Story of "Our Russian Angel"

Back in July, I was browsing through the internet and came across a Russian Ornament that I just had to have. So I ordered 3 - this way mom D and mom C could also have one. That same week, JD and I submitted our initial agency paperwork expecting a referral hopefully in 9 months, just as we had been quoted. Twenty four hours later, we got a call from our Agency Director with a referral: K. That very same day, the ornaments arrived.

That is when I knew she would be Our Russian Angel. This is a picture of the first ornament hung on our tree this Christmas season:



Inside the box, there was a small piece of paper with the following information:

"Millions of children arond the world call an orphanage "home". We have created our angels in honor of these children and the adoptive families who make a real home possible.

A portion of this year's profits will benefit the Gift of Adoption Fund. www.GiftofAdoption.org

Thank you for opening your heart to our angels and their sisters and brothers around the world.

Sincerely -- The JoyLi Collection"

This ornament will hold a very special meaning for us as it represents the day K came into our lives for the very first time. We look forward to next year when we have K at our side when we hang it on the tree ~ and in future years...let her hang it on the tree!

We miss K dearly -- especially during the holidays, but we trust that God is keeping a watchful eye over her and we patiently await the news that we can go back to Russia to bring her home.

Merry Christmas to all!

Moving Up in Grupa!

Our little girl is growing up far away from us, too far away. Some days I move forward on auto-pilot thinking about K while other days I feel so powerless knowing there is nothing we can do to bring her home any quicker.

I briefly mentioned in my 11/23/08 post about K changing Grupas. I'd like to elaborate. A few weeks ago, another couple traveling to Russia to meet their referral found out they were not only going to Yekaterinburg, but to Orphanage #6. As luck would have it, they found my blog and we connected. Incredible how the internet has joined adoptive parents all over the world who otherwise would never have had the opportunity to meet.

I asked them to take a picture of K if, by chance, their little one was in Grupa 5, and if they were allowed to do so by the Orphanage Caregivers. Boy did I cry when Trish and Tony sent us an e-mail with 3 pictures of K. She was kinda disshevled as they had "plucked" her out of her room as she was going down for a nap but we didn't care. We got to see our little girl. JD and I still can't thank Trish and Tony enough... Thank you again!

One thing I immediately noticed (besides her lack of smile ~ but that's our angel --- Little Miss Serious) was the "2" on her dress. "Wait - she's in Grupa 5! Why the 2?" Trish informed me that due to her age (22 months), K moved to a different Grupa -- Grupa #2. *sigh* Our little girl is moving up in Grupas....now it's time to move her OUT, don't ya think?!

Our Little Russian Angel ~ how's that for a sneak peek?!

Look how worn out those fancy ladybug sandals are. Some might call the dress a schmata but I call the look priceless! :)

Update...or lack thereof...

I've been asked the following question a lot lately: "So, how much longer before you bring K home?" I only wish I had the answer.

I sent a message to our Agency on Wednesday wishing them a "Happy Thanksgiving, and oh, btw...what's new with our dossier?" I learned that it arrived safely in region about 2 weeks ago and our rep there reviewed it thoroughly. All looked in order. (whew...) The dossier (all 4 lbs. of paper or so) is still in the translation stage. As soon as the translation is complete, our rep will review the translation to ensure it truly represents what is stated in the dossier. The next step will be that our rep will make an appointment with the Judge to present the dossier. We're hoping this will be within the next 2 weeks.

Then??? We wait. Will the judge glance at it, put it on the bottom under all the other Ekat dossiers that have been sitting there for awhile? Who knows. Some families have had "short" waits in Ekat (i.e. 14 weeks between trips #1 & #2) but most have long waits. We were so thorough in our p/w that we can only pray that the judge doesn't find lots of reasons to reject and ask for do-overs over and over again.

In the meantime, we have already had to request for updated certifications of our 2 Social Workers, get another round of 8-doctor medicals ready to send to our agency so it's ready to go when we get the request from the judge (they expire in December...already been 3 months since we saw the multitude of specialists!), and re-do our fingerprints and FBI clearance this weekend since they expire in 4 weeks.

It's a lot of work but we know it will all be worth it in the end...without stretch marks and morning sickness to boot!

Only 32 days until Christmas!

Wow...where has this year gone to? When I realized that Christmas is about a month away, a sudden feeling of panic set in. Have to shop, write out cards, decorate for the holidays, and somehow fit in all the events that are starting to creep up onto the calendar.

