September 27

So not much new going on, so I figured I'd share something old.

The day we signed with our agency, I was FREAKING out! I suddenly had all sorts of fears and second guessed myself left and right. DS wanted to play with his alphabet stickers and so I gave him the giant bucket of foamie letters and some paper to keep himself occupied while I filled out some papers and signed the first check to our agency. I had just finished signing and put the check in teh envelope, full of fear and wondering if we were choosing the right agency, and I turned around and saw this:


If you've been reading, you know that one of the regions we're submitting to is Tver. I knew at that moment we had chosen correctly. G-d let me know through DS's artwork that we were doing the right thing. He had hundreds of pieces to choose from and dozens of blue ones (since he decided to stick to blue on blue), what else could explain this? I hung it on my fridge, and whenever I worry about things, I just look at it and I know that everything will be okay. I used to be positive that hte referral would come from Tver, not Smolensk, but now I know that this was just a sign to let me know things were okay, not necessarily that that was the region we'd be going to, just that we were on the right path. I've sort of held this back, because it's kind of bizarre, but for those of you who remember that I KNEW the date DS would be born, before I was even pregnant, I guess it's just part of what makes us us. So, my DS apparently is just as odd as I am. :)

September 21

Super quickie today. Just wanted to say that DH got his medical forms yesterday - FINALLY! It was quite teh process, but it happened, so whew! DH is applying for his visa today and then we're ready to rock! Three more weeks - woohoo! Anyway, got to run, we have a playdate this morning, and we have to go eat lots since tomorrow we fast (well, not DS, obviously, but I do). To anyone else that is, have an easy fast, and may you be inscribed in the Book of Life.
:)

September 19

Well, we now have a purchased ticket for DH's flight to Russia!!!!!!! We were able to use our miles, so he got a great ticket and we didn't pay a penny - wahoo! Now, time to get our visa. The bad news is, we STILL do not have the paperwork from DH's doctor. I'm getting seriously peeved. He's called every day adn told them every single day how important this is and still - nada. They've promised him by this afternoon. We shall see. I truly have difficulty believing it will happen. Oh yes, I am very peeved.

September 17

Well, we now have TWO medical letters and two copies of licenses (which we were quite concerned about) so YAY! We're still waiting for DH's doctor to do his, and that's frustrating because it's been there for a week today. Still, two out of three isn't too bad! We're hoping to book DH's flight by tomorrow (waiting for a definitive answer from our agency) and we'll be using FF miles so yippee for us saving that cost! Other than that, not much new to report.

I did want to take a moment to just say how adoption has introduced me to so many interesting people and how much it has opened peoples' hearts.

When I called DS's pediatrician, I spoke with the woman in the business office (really a small office across the hall from the receptionist's office). The receptionist didn't know how to answer my questions about getting hte forms filled out by the pedi, so she sent me there. Turned out, she was a wonderful woman with two adopted granddaughters from China! She was so warm and kind and really helped us get the doctor to fill out the paperwork (and make the license copy that she was not thrilled about, understandably). Then, when I needed to find a notary, I wandered upstairs to the lawyer's office above the pedi and the lawyer and the secretary both offered to come notarize for me. In the end, the secretary came, but the lawyer still came down to make sure it had all gone well. AND, they wouldn't take any money. How neat is that?

When I tried to get my doctor's signature notarized, I just had no idea how to go about finding a traveling notary. I looked in yahoo yellowpages adn found an insurance company listed. I called them and the woman who answered told me that they were all notaries. When I asked if anyone traveled, she said no, but then asked me why. When I told her what it was for, she immediately offered to come do it and told me she had an adopted daughter from Korea! She was so fantastic and charged a very minimal fee to come. she was also very sweet to my two year old who was just SO OVER being at doctor's appointments.

So, basically, what I thought would be a logistical nightmare - two different notaries notarizing signature of two different doctors - turned out to be totally fine with no issues and I met some warm and interesting people along the way who are helping us bring our children home. Yep, there really are still good people in the world.

September 15

Well yesterday we had two doctors appointments. I had mine and DS had his. My notary showed up right on time and I got all of my forms signed and notarized and had no problem getting the copy of my doctor's license - yippee! We weren't quite so lucky at DS's appt. Some of his records from his former pediatrician never made it to her office, so she wouldn't sign the form until we got them. Unfortunately, he's on vacation until tomorrow, so it will be Monday at the earliest that we'll get that form. DH's doctor still hasn't gotten back to him, so we have NO idea what's going on there! Hopefully, all of this will get sorted out on Monday and the forms will be on their way to Russia for DH's mid October visit. One month from today he'll be meeting with the MOE in the first region. I'm so excited!!!!! I hope this next month goes by really quickly, I"m just so excited to move forward.
:)

September 12

So many emotions today...

