Court day!

John and I both woke around 1 am (our normal here, as I type now it is around that time) and tried hard to go back to sleep but never did. Finally around 5:30, we started getting ready to go and Francis picked us up at 7. Francis is always at least 10 minutes early...and if you are in Africa..let's just say that's very impressive between traffic and most Africans not feeling that time is that important. So that is just another reason we adore him! We got in the car and he said "Oh Ellie, John Amy you look so smart!" Smart here means "you look so nice". He continued, "Wow, Ellie looks so much better! Looking back, Amy and John, she looked as if she would have died in 2 days." Of course I already start tearing up bright and early! I asked him if he really thought this and he said "yes 100%. She was at death's doorstep, BUT now you are here and let's not focus on what was, let's focus on what IS." So that's what we did...because we are going to COURT! This long awaited day has finally come!

I was so worried about the relatives not showing up. I was also worried that Ellie might want her Jaja in front of the judge and not us and will fail to see the bond we have built. We get to court an hour early, so we decide to have breakfast down the street. Ellie for the first day, is HAPPY in the morning! She usually looks very somber for a while, but today she is herself.  We had breakfast quickly and then Francis took us to his car to pray in private. We all held hands and it was one of the best prayers I have ever heard! I swear I felt my hands get a coolness to them that felt like the Holy Spirit was in that car. I was holding his hand and Eliana's hand and suddenly hers felt cool too.  Usually your hands get warm when you hold hands...it was a very cool thing indeed.

So we head up, up, up, up flights of stairs and finally to Family High Court Division. We wait and wait and finally the relatives show, and we get called back around 9:30. The court room is the size of a big executive office. We sit on red velvet chairs and the pictures behind the judge of her kept me entertained to say the least. I wish I had pics of those! I sat directly in front of her, my attorney to my right and John to my left. Everyone else sat behind us.

The judge spoke English, but had her assistant translate Lusoga to the relatives that were testifying. She first interviewed Jaja and was not very happy with her. Jaja was so nervous, she was leaving parts out of the story, for instance, she asked about her daughter (Ellie's mom) and her husband's death (Ellie's dad) and said he isn't the father! There is no way! Turns out the judge had the dates wrong. Her father died before she was born from a bacteria caused by contaminated water. I never knew how her mother died...but today found that she died from falling ill after childbirth and could not ever recover, and Jaja was too poor to care for her medically, so she died when Ellie was only 6 months old.  She accused jaja and the uncle of not being accurate enough for her and she threatened them that they should never walk in her court under oath and not have their stories straight. 

The problem, I could clearly see, is these poor people were so intimidated and nervous they couldn't even think straight. They never leave their remote village, and now they are under oath being outright accused of everything under the sun! The judge was telling the uncle (Ellie's late father's brother) that he should be helping support the family with his land. Poor guy...I'm sure his "land" was all of a one room hut. He looked terrible. My 92 year old grandfather looks younger than him and he was 52. He looked like he could fall over at any moment. I felt so bad for them. I was so nervous, holding Ellie the entire time, I felt like I could vomit. During court I think the judge could see how much Ellie loves us already. She went to her Jaja once, but then came back to us immediately. (Her grandmother was so very happy to see her looking so well and happy. She thought that she would cry the entire time but was so surprised to hear she hasn't cried at all, except for when she left. )

So next we were on the stand..she asked many questions...why are we adopting?, will we have more biological children?, adopted children?, how many hours will we spend with her?, how much money do you make? then she asked "Do you need all that money?" She asked if there are other black children where we live? will we keep her heritage alive in our home? what culture have you seen in Uganda since in country? What is your plan if you get a divorce? I answered "Divorce is not an option for us." She replied, "I asked a couple this yesterday and they went on to describe their plans for if a divorce should happen for 5 minutes! And I told them, if you have thought this much into what you will do, you have thought about divorce. And I told them, the correct answer is "Divorce is not an option...so Miss Amy, you gave the correct answer." Whew! She likes me a little more now. She said it says here you met in kickboxing class. Do you still kick box? I said no, "I just kick him" to which everyone laughed, including her. (Whew, Ok she has a bit of humor. ) then she looks at John and says , "You are a man of few words aren't you?" Talk to me, tell me more about you. John is so cool and collected it makes me so envious as I sit and watch him shoot through the answers like an old pro. I could literally hear my voice shaking in the beginning when I spoke. I haven't been this nervous since speech class in college! I think it was because SO much is at stake. Our DAUGHTER is at stake! If I say the wrong thing, our little girls future is in my answer! It's a lot of pressure. She looked at our pictures we brought and one in which Eliana was very sick...her stomach was swollen and she looked bad. She said "Wow, this is the same girl?" Then she saw a picture of her room and said "So, you already have a room for her? Assuming I would grant this petition?" John said, "No we were praying you would grant this petition."

Finally, after a couple of hours of questions, we adjourned. She said the ruling would be available by May 30, "maybe sooner, but not later." She was much nicer to us than to relatives. I think she liked us in the end. Rebecca said it went well, and not to worry. I feel good about it, but hearing that positive ruling will make me very happy!

After we left we were so exhausted. I was so tense and we came straight home, took a shower, and Ellie and I took a nap. Ellie took her usual long nap and I slept for maybe an hour. I lay her down at night and for naps in her bed and she puts herself to sleep within a few minutes. Then I worry all night she will fall off that bed! We took her down to play today and she went down the slide, got on the swing, ran, threw a "ball", which was really a big walnut or something? But best of all, She called us Mama and Dada. What a sweet sound! This girl in 5 days has completely transformed... I have never witnessed something so amazing in the course of days. I am so proud of her and love her more deeply than I could have ever thought possible. Her daddy leaves tomorrow and her Meme will get here too. I am so excited for Meme to meet her, but I know she will miss her daddy. They have made quite the bond. And she doesn't understand that when he leaves, that he will be back. He bathes her every night and dresses her and it just warms my heart to watch them together. So proud of him too...how he has handled this all like a champ. 

So glad this day is done, now we wait for our ruling, and keep ourselves busy!