I was shopping the other day and found some small children's blankets each rolled up with a bow. They are so soft (fleece) and really cute. So I bought some...15 to be exact. I'm starting to think about a care package to send to the Orphanage. When I was in FL, mom ordered a blanket with K's name imprinted on it in both English and Russian. I figure when I send it, I'd like to include something for the other kiddles in her Grupa. ;)

Just found out yesterday from Trish, another PAP (prospective adoptive parent) who was in Ekat a few weeks ago, that our little one has changed Grupas (same orphanage, tho'). Trish and her husband were there to meet their referral -- at the same orphanage as K. We are blessed - Tony was allowed to take a few pics of K. (Thank you!!) They are more like mugshots but precious none the less, and priceless. When I saw the number "2" on her dress, I questioned it and Trish said K changed Grupas because of her age. K is now 22 months old and I wonder how many more times she'll change Grupas before coming home. **sigh**

Sidenote: Thank you

I want to thank all of you who have either posted comments here or sent me a personal e-mail of sympathy about Lynn. I want to respond back personally to everyone but it will take some time. When I finished up last night, I collapsed into bed and slept until 11:30am today. I don't even think I moved all night! I will get back to each of you in time but for now, please accept a heartfelt thanks. Now go hug your loved ones and friends --- and tell them you love them! :)

Gifts from Above

It's been a tough day. It's never easy saying farewell but I guess sometimes we have to in order to move on. Today we disbursed Lynn's ashes in the sea in San Pedro. It really was a beautiful service on board a large charter boat and we had about 75 close friends and family members present.

Even tho' Lynn now overlooks us from above, she still never ceases to amaze me... Kendra found some wrapped gifts in the closet all ready for Christmas ~ for K. Unless a miracle occurs, we won't be celebrating Christmas with K for months down the road. I've asked Lynn to be our guardian angel on this journey and to put a good word in for us. So we'll see. In the meantime, the gifts from above await K in her room, and I thank Lynn from the bottom of my heart.

Rest in Peace, dear Lynn.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

A Special Angel in Heaven

There is nothing I wish more for K than to have a happy life, a loving home, a supportive family and a few best friends to go through life with. I've been blessed with all and don't take a day for granted.

A few hours ago, I lost one of my best friends. All of a sudden, God figured it was time to take her to Heaven. Lynn was the very first person I met when I attended a new High School here in CA after moving from Ohio at the age of 16. She asked me to sit with her and her friends at lunch and we've never been apart since (except for her "brief" move to Ohio while I was in college...). She was my first friend to have a baby and that beautiful baby is my Goddaughter, Kendra Grace. Lynn supported me through the trials of infertility and now our journey to adopt -- as she, too, had been adopted. I know she loved me. She never ceased in telling me so.

God bless you, my friend, and may you rest in peace. I may shed tears now but I am comforted in knowing that you are with Him and I have another Angel in Heaven looking over us.

My Goddaughter, Kendra Grace, (left) and Lynn (right)

Showered with Love

Dearest K:

When in FL this past week visiting Grammy, Poppy, Uncle Jim, Auntie Erin, Cousins Jimmy and Andrew, and Nana Jo, we went to the Ranch (just north of Orlando) for 7 days and had such a relaxing time. The "Brandon/Tampa" crew (made up of lots of cousins and aunts and uncles) also came up for two days ~ so the house was full ~ 20 of us, total! It would be an understatement to say that everyone can't wait to meet you. Papa and I couldn't show off your pictures enough.

Everyone on my side of the family lives in FL, and we won't be seeing each other until our family cruise next June to celebrate Grammy and Poppy's 50th wedding anniversary. We hope and pray that you will be settled in with us by then so we can show you what our family vacations are like.

This past Saturday night, we were surprised with a family baby shower to honor YOU! As we sat on the couch, suddenly all these cards and gifts started pouring in. You are one blessed little girl. We have fun toys waiting for you and some beautiful girlie clothes --- without the number "5" stitched into them signifying "Grupa 5"!

Here's a few pictures. I'm having problems downloading some photos but I'll try again tomorrow...so more to come!

Papa and I starting to open some gifts.

And that's Finnegan who slept through the entire shower on Papa's lap!

Grammy and me afterwards.

Lots of wonderful gifts...not shown: a carseat and a dresser that we' ll have fun picking out soon. Oh, and good thing papa works for FedEx!

The next day, they had a special cake for us. The night before at the shower, we had just finished "birthday" cake before being surprised. Diet??? What diet???

So, as you can see, you are loved already so very much. Oh, and don't think we've forgotten...we know you turned 22 months today and we pray that not many more months pass before we can hold you and bring you home. We love you, K.

xoxo, mama and papa

Exhausted...but Paperwork 100% Complete!

You know you're exhausted when you get home from work, pull into the driveway, and fall asleep immediately --- even before getting out of the car!

Last night, I was up until 2:30am completing the last 2 documents of our dossier even tho' I had to be up at 5am for work. But we're done!!!! The CA Board of Psychology letter finally arrived yesterday after requesting it 2 months ago and oodles of e-mails and calls later. We finished K's room Monday so yesterday, I put on some finishing touches to put together our "picture montage" that will show the judge that we have a nursery ready as well as pictures of bonding on Trip #1. Here's a little glimpse into what the room looked like 2 weeks ago:

and what it looks like now:

I know K would be thanking Nana and Grandpa D for helping with the demolition/painting and "reconstruction", Millie Claire for her beautiful crib so she wouldn't have to sleep on the floor, Olivia for the beautiful red shoes that she will wear on special occasions, and Nico for the cool jackets and clothes that already adorn the closet.

I personally want to thank my parents for their daily calls of support during the room remodel and dossier compilation. I know if they had their way, they'd be enroute to Russia to tell that judge to move it along -- now!

And last, but not least, I want to thank my dear husband. I've become a hermit working on this dossier up until the late, late hours sometimes only passing when I say good-bye in the morning on my way to work. And he has worked so hard on the room to help make my dream of a pretty room for K a reality. I love you!!!!

