Adventures and Paperwork

I have to start with--Lukasz is ours!  Friday July 20, 2012, was the last day of the appeal period and the court decree was issued that afternoon in Lomza.  We started our whirlwind week of passport and visa processing today by driving two and a half hours to Lomza to get certified copies of the court decree, the new birth certificates losing Matt and I as Lukasz's parents and Lukasz' Polish passport.

Tomorrow, Lukasz has an appointment with a US Embassy approved physician for his Visa medical exam and then we go immediately to the Embassy for the Visa interview and to get all documents in order for Lukasz' Certificate of Citizenship to be process and mailed to us after our arrival in the US.  It really is amazing that the act of touching US soil is final requirement in the process of Lukasz' obtaining citizenship.

Last Week's Adventures

Lukasz and I were lucky to have several little trips last week, along with the usually wanderings around Warsaw broken up with naps for both of us.  Ahhhh, I'll miss taking an afternoon nap when I get home.

Camp

Our first adventure was a trip to a rural town outside of Warsaw.  On Wednesday, July 18, 2012, Lukasz and I had an exciting day of adventures with our in-country rep's 20 year old son, Timothy, and his friends visiting his childhood (and as a counselor) Christian camp in Zakosciele, about 1.5 hours outside of Warsaw.

Actually, the adventure started before we even left the street in front of my apartment.  I was early coming down from the apartment so walked several blocks to my favorite local coffee shop for a Mocha.  I came back to the building just in time to see Timothy and his "friend who is a girl" walking across the street to meet me.  Then, I saw two Polish Police officers intercepting them.  They were directed to follow the police back to the car.  Not knowing what to do, I followed.  I need to mention that I have often seen these police officers from my apartment window stopping people on the sidewalk and questioning them. Because I could never figure out why they were stopping people, I always just waited for them to leave before I left the apartment.  The though of being asked "for my papers" just scared me.

Timothy and Kasha were asked for their "papers", meaning identification.  Kasha is only 16 but apparently once you are old enough for pre-school here, you get an identification card that you mush have at all times.  They were run through the Police computer system for--drum roll, please--jaywalking.  They crossed in the middle of the block (they parked directly across the street from my building and walked right over) instead of going to the corner.  It took 35 minutes of questioning and requisitioning for the same answers to verify the information on the identification and to get a clearance from the Police system and a warning from the the Police.

I took these photos on the sly because I didn't know how the
police would react.

Timothy, taking this SO seriously.

I'll admit it.  I was sweating it out.  There was no way I wanted to accompany my friends to a relatively (less than 25 years) post -communist police station.  I wasn't in trouble because I met up with them after they were stopped but I had to go with them if they went.  First, I was the only "real" adult and felt I would owe that to Timothy's mom.  Second, they were my ride!

See, Lukasz was pretty concerned, too.

After we were given the all clear/stern warning about crossing in the wrong place in a predominantly pedestrian tourist area, we loaded up and headed out.  It was at this point that I realized that in my flustered and confused state in joining my friends while they talked to the jaywalking police, I had actually jaywalked in the same place to reach them.  Luckily, the police didn't notice with their attention on Timothy and Kasha.

Lukasz loves to walk, especially if he can get
two people to hold his hands.

At the camp we met many of Timothy and Kasha's friends, lots of Americans from various places in the US who were teaching classes and working as ministers at the camp.  I observed some of the classes and then we went to eat dinner in the little town.  Afterwards we went to a little stand to have the traditional and favorite Polish fair food--a rectangular waffle with whipped cream and other toppings.  They sell these everywhere; at the zoo, in little food stalls in town, etc.  I had not tried one yet.  I fed the whipped cream to Lukasz who loved it and the waffle was really good, just like our waffles at home.

Trying out soccer (or "football") for the second time.

Just being cute.

Less than thrilled riding the Cars
mechanical toy

The three college kids on a carousel.

We went back to the camp for 8:00 service because the various classes were going to perform and then we headed home.  Got home at around 11:00 p.m.  Exhausted.

