[skiboo]

Hey everyone,
Sorry that I haven't been posting much for the last week or two. Things are hectic both at home and work... plus we have been going through extreme stress over the whole agency selection issue. We thought we had this settled, and now we are back at square one...
Our homestudy should be complete by next week and we don't want to lose any time... but we don't want to make a snap decision on an agency either.
So, how is everyone else doing? I thought it might be a good plan if we all posted where we are currently in the process... who has a referal? who is waiting to travel? who is just starting etc...

Our update:
Homestudy dossier complete, just waiting for the final typewritten report. Waffling around on what agency to sign with ... pretty sure it will be either IAG or EAC. BCIS paperwork is mostly filled in and waiting to go... Russian dossier in progress...
Hope to travel by March!!

Janie

[Shoshana]

i started this process EIGHT months ago. i lost a lot of time with guatemala before i switched to russia (because of the hague crisis which has been resolved but other problems persist). i have 10 books about russia & russian adoption & the language sitting on my coffee table. I was trying to learn the the language.

**everything** is done except sending the dossier to the russian embassy.

here's the catch. three weeks ago my agency called and said i was next on the list for a referral from guatemala! she said a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush (meaning i don't have a referral from russia yet).

at first, i was excited -- guatemala was the country i had initially selected. as i continue reading, however, i still have concerns about guatemala.

i'm so confused. honestly, my biggest concern with russia is not the process -- that sounds fairly straight-forward. my biggest concern is the possible mental health issues (attachment) or fetal alcohol effect (not visible in facial characteristics). i believe i am getting to the point, tho', that my concerns about guatemala are even greater. the system seems so unpredictable. i believe people who currently have referrals will bring those babies home, but i'm not so sure about the future.

i'm sorry if this isn't making sense. i've started to think that switching back to guatemala may be a mistake.

as soon as i "confirm" these gut feelings, that would mean that i have to call my agency and say -- keep me going with russia & find me a referral.

i never knew this would be this hard! i usually just --know-- what is the right decision to make.

sorry for such a long and confusing post. am really trying to work through all of the issues. it's why i haven't posted on the russian forum in a while.

[Jenny1565]

Elizabeth - I am so sorry for all of the conflicts that you are dealing with. What is happening in Guatemala with the referrals? My in-laws just returned from there and they met some missionaries who had been waiting in Guatemala with their children for 6 months. they were allowed to foster them but could not leave the country.
We are waiting for our second trip to the Krasnodar region. Today,we got an e-mail with all the updates that are needed before court (only a two page form to the court and a one page medical update). We travelled for the first time in July and now think we will go in early Nov. Our daughter was 3 1/2 months old, and she will be 7 months by the time we get her. What a long 6 or 7 weeks. My friends are throwing me a baby shower this weekend. More clothes and stuff to play with.
Good luck with your decision Janie.
Jenny

[BooLuke]

We are about to start our homestudy-so far SW and I have been playing phone tag to set the first appt. We just sent in our first big payment so we are officially with our agency and we got a call two days ago saying that we were going to get financed! Now that we sent in the payment to the agency they will set us up with a family coordinator who will help us through all the paperwork etc. I already have the BCIS forms ready to go though. I'm waiting for our coordinator to look over them before sending them in (plus, I think our agency will want our completed homestudy with it).
We're on our way!

[clydster]

Ive been busy lately as well. Theres only been enough time to lurk a little.

Picking the agency is tough. Ive heard good things about both those agencies. Maybe you should narrow it down by what regions they work in? Some regions give medical info, some dont. Some dont waive the 10 day wait period.

Elizabeth, what a decision to make! Do you maybe want two children? I thought of Guatemala at first but then we decided on Russia because we wanted our child to "blend" better. But still the medical issue scare me. Can you keep going with both and just take the first referral that comes? Will getting a referral from Guatemala mean that you WILL indeed be able to bring the child home?

Too bad these politics make things so hard. It amazes me the hoops we have to go through in order to adopt. When I read about what a child has to face in an orphange and their prospects in life as an adult released from an orphange its a wonder they require more than that we are living, breathing humans willing to give these children homes!!!

Okay now to answer the question: Where we are in the process.
STILL waiting for a referral. (sigh) It was two months yesterday that we sent our dossier off. I asked our agency when we should expect to hear some news and get only the vaguest of answers.
I still havent completely run out of patient yet, its probably a good thing that I have been so busy

[dcw]

Hello gals-

We just started the adoption process, and actually just signed up with our HS agency this week. I'm starting to gather our BCIS info and am just waiting for the agency to get the HS started. Also, we are meeting with a search agency today and hopefully will go with them. I'm tired of looking and want to start things asap. It's been a long road and I am so ready to become a Mom.