The timing of this is perfect: JD and I leave Friday night for FL to visit my family for 10 days. Ahhh, I see sleep in our future! Plus, I hope to now find time to update this blog with some of the things I've been neglecting to do for weeks. One of those things is to talk about Yekaterinburg...a place I never heard of before until we learned our daughter was waiting for us there. Stay tuned! :)

Busy Week!

I got so much accomplished this week before I have to return to work on Tuesday. Mostly, it was spent calling, e-mailing, and picking up information that I've been waiting for for weeks or even over a month! It is sooo hard not being in control and having to rely on others to follow through. The last 2 culprits are the IRS and CA Psychology Board who have had the requests for 3-6 weeks -- just to verify some info. Supposedly both "are in the mail."

My goal was to have our dossier completely done -- capoot -- within 3 weeks of coming home from Trip #1 and we're almost at that point. We should be done by Tuesday (God-willing the "others" come through for us Monday) and then everything goes to our Agency in San Diego. From there, it gets apostilled, translated and sent to Russia to sit on the judge's desk.

Oh, and the big project of the week has been converting our guest room into a little girl's room. JD's parents came over and helped me overhaul it on Wednesday at which time we finished the painting. Now the bead board, chair rail and drapes need to go up in addition to all the frilly things that make it a sweet little girl's room.

Everyone who knows JD knows that his 2nd home is Costco. While there the other day, he saw a DVD he wanted to get K (Sleeping Beauty). Lo' and behold, it had a "free gift enclosed!":

I just can't wait until we can turn it around and it says "The Princess is In"!!!

New Friends

Adopting from Russia is challenging and Ekaterinburg has its own special nuances that don't make the process any easier. For this reason, I've noticed that folks adopting from Ekaterinburg tend to bond and "commiserate" together over the journey as no one truly knows what you're going through until you've actually lived through it. (Mmmmm, kinda sounds like my infertility mantra over the many, many years!)

Earlier this year, I joined the So Cal EU Yahoo! Group and connected with other people who have adopted from Russia. I haven't had the time to yet participate in any outtings or get-togethers, but as soon as things calm down, I hope to get the chance. I do get the chance to keep in touch with several really nice people and keep tabs on how their kiddos are doing.

By joining an Ekat Yahoo! Group, I have "met" some really, really wonderful people who provided us with priceless insight as to what to expect on our first Trip, prepare for the Judge, tips to get through the paperwork, etc. We thank you all from the bottom of our hearts and also hope to meet fellow Ekat "survivors" and their beautiful children.

While in Russia, we had the rare opportunity of meeting some special people.

• Lori, from CA, was there (for what seemed a lifetime!!) to adopt her twin girls. Since it was 2 days before Court, we didn't get to meet the girls but we went to dinner with Lori, her daughter Katy, and friend, Angela. It was such an enjoyable evening even though we just stayed at the Hotel for dinner instead of venturing out to the streets.

Dinner at the Park Inn, Wednesday, 9/24/2008.

Left-right: Lori, Katy, Angela, me, JD.

Taken the evening of the day we met K for the first time.

• We first met Dawn and Jeff from NH at the Dept. of Education when we were receiving our referral for K. It turned out that we were all staying at the Park Inn so we went to dinner Thursday (once again -- at the Park Inn) and had a really great time. Turns out we have lots in common and the most important thing.....their little boy is in the same Orphanage as K *and* in the same Grupa! As I write this, they may be playing together on the playground not realizing that their parents are conversing via e-mail and keeping in touch.

Breakfast Buffet at the Park Inn on Sunday morning, 9/28/2008,

before leaving to come home to LA.

Left-right: Dawn, me, JD, Jeff.

So, this process of going across the world to become a family and bring K home has also brought us together with people we otherwise would never have had the chance to get to know ~~ whether in person or via the internet. But one thing is for sure: I can see and feel the love that all my "new friends" have for their children...and there are so many more children out there who need that love.

Orphanage #6 in Yekaterinburg

I have been completely swamped with the paperwork required to bring K home, hence -- my blogging has dwindled. But before much more time passes, I wanted to document what we learned about the Orphanage that K is in and show you some pics.

Orphanage #6 is located approximately 40 minutes from downtown Yekaterinburg -- out in the country. It is located on the edge of a lake and in a forest in a very tranquil area.

Here's a little tidbit of what we saw each day as we walked up to the doors of our daughter's temporary "home," as she now knows it.

This is when we walking up to the Orphanage for the very first time with Lydia, our translator, and Dr. Khouloudis, the International Doctor we flew in from Moscow to examine K.

This is the playground where all the children play frequently.

This is the main entrance to Orphanage #6. The music/playroom is on the second floor -- the set of windows directly above the middle doors.

You'll see that there is quite a large playground with several play houses. One day, we saw many children out there playing on the see-saws and "jungle gym" waving to us and yelling "hello" in Russian. Even on a snowy day, the children were out there playing -- yet bundled up like Ralfie's brother, Ricky, in "A Christmas Story." I pray each of these children find a loving family.

