on. Thankfully....I mean PRAISE GOD ...Teri was here with me.


My Hero




Nicolae and Cristian certainly tested their boundaries. Thank you Super Nanny. Each time they crossed the boundaries they were put in the "chair" and couldn't talk or get up for 5 minutes. Then they had to apologize. They both had plenty of moments in the "chair".

Chair- an actual chair or just a space on the floor.

The best part was that they actually stayed where I asked them and didn't question it. THANKFULLY. I was certainly sending up Praises for this.

Although it was hard, there a lot of positives to this weekend too. Nicolae and Cristian got to spend time with each other which is something they have never done before. They both stayed the whole weekend and didn't cry to go home either...a huge thing to overcome. I was also able to understand them and they were able to understand me. So all in all it was a good start to becoming a well behaved happy family.

More positives...Sunday was definitely better than Saturday.....a noticeable improvement for sure. We actually got to a place where we could do a fun project together. It was really quite enjoyable and the boys could see that good behavior had its benefits. We painted flower pots for their foster moms.
Oh and....
Nicolae even asked if he could call me Mommy instead of Mama Debbie. It was one of the first things he shared to his foster family when we took him home.

Both Nicolae and Cristian were anxious to share about their weekend and were asking what we were going to do together next time. I guess overall... it went fairly well.

Today, Monday, Teri and I left early this morning to meet with the boys and their foster moms at the hospital. The boys have to get full physicals done for the adoption.

While we were there, Nicolae was telling both the moms what happens when he or Cristian misbehaves at my house. He told them all about it . He also told them that first he was in the chair, then Cristian, then him again, then Cristian AND he told them how you can't move or talk or anything! It certainly left an impression on him!
Today at the hospital, they played together in the waiting room at the hospital and even managed to sit in the same seat without fighting or arguing. They actually were able to play nicely together. Yay!

Afterwards all five of us went to the park to play. Again, the boys did well So...there is hope.




Teri and I are home now and plan to watch Project Runway....and RELAX!
Please keep praying.
Love,
Debbie

Another Reason to Celebrate!

Woo Hoo! I just found out that I get to have the boys this weekend!
I will get them on Saturday morning and take them back on Sunday evening! Please pray that our time goes well and that the boys can actually make it through the night with me.
I am so excited. Yipeee!

A Reason to Celebrate!

It is a "Yes" for Karen's adoption!
Karen just called and told me that the courts in Braila said "YES" to her adopting Beti.
She doesn't have any other details than that. But...YES is a HUGE detail. Thanks for all you who have been praying for Karen and Beti. What a wonderful answer to prayer.

Karen's Court Date and My Meeting with the DPC

Karen's trial went amazingly well. She doesn't know the exact answer yet, but her lawyer was 99% sure it was going to be a positive answer.

She said there were three lawyers. One lady was "semi-interested, the other lady could care less and the guy was yawning. So it started off really bad. In fact, the Braila DPC lawyer came up to her lawyer before things started and told them that he was instructed by Braila DPC to be tough on Karen and make things difficult for her today. (Attack her for not being able to speak Romanian etc. ) Amazingly, he ended up saying nothing at all.

Her attorney spoke very well of Karen and refuted every argument they had against her. Even the prosecuting attorney even spoke on Karen's behalf by the end of the meeting. He stated how she had met all the requirements and had dealt with everything that had been thrown at her. His recommendation was that they award Karen the right to adopt Beti.

Karen said by the end of the meeting all three judges were sitting on the edge of their seats, listening intently. Praise God. They posted their decision today at 2 pm, but her lawyer couldn't get there this afternoon. She will find out tomorrow.

Thanks for all of you who have been praying for Karen and Beti. I will let you know as soon as I find out

My meeting went well too. Teri and I met with the foster mom's at the DPC. Cristian wasn't there, only Nicolae.

I was in the other room when they(Nicolae and the foster moms) showed up. Miss "Used to ignore me lady...Alina", was showing me pictures of her baby and just talking up a storm with me in
English.
When I went back out to the waiting room I realized that the moms had shown up and were in the other room. I went in right away. Nicolae came right up to me and then turned and introduced me to one the the ladies. He told her that I was Mama Debbie, his mom. It was very cute. She asked him if I spoke Romanian. He told her that I could speak a little bit of Romanian. He also told her that he spoke English.

She then proceeded to ask him what he knew in English. The first thing she asked him was how to say Te iubesc in English. Immediately he responded, "I love you very much!" Then he winked at me. So darling.

Anyway, we (The foster mom's, the boys and I) will go to get the medical reports done on Monday. Yay. The DPC just told the moms this is where you will go and this is when you will go. The DPC also explained the situation about me having the boys on the weekend and that we will know tomorrow whether or not the boys will stay the night with me. But, if not, I will come and get the boys in the morning and keep them until the evening on Sat. and on Sun. We will all know tomorrow what is happening.

Afterwards Teri and I went with Carmen and Nicolae back to their apt. We spend about 2 1/2 hrs. there. I took some adorable videos and the three of us put the Scooby Doo puzzle together. It is very easy for Nicolae to put this puzzle together now. He kept giving us pieces and telling us where to put them. Cute.

Tomorrow Teri and I are hoping to go to Mary's apt. She and her husband Adi live upstairs from Karen. We are supposed to make sarmale. Then we will go and visit with Cristian. Tomorrow night we are planning to go to the Hard Rock Cafe that just opened up. And sometime during all of this I will hear from the DPC about whether or not the boys will get to stay with me on Sat. night.

Love you,
Debbie