Officially Waiting!

Even though we had our last home study meeting at the end of January, it took a month to get the home study written and put together.  So, around the 21st of February we received a draft of the report.  We revised it, as did our adoption agency, and it was edited, etc.  My caseworker had also received our original FBI fingerprint cards and state criminal clearances.  Finally, our agency approved our home study + received all clearances!  Then, they mailed us some Russian paperwork that you don't receive until your home study has been accepted.  We signed it and mailed it yesterday.  Now, we will be in the group of families waiting for a baby :)!  We're sooooo excited - we're one big step forward.
Also, during the past month ,we decided that we will take along H and J for the 3rd trip to pick up the baby.  It will be about a 2 week trip.  I've spent most of the month figuring out and gathering paperwork for H and J.  Their Russian passports expired in 2009 and they don't have U.S. Passports.  The short version is that they HAVE to enter Russia on a Russian passport since they are Russian citizens.  Russia will not issue them a visa for travel.  But, they will re-enter the U.S. on a U.S. Passport - uggggghhh.  To get a Russian passport renewed, the paperwork has to be filled out in Russian and delivered to the consulate in Washington, D.C.  I had to hire a passport service to complete all of this for them.  Finally, I think we're set - and their new Russian passports and U.S. Passports should be delivered soon! 

Paperwork is complete . . .for now

I reached the goal of having all of the paperwork we were respnsible for completed by the end of January!  Tomorrow I will give our state caseworker the last bit of paperwork I have for her.  I also mailed the last few things that my Russian agency needed this week.  Here are a few of the things that have been required:  physicals for Aubrey and I, psychological testing for us both (we passed), background checks, drug tests, reports of any 911 calls made from our residence in the past 5 years, a septic tank inspection, letter from our vet, appostilled marriage certificates, letter from peadiatrician, letter from our mortgage company, and on and on and on.
On Wednesday night, Aubrey flew back home from being in Arizona this week.  He went straight to the 911 center in D'ville (where we used to live).  They didn't have a request form so they wouldn't give him what he needed.  He went back the next morning and filled out the paperwork.  He drove to work, and then went back to D'ville at lunch to pick it up - and then back to work!  He said the whole time he just kept thinking that there was a baby, probably sucking its finger, who needed him to do this!
Honestly, this has all been very easy to do - much easier than I thought it would be.  We are so thankful to the people God has put in our path to this adoption.  We know He has a special baby for us!

Snow Jam 2011

Well, between Christmas break and Snow Jam '11, I've been able to get a ton completed for our adoption!  I think on my end I've either completed, or requested, all the paperwork that is needed.  Tomorrow we will have our 2nd of 3 homestudy meetings.  The 3rd meeting will be at our house.  My goal has been to have all of my paperwork and homestudy meetings completed by the end of January.  And, so far that's going well.

I was excited this week to talk with a Mom who is leaving Saturday for St. Petersburg to pick up her baby girl.  This is their 3rd and final trip.  They are using our agency.  They began their adoption in January 2010.  She had nothing but great things to say about our agency and the help they've received while in Russia.

Paperwork!

So far, I've been getting a lot done over Christmas break.  I've been able to have our medical forms completed by our Dr., who is great!  I've photocopied our passports, registered for state fingerprinting, ordered marriage certificates - which is what I need to complete my I-600, and we have both completed our LONG home study questionnaires.  We're now waiting on a date for our 2nd home study meeting.  I'd love to have our home study completed by the end of January.

1st Homestudy Meeting

We are scheduled to meet our caseworker tomorrow for the 1st of 3 meetings.  We have lots of paperwork/documents to gather over the next month.