At this particular Orphanage, the children range in ages 1 - 4 years old and per our translator, there are about 10 - 14 children in each "Grupa" with 3 caregivers and a doctor assigned for each grupa. (Hey, wouldn't it be nice if that was the ratio of healthcare providers to patients in US hospitals???) Every day, the children are weighed, temps taken and examined -- which made for very, very thick Medical Report files for each child

Each "Grupa" is named after a cartoon character and K's "Grupa" is Kolobok. For those not familiar with the fairy tale, this is the short story of Kolobok. Not such a great ending, eh? Here are a few pictures of K's specific Grupa room (we weren't allowed in so we just peeked):

Kolobok! This is the door that leads to Grupa 5.

A sneek peek inside -- only able to see lockers with names on them. Assuming the lockers had the names of the children...but it was in Russian so we couldn't tell for sure.

The one thing that really impressed me about the Orphanage is how pristine clean it was. No peeling paint, no torn up carpeting or flooring, drapery hung properly and even the ceiling tiles were brand new. The toys and furniture were all in very good condition. I guess I had just expected things to be different. But then again...this particular Orphanage is only 1 1 /2 years old!

A Day in the Life...

According to our translator, their day usually starts at 6:30am and begins with toileting, breakfast, play and then am napping from 8:30-10:30. After more toileting and a snack, they can play until lunchtime at noon. Then play, toileting, snack, pm naptime, playtime, and then dinner around 6pm. After that comes bathing (not sure as to the extent of this, yet), reading time, toileting and night-night. No wonder so many of these kids are potty trained so young! I can also see why these children respond well to structure...something to keep in mind for when we bring K home.

When we played with K in the music/playroom, we were usually the only ones in there except another couple was there a few times with their little one -- awaiting Court! Here are a few pictures of the music/playroom where the children participate in sing-alongs, dancing, and puppet shows:

The very first interaction with K was when she would take balls out of the pool and hand them to us.

After hurricane "K" got into the balls and bag of toys we got her!

So -- do you almost feel like you were there with us? I just wanted to give you a brief idea of the environment that our little angel is in. In fact, the one comfort we do have during this wait is knowing that she is in good care and in a safe, clean place. God bless those who are taking good care of those little ones!

What's up with the arm, you ask?

I forgot to mention in my last post how my right shoulder is doing. (See post dated Sept. 18 for details...)

Two days before leaving to go to Russia, the Orthopedist gave me a shot of cortisone in my right shoulder to ease the discomfort from the final diagnosis of "Calcific Tendonitis". The cortisone along with the anti-inflammatory meds made it possible so I virutally had no discomfort on the trip -- thank God.

It's still a tad sore when I wake up sometimes but I'm doing range of motion exercises daily, staying away from lifting anything >10 lbs., and I'll see the Orthopedist again on Oct. 10th. I'm off of work due to the lifting restrictions until 10/21. Instead, I've made doing the adoption p/w my full-time job. That along with looking at K's pictures every spare second I can!

Back in the U.S. of A!

"What happened? No more blog entries?" OK...so you've been wondering what I could possibly be up to since I haven't blogged since we returned from Yekaterinburg. Let's just say I have never felt so jet-lagged in my entire life! I guess it has a lot to do with the time change and emotional rollercoaster of the last week, but as soon as we returned....we got down to business to get things done.

I was up for 30 hours straight traveling home...thank goodness for the little personal TV sets each airline seat has on Air New Zealand! I tried to sleep but only got a few minutes here and there. Watched 4 movies and numerous TV sitcoms. Oh, and free wine...even in coach!

We got home late Sunday and were greeted at the airport by JD's parents -- what a wonderful surprise! Ever since 9-11, it's such a bummer to get off the plane and not have someone there waiting for you so this was a nice treat to make it out of Customs and see them there. It was late so we only got to show them a few pictures on our computer.

The next day, we headed down to San Diego to see 3 more doctors: Infectious Disease, Dermatology, and the Psychologist. Tomorrow (Sunday), we're heading down to San Diego again, stay overnight at my Great-Aunt Katie's in prep to see the Addiction Psychiatrist/Psychiatrist and Neurologist on Monday. Then we are DONE with doctors!!

We have a few more outstanding forms to complete and license verifications to receive but we've been plowing through all this paperwork with the hopes of having it all done in the next few weeks. Some of it is out of our control (waiting for letters from the State) but we're getting close! Then we send it off to the judge and wait until she decides to look at it.

In this next week, I hope to add info to this blog that will include tidbits about our trip: the City of Yekaterinburg, the Russian People, the hotel, and the other PAPs that we met along the way. It was truly a WONDERFUL experience and I'm so glad I have this as a vehicle to document it all -- 'cause my brain is fried about now!

Taking off from Yekaterinburg Airport, September 28, 2008. We'll be back!!

A Special Thank-You

It's actually Sunday morning here in Yekaterinburg (around 8:45am) and we're getting ready to head down to the hotel's breakfast buffet. Gotta stock up before airline food!

Anyways, I primarilly wanted to post to thank all our friends and family (including all blogger friends!) for posting and sending us e-mails this week. You have been our lifeline back to home and the sincerity in your typed-written words really touched our hearts.

We are leaving a bit of home and a big chunk of our hearts here in Yekaterinburg but we plan to get back in the states, do everything we can to move the process along as efficiently as possible, and return to Yekaterinburg to complete our family.

