My blog update is way overdue...chalk it up to juggling the demands of parenthood and a busy work schedule. Much thanks to all of you who have shown such support and enthusiasm during our adoption process. Though it was very trying at times I'd do it again in a heartbeat; Vincent is the love of our lives.
V's (our favorite nickname for him) adjustment has been nothing short of amazing. We were prepared for the worst case scenario; attachment difficulties, sleeping problems, difficulty expressing and receiving affection, difficulty learning his new language. In 3 months he has gained a 40 word vocabulary, appears to understand just about everything we say to him, has adjusted beautifully to his daycare, and acts as though he has always been a part of our family.
We have seen this quiet, reserved boy evolve into a giggling, laughing, funny, smart 2 year old.
He loves nothing more than being held and kissed. He's grown very attached to Mama and Daddy, as he calls us. He loves for the three of us to be together, whether it's playing outside, reading books together on the couch, or taking him on a little adventure. He knows he has a forever family; I truly believe this.
I never doubted how much we'd grow to love him, of course. But I honestly couldn't even imagine loving him as much as I do. It didn't happen the first time we met him, I have to be honest about that. I think I was more in shock than anything else (as I'm sure V was, too) It was an attachment and love that grew over time. To the point that the first time he was really "ours", when we picked him up from his orphanage and drove back to the hotel with him, I knew
that there was NOTHING I wouldn't do for this little boy. Nothing I wouldn't sacrifice for him. I could imagine loving any child born to me any more than I love V. We're a family now, the three of us.
V has also had his share of adventures since arriving home with us. He ran into a bookcase and got a few stiches in his forehead. Not a big deal, of course, but as many parents feel, I wished it had happened to me instead of him. As a reminder he has a little scar smack in the middle of his forehead.
V is a funny little kid. He loves his stuffed animals and always has one of them with him. He sleeps with all of them piled in his bed (in addition to several books and a few toys). He loves bananas, peanut butter, fruit bars, and milk. If he ate nothing else I think he'd be ok with that
:-) He loves to dance (Andy has shown him a few moves..think "Saturday Night Fever") and he will "take a bow" after he's done an especially cute routine. He loves to help out, whether it's bringing his cups and bowls to the kitchen after dinner, picking up his toys, or carrying a box of something in from the car after grocery shopping. The boy also loves riding in the grocery cart when we go shopping. He loves to "kiss" everything; his toothbrush after he's finished using it, the gallon of milk before it's put back in the fridge, his favorite book after we finish reading it.
V also loves daycare (thank God!). That makes my life much easier! He's also grown very attached to his Grandparents and his cousins. He will drop what he's doing, squeal with delight, and run to them full speed when he sees them.
In short, Vincent is just an absolute joy. It's hard to imaging life before he arrived, though I vaguely remember having alot more time to myself :-) Thanks ok; all part of the parenting package. An amazing job in my humble opinion.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Friday, August 15, 2008
Life at our house
Much thanks to Andy who was kind enough to log on and post some pictures of Vincent and give a little update about our week in Moscow. There were a few things he left out. Maybe it's like childbirth; most mom's won't fully remember the pains of labor once they see their child's face. Having Vincent here with us makes it easy to put that week behind us. Just for the heck of it, I'll fill you in while it's still fresh in my mind.
We picked Vincent up on a Monday. We were in the lobby that morning waiting for our translator to meet us. I hadn't slept well the night before (due to both nerves/anticipation and the fact that the room was hot and stuffy). The hotel lobby was bustling; several large tour groups had arrived the night before. As I turned around I spotted a man who looked exactly like my dad, Vincent's namesake. It was very surreal. I had been thinking about him alot that morning. Much in the way people thing about loved ones who have died on special occasions, wishing they could be there with us. I took it as a sign that he, in some way, knew about the wonderful event that was to happen. It was difficult to keep the tears at bay after that point.
Our first stop was the Russian passport agency office. After we completed our business there we stopped by a grocery store and bought cakes for the staff at Vincent's orphanage. I had thought about what this final scene would be like; much emotion, tears, words of farewell from Vincent's caregivers, asking us to take good care of their special boy. Much like the final scene of a movie when something really good happens to the main character and the music starts on cue and they all walk off together into the distance. Instead, the orphanage was strangely quiet that morning. "Reds", the orphanage director, was on vacation so there was to be no commentary from her. The caregiver who appeared to be most attached to him was also not present. We knocked on the door to his group's playroom and they sent him out and promptly shut the door. We changed him out of his clothes and put him in the clothes we brought for him. We took a quick photo of Vincent with his caregiver and then the door shut; that was it! So much for the melodrama that I had imagined.
Vincent took our hands, walked through the door, and never looked back. Not even a tear when we put him in the car. Soon this beautiful little boy was asleep on my lap, holding tightly on to the teddy bear we gave him the first time we met back in May. I just couldn't believe that he was finally OUR boy. It had to be one of the happiest moments of my life.
Our week in Moscow had its share of challenges. Vincent was recovering from bronchitis and had a fever and a bad cough. He also had a horrendous diaper rash. Plus he was teething. Add 6 days in a small hotel room, new parents, and a toddler who comprehends only Russian. We survived. Just as we survived the 10.5 hour flight back to New York. At that point both Andy and I were sick, as was Vincent. Benadryl only helped so much; he slept for the first hour of the flight. After that we relied on every trick we had planned to keep him occupied. He screamed intermittently. He occupied himself with several lollipops, mostly by rubbing it in his hair, on his hands, and sticking it to his seat. We distracted him with Play -Do; that came to an abrupt end as he threw a chunk of it into the seat in front of him. He threw a small, plastic animal into the airplane toilet. He pushed the emergency call button and unlocked the bathroom door. It was a crash course in parenting, for sure.
My mom, brother, and his wife and 2 young girls met us at the airport, waving American flags as we came through customs. Vincent slept the entire 90 minute car ride back to my mom's house in NJ. That evening we had a little family party and my uncle and aunts joined in the celebration. At that point I was totally exhausted, jet-lagged, and sick. All I wanted to do was crawl into bed and sleep for a few days. Then I realized we have a 2 year old to take care of. How the heck do parents take care of them when they feel like crap? I think it was at that moment that I decided that Vincent will be an only child!
We've been home less than a week; during this time we've seen Vincent undergo such an amazing transformation. He was such a quiet, serious boy every time we'd see him at the orphanage. Now he's laughing and squealing nonstop. He already says several words in English...amazing how quickly he's learning things. He has quite a little personality. We can already tell he's a real comedian. He has his moments, of course, just like most 2 year olds. He's stubborn. H.e can go from a temper tantrum to giggles in 10 seconds. He's testing his limits with Andy and I, figuring out just how much he can get away with. He's amazingly affectionate; we had been told to expect him to refuse hugs and kisses for some time. We've been so blessed that his transition has been easier than we had anticipated.