Warsaw Zoological Gardens

On Saturday, Timothy drove us to the Warsaw Zoo.  Very beautiful zoo with large, old trees.  THe grounds are expansive.   I learned that, among the many stories of the resistance in Warsaw, that the couple who ran the zoo during the Nazi occupation used the zoo to hide Jews.  They would hide them in their home and in the buildings on the grounds but would also dress them in staff uniforms and hide them in plain sight of the Nazis who frequented the zoo due to the Nazi's fascination with exotic animals.  The more I learn about this city during the war, the more I respect it's people.  They couldn't do much overtly, but so many did their best to covertly subvert.

Highlights of the zoo included the storks.  Storks are very common in Poland and, according to Grace (our agency rep) they are considered good luck.  They build large nests on platforms all over Poland, some of the platforms are man made specifically to encourage storks to build their nests and also because storks are notoriously bad at building structurally sound nests.  However, Timothy contradicts his mother and says that storks are not considered good luck but are a nuisance.  Both agree that Poles tell the same little story about babies being delivered by storks.

Thundering Up the place!
Again, less than thrilled.  We've got to work on that.

The waffle with whipped cream.

Lukasz really loves Timothy.  He holds his
hand up to him and screams until Timothy holds it.

A Few Other Observations

I have confirmed with my own eyes!  Men in Europe DO carry murses!

Lukasz experienced his first fountain wade in the Old Town Square.  He was less than thrilled.

Old Town Square, Mermaid fountain.  At least Lukasz and this girl
had clothes on.  Kids in Poland tend to run through splash parks
and fountains in just their underwear.

There was a Police Academy graduation ceremony in the Royal Castle square on Saturday.  While we waited for Timothy to pick us up for the zoo we got to see the various Police bands start their march through Old Town.  Do our police departments have bands?  If not, they should.

Sometimes, you just play so hard you pass out.

Getting to Know Luka

"Lukasz"

I guess the most important thing to mention her for friends and family is that Luka, as we have been calling him since we first heard of him, is actually "Lukasz," pronounced, "Loo-Kause" or "Wu-Kaz".  We knew that was his whole name, that "Luka" was the name assigned him by the agency for simplicity but we had assumed that "Lukasz" was pronounced more like "Lucas".    This was the first thing I asked Grace on the way to Lomza  when we arrived in Poland, "How do you pronounce "Luka's" name in Polish?"

So, we have been calling him Lukasz.  Because we don't speak any Polish, other than "thank you" and "good afternoon", we did not want to confuse him further by calling him "Luka".  We had always planned to keep "Lukasz" as his official name anyway; just 'Luka" for short.  Even though our pronunciation is probably not completely correct, at least it is close to what he knows his name to be.  Once we are home and he has had a while to adjust to the language change, maybe after he starts saying a few words, we will let the kids start shortening it to Luka.

Bonding Period - June 22 through July 6

Lukasz has done so well over our two week bonding period.   He walks better and better.  HIs "Napoleon walK' with one arm on his chest and one in the air has slowly disappeared.  His mind wakes up more and more every day.  We have seen him slowly looking from things in his immediate circle; us, his hands, his toys and towards the outer world; the wheels on his stroller as they turn, bicycles as they pass.  And we have seen him start to wake up emotionally.  He was always so quiet and serious, except when he had someone to roll the ball back and forth to him.   Now he laughs and pulls my hair because he knows he shouldn't and he laughs when he is walking down the street with a breeze in his face.  And he has learned to stack and play with nesting cups and discovered that he really likes to have me read him an Elmo and Abby Cadabby book.  And he is the first of all of our children to prefer Abby Cadabby over Elmo and any other Sesame Street character.

Being away from his foster parents  seemed to have no affect on Lukasz.  This is likely a sign of some attachment issues related to his institutionalization for the first year.  No consistent caregiver, a failure to meet needs or to hold a child when they cry during the first year of life can cause children to have a hard time forming a strong bond.  Rebuilding the natural reliance/trust that a recognized caregiver (i.e., one or two rather than many on different shifts) is going to provide physical and emotional needs consistently can take a considerable time.  Lukasz was with his foster parents for only 2 months and while they made a great deal of progress, he was then moved again.  They were consistent but he needed more time to bond.  He loved Matt but has not looked around for him or acted sad at all since Matt left.