Yah vom ochin blogadarna. (Thank you from the heart.)

This is us leaving Orphanage #6 after a tearful dos veedanya.

Day 4 with K...our last one for a while...

Dearest K:

Today, you made Papa and me the happiest people in the world. You recognized us when you walked into the room and it didn't take long before we were putting a puzzle together, throwing balls all over the place and riding in a basket while Papa pushed you around.

You found my lap to be a safe haven when playing but also ran around and gathered up all the balls to throw to Papa.

You were so vocal today! Your vocabulary mostly consists of "bah" which of course we translated to "ball" but whatever you meant, it was such a joy to hear your voice.

We took over 300 pictures/videos today just trying to get a few smiles on record but you are a quick one always looking down or away with the flash of the camera! Alas, we have several to treasure and we just can't wait until we get the chance to see that smile of yours again.

After over 2 hours of playing, laughing, and running around, your caregiver came in at 6:00pm and immediately you started crying so hard. This just broke our hearts, K, and it was the hardest moment -- the one we dreaded. We just didn't want to let go of you.

Please know that if we had our choice, we would take you home with us tomorrow. We left some toys with you and gave your caregiver our family photo album as well as some disposable cameras which they said they would use. We will be missing you so much over the next several months and will think of you daily. We're praying to God to make the wait swift and speedy.

Be a good girl, know that we love you and miss you so much, and God Bless You, our sweet Russian Angel.

Love,
Mama and Papa xoxoxo

Day 3 with K

Before heading out to the orphanage in the afternoon, JD and I ventured out into the streets to go shopping looking for Q-Tips (requested by the Orphanage Doctor), hand cream, purse-size tissues (K has a cold right now) and toys --- we needed something "exciting" to bring out the smile in our little girl!

Finding stores in Yekaterinburg when you don't read the language is next to impossible unless they have window displays...and many don't -- they have posters that do us no good! But when walking down a side street with the locals, we came across what looked like a pharmacy. Oh, the sense of accomplishment felt after conveying our needs in my little Russian and pointing, as well as using Rubles was incredible!

After shopping, we were scheduled to meet with our coordinator and translator at 2:45 to sign papers and then head over to see K. They finally showed up at 3:15...but they were late for a good reason: a fellow PAP (prospective adoptive parent) who had dinner with us Wednesday (Lori) was at court and was granted parental rights to her twin girls! Congrats, Lori!

Olga and Lydia provided us with papers that we officially signed stating our formal intention to adopt K.

So, it is now official and K is on record to become our daughter...of course, after the mountain of paperwork is completed/reviewed/revised/reviewed/revised/etc. and the Court Date set (which can be 3-8 months...or longer). We're not out of the woods yet...but we're closer to becoming a family than before!

FINALLY, we got to the orphanage around 5pm and since it was raining, we knew it would be an indoor-day. Let me tell you, we are so glad we went toy shopping! K was wearing the cutest outfit -- a lightblue courderoy dress, white long sleeve T-shirt, blue ribbed stockings and her bright yellow sandals. This time, JD greeted her first when she was brought into the music/playroom by her caregiver (good job, JD, with your new Russian!). She went to his arms but then started to bawl. I quickly passed off the video camera to JD, picked her up and life was back to good. (We knew it would take time since the children never see men unless they are the maintenance person, the guard or the grounds keeper ~ someone they don't interact with.)

We had such a great visit. She sat with both of us and played with her toys...we even got a few cherished grins. We gave her a Fisher Price PDA which made noise and had lights --- huge hit. She kept putting it to her ear and we'd pretend she was on the phone. JD struck it big with her giving her a few Animal Crackers! (It was right before dinner time and we were afraid to be caught by the caregivers...) She has a mouthful of teeth which can only be seen when laughing and crying so we haven't seen much of them ~ yet.

At 6pm, the caregiver came in to take K away --- just when we were in the midst of having so much fun. K started to cry...she didn't want to leave! That was a great feeling. We took some last minute pictures and she was whisked away. JD and I had grins on our faces...we really felt connected...all of us.

Below is a "teaser" photo of K with JD when she was looking at our photo album:

Good News: We thought we had Saturday off to see the city, get souveniers, etc. but instead, we get to go back to see K again! Four days this week...what a blessing!

But what lurks in the background of my mind is that after Saturday's visit, JD and I won't get to see her for months and months.

Will K forget us? She is only 20 months...

What will she think? Anything? Probably return to her daily routine and not realize what's going on behind the scenes...

Will the caregivers follow through and show her our pictures daily? We can only hope so.

I sign off now, in great anticipation of seeing K today. We will try to get enough hugs to last us the duration of our separation until our next trip ~ when we can bombard her with more love and attention that she is so desperately lacking of but willing to receive and learn to give back.

Day 2 with K

What? No post yesterday? Boy...this worried my mom back in FL! Let's just say we were exhausted and I fell asleep early (11:30pm) --- sorry!

Unlike yesterday when we first met K in the morning, our meeting time was not scheduled until the afternoon. We awaited for our driver at 3:15 as instructed but didn't show up until 3:45 -- which we knew was just eating into valuable play time. Let's just say the traffic is HORRENDOUS here in Yekaterinburg!