So, we're really trying to figure out what to do. It looks like it could be nearly two weeks until DH could travel (because of translations, apostilling, etc). That puts us right at the end of September. He HAS to go in mid October because of our date of Oct 17. Seems sort of silly to spend the money to go twice at this point. I think I'm trying to remind myself that we're trying to do what WE want and not necessarily what we're meant to do, which never turns out well for either of us. I think we'll probably just hold off on both trips now until October. We'll decide for sure in the next few days, though.

Still trying to get all of our medicals done. It's funny - talking abou things that are meant to be. When we briefly saw the RE (the crappy one who tries to make all of their patients do IVF), they asked us to sign a consent for an HIV test. We said "no" because we knew we didn't have it and it seemed silly. We knew that because we've been together for years and also because we had to have one for our life insurance policy. Anyway, we signed a form stating they were NOT to test us. Guess what, being the unethical practice they were, they did so anyway. it has always peeved me, but it turns out it happened for a reason, because today DH picked up my HIV test to hand to my doctor so she will sign my form on Friday rather than having to wait 1-2 weeks for another HIV test to come in. Go figure. Never in a million years would have guessed something like that! Sort of cool, though!

So, I head to the doc's tomorrow to have them look at my arm and tell me I don't have TB exposure - duh, then it's off to DS's drop off Gymboree class and then Children's SErvices. L'Shana Tova and Shana Metuka to everyone!

Oh, justa quick chuckle for everyone. Tonight during Rosh Hashana dinner, I LIT MY HAIR ON FIRE! Yes, folks, i really did that. I leaned over the table to pass DS an apple slice with honey and I heard crackling and smelled that foul smell nad realized it was MY HEAD! Somehow I managed to only light up a few stray strands (the beauty of having loads of crazy curly hair - the picture you see of me is with is straightened, it's actually crazy!) Still, I FREAKED. Now, it's funny, but at the time I thought my head was going to to go up in flames! Yikes, what a way to start the New Year!!!!!
:)

Sept 11

I feel bad. I really didn't have time to stop and mourn today and I feel that today is an important day to just stop and reflect. It makes me sad that I realized when I signed a form what the date was. It should have more meaning to me than that. May all of the families of all of our lost brothers adn sisters have emotional peace and healing today...

As for us, it's been very very insane! Once we got the notice that it would be happeing soon, we had to leap into action. that has meant going to all of our doctors, getting forms signed, trying to coordinate with a notary who could travel there to do it (which has been so cool because I've discovered some interesting people who have also adopted internationally) and trying to get records from here and there. It's not been a joy. Mine and DS's should be done on Friday/Monday and I'm not sure about DH's yet. What a wild ride.

The bummer is, we STILL haven't heard. Probably tomorrow, I'd guess. Stressful, though!!!!! I'll let you all know as soon as I hear!
:)

September 9

Wow, it's been a while since I've updated - sorry! I guess I just didn't have too much new to update on. It's been really crazy around here lately, also, so I've been a lunatic!

So, keep your fingers (and toes and legs and everything else!) for us. Our agency emailed today that DH should be able to head to Russia within the next two weeks to bring the dossier to the MOE in the first region. It will be October until we can submit in the second region, but we REALLY want to just get moving, so we're sucking it up and making two trips. The facilitator in Russia will be in touch by Tuesday about when we can come, so we should have a travel date by Wednesday. PLEASE cross everything for us! We REALLY REALLY want this to work out.

I think I'm starting to get scared. We have such an awesome, perfect family and I'm a little nervous of changing it. I know it will be wonderful, but I know there will be a major adjustment for all of us, and I"m afraid of how we'll all come out on the other side. I hope my sweet boy stays as wonderful and sweet as he is, and I hope bringing two kids into our family at once isn't insane. I feel in my heart that it's the right thing to do, but I'm having that little bit of nervous tummy at the thought that we're REALLY doing this. You think I'd have figured that out $5000 ago, but, hey, what can I say.

So, that's it. I'm starting to actually produce some milk now. I can't fill a bottle or anything, but it's really starting to happen, so I'm hopeful that things will work out. We shall see.

guess that's the news for today. I may not update again until Wednesday, so think positive thoughts for us and I'll be in touch!!!!!!!
:)