Stoli update

[DCJenn]

We got the "congratulations you've been approved, you owe us another $2000" letter last week.

(and my question was, "so, we weren't approved with the first $4000 we have spent?")

But what this means is that the home study is DONE, and the final dossier has been sent to BCIS (formerly immigration) for their stamp of approval and then it goes to Russia. Our social worker has told us that there are two towns that are the likely places we'll go, both in the Perm region- one is Perm the town and the other is Ekatrinberg. Both are college towns, not coincidentally.

So- that's all the news so far.

Jenn

Excellent news, Jenn! Another step closer to having the little one.

What's the next step? How much longer? Aren't you just dying from the wait??? This process seems much longer than a normal pregnancy and I've had 3!

[SueC]

That's exciting! I had the same thoughts as Thu Van--are they giving you any sort of timeline to go by?

[Meenah]

Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!! When can we have a cyber shower?
Luanne

[mommax3]

Great news, Jenn, and I am definitely up for a cyber shower!

Sally

[DCJenn]

There are a couple of ways to get referrals- the first is that we get a picture and a (patheticly bizarre) medical- and sometimes a video. The second is that we go "blind" and meet the referral when we get there. There are plusses and minuses both ways- the first is much harder to reject a referral- not harder, but you have to wait again for another referral. The second is that you can reject a referral but usually they'll refer you to another child either in that same home or another one nearby. I can't imagine what that must be like.

So- I don't know which way we'll go. The timeline is something like 4-7 months from now we'll get the referral. (it could be faster but probably not) and take the first trip. The second trip (when everything becomes legal- we go to court, then go to Moscow to the American Embassy for the American documentation) usually happens 3-12 weeks after the first trip. So, nothing like specifics. Bottom line- it could be any time from here on out.

Jenn

[Meenah]

I work with a nurse who went to Russia with her husband and they picked a baby (about 12 months) and while they were there another child ,age 5 and from the same orphanage was very emotionally attached to the baby. They ended up adopting both boys. It is now two years later and they all seem very happy.
Luanne

[SueC]

I might have mentioned this on this forum before, but I know a woman who went to adopt a 2 and 3 year old from Russia last summer--when she and her husband got there they discovered they had 3 older sisters all in different orphanages. A year later, they adopted the older 3 siblings as well. I saw all of them yesterday and it was absolutely amazing to see how bonded the older children (who only arrived here on July 4) seem to be to their new mom. They call her "mama" in the cutest accent and they kept hugging her. It was very sweet.

[houseelf]

Fantastic news. Hearing your story makes me wish that I was a wealthy philanthropist so that I could float you a few grand to help defray expenses.

Are you journaling all of this so that your little one will know how much love, energy, and time you spent to bring him/her into your life? This is an amazing legacy.

Kelly

Yeah! Sounds like you are making progress, slowly but surely. When you do have a photo, please post.
I'm wondering if the nickname Stoli is going to stick.

That's so exciting, Jenn-- good luck to you!

and I vote for the nickname to stick!

[BonBon]

Wow, Jenn, it seems like things are really moving along! Too bad there are no such things as specifics in this process, huh?! Do you at least know the age of the child, so you can begin to prepare?

I'm all for a cyber shower too! (and I think the nickname Stoli is pretty cute too )

[DCJenn]

We have requested under 12 months (at the 1st referral) and they usually are 6 months when they go on the availibility list so Stoli will probably be about 9 months old.

As for the nickname, Rick and I were in a cab last Saturday, after visiting my friend Leslie who has a three week old named Patricia Anne. Well, Patricia is a Very Serious Name for a little girl, Tricia is the name of a semi nut friend of ours, and Patty is a 1950's name. So, she's now Pinkie based on the fact that she's pink, a redhead, and wears girly clothes.

anyway, (I digress) we were laughing about Pinkie and I said, "well, you know our kid is going to go to kindergarten and say 'my name is _____ but my mom and dad call me Stoli.'"

Since Stoli's aunt/uncle, grandparents, extraneous relatives and all of my friends, not to mention you guys all refer to him/her as Stoli- we're no doubt going to keep the nickname!

Jenn

[DCJenn]

Holy Crap!

So, I got this email from the Social Worker on Thursday night saying they needed a few more things signed and apostiled and that it was rather urgent.

Apparently there are some bills (or whatever the Russian equivalent are) at the Duma (Congress) that could impact adoptions so she wanted to get our entire packet in. So, it was all FedExed yesterday. And according to the Social Work intern, things are moving along VERY quickly as the Russians are trying to expedite getting these kiddos out before any changes might take place.

Wow! So now we're planning for contingencies- like what happens if we get a referral while he's on these non-leavable rotations??? My friend Leslie has volunteered but I"m not sure she and Pinkie (her month-old baby) need to be travelling to the remote corners of Russia. But on the other hand, why the heck not? Leslie and her mother both had the travel bug, her daughter probably will, too. My mother is able to go, but she prefers to travel with my dad.

So, we'll see what happens and I'll keep you all posted.

Jenn

PS- the only trip Rick has to be there for is the second one- that's the one with the court hearing. It would be nice to bring my own pediatrician to check things out on the first go round though!

[Cumberland]

Wow that is so exciting!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I cant wait for you to hold little Stoli.