Being home with him is hard work; much more difficult than I had anticipated. Simple things take up alot of time. Throw in a temper tantrum and breakfast preparation and cleanup can take an hour. I'm getting used to planning my day around his naps. It seems like nap time (or after he goes to bed) are the only times I can really get anything accomplished. I also figured out that it is pointless to run around after him, picking up his toys throught the day. I've also stopped worrying that he has a little bit of his breakfast on his shirt (and in his hair). Hopefully nobody will report me for that one :-)
My plan is just to enjoy every waking minute with our little guy. Right now he's sleeping peacefully; I have to admit that I've come to cherish this time for myself. Which is why I'll sign off now, put my feet up on the couch, and read a book....just like the old days :-)
We picked Vincent up on a Monday. We were in the lobby that morning waiting for our translator to meet us. I hadn't slept well the night before (due to both nerves/anticipation and the fact that the room was hot and stuffy). The hotel lobby was bustling; several large tour groups had arrived the night before. As I turned around I spotted a man who looked exactly like my dad, Vincent's namesake. It was very surreal. I had been thinking about him alot that morning. Much in the way people thing about loved ones who have died on special occasions, wishing they could be there with us. I took it as a sign that he, in some way, knew about the wonderful event that was to happen. It was difficult to keep the tears at bay after that point.
Our first stop was the Russian passport agency office. After we completed our business there we stopped by a grocery store and bought cakes for the staff at Vincent's orphanage. I had thought about what this final scene would be like; much emotion, tears, words of farewell from Vincent's caregivers, asking us to take good care of their special boy. Much like the final scene of a movie when something really good happens to the main character and the music starts on cue and they all walk off together into the distance. Instead, the orphanage was strangely quiet that morning. "Reds", the orphanage director, was on vacation so there was to be no commentary from her. The caregiver who appeared to be most attached to him was also not present. We knocked on the door to his group's playroom and they sent him out and promptly shut the door. We changed him out of his clothes and put him in the clothes we brought for him. We took a quick photo of Vincent with his caregiver and then the door shut; that was it! So much for the melodrama that I had imagined.
Vincent took our hands, walked through the door, and never looked back. Not even a tear when we put him in the car. Soon this beautiful little boy was asleep on my lap, holding tightly on to the teddy bear we gave him the first time we met back in May. I just couldn't believe that he was finally OUR boy. It had to be one of the happiest moments of my life.
Our week in Moscow had its share of challenges. Vincent was recovering from bronchitis and had a fever and a bad cough. He also had a horrendous diaper rash. Plus he was teething. Add 6 days in a small hotel room, new parents, and a toddler who comprehends only Russian. We survived. Just as we survived the 10.5 hour flight back to New York. At that point both Andy and I were sick, as was Vincent. Benadryl only helped so much; he slept for the first hour of the flight. After that we relied on every trick we had planned to keep him occupied. He screamed intermittently. He occupied himself with several lollipops, mostly by rubbing it in his hair, on his hands, and sticking it to his seat. We distracted him with Play -Do; that came to an abrupt end as he threw a chunk of it into the seat in front of him. He threw a small, plastic animal into the airplane toilet. He pushed the emergency call button and unlocked the bathroom door. It was a crash course in parenting, for sure.
My mom, brother, and his wife and 2 young girls met us at the airport, waving American flags as we came through customs. Vincent slept the entire 90 minute car ride back to my mom's house in NJ. That evening we had a little family party and my uncle and aunts joined in the celebration. At that point I was totally exhausted, jet-lagged, and sick. All I wanted to do was crawl into bed and sleep for a few days. Then I realized we have a 2 year old to take care of. How the heck do parents take care of them when they feel like crap? I think it was at that moment that I decided that Vincent will be an only child!
We've been home less than a week; during this time we've seen Vincent undergo such an amazing transformation. He was such a quiet, serious boy every time we'd see him at the orphanage. Now he's laughing and squealing nonstop. He already says several words in English...amazing how quickly he's learning things. He has quite a little personality. We can already tell he's a real comedian. He has his moments, of course, just like most 2 year olds. He's stubborn. H.e can go from a temper tantrum to giggles in 10 seconds. He's testing his limits with Andy and I, figuring out just how much he can get away with. He's amazingly affectionate; we had been told to expect him to refuse hugs and kisses for some time. We've been so blessed that his transition has been easier than we had anticipated.
Being home with him is hard work; much more difficult than I had anticipated. Simple things take up alot of time. Throw in a temper tantrum and breakfast preparation and cleanup can take an hour. I'm getting used to planning my day around his naps. It seems like nap time (or after he goes to bed) are the only times I can really get anything accomplished. I also figured out that it is pointless to run around after him, picking up his toys throught the day. I've also stopped worrying that he has a little bit of his breakfast on his shirt (and in his hair). Hopefully nobody will report me for that one :-)
My plan is just to enjoy every waking minute with our little guy. Right now he's sleeping peacefully; I have to admit that I've come to cherish this time for myself. Which is why I'll sign off now, put my feet up on the couch, and read a book....just like the old days :-)
Thursday, August 14, 2008
From Our Moscow Hotel Room ...
It seemed like our week in our cramped, stuffy room in the Hotel Cosmos would never end, but what made it bearable (joyous, in fact) was little Andrey. He was so serious at the orphanage, but from the time we took him to the hotel to the day we left the smile barely left his face. He was happy, energetic, giggling, rambunctious--a joy to behold! We were so happy, and so relieved--we hadn't been sure how he'd react to being taken away from everything he'd ever known. Luckily, he seems to have bonded quite tightly with us. His personality is amazing. There's so much more to write about. The picture in the middle, where he's holding up his hands, is his favorite game--he likes to take things (toys, stuffed animals etc.) and hide them, then hold up his hands and make this quizzical expression--"Where is it?"--while we pretend to look for it (usually it's hidden in plain sight, but the joy the little guy gets from this game is amazing). The game never gets old for him, and neither does being tossed in the air by Andy, who got quite a workout from lifting him up over and over again (the little guy may be short, but he's solid!).Tuesday, August 12, 2008
He's Here!!!!
Vincent Andrew Barry arrived in the U.S. on Aug. 9, 2008. He is adjusting very well, he's happy and playful and we are thrilled beyond belief. Last few days have been very hectic; much more to follow soon!
Friday, July 25, 2008
Last visit with Vincent
We didn't take quite as many pictures of Vincent this last trip, probably because we were just so focused on spending time with him. We did take a few cute ones, though, and Andy will upload them to the blog this weekend. We didn't take a camera with us to our court date, though in retrospect it would have been nice to have taken a picture of the group. After the experience, though, I just wanted to get the heck out of there.
