What a busy couple weeks we have had. Last weekend we met up with quite a few folks who asked how our process is going, so I thought maybe we should share. It's going.
On Tuesday, May 18th, our agency called us to update us on the latest news from Russia. Nothing new, really. Adoptions are still happening, contrary to the media reports. Some regions have closed to single parents, and some regions have closed just until an official agreement is reached between Russia and the US, but the process is typically going as if nothing ever happened. Our coordinator finished her call by telling us to get the first part of our dossier comleted and to them by that Friday, if possible. Uh-huh. No problem. Sure, the first dossier is only a few documents, most of which can be filled out on the computer and printed off, but it still takes time. Unlike the last time we did this, I have more to do now!! These first documents are simply generic forms..such as: Petition to Russia to conduct a search for an orphan, Affidavit to register us in Russia, copies of our passports, Registration form for both of us, Power of Attorney forms in case one of us can't travel at the last minute, a certified copy of our marriage certificate, a letter from our accountant stating that Jason is employed, and a packet of pictures (two of Jason and I, two of us with our children, one of most of the rooms in our house, and pictures of the front of the house, the back of the house, and the yard available for children to play in). Nothing difficult, but it all takes time. At the same time as trying to complete the dossier documents, we were also working on stuff for our third post placement report for Addie and Will. There again, nothing too serious, just time consuming. The most time consuming thing is finding twelve pictures of each of them that suit Russia's requirements. Dressed nicely, looking at the camera, engaged in some sort of activity, some with each parent, some with other siblings. Doesn't sound too hard, but sorting through a year's worth of photos is a tad overwhelming. The visit with our social worker for the post placement reports was on the 25th. That same night we went to our notary to have all the dossier documents notorized. The morning of the 26th, Mom and I and both children went to the court house to have the documents certified (the clerk of courts staples a form onto the documents that states that the notary is a notary) and then buzzed on to Columbus to have everything apostilled (the secretary of state staples a form onto them that states that the clerk of courts is indeed the clerk of courts). The stack was mailed off to our agency that afternoon and this past Tuesday we received an e-mail stating that the first dossier was on its way to Russia. Now what? We wait. Our dossier will be sent to whatever region our agency chooses for us and then we will have to do some region specific documents which will be dossier #2. When we started this journey in February, this wait was only taking about 1-3 months. Who knows how long it will be?! I have to admit that it is easy for us to forget that we are even on this journey. Sounds bad, I know. In a way it's good, cause that means that we are too busy to sit around pining as we did last time around. In another way it's bad, cause that means that I sometimes forget to pray for the little guy or gal who will someday be our son or daughter.
So anyway. That is where we are right now. Waiting. A part of the journey that is as familiar as the back of my hand. Still seems a little unbelievable that adoption is how we are building our family, but I happened to think the other day that God truly does give us the desires of our hearts. Way back in 2002, I was making plans to head to Romania to work in an orphanage. Then along came Jason. My plans to live and work in an orphanage flew out the window, but God never forgot my dream to work with orphans. Only a year after we married we realized that we may never start a family the "normal" way. God worked in our hearts....and we headed to an orphanage. Isn't He amazing?! I did get to go to an orphanage and now two of those sweet little children are my children, living here with us in our home. The third one is on the way. I now work with "orphans" on a daily basis, though I never think of them as that. They truly are our children. We love them. More than we ever thought was possible. The journey we are on never fails to remind me that we are all adopted. Sure, most of us know our biological parents, but if we are children of God we are adopted. Our family isn't so different after all!
I should go. Addie & Will are acting like little wild people outside and perhaps could use a little supervision....which really means that they need a third wild person racing around in the yard with them!! Our poor neighbors.

His love and blessings to you all~