It's great to read all your posts....good luck to everyone, whatever stage you're in.

Hugs,
Diana
me & dh - 36
married 8 yrs, ttc 5 yrs
Adopting from Russia - yeah!

[kfin66]

I guess we are futher along than most on this board. We are traveling for our first trip VERY soon.

I'm SO excited!!

Kerry

[papedge]

we are getting closer to our first trip we are waiting for the invite from russia we were to go at the middle of sept. now they are saying first part of oct. but know exect dates........ they said he sould be home by thanksgiving but i want hold my breath i still want to live( lol ) well hope everyone is doing well

[cherylanderson3]

hi everyone,

started process w/ romania in april, 2003
switched to russia 6/14/03 due to ban on int'l adoptions not lifted
rec'd refferal 7/1/03 from samara russia ! (this was a surprise)
dossier sent on 8/20/03 to russia !!
today, 9/18/03, rec'd tentative travel date of 10/15/03 !!!!

if anyone else is going to samara, let me know. our baby boy is almost 7 months old, medicals were great. we too had same concerns everyone else did, but you always have the option to turn a child down, albeit a very hard thing to do. if you made your decision to adopt, move forward because you always have concernes no matter what country you choose. just focus on the positives of bringing that child home to a good home full of love.

keep in touch, good luck to all

cheryl

[schroeder]

Hello

As of 9/10 all of our paperwork was sent to Russia- now comes the wait and I have not patience! I keep calling and calling and asking for any information that I can have. I was told 8 weeks and that would put us at getting our referral at the end of Oct- but then I was also told we would be complete by the end of the year. GRRRRRRRRRRRRR

I jsut want something- I am getting tired of the calls asking if we know anything- I finally told everyone once we hear anything I will call and share the news (I do not think the trust me because they are still calling LOL)

So now we wait and like I said I have no patience- but hubby he has even less then me LOL

Anna

[aboyd]

Hi All -

We have completed all 3 homestudy visits, and are waiting to review the draft from our SW.
Our documents were pretty much complete, until we decided that we want to be paper ready to adopt 2 related children (we are not 100% sure if this will work out, but want to be ready in case it does !) - so now we’re having to obtain 2 more of each document - grhhhhhhhh.
One possible snafu from my physician - I explained upfront about needing to obtain a signed copy of her physician’s license, and she was agreeable - but I got a phone message yesterday from the nurse that the medical forms are completed and ready for me to pick up, but the doctor is not able to provide me with a copy of her license and said that my agency may be able to obtain a copy from the state ??? Has anyone run into this ? I am wondering if I will have to start over and find another physician !
Just when I thought things were going smoothly.........
One bright note from my agency - we should soon be able to start reviewing referrals - I am definitely excited about this !

Good Luck to Everyone - Let’s all continue to keep up the support (Lord knows I need it !),

Andrea

[Bcelli]

Hi all,

DH is home from the war, so we are gearing up again. Money is our biggest obstacle - always has been and likely always will be unless we hit the powerball! We're hoping to travel in the spring to find "Hayden" and bring him home.

BECKY

[rnnurse2be]

Its a slow go here too, but for me that is fine. We're an active family and with me back in school (and our boys too) Im always running.

I recvd the package from the SW and will open it today. I recvd it last week but was seriously SO busy I havent had the down time to look it over.

Ours will be a slow one until the house is remodeled, but I guess thats the way its meant to be.

Elizabeth, I too am sorry to hear about the hard emotional issues you have been dealing with. I hope you are able to come to a decision that you are heart happy with. If you need to talk, I'll listen.

Connie

[waitinginnj]

Hi - I just returned from trip one. Trip two is a couple of weeks away. Things are going well. Keep us in your thoughts!

[stinky-pigmomma]

Hi all,

We just received BCIS approval last week. Our prelim dossier was sent to Russia at the end of August. I am working on the documents required for the rest of the dossier.

We were told that it might be 6 months for our referral, since we are requesting 2 children.

So, here I sit "patiently" waiting. We are trying to get our house fixed up and ready for munchkins.

Elizabeth - So sorry to hear about your dilema, good luck on your decision. I'm also from Wisconsin. Would love to hear from you.


Angela