After court, we got back to the car and we dropped Reds off at a local Metro stop. Andy and I were sure we were headed back to our hotel. Imagine our surprise when we looked out the window and realized we were just down the street from Vincent's orphanage! They decided to let us have one last visit with him before we returned home the next day.
Vincent was with the other kids in their playroom. He ran up to us and his eyes were as big as saucers. He grabbed our hand and we headed outside to the play area. We played catch with a ball and rolled it back and forth to him. He really seemed to enjoy it! Next we took turns throwing balls into an improvised hoop (it was really a basket duct taped to two short metal poles in the ground with a stuffed animal duct taped to the top portion...a little bizarre.)
Then, it happened. Are you ready, folks? For the first time he smiled at us! Then he giggled. Soon he was laughing and squealing as he ran around the yard with us. I picked him up, hugged and kissed him and he was still smiling (after the car incident I wasn't so sure what his reaction would be) I don't think I've been happier than I was at that moment. To see him so happy...it made all of the waiting, the travel, the paperwork, and the expense of this adoption worth it. Andy, Vincent, and I.... together. I wish I could have bottled that moment. I couldn't even take a picture of him, since we were sans camera.
It was time for Vincent to go back inside. We led him up to the playroom, gave him a kiss and a hug, and waved goodbye. Once he realized we were leaving, he started to cry. Oh boy, I didn't want to see him upset but part of me was relieved that he was sad to see us go.
We'll return to Moscow 8/3 . The next day we'll visit his orphanage for the last time. After that visit he'll be walking out the door with us, his new parents.
After court, we got back to the car and we dropped Reds off at a local Metro stop. Andy and I were sure we were headed back to our hotel. Imagine our surprise when we looked out the window and realized we were just down the street from Vincent's orphanage! They decided to let us have one last visit with him before we returned home the next day.
Vincent was with the other kids in their playroom. He ran up to us and his eyes were as big as saucers. He grabbed our hand and we headed outside to the play area. We played catch with a ball and rolled it back and forth to him. He really seemed to enjoy it! Next we took turns throwing balls into an improvised hoop (it was really a basket duct taped to two short metal poles in the ground with a stuffed animal duct taped to the top portion...a little bizarre.)
Then, it happened. Are you ready, folks? For the first time he smiled at us! Then he giggled. Soon he was laughing and squealing as he ran around the yard with us. I picked him up, hugged and kissed him and he was still smiling (after the car incident I wasn't so sure what his reaction would be) I don't think I've been happier than I was at that moment. To see him so happy...it made all of the waiting, the travel, the paperwork, and the expense of this adoption worth it. Andy, Vincent, and I.... together. I wish I could have bottled that moment. I couldn't even take a picture of him, since we were sans camera.
It was time for Vincent to go back inside. We led him up to the playroom, gave him a kiss and a hug, and waved goodbye. Once he realized we were leaving, he started to cry. Oh boy, I didn't want to see him upset but part of me was relieved that he was sad to see us go.
We'll return to Moscow 8/3 . The next day we'll visit his orphanage for the last time. After that visit he'll be walking out the door with us, his new parents.
Our court date; the play-by-play
I feel like I left everyone hanging with my last post; Vincent trying desperately to claw his way out of the car, screaming at the top of his little lungs. An image I'd rather forget, though he's two and I'm sure Andy and I will be seeing more of that particular "performance" in the future.
Back to the court hearing; it's really just too... "interesting" not give you the play-by-play. Few things in my life have every been "typical", so why shouldn't we have a court hearing that closely resembled a skit from "Saturday Night Live?"
Andy and I made our way to the Moscow City Court via Vincent's orphanage; we stopped there to pick up "Reds", the director of the orphanage. No, that's not her real name of course, just our little nickname for her. The 5 of us were piled into our driver's small car. It was about 95 degrees and 90% humidity. The only automobile air conditioning we experienced during this trip to Moscow was what my father used to call "4-40"; open all 4 windows and drive 40 mph. Andy was in a suit and I was wearing a black dress; we were a sweaty mess by the time we arrived at the court building. Fortunately it was air conditioned...what a relief!
Our hearing was scheduled for 4:00 pm. We arrive close to 3:30 and wait outside the courtroom. No sign of the judge by 4:00. Still no judge at 4:30. At 4:45 we spot a middle-age woman running down the hall; here comes our judge after all! She was the spitting image of my mother's friend, Fran! Of course I couldn't properly pronounce our judge's entire Russian name, so I nicknamed our judge "Fran." Are you keeping up with me? So far we have "Reds" and "Fran"; if these women only knew what I was calling them! Soon we were asked to enter the courtroom and we take our seats. Immediately we hear a loud thumping noise coming from the judge's chambers. It sounded like a pipe was going to explode. It was loud, and very distracting. Everyone is giggling. The judge appears, and she starts to speak. Our interpreter, Katya, is sitting next to us, translating so that we know what's being said.
Fran asks that all the Russian speaking people present sign their names in a book, located on a podium near our seats. As they assemble around the podium, they're searching for a pen. The "pen" was actually this big, poofy purple pom-pom thingy. This is a courtroom, people, not a pre-teen girl's bedroom! Everyone giggles as they pass around the jiggling, poofy pen.
Soon it's Andy's turn to take the podium. Fran asks him (via our translator) his name, date of birth, address. Then she asks Andy the date we were married. Andy, please forgive me for telling this part of the story. Oh boy, I can see the sweat collecting on Andy's brow. After a slight delay, Andy replies. He's off by a few days. There's a delay and then Fran says, "That's not the date I have, do you want to try again?" He shoots, he scores... he gets it right this time! More chuckles ensue from the crowd.
Let's not forget about the thumping coming from the judge's chambers. The door of the courtroom flies open. It's the bulding's maintenance crew, outfitted in bright orange jumpsuits. They walk DIRECTLY across the middle of the courtroom with a ladder. The Three Stooges disappear into the judge's chamber to tend to the thumping.
Red's cell phone rings. There are signs in English all around the court building (in fact, the only signs I saw in English our entire trip) stating that nobody is to use a cell phone in the building. This doesn't stop Reds. She starts chatting and laughing on her cell phone while I'm at the podium, answering the judge's questions. Another cell phone rings; this time it it's our attorney. The theme from "Swan Lake" plays as she flicks open her phone. They're both talking on their phones at the same time. The judge doesn't appear irritated by the phone calls, so I figure if she's not bothered by it, why should I be? Right?