He will need a lot of time and only us feeding him and meeting his needs for awhile before he differentiates between us and every other adult he comes in contact with.  Right now he has no stranger fear and goes to anyone that invites him.  That sounds good but it is not normal for a small child.  He should have deep trust in his parents and a little healthy hesitation with others at least until we reassure him.  But he is young and that is good.  And there is nothing that really concerns us about his ability to start attaching.  So it is good that we have had this alone time with him alone before he is immersed with the other kids and my attention is necessarily divided.

Adoption Day!

On Friday, July 6, 2012, Matt, Lukasz and I traveled with our in-country representative, Grace, back to Lomza for the Final court hearing to affirm our desire to adopt Lukasz and to here the verdict of the Judge.  It was 90 degrees.  And no air conditioning, even in the new court building.  Matt and I were in our suits; Matt had a red and white stiped tie in honor of Poland.  I actually wore a skirt suit because I thought that might expected.  However, my toe was so swollen from when I broke it the night before we left Oklahoma that I could not get my foot in my pumps so I had to wear the only other "dressier" shoes I had--brown sandals.  With a black suit.  I was worried but it turned out okay.  Everyone else was in business causal so I was still dressed more formally than the other women.

We took Lukasz to the Adoption Center's Administration building where the secretary was going to watch him for us while we were in court.  Unfortunately, Lukasz was sick.  He had two swollen lymph nodes the size of golf balls on the left side of his neck.  Grace and the Director called the doctor who cared for Lukasz while he was with the foster parents to make an appointment for after court.  Poor guy did not have a fever but he was sweating profusely in the heat and was very upset.  The doctor said he would be waiting for us.

We went over to the courthouse and waited for the translator.  When all were present we went into the courtroom.  Did I mention that we were very hot?  And sweaty?  The Judge, the two additional judges and the prosecutor all wore very heavy robes and you could tell they were hot.  What was particularly interesting was that Matt was the only man in the courtroom.  All the judges and the prosecutor were women.  We were told this is pretty typical for family court in Poland but it was a surprise to us.  The judge asked Matt many questions about our finances, our house, why we wanted to adopt another child "especially since you already have adopted so many and have four children.  This is very unusual for Poland."  Matt told her, "It's unusual for the United States too."  She laughed.  She asked many questions but she would start to dictate Matt's answers to the court reporter before he finished.  Matt and I were suited up in the heat and poor Matt, sweat was running down his bald head.  She seemed bored asking a lot of the questions which I think were just a formality.  She was very lively when talking to us outside the scope of the questions.

Then the director of the Center, Bozena, gave her opinion and it was very beautiful.  She said that Lukasz got very "lucky by being adopted by us because we were his only chance to he have the opportunity to have a normal life and to look as best as he possibly could and that she and the Adoption Center were so grateful that we wanted to adopt him."  This was very hard and embarrassing to hear.  And sad, because it was clear that they all believed that Lukasz would not be adopted had we not come forward.  The prosecutor asked only one question; whether we were sure in our desire and decision to adopt Lukasz.  We of course said yes.  The judge asksd if we need the reasons in support of the adoption to be put in writing (I think this referred to a written opinion as to simply the decree) and we stated no which is one justification for the judge to shorten the appeal period to 2 weeks from the standard 3 (it takes approximately one week for the opinion to be drafted and issued).

We went out in the hall to wait for the decree to be drafted and we went back in and were told that the adoption was granted and that the appeal period would end on July 20th!   The judge told us that there would be a new birth certificate and Lukasz no longer be a Pole.  I wanted to tell her that Lukasz would always be a Pole as well as an American; that he would know all of his heritage.  We signed the decree and went back to the center to take Lukasz to the doctor.  We were already an hour late.

The Adoption Center in Lomza.  Administration offices.

Adoption division director, Adoption Center Director (Bozena), us, and Grace.
Keep in mind that it was very hot, so that's why I am not looking my usual fabulous self. 

