Our first meeting!

Today was the big day, and both my mom and I were up early to get ready for it! At 10 a.m. Svetlana picked us up and we headed over to a Committee of the Ministry of Education to officially receive my referral of RP! I was excited just to have made it because driving around the city literally makes driving downtown Chicago seem like nothing, and I'm not exaggerating when I say that we saw cars parked on the sidewalk! (I would have taken a picture, but that would have been pretty obvious!)

The meeting at the Committee literally lasted all of 10 minutes. They read me the file they had on RP from their database and showed me her picture, then asked me if I was still interested in meeting her and officially accepting their invitation to go and see her - of course I said "yes!" so I signed the paperwork and we headed over to the orphanage to finally meet RP!

At the orphanage we met with the social worker who confirmed that RP is smart, beautiful, and ready for a family! She is walking unassisted, speaking two-word sentences, follows directions, and was moved up to the 18-month age group a tad early because she is so advanced! After chatting with her (through the interpreter!) we headed back downstairs to finally meet her, and what a moment!

They brought her in (she walked in on her own!) in a blue and orange dress and hot pink shoes, and she took one look around at everyone and immediately her guard was up! I picked her up, got two quick pictures of her on my lap before her lips started to tremble and then she started to cry, which quickly erupted into full-fledged screams!

These pictures were snapped immediately before the blood-curdling screams began and never really went away - just got louder and softer depending on who was trying what with her! She definitely has great lungs and is NOT afraid to let you know that she is not happy! While it would have been nice to have her come in with a huge smile and snuggle up, everything I have read and everything they told me today tells me that this was actually a really good sign - she has bonded to her caretakers and is definitely aware of "stranger danger" which hopefully all point to a healthy ability to attach! We only spent about 20 minutes with her as we actually had her while she was supposed to be down napping, but we are headed back at 9:15 tomorrow morning and should get more of a chance to play with her outside, take some more pictures, and help her get to know us more! My mom was in heaven and even got to hold her for about a minute during all this (I think I held her for about 4 minutes total) and while it's hard to leave her there, it is comforting to see her surrounded by people who obviously love her and care about her, and she for them.

On other travel news (the not so nearly important kind) we haven't seen much of the city due to it being so cold, but I found out that I needed to have rubles in hand for my medical exam on Wednesday morning (as in, ready in the lobby for pickup at 7:15 a.m. Wednesday morning - yikes!) so Svetlana gave us directions to the Currency Exchange at the end of the block and we were left to our own devices. We walked the two and a half blocks to the Currency Exchange (my mom was a trooper because her asmatha was kicking her butt during the walk!), then stood in line for 30 minutes while one other person was being helped (makes me appreciate the service we get in the States for sure!) and cashed out American dollars for rubles in about 5 minutes, with only a slight issue in language. Walking back I took a few pictures of the St. Isaac Cathedral and our hotel, and hopefully will have tons more photos tomorrow!

Finally in Russia!

So we are HERE - finally in St. Petersburg! Travel was long - we left O'Hare yesterday at 3:40 p.m. (I can back up here and say we were TO O'Hare at 1:00 p.m.!), and arrived in Frankfurt, Germany at 7 a.m. this morning (we lost 7 hours in transit), then hopped a "beep-beep" cart to whiz us from gate B26 to B47 for an 8:10 a.m. flight to St. Petersburg, which actually ended up leaving a tad late. I honestly couldn't even tell you what time we got to St. Petersburg because by that point I was tired, hot and sweaty, and grouchy, so glancing at the clock was last on my to-do list. We were met at the gate with a wheelchair for my mom, and literally whizzed through customs and immigration! Our bags were waiting for us by the time we got to baggage claim, and tipping the wheelchair guy (who doubled as our porter for our bags) ensured a speedy process, which was nice. My head was spinning so badly that I totally missed Svetlana, the agency rep who was there to pick us up!

We got a great tour of St. Petersburg on our way from the airport and I have to say it is an amazing city - absolutely beautiful and completely historic! We checked into the hotel, unpacked, and had dinner at the restaurant here since we are both too tired to venture out and about right now. Sleeping on the flight from Chicago to Frankfurt helped, but I'm completely slaphappy right now and having a hard time with the fact that I am ready to go to bed but it's only 11:23 a.m. back home (we are 8 hours ahead here, so I'm still ready for bed super duper early!).

Tomorrow is a big day - we head over to the Ministry of Education at 10 a.m. to officially receive my "referral," then depending on what time we are done there and whether or not RP is down to one nap a day or still taking two, we will head over to the orphanage to meet her - the moment we have been waiting for!!! Tuesday it looks like we might get to visit her TWO times, then Wednesday its off to my seven-doctor physical (which could take hours!), then, if there is enough time ANOTHER trip to the orphanage before heading over to the notary to sign the official paperwork.