Fran retires to her chambers for a few moments before reading her verdict. Just as she reappears and begins to tell us whether or not she has awarded guardianship of Vincent to Andy and I, the Three Stooges reappear from her chambers. They walk, with ladder in hand, directly across the middle of the courtroom. They exit, Fran reads her verdict, and Vincent is now part of our family! Everyone begins hugging and kissing everyone else.
I tried really hard to remember exactly how I felt at that exact moment, the moment when Vincent officially became our son and we became his parents. One day Vincent will ask what happened that day, and Andy and I can recount the events to him, ringing cell phones, poofy pen, and Three Stooges with their ladder and all.
Back to the court hearing; it's really just too... "interesting" not give you the play-by-play. Few things in my life have every been "typical", so why shouldn't we have a court hearing that closely resembled a skit from "Saturday Night Live?"
Andy and I made our way to the Moscow City Court via Vincent's orphanage; we stopped there to pick up "Reds", the director of the orphanage. No, that's not her real name of course, just our little nickname for her. The 5 of us were piled into our driver's small car. It was about 95 degrees and 90% humidity. The only automobile air conditioning we experienced during this trip to Moscow was what my father used to call "4-40"; open all 4 windows and drive 40 mph. Andy was in a suit and I was wearing a black dress; we were a sweaty mess by the time we arrived at the court building. Fortunately it was air conditioned...what a relief!
Our hearing was scheduled for 4:00 pm. We arrive close to 3:30 and wait outside the courtroom. No sign of the judge by 4:00. Still no judge at 4:30. At 4:45 we spot a middle-age woman running down the hall; here comes our judge after all! She was the spitting image of my mother's friend, Fran! Of course I couldn't properly pronounce our judge's entire Russian name, so I nicknamed our judge "Fran." Are you keeping up with me? So far we have "Reds" and "Fran"; if these women only knew what I was calling them! Soon we were asked to enter the courtroom and we take our seats. Immediately we hear a loud thumping noise coming from the judge's chambers. It sounded like a pipe was going to explode. It was loud, and very distracting. Everyone is giggling. The judge appears, and she starts to speak. Our interpreter, Katya, is sitting next to us, translating so that we know what's being said.
Fran asks that all the Russian speaking people present sign their names in a book, located on a podium near our seats. As they assemble around the podium, they're searching for a pen. The "pen" was actually this big, poofy purple pom-pom thingy. This is a courtroom, people, not a pre-teen girl's bedroom! Everyone giggles as they pass around the jiggling, poofy pen.
Soon it's Andy's turn to take the podium. Fran asks him (via our translator) his name, date of birth, address. Then she asks Andy the date we were married. Andy, please forgive me for telling this part of the story. Oh boy, I can see the sweat collecting on Andy's brow. After a slight delay, Andy replies. He's off by a few days. There's a delay and then Fran says, "That's not the date I have, do you want to try again?" He shoots, he scores... he gets it right this time! More chuckles ensue from the crowd.
Let's not forget about the thumping coming from the judge's chambers. The door of the courtroom flies open. It's the bulding's maintenance crew, outfitted in bright orange jumpsuits. They walk DIRECTLY across the middle of the courtroom with a ladder. The Three Stooges disappear into the judge's chamber to tend to the thumping.
Red's cell phone rings. There are signs in English all around the court building (in fact, the only signs I saw in English our entire trip) stating that nobody is to use a cell phone in the building. This doesn't stop Reds. She starts chatting and laughing on her cell phone while I'm at the podium, answering the judge's questions. Another cell phone rings; this time it it's our attorney. The theme from "Swan Lake" plays as she flicks open her phone. They're both talking on their phones at the same time. The judge doesn't appear irritated by the phone calls, so I figure if she's not bothered by it, why should I be? Right?
Fran retires to her chambers for a few moments before reading her verdict. Just as she reappears and begins to tell us whether or not she has awarded guardianship of Vincent to Andy and I, the Three Stooges reappear from her chambers. They walk, with ladder in hand, directly across the middle of the courtroom. They exit, Fran reads her verdict, and Vincent is now part of our family! Everyone begins hugging and kissing everyone else.
I tried really hard to remember exactly how I felt at that exact moment, the moment when Vincent officially became our son and we became his parents. One day Vincent will ask what happened that day, and Andy and I can recount the events to him, ringing cell phones, poofy pen, and Three Stooges with their ladder and all.
Monday, July 21, 2008
It's official!
OK, I'll cut to the chase; all went well at our court hearing in Moscow and we are "officially" Vincent's parents!
We had issues with internet access during our trip, so my apologies to all our friends in cyberspace who were diligently checking our blog during our time in Moscow. I can't troubleshoot a wireless connection problem to save my life. Right now my coworkers are chuckling at me because I've had this horizontal line across my computer screen at work for the past few months and haven't gotten around to figuring out why it's there or what to do about it. I digress...
This trip we stayed in a large hotel that appeared to host quite an international crowd. We've heard that many adoptive parents from our area/agency stay at the Marriott; at $600 a night it was too expensive for our blood. Instead, we had thumping Euro-music filling the lobby (along with a heavy cloud of cigarette smoke) There were some...err..."interestingly" dressed (or undressed) women who were parked at the lobby bar. The elevator shook and rumbled. They paved the hotel driveway at 2 am just about every night we were there. No temperature control in the room; it was either really warm or cold. The breakfast buffet consisted of mostly unrecognizable foods, even for an adventurous foodie. Hey, the price was right.
Back to Vincent, the most important part of the trip. We had several visits with him before our court hearing. Most were fairly short; about 90 minutes each. I think he did remember us; he ran over to Andy and I as soon as he spotted us in the outside play area. Just as I knelt down and started to rub his back and talk to him, he was swarmed by the group; the pediatrician who directs the orphanage, our attorney, and our interpreter. Apparently the orphanage director is very attached to him, so she couldn't resist snatching him up, kissing him, and taking him for a little walk. No fair, she hijacked our Vincent :-) No worries, they returned shortly and we had him to ourselves.
This boy loves to walk; he held on to our finger and walked twice around the perimeter of the orphanage. Then we sat with him and played with a wooden puzzle and blocks. When he concentrates on a task, he bites on his upper lip and his dark eyes get big. Then he raises and lowers his eyebrows. Then he'd stare at us with those beatiful eyes, studying our faces with such intensity. Though he seemed to be enjoying himself, we didn't see a smile...at all. He seemed enthusiastic when he said "paca" (goodbye in Russian) at the end of each visit. Great, he can't wait to get rid of us, and he's hasn't even reached his teen years!
