Angry emails, pointed requests and getting everyone on the same page

Well, a lot has been said and or accomplished in the last 12 hours.  Many emails have flown back and forth through cyber space to Russia.  Asking for clarification, demanding results, pointing out delays and errors, getting people involved... and there has been a little positive movement.  EDIT: isn't it funny how the trials of this process seem to suck the joyful moments flat??? I found myself re-reading this and thought wow... there wasn't even one bit of excitement or joy in the fact that I had news - good news - news of my pre trial being set... wow... this process really does suck the joy out of the journey.  Thank goodness for good red wine and great friends. I now return you to the regularly posted bulletin...

After emails pointing out delays and challenges on the Russian end of things, all of the sudden  I was notified that I have a pre trial date set.  Pre trial is being sat by THE MALE JUDGE May 5th.  My facilitator will not be there as she will be in Moscow to get travel documents for another family.  My case will be represented by the lawyer - which at this point I'm starting to think might actually be better.  HE will review my case and set a court date - not sure why he wouldn't just set the date like he has for so many years before?  I have been told that it will have to wait until the lady judge returns in June BUT that they will ask for it to be set as quickly as possible and that it COULD still happen.  Talk about limbo.  I could learn on May 5th that my court date is May 13th and I need to get on a plane immediately OR I could learn that it will be June 8th - the week after she gets back from her 6 weeks off....  I have learned that the Male judge is retiring.  I have learned that a family who (and I have all the empathy in the world for them - they have had a very difficult and delayed road) submitted their court documents a week after I did have been told that they WILL have their case heard by the Male judge in May... which would be before my case... which was submitted first.  Again, I have all the sympathy in the world for this family, but the suggestion that my facilitator holds no power of influence or persuasion in the setting of cases goes out the window with the suggestion that this family will be heard first.  I have made it clear that if I need to fly there tomorrow in order to be in front of the judge and have my case become a priority I will.  I have learned about a couple of cases in regions that have now closed to singles.  One woman was asked to go to Vegas for a quickie wedding so that she can bring her sons home - they will no longer complete adoptions for single moms.  Another case where a set court date for a single mom was cancelled and delayed by 5 weeks - both directly cited as a result of being single after the crack a doodle in the States.  I have made this very clear to my agency and in turn to my facilitator.  Delaying for 6 - 8 weeks for a total of 6 months between trips is NOT ACCEPTABLE (and yes, I used A LOT of CAPITALS and BOLDING in my emails to convey my current state of thought and urgency.  My agency is on my side and is trying to sort things out but for now, all I can do is sit and wait for the 5th to hear what happens with my trial date.  Just as someone already commented in the last post, the Male judge regularly has sat cases when the main judge isn't there and in many cases they are set very quickly... so please say a prayer, cross your fingers, send up smoke signals, do a rain dance... just put it out there that the jig is up - Mama can still get there by his birthday if I stand in front of the male judge... if I have to wait... I miss it by a long shot (which for the record, my facilitator so nicely pointed out that it's just another day for him, it's never been celebrated before, he doesn't know it's a big deal, it will be just another day for him so don't worry... he doesn't know the difference... GRRRRRRRRR (with lots of capitalization and bolding).  My agency is going to speak with her very soon here and will call me back... but, in all reality, there will be no news until next week. 
Hmmm find something positive to end on: Well, I - scratch that - WE have raised almost $3500 for the baby home.  I am so very overwhelmed and happy with the potential of what that can do for the children there.  When I get to a really cranky place over this latest development, I try and focus on how amazing it will be to video tape a thank you in Russian from the director so that I can sub title it and you can all hear in your own words what the donations mean to her and the children.  That is good... and I'll leave it there.