Court Report

N and I flew back to Bucha last week for our big day in court. I expected some big Peary Mason type court room with a judge in a robe and huge bench with a gaval, but in reality, it was an office in the court room so there was no shock and awe. I was suppose to have an official translator there as i kept hearin T in the back of my head saying "don't be stupid J, ask for a translator, what are you going to do if he asks you something and you can't answer?". Well the translator never showed up and the attorney said the case would have to be postponed unless I could prove to them I understood Spanish. Oh poo! Our translator assured the attorney that I understand Spanish PERFECTLY! I thought I was going to have a panic attach right there in the middle of the floor. Sure, I had on my cute red Colombian shoes and sure I can understand my 5 yr old, but a judge and legal munbo jumbo? That is a whole new ball game. So they hand me the documents and ask me to start reading out loud at the counter. Ok ok, all looks good, names spell right, I understand.....first test passed, next onto the judges room. N is so undone, she hates any kind of office buildings and freaks out. I tell the attorny if she throws a raging fit, i wouldnt be able to focus on the translation, luckly, they buy her some snacks and when we are called into the judge's office, she is content to sit in the chair and chomp on her snack. Window is open and noise from the street and the door is open with noise from the office, I pull the chair right up to the judge's desk and lean way in, direct eye contact and listening intently to every word....he says he will speak slowly so it is easier for me to understand him, good I am thinking. He goes through our responsibiities toward our daughter quickly and they starts talking about how young and pretty I am???? Hands me the paper to sign and we are done. The attorney cant believe it and makes it sound to the translator that i bewitched him or something crazy. I am turning a hundred shades of red while she is talking afterwards. Telling the story afterwards I realized that in my intent to make sure I was clear on everything he was saying, my body language could have been sending a WHOLE different message...OOPS! Must have been those hot little Colombian red shoes! That's my story and I'm sticking to it! We are officially a family of 6! Now we just need to figure out how to get her back into the US!