During another visit we took him to a local photographer to have his passport and visa pictures taken. He seemed tentative as we approached the car. Once we tried to put him in the car all hell broke loose; he grabbed on to the door, screaming and kicking. He had no memory of ever being in a car. The last time he rode in one was when he was 2 months old and was brought to the orphanage. Despite our attempts to comfort him, he was hysterical. Finally curiosity won out over fear and he occupied himselp by staring out the window. Round two started up once we had to put him back in the car once the pictures were taken. I'm sure he will get used to it, hopefully in short order. If not, is it legal to drive with ear plugs???
We had issues with internet access during our trip, so my apologies to all our friends in cyberspace who were diligently checking our blog during our time in Moscow. I can't troubleshoot a wireless connection problem to save my life. Right now my coworkers are chuckling at me because I've had this horizontal line across my computer screen at work for the past few months and haven't gotten around to figuring out why it's there or what to do about it. I digress...
This trip we stayed in a large hotel that appeared to host quite an international crowd. We've heard that many adoptive parents from our area/agency stay at the Marriott; at $600 a night it was too expensive for our blood. Instead, we had thumping Euro-music filling the lobby (along with a heavy cloud of cigarette smoke) There were some...err..."interestingly" dressed (or undressed) women who were parked at the lobby bar. The elevator shook and rumbled. They paved the hotel driveway at 2 am just about every night we were there. No temperature control in the room; it was either really warm or cold. The breakfast buffet consisted of mostly unrecognizable foods, even for an adventurous foodie. Hey, the price was right.
Back to Vincent, the most important part of the trip. We had several visits with him before our court hearing. Most were fairly short; about 90 minutes each. I think he did remember us; he ran over to Andy and I as soon as he spotted us in the outside play area. Just as I knelt down and started to rub his back and talk to him, he was swarmed by the group; the pediatrician who directs the orphanage, our attorney, and our interpreter. Apparently the orphanage director is very attached to him, so she couldn't resist snatching him up, kissing him, and taking him for a little walk. No fair, she hijacked our Vincent :-) No worries, they returned shortly and we had him to ourselves.
This boy loves to walk; he held on to our finger and walked twice around the perimeter of the orphanage. Then we sat with him and played with a wooden puzzle and blocks. When he concentrates on a task, he bites on his upper lip and his dark eyes get big. Then he raises and lowers his eyebrows. Then he'd stare at us with those beatiful eyes, studying our faces with such intensity. Though he seemed to be enjoying himself, we didn't see a smile...at all. He seemed enthusiastic when he said "paca" (goodbye in Russian) at the end of each visit. Great, he can't wait to get rid of us, and he's hasn't even reached his teen years!
During another visit we took him to a local photographer to have his passport and visa pictures taken. He seemed tentative as we approached the car. Once we tried to put him in the car all hell broke loose; he grabbed on to the door, screaming and kicking. He had no memory of ever being in a car. The last time he rode in one was when he was 2 months old and was brought to the orphanage. Despite our attempts to comfort him, he was hysterical. Finally curiosity won out over fear and he occupied himselp by staring out the window. Round two started up once we had to put him back in the car once the pictures were taken. I'm sure he will get used to it, hopefully in short order. If not, is it legal to drive with ear plugs???
Monday, July 7, 2008
Annoying stuff
I think I've discovered my own hell-on-earth....Babies-R-Us.
What started out as a simple trip to buy 2 baby gates for our stairs and several gifts for a friend ended with my running out of the store, swearing never to return again. It was a combination of factors that made my trip a traumatic experience. Just say that no aisle numbers, an overwhelming variety of the same item(who knew there were 10 different types of baby thermometers?), and I had a heck of a time finding a sales associate to help me out. Let's not forget an entire store of pregnant women, hormones flowing full force, who stood, with their carts, strollers, and kids, in front of every display I was trying to view. Then they looked shocked when I politely asked them multiple times if I could squeeze in to get something.
The kicker was that I left without the darn baby gates. After weeding through 20 or so types, I finally found ones that would work for our stairs. I thought they were $39.99 each, which seemed like an incredible deal, given that most of the others were more expensive. Guess what? They were $79.99 each when I checked out at the register. At that point I just couldn't deal with going back to the gate section, so I left them at the checkout. I then promptly drove home and made myself a nice gin and tonic. Guess I'll have to get gates at some point. My vote is for Craigslist :-)
What started out as a simple trip to buy 2 baby gates for our stairs and several gifts for a friend ended with my running out of the store, swearing never to return again. It was a combination of factors that made my trip a traumatic experience. Just say that no aisle numbers, an overwhelming variety of the same item(who knew there were 10 different types of baby thermometers?), and I had a heck of a time finding a sales associate to help me out. Let's not forget an entire store of pregnant women, hormones flowing full force, who stood, with their carts, strollers, and kids, in front of every display I was trying to view. Then they looked shocked when I politely asked them multiple times if I could squeeze in to get something.
The kicker was that I left without the darn baby gates. After weeding through 20 or so types, I finally found ones that would work for our stairs. I thought they were $39.99 each, which seemed like an incredible deal, given that most of the others were more expensive. Guess what? They were $79.99 each when I checked out at the register. At that point I just couldn't deal with going back to the gate section, so I left them at the checkout. I then promptly drove home and made myself a nice gin and tonic. Guess I'll have to get gates at some point. My vote is for Craigslist :-)
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Court Date!
I never thought I'd be happy about having to show up in court! We got the good news that we're headed back to Moscow. Our court appearance is scheduled for July 15th; we'll arrive several days ahead of time so we can spend time with Andrey and take care of some paperwork.
We're hoping everything will go smoothly. In the meantime, I have some serious shopping to do. We're bringing new clothes for the kids in the babyhome, plus we have to get gifts for all 8 of his caregivers and a few other people. I am so not a shopper, nor am I a fan of spending money (ok, I'm cheap, I'll admit it), so this will take some effort on my part :-) It is fun to buy stuff for kids who so deserve something nice.
Andrey's (soon to be Vincent's) room is almost ready. We have not yet childproofed the house (the outlet protectors and cabinet locks are all still in the bag) Andy will be out of town this weekend; looks like I have plenty to keep me busy.
Many people have asked how we've been able to be so patient; waiting for our court date, waiting for the date of our final trip, etc. It's all part of the process. We knew what we were getting into when we chose to adopt, we knew there were many uncertainties along the way. We knew it would be a big financial endeavor. Finally it's all coming together and the waiting will be worth it. In the meantime we've had a few family emergencies in addition to work and daily life that have kept us occupied. Soon all this excitement, confusion, and last-minute travel arrangements will be behind us, and we'll fall into a routine with our new son. It can't happen soon enough!
We're hoping everything will go smoothly. In the meantime, I have some serious shopping to do. We're bringing new clothes for the kids in the babyhome, plus we have to get gifts for all 8 of his caregivers and a few other people. I am so not a shopper, nor am I a fan of spending money (ok, I'm cheap, I'll admit it), so this will take some effort on my part :-) It is fun to buy stuff for kids who so deserve something nice.