A Polish Doctor's Office

When we arrived at the center, I found Lukasz sitting on the office sofa with the secretary.  He is pants were off and he was soaked in sweat.  The secretary had clearly been trying to keep him cool.  I dressed him and then Grace told us that the court had just called to say that the decree we had signed had been lost!!!  They thought it had accidentally been put through the shredder with some old papers.  No matter, we would go back to the courthouse after the visit to the doctor.

When we arrived at the doctor's office we were told he had waited but had to go run an errand when we did not arrive.  He had been gone a half hour and should be back at any minute.  We waited for more than 30 minutes.  The doctor's office was a lot nicer than I expected.  Very much the same as a US pediatrician's office.  I'll admit I was a little apprehensive about medical care in Poland but I was pleasantly surprised.  Although, I would still worry about having to get care if Grace wasn't with us.  No one in the office spoke any English.  Really opened my eyes to issues of immigrants and the Deaf trying to get adequate care in the States too.  Hard to get adequate care if you can't explain the issues you are having or understand the instructions the doctor is giving you.

While we waited a family with a 5 year old girl, 3 year old boy and a 10 month old baby boy came in.  They walked to the other side of the waiting area.  The girl and the boy both kept looking at Lukasz very curiously and a little frightened and telling their mom about him and I could tell she kept telling them not to stare.  I nodded and smiled at them and told them in English that "he is just a little boy, do you want to play with him?".   I waved them over.  They did not understand what I was saying but they came over and Lukasz starting dropping his ball so they would pick it up and give it to him.  It took him a few times before they felt comfortable and started picking up.  When he laughed, they laughed and then they were all sitting on the floor rolling the ball to each other.

Finally, the Doctor came back.  Lukasz weighed in at 18 pounds.  He did not have a fever or an ear infection.  The doctor said it looked like there was no sore throat but he could not be sure because Lukasz' throat is so oddly placed and obscured by his oral anatomy.  He prescribed an antibiotic and said that if the lymph nodes did not get smaller after 4 days that he would need to be seen by a doctor again.   Luckily, the nodes did decrease after four days.

After the doctor's office, we were off to the passport office to ensure we had everything we needed done before Matt left the country.   Again, no air conditioning.  For us Oklahomans, 90 degrees doesn't sound that bad because we are used to temperatures in the 100s in the summer.  However, we are also used to every building being air conditioned.  90 degrees in an un-air conditioned government building is not the best.  But I admit, it could have felt worse.  From the passport office, Bozena decided we should just WALK (!) back to the courthouse to sign the decree again.  It was really more than the heat for me.  My poor broken toe was not loving all the walking and we were carrying Lukasz.

We did not complain.  We just wanted to make sure all was final and done.  And it was and it is!

Passport office in Lomza.

Appeal Period

The next day, Matt left for the airport at 4:00 a.m.  Lukasz and I have spent our time playing, reading and going for long walks all over Warsaw.  But we are ready to go home.  The final, certified decree will be issued on July 20.  On July 23-26, Grace and I will be getting Lukasz' Polish Passport, having his visa medical exam, and then going to the US Embassy for his visa interview.  The visa will hopefully be issued by the end of that week.

I have changed our return flight to July 30 and should be home by 4:25 p.m.!  So excited to see my family and for everyone to meet Lukasz.

So, please keep your fingers crossed that all goes well during that last week of getting all our legal and travel documents in order in time to make that July 30 flight. 

Future coffee lover.  At my favorite place to get artificial sweetener and WiFi.

Awesome tye-dye shirt and matching socks from Etsy.com.  When I put these socks
 on it was the first time he showed more than passing interest in his feet.

By the Royal Castle.

                                                                                                   Walking around.