We arrived at the orphanage around 5:00pm (usually a 40-min ride). K walked into the music/playroom and immediately gave hugs but she was a tough egg to crack today. JD and I did everything just shy of standing on our heads to make her laugh and giggle but all we got were a few treasured grins. But the more we thought about it, the more we began to understand: Here is a little girl who just met us, she doesn't know what to do with a doll or a palmer-grasp crayon. Hugs and kisses...what are those? Plus, she can't understand what we are saying to her except for the few Russian words I know! I mean, JD and I feel like fish out of water when we're out in the streets, at the airport, in a restaurant --- so why not her feel the same way?

I felt tremendous "success" communicating when I brought out a little plastic children's photo album which I had filled with pictures of JD and me. Since I can say "Where's Mama? and "Where's Papa?" in Russian, K responded and pointed correctly to the pics. She spent 10 minutes just flipping through the pages and pointing and then graduating to figuring out how to open up the plastic sleeves and trying to take the pictures out!

We're hoping that when we see her today (once again in the afternoon), that she'll start to open up just a little. Honestly, I'm not expecting it until we actually officially adopt her months down the road and we're with her consistently, when she can build trust and comfort. And that's ok.

So before heading out to the orphanange this afternoon, JD and I are going to hit the Yekaterinburg streets and try and find more small toys -- ones that make sounds are the biggest hits. We will drag out every ounce of creativity but most of all, we'll just keep showering her with love. She doesn't understand the concept yet but she will!

We are blessed!

Words cannot begin to express the joy we feel. Today, 12 years after trying to have a family, we met the beautiful little girl who will make this dream come true.

As we stood in the music/playroom, I experienced so many emotions: excited (this is what we've been waiting for!), nervous (will all eyes be on US sizing up our ability to be parents?), anxious (what happens if she takes one look at us and wants to cry or run in the other direction?), etc. (In fact, the picture above was taken just one moment before K was brought in when I was feeling all these emotions.) But overall, it was great. The staff at the orphanage (#6) are wonderful -- so friendly and supportive, as well was our translator/coordinator from the agency, Lydia.

They brought K in and immediately I was on her level as she handed me plastic balls. I took her on the slide and rocking horse and then hit it big when I brought out the stacking cups with a rattle ball. Both JD and I took turns playing with her -- and we took lots of pictures. Oh, how I wish we could post them here but perhaps over the next few days, we'll get some pics that are post-able (showing her off but not giving away her identity...).

We flew in a doctor from Moscow who specializes in international adoption and pediatrics. She was thorough yet so gentle and playful with K. All reports are good -- nothing that would make us even think twice about our decision to move forward.

Everything about her is precious -- her soft fair skin, her blonde short hair, and her medium blue eyes. She's a serious child who can be stingy with her smiles but when she does smile, oh how she just warms the heart!

We thank God for blessing us with this little girl and we look forward to seeing her again tomorrow for 2 hours in the afternoon. We just can't wait!!!

Greetings from Yekaterinburg!

It took just shy of 26 hours door to door but we made it to Yekaterinburg this morning around 2:45am. We were greeted outside Customs by a nice young man named Denis who was our driver to the hotel. The hotel was about a 20-minute drive from the airport. We settled in and got hooked up on internet access (priorities!!) and were asleep by 4:30am or so. After 5 hours of sleep, we had to get up as the hotel provides a really nice breakfast buffet and no lack of sleep can keep JD and me from a buffet, right?!! So, after we got our main meal of the day out of the way, back to sleep for 4 more hours. We are exhausted.

After exchanging some dollars for Rubles (rate = 24.71 rubles to the dollar), we walked the city. Miles and miles... It is really incredible when one can't understand the people, the signs, the alphabet, etc. We are just going with the flow and following the motto "when in Rome"... The weather is cool --- feels like it's in the low 50's.

Now I'm off to study my Russian so I can say a few words to K tomorrow. Looking forward to posting next after meeting our daughter!

K: Here we come!

The chauffeurs should be here any second (hey, mom and dad D!) so I'm signing off. Next time you'll hear from us, we'll be alot closer to K...and she doesn't even know it yet! Love to all! xoxo

So what's up, you ask???

OK - the e-mails are coming in....."are you alright?" Well, yes...and no. Last Thursday night, as I was getting ready for bed, I had pain in my shoulder. Twenty minutes later, and I couldn't move my arm. I hadn't done anything out of the ordinary except decide to save $12 and wash my own car earlier in the evening! I coddled my arm at work, iced it over and over, and figured "It'll go away...this can't be happening...we're leaving in a week!"

By Sunday morning, I was crying from the excrutiating pain from not being able to sleep on or move my right shoulder. I went to Urgent Care and they did x-rays saying it appeared to be Bursitis. Long story short -- I'm now under the care of an Orthopedist (wait....another SPECIALIST?? An "Orthopedist" was NOT on the long list we have to see!!). Tomorrow I will be going in for a cortisone injection and I am now on lifting restrictions for 4 weeks (nothing over 10 lbs.). This means I can't work as my job at the hospital requires pushing/pulling/lifting 100 lbs.