Andrey's (soon to be Vincent's) room is almost ready. We have not yet childproofed the house (the outlet protectors and cabinet locks are all still in the bag) Andy will be out of town this weekend; looks like I have plenty to keep me busy.
Many people have asked how we've been able to be so patient; waiting for our court date, waiting for the date of our final trip, etc. It's all part of the process. We knew what we were getting into when we chose to adopt, we knew there were many uncertainties along the way. We knew it would be a big financial endeavor. Finally it's all coming together and the waiting will be worth it. In the meantime we've had a few family emergencies in addition to work and daily life that have kept us occupied. Soon all this excitement, confusion, and last-minute travel arrangements will be behind us, and we'll fall into a routine with our new son. It can't happen soon enough!
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Happy Birthday
Today is our little guy's second birthday. Initially we had hoped that he'd be home with us in time for his birthday; guess that just wasn't meant to be. When we saw Andrey last, I didn't ask the orphanage whether or not they'd have a little birthday cake for him. I didn't want to hear their response if the answer was "no". I mean, that's alot to ask, considering they have many kids to care for and not alot of resources available to them.
You can bet that he'll have a homemade birthday cake next year. Maybe even a present or two as well as plenty of birthday hugs and kisses. I'm sure he'll also be fussed over by friends and family since it will be his first birthday home with us.
Things will be very different for Andrey in a few short months. We just have to be patient and stay focused on getting him home safely. It can't come soon enough. Happy 2nd birthday, my love!
You can bet that he'll have a homemade birthday cake next year. Maybe even a present or two as well as plenty of birthday hugs and kisses. I'm sure he'll also be fussed over by friends and family since it will be his first birthday home with us.
Things will be very different for Andrey in a few short months. We just have to be patient and stay focused on getting him home safely. It can't come soon enough. Happy 2nd birthday, my love!
Friday, May 23, 2008
What's in a name?
Andy and I have had Andrey's "new name" picked out for quite some time now. We thought long and hard about picking out a name that would honor his past and also link him to both my family and Andy's family. We think we've come up with one that suits him just fine.
Vincent Andrew Barry
We decided to use his current name as his middle name. We'll use the American translation, which is "Andrew". How appropriate that he shares a name with his new daddy!
His first name will be Vincent, after my dad who passed away 7 years ago. I know that somehow my dad knows that his first grandson has been named after him, and he's smiling big time about that! As an added bonus, Vincent was also the name of my mom's oldest brother. He was also very special me. So it's kind of like a "2 for 1" !
His second middle name will be Barry. He was Andy's mom's brother. Barry died when he was a boy. Apparently he was quite a special boy and he was adored by Andy's mom. Maybe one day Vincent will complain about having 2 middle names instead of just one. We'll deal with it when the time comes. If that's his biggest issue, then we're doing just fine!
So until he's home with us, he's still Andrey. Or cutie-pie. Or chubby cheeks. Take your pick.
Vincent Andrew Barry
We decided to use his current name as his middle name. We'll use the American translation, which is "Andrew". How appropriate that he shares a name with his new daddy!
His first name will be Vincent, after my dad who passed away 7 years ago. I know that somehow my dad knows that his first grandson has been named after him, and he's smiling big time about that! As an added bonus, Vincent was also the name of my mom's oldest brother. He was also very special me. So it's kind of like a "2 for 1" !
His second middle name will be Barry. He was Andy's mom's brother. Barry died when he was a boy. Apparently he was quite a special boy and he was adored by Andy's mom. Maybe one day Vincent will complain about having 2 middle names instead of just one. We'll deal with it when the time comes. If that's his biggest issue, then we're doing just fine!
So until he's home with us, he's still Andrey. Or cutie-pie. Or chubby cheeks. Take your pick.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
A great visit
We're back home now, safe and sound. We have more pictures to post from our last day with Andrey; once we get our new internet service working at home we'll be sure to post them for your viewing pleasure.
I have to tell you it was hard saying goodbye to our little guy. I think of it more as a "see you soon", but that can be hard to explain to an almost 2 year old. I wonder what he thought when we didn't show up the next day? I also wonder what his caregivers told him. Nothing? "They'll be back for you?" "That's your new mommy and daddy?" Who knows exactly what they are telling him. I'm hoping they're telling him we'll be back to get him.
We left Andrey a picture book of our photos; Andy and I, our parents, siblings, Andrey's cousins-to-be. He seemed to enjoy the book when we gave it to him, pointing to each face in the book as Andy said the name of the person. Our interpreter, Katya, pointed to my picture, looked at Andrey and said, "mama." For a moment I was a little stunned; that was the first time anyone referred to me as his mom. It was a moment of joy and yes, a little panic! Wait, I'm going to be his MOTHER? Oh, right, I knew that!
He gave us each a little hug the last day. Then, at the encouragement of his caregiver, he shook Andy's hand, then my hand, then Katya's hand, then he completed the circuit again. Then he smiled sweetly and said "paca", goodbye in Russian. What a little politician! He already knows how to work the crowd. Yes, folks, I managed to exit without crying, but it was a challenge. I did get a little teary at the airport, but the rational side of me took hold. We'll be back for him soon. Maybe not soon enough for my liking, but things will happen when they happen. Best estimate is that we'll return in 6 to 8 weeks for 2 more visits with him. On the third day of our visit, we go to court and he "officially" becomes our son. Several more weeks have to pass before he can leave the country with us, so then we will head back to Moscow for trip number 3. I should just send my entire paycheck directly to Aeroflot Airlines at this point!
There's a popular quote that speaks to adoptive families and their journey to their children, "Nobody said it would be easy; they just said it would be worth it."
Little Andrey, you are so worth it!
I have to tell you it was hard saying goodbye to our little guy. I think of it more as a "see you soon", but that can be hard to explain to an almost 2 year old. I wonder what he thought when we didn't show up the next day? I also wonder what his caregivers told him. Nothing? "They'll be back for you?" "That's your new mommy and daddy?" Who knows exactly what they are telling him. I'm hoping they're telling him we'll be back to get him.
We left Andrey a picture book of our photos; Andy and I, our parents, siblings, Andrey's cousins-to-be. He seemed to enjoy the book when we gave it to him, pointing to each face in the book as Andy said the name of the person. Our interpreter, Katya, pointed to my picture, looked at Andrey and said, "mama." For a moment I was a little stunned; that was the first time anyone referred to me as his mom. It was a moment of joy and yes, a little panic! Wait, I'm going to be his MOTHER? Oh, right, I knew that!