Emotions are high right now - both my mom and I are crabby, sleep-deprived, elated, excited, nervous, and plum worn out, but this moment has been too long in coming! I'll keep everyone posted, and will be thinking pleasant thoughts tonight, for I have a feeling that for as long as we've waited for this time with her, it will all be over too quickly and I'll be back home waiting to do it all again!

It's almost here!

So, I have to start by apologizing for not posting and keeping everyone up to speed. Many of you know that I have been an utter basket case over the last week or so, trying to gather paperwork, explain the apostille process, and coerce and nag people into completing my paperwork requests so it can be on its merry way.

I am happy to report that the package containing all of the new paperwork is on its way to the Secretary of State's office to be apostilled, and I am praying that everything meets the criteria and nothing has to be redone (although I have a nagging feeling that SOMETHING will - I just don't know what yet). I have been touched by the kindness of strangers and the lengths to which some people have gone to help me out, and it has been quite the humbling experience, one which has reinstated my faith in fellow mankind.

I have been growing more and more panicked over not having my passports and visas in hand and today found out that due to simple human error at the Russian embassy these documents were never sent out yesterday, and that I will not be receiving them today as originally promised. I have to say that my frantic e-mails and phone calls to the agency paid off big time because once they were made aware of this, the courier personally drove to the embassy, picked up my packet, and deposited it directly AT FedEx, and I have confirmed that it is now en route, scheduled to be here by 10:30 a.m. Friday. WHEW! I have to say my agency is worth every penny paid to them as they have been phenomenal in responding to questions and issues immediately, and I feel bad for those who are working with agencies who aren't as well connected or quick to respond, as my coordinator did tell me that she found out that there were passports and visas in that pile at the Embassy for people who were supposed to travel on Thanksgiving, and there is no way these documents will be to them in time now. Can you even imagine?

I really should be working, but I just can't focus. Everything right now is tied up in this trip and praying that it all goes off without a hitch, I sign the papers to proceed, and we are granted a speedy court date. Of course, as I say this, I was made aware that the Russian Orthodox Christmas is in January and everything comes to a screeching halt for about two weeks because of this, so there might be some delay in going back for court.

I'll try to post again before we leave, and I am definitely going to try to carve out time over there to document what's going on (and maybe, just maybe, post a few pictures).

If I run out of time and don't get to post again, please know that I am thinking of each of you and thanking God I have you all in my life. I truly have the BEST family and the most FANTASTIC friends a person could ever hope for, and this Thanksgiving I am most thankful that all of you are in my life!!!

More.Paperwork.

Yes, that's right - MORE paperwork. I am pretty convinced right about now that there isn't a form or a clearance that I HAVEN'T done at this point. Last night I had a complete meltdown and was feeling absolutely wretched about things, but we're taking it one form at a time and moving on. Today's paper chase, believe it or not done AROUND actually working today, involved the following:

- Dropping off a copy of the local police clearance letter that I have had done TWICE now at the Joliet Police station, only to be told that the person that does those letters was NOT in the office today, and the girl I gave the copy to had NO idea what I was talking about. Not a good way to start the day, as this was literally at 7:15 a.m.
- Going to the IL State Bureau of Identification (betcha didn't know such a place existed, didja - neither did I... until today) to pick up the blank FBI fingerprinting card. Yes, that's right - MORE fingerprints. I think at this point I should have higher security clearance than Barack Obama. Mind you, these people don't actually DO the fingerprinting, they sit behind bullet-proof glass and after buzzing you in, they hand you a blank card. I want that job.
- Driving out to New Lenox to drop off the medical clearance form I need done (times two) and the cover letter for the copy of the medical licence (ditto on the times two). These forms basically require the doctor to sign them both, make two copies of her medical license, and have them notarized. Apparently THIS is a problem because they don't HAVE a notary on staff (despite telling my mom a month and a half ago that they did) AND because I didn't have a current TB test on file (we'll get back to this). After being assured that the office manager, who comes in at 8:30 (yes, at this point it was only 8:05!) would call me back in an hour, I was on my way home, to work remotely due to things literally blowing up in the office.
- 9:30 I call the people to whom I am entrusting my passport and our visas to find out when I can expect them back. No answer - left voice mail. NOT happy.
- 10:30 I call the doctor's office to check on the medical clearance letter - can pick it up on my "lunch," right? Nope - it is now that I find out about the fact that I have to have a TB test done - today - before the doctor will sign it, oh yeah AND that she won't sign it for another 48 hours, when I return to her office for them to "read" my test. **sigh** Make appointment for 1:15 TB test today - ugh.
- 1:15 head BACK to New Lenox for TB test - painful and gross, but done. On my way home I call the fingerprinting people (aka: the Evidence Department at the Joliet Police Station) to find out if I can coerce them into taking my fingerprints today. Woo-hoo - they have someone available and I should head right over.
- 1:30 arrive at the police station and walk all the way around the building, in the rain, to the Evidence entrance, only to be told that I have to go to the Main Lobby, pay the fee, and bring the receipt back. Really? Okee dokee then - I trek BACK to the main entrance (which is the same place I dropped off my letter at 7:15 a.m.), pay the fee, get the receipt, and ask about my letter from almost 6.5 hours ago to be met with a blank stare and confirmation that the woman who is off on Wednesday is apparently the ONLY person who can write said letter and I should call back to check on it. Tomorrow. **double sigh** Alrighty then - I take my paid receipt, trek BACK around the building, in the rain, and FINALLY get the Evidence person to open the door. Said Evidence person was a police officer and it's a bit off putting to be met by someone wearing a gun - yikes!!! Luckily he was SUPER nice and did my fingerprints in record time, and I was off and on my way.
- Return home around 2:00ish and in randomly checking bank balances come to discover that Bank of America has posted my mortgage payment - TWICE, which is going to be a problem in writing out the fees check that is due to the agency, oh - this week. So I CALL BOA and was literally on the phone with them for 45 minutes. Good news - they will refund one of the postings. Bad news - they won't do it until I fax them a copy of my bank statement showing the double posting. I don't own a fax machine, so I ask if I can e-mail it - nope. Something about security issues - yadda, yadda, yadda - but maybe Customer Service of my bank will fax it for me? Great idea Miss BOA - let me call them. You guessed it - for security reasons Harris will NOT fax customer records, so now this needs to wait for me to hightail it into the office in the morning to get this done. Let's just say I did NOT need this little wrinkle right about now.
- 3:00ish I receive an e-mail from our HR person that my employment verification letters are done AND notarized - woo-hoo! I needed that good news and can now check that off my to-do list.
- 5:00 call the visa people BACK to try to get some answers on my visas/passports and you guessed it, went to voice mail. I am annoyed and do not leave a message but wonder how many American Airlines miles it would cost me to fly out there and kick someone's butt...

I know this is a MASSIVE post and I apologize for the length. Someday I am sure I will re-read this and chuckle over it all, while snuggling my little RP. For today though, I am annoyed, I am frazzled, and I am feeling completely demoralized. Tomorrow is another day, and it's another day closer to visiting my little RP for which I am oh-so grateful. I just need to get through today.

Agh! Too much to do!

So, I'm feeling overwhelmed today and am very much NOT enjoying being in the office. I feel like there are about 1,000 OTHER things I can/should be doing to get ready for this trip, and working is not among them. Then again, this job pays for the roof over my head and the food on the table and without it I would NOT be able to adopt RP in the first place, so staying in the good graces of my employer is probably a good idea. :)

I have starting compiling everything we need to bring on this trip into a big pile in RP's room and I am overwhelmed by the sight of it (yes, "overwhelmed" is apparently the topic of the day!). I thought we would be bale to squeeze everything we were bringing into our carry-on bags, but in reviewing Lufthansa's flight policies today I made the terrible discovery that because we are flying "Economy" class we are only allowed ONE carry-on bag and up to two checked bags per person. Our clothes and toiletries would fit into the carry-on no problem (welllll..... maybe no problem!) but we are bringing five pairs of winter boots, five winter coats (and one snowsuit), and six sets of hats/gloves for the orphanage plus a ton of toys and other clothes to donate. Even though the coats and boots are baby/toddler sized, they still take up a TON of space, so now we have to check the bags. I wouldn't be so concerned, but we literally land in Frankfurt at 7 a.m. (local time) and our flight to St. Petersburg leaves at 8:10 a.m. - 70 minutes to deplane and have our baggage moved to the new airplane. I don't like checking baggage when flying domestically - checking it for international is pretty much going to kill me. :)

Sense of accomplishment!

Today my mom and I did some MAJOR power shopping and I am happy to announce that we made some major headway in our search for the gifts for the orphanage! We purchased five winter coats, 5 pairs of winter boots, and 5 sets of hats and gloves - all at the request of the agency. Additionally, we picked up a few toys and I have a few items from when I thought I was adopting a boy (including an adorable blue snowsuit!) that we will also be donating, and I want to pick up a few more toys before we go.