Speaking of my job, I know everyone knows I love my job. Well, today I had to go in to tie up some loose ends and --- everyone made me cry. They have been so supportive and at one point I was pulled to the side (hey, A!) and presented with a book to read on the plane as well as a special, home-made card (Tina...I think you're a closet OT!). The card was filled with the most touching sentiments and generousity that words cannot begin to express both Jon's and my appreciation. When I came home and read the card, I became a blubbering mess all over again! Jon laughed (at me) but was in awe. We are so thankful! Spasiba to you all.

Special Delivery!

It was a little after noon today when the FedEx truck pulled up. I was surprised because JD said he wouldn't be able to make it home for lunch today. (I'm off of work right now...long story...a separate post...) When I went to the door, it was a different FedEx man....and he had in his hands our Russian VISAs and Passports!! I was so thrilled that as he got back in his truck, I grabbed my camera and snapped a shot as he drove away. Little did he know how important that package was to us. I think we're really on our way...time to pack!!

20 months old today

Twenty months ago today on January 10, 2007, a life was born into this world. While my dad was in the hospital that very day with severe kidney stones, a woman halfway across the world was giving birth to a little girl who was chosen to be our daughter. (Mom jokes that dad was having empathy labor pains!) Another tidbit of information -- I was out sick from work the 9th and 10th of January, 2007, but mustered up enough strength the night of the 9th to attend our very first "Adoption 101" seminar. Little did we know that the blessing that we would receive from this journey was just being born (it was already the 10th in Russia)...and we hadn't even decided to adopt yet!

In our wildest dreams, we could only wish that she'd be home by Christmas which would mean she'd be here for her 2nd birthday in January. But we're realists. We understand that this process will probably take the 3-8 months we've been told by our Agency from the time we see her...and possibly longer. I eagerly anticipate meeting her but I dread the day we get on the plane in Ekat to come home...leaving K behind. There's something to the saying "what you don't know doesn't hurt you".

This past Monday, both JD and I met with a Pulmonary Specialist and an Oncologist taking home prescriptions for chest x-rays, complete blood counts and an order for a mammogram. Great. Two down, 7 more to go (which includes the Psychological Eval). The picture above was taken as we were driving home from San Diego. It just appeared that the heavens were shining down upon us...and I believe it to be true!

Moving along with the paperwork...

Some days, I really begin to feel overwhelmed with the enormous amount of paperwork that is required. I have a binder (somewhat put together) with tabs for travel, dossier, orphanage info (lists of questions to ask), medical info, payment receipts (ok - this section will need it's own binder, methinks!), travel docs, and on and on. I've also put together a spreadsheet with all the doctors' info and appointments to help keep us up to date on who we have to see, when and how we have to pay them.

Tomorrow, 9/8, JD and I will be going down to San Diego (SD) for a really quick turnaround trip. We will be meeting with an Oncologist and then a Pulmonary Specialist. We have 3 more appointments scheduled in SD on 9/30 (yes, right after we arrive home from Russia) with an Infectious Disease Specialist, Psychologist, and Dermatologist. Two weeks later, we will meet with the Psychiatrist/Addiction Specialist in SD and hopefully get a Neurologist and Internist squeezed in around that date, too. Whew....then we're done with being poked, prodded, and evaluated at least for a little while!

I just contacted the Chatsworth City Council hoping to get them to write a letter for us stating we are the only ones residing here in our home. How can they say "no" to writing a letter for us? I'm not too humble to get down on my knees to beg so I'm not too worried. Next on the list are FBI fingerprinting, a certification of how much we own and how much we owe (putting this off...do we really want to know???), getting a copy of the deed of our home, bank letters for every account we have, etc. The list goes on and on.

My desk here at home looks like it has exploded with paper, highlighters, calculator, and a calendar with lots of scribbles on it. But also sits a picture of K. She sits afar from us right now unknowing of the amount of hoopla taking place in the hopes that she will soon find comfort in our little home. Little does she know that she's already found a home in our hearts!

FAQs

Now that I'm getting ready to go "public" with this blog, I figured I'd answer a few of the most frequently asked questions.

Why Russia and not the US?
When we first considered adoption, we were open to both. We know people who have adopted domestically and have had wonderful experiences. We also know people who lived through hell caught up in an adoption nightmare. In CA, the birthmom has 30 days to change her mind and request the baby back. Could not go there, even if it happens only 1% of the time. We were drawn to Russia for their established program (albeit -- it's constantly changing!) and we preferred a child with a European background just because.

Why not post a picture of your little girl on your blog...or e-mail me?
Just not Kosher. Out of respect for the little girl who is still an orphan and not our daughter officially, her anonymity must be preserved. The internet has made a huge world alot smaller. The first online pics will be "published" when the court announces "she is your daughter".

How many trips do you have to take before you can bring her home?
"Trip #1," scheduled for Sept. 21-28th, is when we meet K for the first time. We will spend 3 days at the orphanage for a few hours each day. Then, on the 28th, we come home and have a boatload of paperwork to do to send to the Court in Russia. We will then await the judge to:

1) request we redo paperwork (again and again most probably...)
2) determine a date to return to Russia to appear in Court ("Trip #2")

After appearing in court, we have a 10-day wait period (not including weekends). This can last over 2 1/2 weeks. We can either stay in Russia or, due to the high cost of hotels/food/devaluation of the dollar, we can come home and travel back for a 3rd Trip to get K. Chances are we'll stay in Russia for the 3-3 1/2 weeks...but we'll see. After K joins us, we will travel to Moscow for 3-4 days for K's VISA/Passport and then head home. Whew!