He gave us each a little hug the last day. Then, at the encouragement of his caregiver, he shook Andy's hand, then my hand, then Katya's hand, then he completed the circuit again. Then he smiled sweetly and said "paca", goodbye in Russian. What a little politician! He already knows how to work the crowd. Yes, folks, I managed to exit without crying, but it was a challenge. I did get a little teary at the airport, but the rational side of me took hold. We'll be back for him soon. Maybe not soon enough for my liking, but things will happen when they happen. Best estimate is that we'll return in 6 to 8 weeks for 2 more visits with him. On the third day of our visit, we go to court and he "officially" becomes our son. Several more weeks have to pass before he can leave the country with us, so then we will head back to Moscow for trip number 3. I should just send my entire paycheck directly to Aeroflot Airlines at this point!
There's a popular quote that speaks to adoptive families and their journey to their children, "Nobody said it would be easy; they just said it would be worth it."
Little Andrey, you are so worth it!
Thursday, May 15, 2008
It's Moscow, baby!
Here are some photos from our trip to the Red Square area last night. We took the metro from our apt. in the Begovaya neighorhood to the Revolution Square stop, which is right near the Kremlin. The metro is very clean and efficient, and the stations--especially the older ones near the city center--are quite elaborate. The subway trains themselves seem a bit old--definitely Soviet era--but they have quite a smooth ride. People were not nearly as pushy or elbow-y as we'd been warned.
We hung around Red Square, taking some shots, then crossed the bridge near the Kremlin just in time to see the sun setting over the golden domes of the Kremlin's many cathedrals. What a sight!
It's hard to describe Moscow in a few words. We explored a few neighborhoods later on last night, and some of them reminded us of London's Picadilly Circus, others reminded us of Rome, and others, esp. near Red Square, were just ... Moscow. This is a city like no other ... part European, part Asian. There is a lot of prosperity here, but also a huge amount of disorganization (the street traffic!). Construction cranes are everywhere. It's too much to describe in just one post. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so enjoy the ones we've posted here. More to follow.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Photos from our second visit ...
Today was our second visit with Andrey. It was fantastic! He was shy at first, but soon he was taking Kim by the hand and leading her around the grounds outside the orphanage. Next, we brought out the xylophone again and he went to work. Then we brought out a set of plastic play cup thingies that fit inside each other, and the three of us had a ball. He really enjoyed picking leaves etc. off the ground and putting them into different cups, then stacking the cups. When he was able to stack all of them together you should've seen the grin on his face! He was definitely more open and comfortable with us today. He smiled a lot! We'll post more about today later. Now we're getting ready to take the Metro down to Red Square.
Andrey, continued...
After experiencing difficulty with the wireless connection in our apartment, we're finally up and running!
As you can see in the post below we've had a chance to meet Andrey (or Andreyushka as they affectionately call him.) Yes, he is a sweetheart! We met yesterday for the first time. I'm sure it was overwhelming for him; Andy, myself, our translator, Katya, our attorney, Tatiana, the orphanage social worker and her assistant, in addition to one of Andrey's caregivers were all crowded into a small office as he was brought in to meet us. We arrived to the orphanage a little later than we hoped, thanks to heavy Moscow traffic and a one hour delay at the Ministry of Education where we stopped to get the "official" permission to meet him.
Andrey had just finished lunch and was headed for his 3 hour nap. They kept him awake so we could meet him. We were expecting crying and fussiness; he was very pleasant considering the fact we interrupted his naptime.
After our brief introduction in the social worker's office, we were brought in to speak with the pediatrician who is the orphanage director. It wasn't hard to see that Andrey appears to be a favorite of hers as well as the other caregivers. They say he's calm and quiet. He is serious, especially when it comes to eating! He enjoys stacking cups, taking things apart and putting them back together. He eats all types of foods (apparently he has quite a sweet tooth) and feeds himself with a spoon. He says several words but understands and follows commands without any difficulty. He's had an exciting week; one of the little girls in his group bit him on the cheek. I guess he was just so cute she couldn't help herself :-)
As you can see in the post below we've had a chance to meet Andrey (or Andreyushka as they affectionately call him.) Yes, he is a sweetheart! We met yesterday for the first time. I'm sure it was overwhelming for him; Andy, myself, our translator, Katya, our attorney, Tatiana, the orphanage social worker and her assistant, in addition to one of Andrey's caregivers were all crowded into a small office as he was brought in to meet us. We arrived to the orphanage a little later than we hoped, thanks to heavy Moscow traffic and a one hour delay at the Ministry of Education where we stopped to get the "official" permission to meet him.
Andrey had just finished lunch and was headed for his 3 hour nap. They kept him awake so we could meet him. We were expecting crying and fussiness; he was very pleasant considering the fact we interrupted his naptime.
After our brief introduction in the social worker's office, we were brought in to speak with the pediatrician who is the orphanage director. It wasn't hard to see that Andrey appears to be a favorite of hers as well as the other caregivers. They say he's calm and quiet. He is serious, especially when it comes to eating! He enjoys stacking cups, taking things apart and putting them back together. He eats all types of foods (apparently he has quite a sweet tooth) and feeds himself with a spoon. He says several words but understands and follows commands without any difficulty. He's had an exciting week; one of the little girls in his group bit him on the cheek. I guess he was just so cute she couldn't help herself :-)
Friday, May 2, 2008
Moscow here we come!
Good news! We'll be leaving for our first trip to Moscow on May 11th. What a coincidence that it happens to be Mother's Day :-)
No matter how much we've prepared, many thing just couldn't be arranged until we had our travel date. We couldn't apply for our Visas until we had both our travel dates and the hotel information. Needless to say we've been busy the past day getting all these things in order.
It's all good, though. Shortly we'll be meeting Andrey for the first time.
We'll try to upload picture of our trip while we're in Moscow so that you can all see our little guy.
No matter how much we've prepared, many thing just couldn't be arranged until we had our travel date. We couldn't apply for our Visas until we had both our travel dates and the hotel information. Needless to say we've been busy the past day getting all these things in order.
It's all good, though. Shortly we'll be meeting Andrey for the first time.
We'll try to upload picture of our trip while we're in Moscow so that you can all see our little guy.
Friday, April 4, 2008
The Waiting Game
Now that we're getting a little closer to the time when Andrey to comes home, it seems even more and more difficult to wait. Months ago, amid the initial sea of paperwork, becoming a parent seemed more abstract. We'd say at just about every dinner out, "better enjoy this while we can." Sleeping in? Doesn't happen often given our schedules but there was always some time we could find to have a lazy morning. Most of our weeknight evenings are quiet and organized.
I'd happily enjoy these moments knowing that we would be in for a huge change down the road.