Visit from Adoption Center Director and Some Hard Truths

We had the last visit (first and only was at the Center last Monday) from the social workers on Monday July 2.  It went very well. They asked many of the same questions they asked the last time:  what were your expectations, how was Luka like your expectations and how was he different, etc.  They also asked about what reconstruction we planned and the Director was so pleased that Luka was going to have a chance to "look normal" and wanted us to make sure we sent photos.  We told her that we would follow what the surgeon recommended and that we would likely start with the most important functional; finishing his cleft palate correction, the craniostynotosis, his nose; getting an audiologist to assess whether he had a functional right middle ear that could be somehow accessed for hearing.  And, of course, we would keep in contact so she could see his progress.  She looked at Luka with such love and happiness.  

And then, we learned more about the residentianal medical institution Luka had been in for 14 months of his 17 month life.  The director, Bozena, really had severe animosity towards the place.  Apparently, for the entire time Luka was there he did not go outside at all and was terrified of the porch when the foster family first took him out.  They did take some of the ids out on the patio to play but Luka was never taken out.  He could see the patio but never play there.  Bozena and the other social worker think he was confined in a crib most of the time.  

When Bozena would try to visit Luka,the institution workers would never return her calls or send her photos or info on his development so she would just show up (call from the car a few minutes out) and take pictures herself.  They were always angry that she showed up with no warning.  I think all the photos we have were taken by her.  They would not let her see his room or hold him.  He would be strapped in the chair on the floor in what she said was referred to as the play room but kids were strapped in carseats all around the room.  They would not allow her to take him out of his carseat-- she would have to just move around him on the ground.  She told us Luka was the only child there with "normal" intelligence so he was not surrounded by even peer motivation for development.  I found that statement a little harsh because all children have a potential that can only be reached by stimulation.  I know she said there were many children with Down Syndrome and those children are so gifted it's terrible to think of them strapped in car seats with little interaction.  I felt terrible that any of those children were in that place

Finally, they were not interested in doing anything for him medically, not even the cleft lip/palate repair.  So, the surgeon in Lomza arranged it.  He called down to the hospital in Warsaw and got the date for the surgery and told the institution when it would be and he drove in to perform the surgery (kind of makes me feel bad about how angry I was at him when we met Luka and knew immediately the cleft palate had not been closed entirely).  She said looking at him in the foster home and now, Luka is a different child than when he was in the institution and she was so sorry he had to be there.

Again, she told us how happy she was that we were adopting him.  She told me that I didn't "look like I was afraid of him at all."  I thought she meant his medical conditions, that I didn't treat him overly delicately.  So I told her that I wasn't afraid because we had researched his medical conditions before we came and we had taken care of our oldest with lots of medical needs the first year.    But Matt told me later he thought she meant his appearance and he had thought to himself, "Lady!  He's just a little kid what's there to be terrified of?!" Finally, she told us she hoped that one day we would be so pleased with his appearance.  We knew she said this out of love for Luka but we told her we would love him no matter what he looked like and we hoped for him what we hope for all our kids--that he be happy in life.  I said, "We are so happy with him," and she said, "Oh, he is with you, too."  And I said, "Oh, I don't know, children at this age are entitled to take their parents for granted.  They should just expect to be loved and cared for."

I just wanted to cry when she left. I was so happy that she and the Catholic Adoption Center in Lomza had advocated for him so hard but I was devastated that his life had bee in a carseat for so long and that so many other children are living that way.  Why didn't they take HIM outside?  Was it because of the way he looks?  Now I understand why so many of the photos we received of him before we came to Poland are of him in a carseat.  I believe the photos of him out of the carseat were taken at the facility he had his cleft lip/palate surgery.  Matt says that maybe Bozena exaggerated a little because often times facilities and departments just have biases against each other.  I think that not returning her calls or letting her see his room are pretty big indicators of the place.

But he finally got moved to a great foster family and he is with us now.  And we can hope he will have more development and surgery so his brain has enough room to grow in his skull.

First Week in Warsaw, Part Two: Malls, castles, palaces, parks and museums.

