Details

Okay. My brain has calmed down just a tad. It's had two whole days to compose itself and I must say it has done a swell job. Tuesday about 12:30 we were just sitting down to eat lunch when the phone rang. Jason asked if he should answer it and I replied that it didn't really matter. (Yes, I am one of the spoiled wives whose husband comes home for lunch every day!) He decided to answer it.....and proceeded to sound quite happy to talk to whomever was on the other end. He finally gave the phone to me while saying, "It's Andrea from our agency. She has referral information." My reply?! "Oh, whatever." Shame on me for not trusting Jason to tell the truth!! But seriously. We weren't supposed to get that call until at least November. We were actually planning more toward January/February. Why on earth would we be getting this call just 2 weeks after we found out we were registered? Made no sense to me. I answered the phone and behold! He was right. It was Andrea and she did have referral information. A little boy. Chubby cheeks. Healthy. From a children's hospital. Whew. Not from Addie's or Will's baby homes. (It's very common for a young child to be in a children's hospital. Not because they are sick but because there is no room for them in a baby home.) Not quite a year old. WHAT?! Not even one yet?! Birthday this month. Could be there on his birthday. Whoa. What was that? That means we could be flying away in about three weeks. Eeek. I need to get busy.

Whew. Take a deep breath, Jody. It's true. It's really true. We do have a referral for a little boy. He weighs about 16 pounds and is 27 inches long/tall. Somebody pinch me. Oh, not seriously, but really! Talk about happening quickly!

Now in all reality, we are trying to not get too excited. So much could happen between now and when we could bring the little guy home. First, we have to make our first trip to meet him. Then we "officially" accept him and agree to adopt him. Then we come home....and he has to stay there. By far the hardest part of the whole process. In that time between trips, our coordinator has to get signed letters from all living relatives to truly release him to be adopted. Sometimes relatives cause a few problems for the process and the child is no longer available. Sounds like a good thing, but in reality the child is simply going to wind up living out the rest of his/her days til he/she is 16 in an orphanage. They may or may not be visited by relatives in that time, but regardless of that, there they will stay...simply because a relative refused to sign the paper. After the letters are all in the hand of the judge....and our dossier is all updated and in the hand of the judge....a court date will be set. We fly back, go to court, and wait ten days until the child is officially "ours". In that ten day time frame, relatives still have the chance to change their minds. Oh yeah. Also during this whole time, the child could be adopted by a Russian family. The Russians have first chance at every child that is in an orphanage. That really would be the best option for a child.....to be kept in his/her culture....but rarely do they want to adopt.

I really should go. I have so much to do...now if I can just get my mind to stay calm I should be a little more profitable than I was yesterday!!!

Blessings on your day!