[Bcelli]

I've been looking at some other boards and reading horror stories about their adoption processes. We adopted in 04 and 98, and frankly, the whole process was embarrassingly easy, simple and uber-fast. Did we have a glitch here and there? Sure, but nothing overly notable. There was an American woman during our second adoption that caused me great stress while in-country, but thankfully she had nothing to do with the process, per se. We always hoped we'd do three but with the way things seem to be going for so many, I'd hate to push our luck. Has anyone had a reasonably simple and quick process or have ours been the exception and not the norm?

[MissDaisyofTexas]

Ours was reasonably easy, and it was during the whole accreditation slowdown of 2006-2007. The hardest thing for us was traveling blind and turning down 2 referrals.

I'm hoping it's still possible to have a reasonably easy process, because we're doing it again!

[MamaChinch]

My process was pretty smooth and quick. Nothing major at all, I started in 2005 and 15 months later brught my baby home. One thing that happened was my fault, put wrong passport number on a couple docs, so I had to re-do them, simple enough. And our court was pushed from June to August due to judges on vacations. 10 days waived. No travel problems, not even delayed flights. A car accident in Moscow gave me a fat lip, and we came home the week the whole "no liquids" thing came down. Got some things taken from me, again, no biggie. I always tell people the process was half the fun! A lot of work, but I have new friends and most inportantly, my daughter!!
The folks I travelled with had similar exeperience, too. I think these boards are a place to come vetn to ask advice alot when you are having problem, so it may seem like folks are all having night mares! And, of course, when it's happending to you.....it is!
I am trying all I can to do #2, mostly just getting my finances together.

[kretzklan]

I'm kind of with you - NOT that we are doing it again...but feeling like we hit the jackpot with when we started and completed. It took 7 months from app to home (April to November 2005). Apparently my agency (although accredited) is getting HORRIBLE feedback now...not sure what's going on...but it doesn't sound good.

I do know that some folks on here that are in process now are getting through pretty quickly...perhaps they can shed more light!

[votemom]

we experienced both extremes.

our first attempt to adopt was a two year process of agony, ending in failure.

our second attempt took six months, start to finish, and was glitch-free.

there's just no way to predict.

[Jpride]

Our process was very easy. . . six months from dossier to landing on U.S. soil with two great kids. I know how you feel. I am still amazed at how easy our process was when I read about others that have spent years in the process.

[orenmommy]

when i look back, it was easy. 9 months total. but emotionally, the process was one of the most difficult things in my life.

Toria

[amyfk]

Wish I could say I had an easy process but we were inprocess for 2 years and got caught in reaccreditation mess.
Amy K, Nj

[TweetyMom04]

Ours was an easy process ('04). We had roadblocks along the way.

As the saying goes 'timing is everything.'

[Shark01]

This is a good subject to discuss.....

Our first adoption in 2001 was easy, 9 mo start to finish, plenty of young (reletively) healthy daughters needing homes, no accreditation issues, no 10 day wait, no 8 Doc medical.....blah, blah, blah.

We are now at 43 mo on this adoption, have made 4 trips, the process has gotten WAY more expensive in agency fees, travel costs, weak dollar, less buying power.

Then there is the issue of less healthy referrals because less children are being placed in orphanages (a good thing) and more Russian familes adopting (also a good thing).

[Ebadge90]

It took us from January, when we started getting the paperwork together, until November, when we landed in the US, to complete the adoption process. The glitches along the way were all caused by the agency. We had no problem with the US or Russian governments.

[DelMarie]

Ours was a very difficult process as we seemed to have glitches at each step.

We recieved our referral of a little girl 5 months old-whom we fell in love with immediately, despite the very scary medical-which turned out to be mostly untrue.

We traveled 3 months after that, than were told we would be back in less than 2 months.

Our 2nd trip was cancelled the night before our flight out-at christmas time....we were devastated. What followed was 6 long months of waiting. We had gotten caught up in the MOE closure and were told nothing until fnally our social worker in Russia pleaded with the judge to let us complete our adoption.

Our process was started Nov 2003 and completed June 2005. Not the longest as other posters but definetly emotionally draining. My spouse was ready to give up. The months of not knowing felt like another loss to us.

I'd do it again in a heartbeat if I had the money-but at our age 42, 43 I don't think it would be the smartest thing to go out on the limb financially. Even though our daughter is only 4.5 now, we are wondering how we will recoup to save up for college and retirement.....

[beckyww]

We submitted our dossier to our agency in 11/04. Registered in St. Pete 7/05. Referral 1/06. First trip 2/06. Second trip 5/06. I would not say ours was easy, but I can't really fault our agency. It was the whole accreditation mess.

I was stunned when we finally got our referral of Guanna-to-be-Julia, who turned six between our referral and first trip. I was ready to quit. Keith wasn't - but I was tired of having the lives of our entire family (including three bio DD) on "hold." I was afraid to take a vacation day for fear I'd need it to travel. I was afraid to spend a dollar for fear of a new cost. I was telling our three bio DD "no" all the time, and I was sick of it. If we hadn't made our first trip by spring break (march) of 2006 - I was calling it quits and figuring it just wasn't meant to be.

As it was - it was meant to be.

Julia's been home two years now, and she's worth every bit of irritation.

:-)

Becky
The Woodworth Family in Beautiful San Antonio TX

[jennamom]

We were pretty glitch free and getting ready to celebrate 1 year home with our beautiful and healthy little girl. Start to finish about 9months, 2 trips, accepted first referral...thrilled to pieces with her!

[bryanskmom2b]

I've had an easy & a hard Russian adoption. We applied in 2004 & brought our son home in 2006. It was a long, hard journey (but totally worth it!). We then applied for our 2nd son in 2006 but went to Kazakhstan and brought him home in 2007. For our 3rd adoption, this time back to Russia, it has so far been sooooooo easy! We applied on 4-15, met our daughter on 7-1, will most likely have court 7-31 and bring her home on 8-16. Total time, 4 mos & 1 day. I couldn't be more pleased! Our daughter is in Moscow.