Warsaw Rising Museum

We walked out to the Warsaw Rising Museum dedicated to the Polish government and Home Army that continued the fight against the Nazis after occupation, then orchestrated a giant rising up against the Nazis in August 1944 with the understanding that Russia, just across the border would join once the battle began (the Soviets had been broadcasting radio programs encouraging the Poles to resist and fight the Nazis) and the other Allies would drop aid, they'd been assisting as much as possible throughout the occupation.  Unfortunately, The Russians decided it would be better to "let the Nazis break Poland so there could be no resistance to Communist take over.  The Americans had planes loaded with supplies ready to go but they needed permission from the Russians to land on their airstrips.  Russia refused and the US didn't want to cross them do to talks going on with Russia at the time.  

They ran resistance for the entire occupation, using the sewers as their communication passages, and  hiding great works of art before the Nazis could steal or destroy them.  It's funny because as you go to different museums in Warsaw (and Krakow), or pass statues and other artwork of the period set up in parks and along the street, the signs will say something like, "This [artwork/statue/etc.] was hidden in [1939; or 1944 during the Rising] and returned [either "after the war" or, in most cases, "in 1989"]" but these signs NEVER say who took the artwork or where it was hidden.  I guess I could find out if I did enough research but I like the mystery of it.  I like imagining that they do not say because there is some secret organization that is charged with protecting the artwork and they have a special place to hide it and plan to use that place again if they need to.  I clearly watch to many Indiana Jones and National Treasure movies.  It's just nice to think that there is someone  who's job it is to watch out for us or our art.  Even though that's probably not true and it was just some random thieves who grew consciences after the war or after communism fell.  See, I am a pessimist at heart.

So after all their sacrifice during the war, putting their families at risk as well as themselves, and raising a valiant fight the Polish Home Army was crushed and endured the unspeakable things you can imagine -- concentration camps, executions, families killed, etc., all because the Russians refused to help and used political pressure to prevent anyone else from helping.  The Nazis then literally razed the city to the ground building by building.  And then Poland was "liberated" by Russia/Soviet Union and pressed into communism.  The men and women who fought the battle or agreed with them were considered enemies of the state; many were arrested and imprisoned even after they returned to Poland from the concentration camps.  Only after communism fell was there heroism openly recognized.  Now you see the symbol all over Warsaw.  And it just proves that you don't have to win the war to be remembered as heroes.

"Mug shots" of some of the female Polish Home Army when they entered the concentration camp.
I loved that so many of them were defiantly smiling.

The Mall

On a lighter note, we also went to an amazing, huge grocery store IN THE MALL with escalators for the carts to ride!  They have carts that you check out with a coin in a slot (which you get back upon return) and you can take the cart all over the mall.  Who would have thought!  Ok, I admit, I sound a little naive or wide eyed but it was SO cool and so SMART!  Maybe they have these all over outside of Oklahoma and I sound even more idiotic than I thought, but still--I am impressed.

The Royal Palace

We went here on Sunday because it was free on Sunday.  Many of the museums are free on Sundays (including the Warsaw Rising Museum), another awesome thing about Warsaw.

Some might ask how we could go to the Royal Castle--wasn't it destroyed by the Nazis?  And the answer is, yes, it was.  The amazing thing about the Polish people is that they rebuilt Warsaw as it was prior to the Nazi destruction.  To the very smallest detail.   And they picked through the rubble to save and use what architectural detail pieces they could.  They even rebuilt some of the ancient walls around Old Town with the original bricks. And where they could not use original materials they used craftsmanship to recreate it.  That is why when you look at the photos I post, the buildings, churches, homes in Old Town and surrounding areas look as if they were built hundred of years earlier.  The Royal Castle as many of the original pieces of art and furniture.  While a lot of the art was taken out of the country for safety by various Polish families and returned, again, that mysterious statement containing no explanation about how they were saved and returned.  Of course, there are also reproductions.  But the reproductions are just as amazing as the originals.  There are frescos, woodwork, furniture, gilding, etc., that you cannot believe were created by modern artists.

[Matt has these photos.  I'l add them when I get home]

Lazienki Park and the Palace on the Water

Lazienki Park is a VERY large park in the center of Warsaw, it was once a hunting grounds attached to another castle.  The trees are old and there are manicured gardens, with dirt paths throughout  and a Palace literally build on the water, as well as other mansions and buildings used by the king when he lived there in the 1700s. The park is so peaceful and there are free Chopin concerts every Sunday afternoon in the summer right by the Chopin monument.  

