Paperwork and More Waiting

If ever I thought having a court date would change things....it really doesn't. I still find myself doing paperwork and waiting for things to happen. Our passports are still in NY getting our much needed Russian Visas. Waiting on those to come back. The agency said probably Friday or Monday. They better get here in time. Vica sent us a list of paperwork that we need for the US Embassy visit in Moscow. So more paperwork to compile. At least it doesn't need to be notarized, apostilled, and stamped to death like the other paperwork. Most everything is set to get packed this weekend. I still need to go out and get a few things so more errands to make. A lot to organize and sort through. Thank goodness for Excel spreadsheets. They make such tidy lists. And I sit waiting to go. Instead of wondering when we'll go, now we wait for the day to arrive. I just hope nothing goes terribly wrong, like changing our court date. Ugh!

So today I am off in search of gifts for everyone in Russia who has helped us. We couldn't have done this without them. I also want to return a couple things to Babies R' Us. We received quite a bit of clothing for Colby at the baby shower. Most of which is 18 months old. I'm pretty sure he'll fit into them but I'd like to return a couple things to get the next size bigger. And I need to get to the bank. So much to do. It's a good thing we're not leaving until next Wed. We'll be ready by then but I'm more than ready to go now, emotionally anyway.

Waiting...Again and Jobs

Well, Mike and I were able to get all of the paperwork completed. Our deadline was 12/12 and the agency had it all on 12/10. We did have to go back and get another marriage certificate but even that was at the agency on 12/12. I was quite pleased with getting that all done. But, when I am given a deadline, I do everything and anything that I can to meet or exceed that deadline. Now we wait some more.....

Vica had mentioned that we might get an update soon. But we haven't heard anything yet. I'd like to email her and ask her when we might hear something but then again I don't want to bug Svetlana to get an update if she is trying to sort through our paperwork for the judge. We were told that we might go for court in late January. That is a slight possibility but everything would have to be perfect for us to go then. I think it will probably be later, like March. I hope not though. In the mean time, I am updating the medical paperwork because I know that the 8 medical doctor form will expire in February. Ugh! I hate chasing doctors for signatures.

Other than that, I am debating on what to do next on the job front. Lifetouch has now stopped taking school portraits until about March or so. Therefor I am not currently employed. I don't trully want to, but I guess I will sign up to substitute teach. That's a daily pay but in this city, I am almost guaranteed to work every day. I'm not sure if I want to go back into the classroom after last year but I don't know what else I can do. Most jobs, I am told I have too much education for or not the right experience. It sucks. I'd love to try something new, but I don't know what.

So, that is the update for now...as much as it is. Hopefully we will hear more soon. Keep your fingers crossed for us.

More Waiting

Well, here we are now in the middle of November with Thanksgiving only a couple weeks away. In some ways, the year has gone by so fast and in others it seems to have taken forever. Was it really 5 months ago that we first saw Colby? It seems like only yesterday but yet it also seems like it happened ages ago. So much has happened that my head is still spinning and I can't find a quiet place to rest.

We still have no word from the Russian courts. I'm not even sure if the judge has looked at our paperwork yet. Probably not. Vica and Kim have no updates to give us either. I'd love to get a photo or at least a note telling me how Colby is doing. That would make this holiday a little more bearable. I'm just not sure how I'll get through the holidays knowing that Colby is not with us and is still in that orphange. That is not the place for any child to "celebrate" the holidays. I just want to hold him again and tell him how much he is loved. So many people are waiting for him to come home, especially his mommy and daddy.

In other news, Mamie is now in a nursing/rehab home. She was in the hospital a week and now expects to be in the home for about 3 weeks. She will come home for Thanksgiving though. That is good news. Thanksgiving without her and Poppy would be too much to bear. I'm not sure if she will stay home or what will happen after that. She seems so unsteady and she can't be alone. My once strong Mamie now seems so so little. It is a hard thing to see. I just hope that she will still be around to see Colby come home.

Well, I guess that is all the news, or lack there of. I hope to hear something soon.

A Dreary Week

What dreary weather we have had this week. It has been raining off and on most of the week. Hopefully it is supposed to stop and tomorrow should be nice but chilly. I guess fall is certainly here. The storms have taken most of the leaves out of the trees so tomorrow will be leaf racking day. Misha certainly makes this chore fun. She runs after the rake and dances in the leaves. It is rather cute watching an 80 pound black lab "dance" in falling leaves.