Right now we're in limbo; becoming a parent is no longer part of the distant future. Yet it's enough of a wait to make my heart ache when I watch his video and see him waving his little chubby hands in the air. I'm ready to take him home with us, right now. Ready to hear his squeals of delight as he runs around the house. Ready for evenings that are hectic yet wonderful because he is with us, adding a dimension to our lives that just didn't exist before he arrived. Ready to temporarily suspend those dinners out in lieu of the three of us around our dinner table. Ready to have him become a part of our family. For so many years I wasn't ready. Now he just can't get here fast enough.
So for now we continue to wait. We're waiting for Russia to issue us a travel date so we can fly to his baby home in Moscow and meet him. We're hoping that this will happen in May. It really can't happen soon enough, though we're taking full advantage of life pre-child until then. Dinner and a movie, anyone?
I'd happily enjoy these moments knowing that we would be in for a huge change down the road.
Right now we're in limbo; becoming a parent is no longer part of the distant future. Yet it's enough of a wait to make my heart ache when I watch his video and see him waving his little chubby hands in the air. I'm ready to take him home with us, right now. Ready to hear his squeals of delight as he runs around the house. Ready for evenings that are hectic yet wonderful because he is with us, adding a dimension to our lives that just didn't exist before he arrived. Ready to temporarily suspend those dinners out in lieu of the three of us around our dinner table. Ready to have him become a part of our family. For so many years I wasn't ready. Now he just can't get here fast enough.
So for now we continue to wait. We're waiting for Russia to issue us a travel date so we can fly to his baby home in Moscow and meet him. We're hoping that this will happen in May. It really can't happen soon enough, though we're taking full advantage of life pre-child until then. Dinner and a movie, anyone?
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Good news came in the mail this week; we've been matched to a little boy! His name is Andrey and he's 20 months old. He lives in a baby home in Moscow. We also had an opportunity to view a short video of him playing with his toys and interacting with his caregivers. He is adorable; he has big, brown eyes, dark hair, and a chubby face. It really didn't matter to me what he looked like, it's just nice to see his little face!
Andy and I must have watched his 3 minute video about 30 times over the past few days. It's hard not to imagine him home with us, running around the house, playing with his toys, reading to him. What a joy it will be once he's here; I want the time to go quickly, but we still have a few things to get settled before we bring him home.
Next we'll send his video and medical history to an international adoption specialist. Fortunately there is a group right here in Philadelphia. I've already put a call in to their office and hopefully we'll hear from them shortly. After that we'll send our dossier to Russia and await their invitation to come and meet him. I'm hoping that we'll make our first trip to Moscow within the next 2 months. We're hoping to have him home in time for his second birthday, June 3rd!
Andy and I must have watched his 3 minute video about 30 times over the past few days. It's hard not to imagine him home with us, running around the house, playing with his toys, reading to him. What a joy it will be once he's here; I want the time to go quickly, but we still have a few things to get settled before we bring him home.
Next we'll send his video and medical history to an international adoption specialist. Fortunately there is a group right here in Philadelphia. I've already put a call in to their office and hopefully we'll hear from them shortly. After that we'll send our dossier to Russia and await their invitation to come and meet him. I'm hoping that we'll make our first trip to Moscow within the next 2 months. We're hoping to have him home in time for his second birthday, June 3rd!
Monday, February 4, 2008
Paperwork...blech.
Anyone who is even remotely familiar with International adoption knows the volume of paperwork that is part of the process. Even though I like to consider myself a reasonably intelligent person (this might be debatable), I found it pretty darn intimidating. Intimidating to the point that I had to have our incredibly patient adoption social worker walk through it with me...more than once. I think what makes it even more challenging is that there is alot of emotion tied to the paperwork. We're not completing a tax form, we're paving the way for the arrival of our Little One.
At this point our homestudy is complete and we have approval from US Immigration to adopt an orphan from another country. The partnering adoption agency (the one that will match us with our child and will make all our arrangements for our Russia trip) received their reaccreditation from the Russian government a month ago. Each adoption agency working with Russia had to get reapproved on a regular basis. Recently the system was restructured and each agency, once reapproved, will have lifetime approval. We have the green flag to move ahead. Our agency is currently searching for a little one for us. Hopefully it won't be long before we're scheduling a trip to meet them for the first time!
At this point our homestudy is complete and we have approval from US Immigration to adopt an orphan from another country. The partnering adoption agency (the one that will match us with our child and will make all our arrangements for our Russia trip) received their reaccreditation from the Russian government a month ago. Each adoption agency working with Russia had to get reapproved on a regular basis. Recently the system was restructured and each agency, once reapproved, will have lifetime approval. We have the green flag to move ahead. Our agency is currently searching for a little one for us. Hopefully it won't be long before we're scheduling a trip to meet them for the first time!
Friday, February 1, 2008
Paper pregnant
There is no "ready-to-adopt" test kit, blood test, nor "pee stick" for paper pregnancy. There is no clear moment of conception, no tell-tale physical changes that occur, no morning sickness. No ultrasound, no feeling a baby move inside you. My journey is a little different.
People decide to adopt a child for different reasons. Commonly it's infertility that leads people down the adoption path. Sometimes it's a single person who is ready to be a parent but doesn't have a partner with whom to produce a child. Other times it's couples of the same sex who want to experience the joys of parenthood.
For us it's pretty straightforward. We wanted to give a home to a little one who would otherwise grow up in an orphanage. Both of us knew we'd be fulfilled and overjoyed if our child joined our family through adoption. Nope, I don't feel like I'm "missing out" on anything by not having a biological child. If I did I doubt the choice would have been as easy for us as it was.
Our child won't grow under my heart, but grows within it. This Little One that we haven't met, whose gender we don't even know. Who right now is probably sleeping in their little crib, thousands of miles away. Our love for you couldn't possibly be any more tangible, any more real, even if you were growing inside of me. We've just been waiting a lot longer than 9 months to meet you.
People decide to adopt a child for different reasons. Commonly it's infertility that leads people down the adoption path. Sometimes it's a single person who is ready to be a parent but doesn't have a partner with whom to produce a child. Other times it's couples of the same sex who want to experience the joys of parenthood.
For us it's pretty straightforward. We wanted to give a home to a little one who would otherwise grow up in an orphanage. Both of us knew we'd be fulfilled and overjoyed if our child joined our family through adoption. Nope, I don't feel like I'm "missing out" on anything by not having a biological child. If I did I doubt the choice would have been as easy for us as it was.
Our child won't grow under my heart, but grows within it. This Little One that we haven't met, whose gender we don't even know. Who right now is probably sleeping in their little crib, thousands of miles away. Our love for you couldn't possibly be any more tangible, any more real, even if you were growing inside of me. We've just been waiting a lot longer than 9 months to meet you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)