We made a LONG walk to the park and back in the middle of the week and then on Sunday we were invited to go to one of the Chopin concerts with our representative, Grace, and her husband.  It was hot and humid and we had a long walk to the monument from where we parked (they could not believe we had walked to the park when we came by ourselves).  We had just sat down and the music just started when it started to pour down rain.

We moved to the trees on the edge of the amphitheater and were just dripped on.  Then it started to hail!!!  And I am talking Oklahoma sized hail.  The kind that leaves a bruise when it hits you on the shoulder or back.  The pianist kept playing, she had an awning set up over the piano but we could see she was getting drenched from the sides.  But many die-hard Chopin fans did not even move.  They sat under their umbrellas in the full force of the rain and hail.

With the hail we finally made a run for the car.  Luka didn't know what was going on.  Needless to say it was a BLAST!  We couldn't stop laughing.  

[I'll add photos tomorrow at a WiFi place--our internet access is limited here]

First Week

We have had a great first week with Luka and moving to Warsaw.  Some problems with the internet connection in the apartment and Luka spilling tea all over Matt's computer requiring us to buy a new one from a Polish Apple store.  Warsaw is beautiful and amazing.  Our apartment is right in Old Town and in walking distance (if you consider 1-2 miles walking distance as we do) of everything you could want to see--museums, castles, restaurants, parks, etc.  Here are a few photos taken from our apartment.  I'll post others of the immediate area later.

Monday


On Monday, June 25, we went back to the Adoption Center to meet with the director, and psychologist for our first social worker visit.   They asked what we had expected of Luka, what was different than we expected and if we had any questions.

We told them that we had examined his medical records so we knew what to expect medically but we did not know what to expect developmentally.  With his institutionalization and his medical issues we were not sure if he would be severely delayed, temporarily or permanently, but after meeting him we were very pleased.   I told them, "He is such a sweet boy and intelligent."  He is delayed by a few months but we have been pleased that with just the short weekend we had seen a lot of improvement (and, now, after the week, even more).

They were all so pleased to hear that we were happy and the director said, "He is so curious about his environment, and you know that with only one eye he has had a harder time see in his world and his development would be a little delayed and because of his cleft palate he could not make sounds so his speech is expectedly delayed."   While these things may be true, his delays are most likely from institutionalization.  It would be truly wonderful to talk to the foster family about the improvements they must have seen.  We know he learned to walk with them which is truly a result of leaving the institution and entering a family home.

Next, the Director told us how happy they were that we were going to get Luka the surgeries he needs and that they felt he was so lucky we wanted him.  Everyone else from the center echoed this.  So that no one misinterprets their meaning, they said it with sincere love for Luka.   I was so flustered by their statements but we told them, "Oh, we are the lucky ones to have him; we were waiting for our next child and our other kids too.  We Skyped with the kids yesterday and they are so excited to get him home.  Our youngest is so excited because he will have him in his room."

Then the Director asked, "And you have an appointment already scheduled for him when you get back?"  It was very clear that they are anxious to ensure Luka is going to begin his treatment as soon as possible.  I told her, "Yes and we have already emailed the CT scan you gave us on Friday to the surgeon and he has already emailed us his opinion.  He is expecting Lukasz."  She sat back very pleased and surprised that we (and the doctor) had acted so quickly on the new medical information.  And Matt told her, "This is a world renowned craniofacial surgeon only a few hours drive from our home; Luka will get the best care possible."

It was arranged that they would visit us in Warsaw on Tuesday, July 3.  And we said goodbye and headed to Warsaw and our apartment.

Warsaw


Warsaw is a beautiful city with an amazingly resilient history.  And we could not be more pleased with our apartment or it's location.  The internet has been an issue but small sacrifices that have been easily corrected.

We walked and walked.  We ate great food.  We saw some heart wrenching and thought provoking museums.

I'm just going to post some photos from this week and try to post more details later.  This post has been pretty long as it is and I am tired.