To go with the dreary weather, my family has had a set back this week as well. Wednesday my mom called to let me know that Mamie (her mom, my grandmother) was back in the hospital. They weren't sure what was wrong. Now we know. She has congestive heart failure. I went and visited her a few times this week. Tomorrow I think the hospital is deciding what to do. They have talked about sending her to a convelesant home but my mom and her siblings don't want that. I am not sure what would be better for her. I know that living alone at the farm isn't the answer though. I guess we will see tomorrow what everyone decides. I only hope that Mamie still has the strength to fight this and that she will still be around to see Colby come home.

On that front, we still ahve no updates on Colby. We know that most couples are waiting about 10 months or more inbetween trips. I guess we need to just sit and wait in limbo for the court to get its act in gear and get us back there. I just wish I knew what was going on. The unknown is the hardest part. That, and not having the power to help resolve the problems. Ugh.... So we still wait. And wait. And wait....

Many Thank Yous

I just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone for reading this blog and for all of the warm thoughts and many comments that I have received. It has been a very difficult week this week and knowing that there are other families there that have gone through, or are going through, similar circumstances is reassuring. It has always been difficult for me to express my feelings outloud. Through writing I am able to share my thoughts and feelings, good and bad. I only hope that by doing so on my blog that I might help other families as they go through their adoption journey. In numbers, there is strength. Knowing that I have the support of others will get Mike and I through this terrible wait until we see our Colby again.

A Yucky Week

This hasn't been the greatest of weeks, I must confess. Luckily it is almost over. Tuesday I took the day off from work so that I would be home for 1:00 for a teleconference from our agency. The agency wanted to get the couples together who are waiting to return to Yekaterinburg for their court dates and to bring home their children. Mike and I knew it would probably not be a grat phone call and we were right. The government agency that was taking care of the adoption court paperwork, the Ministry of Education I think, is no longer doing that. A different government agency is now in control and the paperwork is not being processed as quickly. Some of the paperwork is expiring before it can all be collected and turned in so they are having to redo much of it. This means that although referrals are coming somewhat quickly, the return trips and court dates are not. We were told to be ready for a wait of about 9-12 months inbetween both trips. So, our court date will not be until at least March, probably later. I am devestated. Don't they realize how terrible this wait is? Don't they realize how much more difficult the transition will be the longer the child waits in the orphanage? Unfortunately, I guess paperwork is more important than getting children to their families....

So, in the end, the holidays will not be good this year, I probably will be miserable, and there is nothing I or anyone else can do to quicken this process. We just have to wait. And wait. And wait.
YUCK!

Keeping Busy...Trying to Be Patient

My job at LifeTouch taking school portraits is certainly keeping me busy. The weekdays are so full of commotion that there is little time to think of other things. Nights are worse though. Then I start to think and wonder when that phone call might come through. We are waiting for word from the judge on what paperwork he will want updated. Both judges in Yekaterinburg ask for updated paperwork at least once before setting the court date. Hopefully it won't be too much. We know the 8 doctor paperwork will need to be updated but we have that just about set. Also other financial paperwork will need to be done again. HOpefully it won't be too difficult to get.

Other than that, yesterday we spent the day at home, enjoying the nice Fall weather. We were hoping to head out for a nice walk in the woods with Misha, our black lab, today, but we woke up to a dreary day and rain in the morning. We went to Mike's Aunt Mary's for a celebration breakfast. It is his grandparents' 65th wedding anniversary. Can you believe, 65 years? It was nice to see his family again, although ti was difficult having everyone ask how things are going with the adoption. No news... No news... No news... I felt like a broken record. Maybe one day we will get some news.

On other adoption fronts, Laura and her husband have returned home from seeing their daughter for the first time, Nicholas seems to be doing great home with his family, Matt and Carla, and another fellow blogger is still in Ekat waiting for her 10 day waiting period to laps. She should be home with her 3 girls by mid-month. What great news! I am so excited for everyone.

So now I wait for the email or phone call. I am hoping to hear something by the end of the month. A fellow Ekat adoptee who went through the same agency we use waited about 2 months from handing in her court papers to hearing about what needed to be updated. We handed in our paperwork the first week in Sept so hopefully soon. Keep your fingers crossed for us. This waiting just plain sucks.