Will you keep her name?
JD and I have really come to know her by her given name and we really don't feel we need to change it. So, at this point, looks like we'll keep it and give her a middle-name. No one knows it except JD and me....you'll have to await announcements!!!

OK -- I think I covered most questions. Whatever I missed....just shoot us an e-mail and I'll post it!

Back to the paperwork trail...

Come on, lucky 21!

We've been informed that our Trip #1 to Russia will depart on September 21st. I spent 2-hours straight on the phone purchasing new tickets today, paid a hefty "change fee", and now we're hoping that 21 is our lucky number. Otherwise, we're kinda ready to go! I unpacked what I had packed but the guest room (which will later become K's room) is full of all the stuff needed to endure 22 hours of traveling.

In the meantime, I have lots to do. My immediate task at hand is trying to coordinate getting appointments with 8 different specialists for both JD and me:

* Family Medicine
* Oncology
* Neurology
* Psychiatry
* Dermatology
* Infectious Disease
* Addiction Specialist
* Pulmonary

This is a requirement for Russian adoptions and Yekaterinburg requires that PAPs (prospective adoptive parents) complete this stateside. It's usually easier when done in Russia -- you simply go down a hall and each door is a different doc!

Here in the states, many docs won't see you if you don't have a referral or a specific reason (other than the Russian Government says so!). It's a challenge but what we may end up doing is going to San Diego, see the docs in the area around where our agency is (docs who have done this many times in the past), and make a "fun" weekend of it.

It's been a crazy week but *everyone* has been so supportive. I am blessed with the best husband, family, friends, and co-workers in the entire world! Thank you, thank you.

On your mark, get set......STOP!

We have officially felt the first blips and challenges of adopting from Russia and Yekaterinburg. Yesterday, just 4 days before catching our flight to Russia, we get that dreaded e-mail from our agency:

Please call me when you can. We have to postpone your trip for 1 month because the Inspector left early for vacation. She was not scheduled to leave for vacation until 8/22, but left 2 weeks early. She will return on 9/21 and Olga wants to have you there that week for your first trip. We should have a revised travel schedule for you very soon. I am so sorry to be the bearer of this disappointing news.

It wouldn't be too bad except our VISAs were issued yesterday morning ($600 down the tubes!) and now I'm in the midst of trying to cancel our last-minute expensive flights. It's frustrating but others who have lived through it have enlightened us about what possibly could happen and to "be prepared". Mentally I am (I think!) but emotionally, that will take some time. I just look at K's picture, tell her to hang in there, and say a prayer. If this is the worst of things, then it's not so bad...

We're Booked to Russia!

The good news is that we have been given dates for Trip #1 to Ekat so we can meet K for the first time. Our agency said that we should arrive in Ekat Tuesday, August 19th, go to the DOE(Department of Education) and the orphanage on the 20th, see K again on the 21st, and 22nd and leave on the 23rd. However, when we realized we could save $1500 pp on airline tix by staying in Ekat one more night, we jumped at the chance! Tonight I spent 2.5 hours checking airfares (with mom on the phone also doing checks) and finally ticketed a flight to Ekat (via London) on 8/17. Never before have I ever paid so much for airline tickets and *not* expect warm cloths, sterling silverware, and a seat that doesn't recline into a bed. Instead -- we're booked on 22+ hour flights to Russia knowing very well that we will get to know our travel companions better than we'd like to! But hey, it will be worth it to meet our little one.

Paperwork, and more paperwork...

Whew ~ just got out 52 pages of documents to our Agency this evening via FedEx in an effort to start our dossier. I haven't slept well in 2 days since I've been up until 3am making sure every "I" was dotted and "T" crossed. As I stated in my first post, we're adopting from Ekaterinburg, Russia -- a region known for having a very tough judge. No matter what we do, I have a feeling we'll be doing p/w over and over. But hey -- I don't want to make it easy for the judge to find something!

Here's a picture of JD getting writer's cramp as he signs all the docs. Hope to hear later this week as to when we will travel. {fingers crossed}

Just the beginning

Parents have said "I'd go to the ends of the earth for my child" and this is exactly what JD and I will be doing. Never in our wildest dreams did we ever think that we would travel across the world to become a family. But God has a plan for us and we're on our way to welcome a soul that was not born of our bodies but born in our hearts.

In the last 5 days, we have submitted contracts to our Adoption Agency, discussed our preferences with the Director, and received a referral for a precious little 18 mo. old girl in Yekaterinburg, Russia! It occurred to me that if I don't do something now ~ like start a blog, I have a feeling I won't get the chance! So many of our dear family, friends and co-workers have been there for us over the years and this looks like the best mode of communication to keep everyone in the loop.

It's been a loooong 12 years trying to start a family but JD and I are ready to move forward -- so buckle up and enjoy the ride with us as we venture to bring home our precious Russian Angel.