23 Days and Counting

Yesterday I took Evan to our local pharmacy for his Visa photos.  He was so excited, he walked up to Martina at the photo counter and said, "I'm here for my passport picture!"  She started laughing and then I gently reminded him it was a visa photo and that he already had his passport.  He did a great job standing still and did his best to not smile.  I still don't understand the Russian request (or culture) of asking for a photo without a smile.  Pretty hard for a seven-year-old who can't wait to meet his new little brother.  His was definitely cuter than either mine or Jose's.


Visa application:  CHECK!  Jose fedexed our passports, visa photos, and Russian visa application (and another big check) to Go To Russia, a company that specializes in assisting with travel visas.  


Airline Tickets:  CHECK!  Jose also worked out our travel arrangements with an awesome travel agent.  While we will be taking the long way around (Tampa, to DC, to Moscow to Vlad), the good news is, it was less expensive than the short way around (through South Korea) and we get to see Moscow!  I kept saying to Jose, "I just can't imagine us making two very long trips to Russia and not getting to see Moscow."  Who knows how many years it will take us to get back there.  With family in Spain and Michigan and many other favorite places we love to travel, I just don't see Russia near the top of our list any time soon.  Maybe when little M is a teenager.  We'll depart June 17 and due to the time difference, arrive on June 19.   Happy Father's Day!   


We'll then get ourselves settled into the Vlad Motor Inn for about three weeks while we journey through doctors appointments, our court date, visits with little M, our ten-day waiting period, and more paperwork to get a Russian passport for little M.  After that, the four of us (God willing) will board an airplane and head west toward Moscow where we'll do the necessary work to obtain a visa which will allow little M to enter the U.S. with us.  We'll spend six nights in Moscow and hopefully we'll be capable of communicating enough with  little M to be able to survive a little sightseeing.


All this AND the final Oprah Winfrey show in one day.  It's been a very good day in spite of one of my favorite shows ever ending.

We Have A Court Date!

I was 15 miles into my Monday morning ride on the Suncoast Trail with my friend, Kathy, when I heard my cell phone sounding.  Today, summer showed up in Florida; the thermometer peaked over 90 degrees before 9:00.  I quickly braked and dug into the sweaty pocket on the back of my biking jersey attempting to retrieve my phone, hoping I'd get to it before the ringing stopped.  On Saturday, we had received an email from Michigan; our Vlad coordinator learned that we had finally been assigned a judge.  Apparently this judge has the reputation as the "fast" judge, whatever that means.  We were just thrilled to have something, anything.  If having the "fast" judge is a bonus for us, then all the better... we are grateful.  The waiting game plays tricks with your mind, attitude, good humor, patience, faith...  Everything gets tested.  Every day that passes during this wait is another day that a wrench could get thrown into the mechanical process and anything is possible.  There are no guarantees in this game and it's a challenge to keep a positive attitude through it all.

I saw that the caller was, indeed, our coordinator from Michigan and I signaled a big thumbs up to Kathy, since we had just been discussing whether today would be the day that we'd finally get "The Call."  I answered, "Hi Lorien!"  I heard from her excited voice, "We've got a court date!"  I don't think I could have had a bigger smile on my face and my heart started pounding.  June 24.  Further off than we were hoping, but perfect nonetheless. I explained to Lorien that since I was miles from home on a bike in the middle of a wooded trail, I'd get myself home, connect with José and then call her back right after lunch so we could discuss the details of visa requirements and travel dates.  

Three months and eight days after meeting little M in Children's Home #2 in the outskirts of Vladivostok, we have a court date... and the fast judge.  Oh happy day.  I called José to share the news before pedaling off toward our Starbucks pick-me-up.  "José, I just had a call from Lorien.  We've got a court date!"  I could feel his smile through the phone. I told him we were headed back and that Lorien was expecting our call.  

I celebrated with Kathy over an iced Starbucks soy latte and celebrated with José over a big kiss. It's a very good day.  

Now down to business...  acquiring visas and figuring out our travel route.  Since Evan is out of school as of June 7, our travel calendar is clear.  Jose´s employer is extremely understanding and supportive of adoption, so his travel schedule is clear.  We plan to return to Vladivostok via Seoul, Korea, as we did the first trip.  Our biggest question is whether to travel to Moscow after our court date and ten-day waiting period for little M's visa or to use the courier to do it for us.  Apparently it's an 11 hour flight from Vlad to Moscow.   While we would love to see more of Russia than just the quaint and industrial port city of Vladivostok, it's probably more prudent (and cost effective) to send a courier.  That way we only have to pay for one airfare to Moscow rather than four.  We're running numbers now and working with a travel agent to see what we can come up with.  It would be a shame to travel twice to Russia and not see Moscow.  In this case, I just keep reminding myself why we're going to Russia...    

This afternoon when Evan came out of school before our daily bike ride home together, I shared the news with him.  He nearly jumped off his bike with excitement.  Just this morning he was asking when does he get his little brother.  Every night he asks if he can sleep in their new bedroom — I reply, it's not quite finished yet.  And it's not.  A few more details.  Tonight when I tucked him into bed, I said, as I often do, "do you know how lucky Mommy and Papa are that out of ALL the little boys in the world, we've got you?"  He replied, "and M!"  Yes,  and M.  Almost.  It's a good day.

More paperwork, please!

On Monday, we learned that our court dossier was accepted and that everything was complete.  Unfortunately, we also learned that little M's court dossier package was still in need of something that the coordinator there was now trying to round up for the judge.  We've been told it's something not commonly requested by the judge but the US coordinator couldn't tell us what it was exactly.  This puts us a little on edge... at least until we learn what that document entails.  After Monday's call, we feel like we're sooooo close, just still waiting for a court date.

Then yesterday, we learned that the Department of Education in Primorsky Krai (Vladivostok) just had to undergo a review by the Ministry of Education.  The MOE is based in Moscow and they are the governing organization federation-wide for all of Russia.  Apparently all went well during the review, but one change was made to policies and procedures which affects every family from now forward attempting to adopt in Vladivostok, Russia.

All families adopting from this region are now required to fill out an Anketa (registration) form.  For us, at this stage of the game, it's like a doctor telling a couple that they need to have another first date once they're already pregnant.  Seriously?  The most frustrating part of this is that every single tidbit of information requested on the Anketa is something that's already been provided, at least in triplicate at this point.  And the kicker is that yes, once again, we've got to get them (one for Jose and one for myself) notarized and then sent off to Tallahassee for more apostilles (that's like a notary of the notary stamp).  More running around, more document fees, more fedex charges, just to give them information they already have.  Bureaucracy at it's best.

Okay.  I'm done venting now.  Just can't wait for little M to come home with us.