Frustration

Why does it seem that people can't do their job? Don't they understand what we are going through or at least have some comprehension about how painful it is to have to wait to return to get our son? Mike and I are still waiting to hear from the psychologist with his letter and a copy of his license. That is truly the only paperwork that we still need. The financial paperwork will be completed today. That we have held off on until I had heard about a job at the hospital I applied at. We haven't heard from them yet but we have decided to go with what we have and update the numbers if needed later. But still we sit here, more than 2 weeks after we saw the psychologist waiting for his letter. I want this paperwork done and out of my hands now! Can't he understand that he is holding up the reunion of a child and his parents? How frustrating to not have any control. The only thing we can do is keep calling him, everyday, at least twice a day. Hopefully we will get it soon.

Still Waiting

With a new week, comes more waiting. I was hoping to receive the state verifications of the doctors' licenses today, but they didn't come. Of course, we need to wait most of the day since our mail carrier seems to be coming later and later. We did however hear from the mortgage company and they have sent the letter we need from them via FedEx overnight. I guess my husband's constant calling has finally worked. Friday he got ahold of a supervisor who knew exactly what we needed. Where was she a month ago? So we should have that letter tomorrow. We also go to the psychologist tomorrow. Hopefully he will write the letter we need very quickly. The rest of the paperwork is coming in hopefully soon. I hope to have it all within a week or so. I wish there was something we could do to hurry it up. Even Mike is getting impatient. Being so close to having the initial paperwork complete and yet almost powerless to get the rest done, is almost unbearable. However, we are a little less depressed as well see the light getting brighter at the end of the tunnel.

More happy news, I did get offered the job with LifeTouch taking school portraits. It doesn't pay much and it is really only for the Fall and Spring but it is something and I do enjoy photography. I am also waiting on the hospital job as well. We'll see what happens. While I was looking at our adoption agency's website I also noticed that they need a part-time administration assistant. I would love to become involved in the adoption world. To give back and help other couples/families going through the same situation as Mike and myself would be a wonderful thing. I did apply but we will see what happens with that.

So life goes on and the wait continues.

A Month

It has been raining and storming a lot here lately. I guess the weather seems to reflect both mine and Mike's moods. It's been a rough couple days but I am not quite sure why. Why just the past couple days? Why so hard? I guess the simplest answer is, it has been a month since we came home. A month. It seems like forever but yet it seems like it went quickly. At least we can say a month has gone by so now we are a month closer. But how many more months need to go by? How much longer do we need to wait? While we wait, I turn toward my writing. It lets me get my thoughts and feelings out. The following is a poem that I wrote brought about by the rain. It was written to my baby boy, Colby.

A Month Gone By, Feelings

It has been a month. 4 whole weeks since we first were in Russia and saw Colby for the very first time. At times it seems like yesterday and at other times, I wonder if we were really even there. A month ago we went from Yekaterinburg to Kamensk-Uralski to the baby home and met Tatiana, the baby home director. A month ago went to the baby home and first saw this blond haired, gray eyed little boy with the cute little smile and long skinny fingers. Those big gray eyes first looked at Mike and I in surprise but soon seemed to twinkle with delight as we played with him and brought him on the swing. I am not sure if I can say it was love at first sight. Perhaps yes, perhaps no. I do know that it seemed at the time to be a little surreal. This little boy will become my child, really? We will become a family? Is it really true? I still have a hard time believing in that concept. It still seems to good to be true. However, I now have a clear image of Colby in my head and I find myself thinking about him many times a day. Is it the same as a mother's love? I am not sure right now. But I know that it will be.

As for a month gone by, that is a good thing I guess. It at least brings us one month closer to going back. We finished our 8 doctor treasure hunt and are getting through the other paperwork. We are still waiting on the new passports and the second FBI check. We need to take more pictures of us and the house, including Colby's room. The crib is up, and has been since December. Mike has almost finished the dresser that he is building for Colby. We hope to have that in the room this weekend so we can take new pictures in there. We are still waiting on the mortgage and the car loan companies for those letters as well. Everything should be coming within a week so we should be able to hand most of it in soon. The paperwork with the new passport numbers will have to wait as will the financial statement. I want to wait on that until I find a job, hopefully within the next couple weeks. So, we are making progress but for me it is way too slow. Hopefully they are making progress in Russia as well. I have not heard from Svetlana yet. I hope we will get an update soon.