Although I said I wasn't going to do it, we also bought RP some ADORABLE little outfits and now I'm praying that they will fit! We got a fluffy pink snowsuit and a three-piece pants outfit that included a pink t-shirt and adorable little rose colored fur coat, along with three little dresses, a fleecy pantsuit, a pair of fleece pants, and a couple of long-sleeved thermal onesies. I'm not kidding when I say that her closet is now half full, and again I'm praying that what I have picked up will fit as it is all SOOO cute!

The confirmations came for our e-tickets and I confirmed that the FedEx package containing our passports was delivered today so we are making some serious headway. I am ready to go NOW, and then feel like I need another three weeks to get ready - and it's been getting me up at 4 a.m. every day, so I'm hoping that getting some of this taken care of will help with that, and come two weeks from today we'll jump on that plane without a worry. (Yeah, yeah - those of you who know me know that ISN'T going to happen, but we can hope, can't we?)

It's all starting to come together... and I can't wait! :)

Feeling overwhelmed...

Be careful what you wish for - right? I have been waiting, hoping, and praying for travel dates since I first laid eyes on RP's picture back in August and was shocked on Wednesday when I finally got "the call" with my travel dates (actually TWO voice mails and an e-mail!). The last 48 hours have been a blur and I am beyond excited to finally be traveling to meet my little RP.

And nervous. I have been up at 4 a.m. the last two mornings my mind a whirl with questions, worries, thoughts, confusion, and more. I can't shut it off and I can't do anything about it, which is frustrating. Yesterday I made the reservations so it is becoming more real - we leave out of O'Hare around 3:30 p.m. on 11/28 and return to O'Hare around 1:30 p.m. on December 3 - five days (well, kinda six - we gain and lose days due to globetrotting across time zones), and we have a lot to do in those days. The GREAT news is that I am scheduled for not one, but TWO visits to the orphanage to meet RP, which is better than the one visit I expected. My mom and I completed our visa applications last night and they are officially on their way to Potomac, MD to be couried to the Russian Embassy in DC and with any luck we'll have them back by next weekend. This weekend its working on the nursery, getting the puppies vaccinations up to date (just in case they have to be boarded while we're gone), and shopping for gifts for the orphanage (and maybe, just maybe something for RP too!).

I can't believe we leave next Saturday - wow.

FINALLY!!!

That's right - FINALLY!!! At 4:00 this afternoon I heard from the travel group out of Moscow that I have dates to travel to meet RP! We leave for St. Petersburg on November 28 and should be headed back to the US on or around December 3. My head is in whirlwind right now and I honestly can't think straight. There is a TON to do in the next two and a half weeks - apply for visas, complete MORE paperwork, buy the gifts for the orphanage, etc. etc. etc.

Thank you all SO much for being so supportive - I know it's been your love and support that have made this all possible. I can't wait for RP to meet and get to know each of you as I know she will appreciate how truly special each of you are, just as much as I do!!!

The squeaky wheel...

It has often been said that "the squeaky wheel gets the oil." Now, you may be asking yourself if I have completely lost my mind, or WHAT that has to do with me, or with this adoption. I have decided that in order to get some answers, I need to be that squeaky wheel - the one who is demanding some attention and a resolution. I am tired of waiting. I am tired of being patient. I am tired of wondering. Yes, I'm just plain tired.

So I e-mailed the agency - again. Asked again if they had heard anything. And of course I received the "we haven't heard anything, but we'll let you know if we do - just hang in there!" response. Again. We have now met the 8-12 week threshold and still no end in sight. No plans to visit RP, let alone move the process along. Don't get me wrong - I'm thrilled beyond belief that in the last two weeks I have found a new picture of her AND received more information as to how she is doing. I have been assured that they are working on getting me travel dates and they haven't forgotten me. Yet, at this point, it's still not enough. I need to plan for going. I need to know that this all WILL happen and that she will come home... with me... soon.

Sorry for venting - and thanks to each of you who keep reading this and reassuring me that it will all work out and be over before we know it. My family and friends are my lifeline and my saviors right now and I appreciate them more and more each and every day (and can't wait to make RP a part of their lives too!)!!! :)

Nesting...

Yes, you read that right - nesting. I spent the entire day (okay, okay - ALMOST the entire day!) cleaning today. I was like a woman possessed - had to get some "spring cleaning" done, even though it's November. I have always heard of pregnant women nesting right before they had their babies, but I don't know if it is necessarily a phenomenon for pre-adoptive mothers, but I am going to guess that it can happen...

I still don't have travel dates yet and Monday will be the start of the 13th week of waiting. **sigh** I figured I would be traveling by now, and to be still waiting on dates is working my very last nerve. On the plus side I DID receive information this week from the referral team regarding RP. I had asked for development milestones at the request of the IA doctor when I first accepted the referral of her, but I never heard back. This week I received the following information regarding my little RP:

* She can stand unassisted
* She can play with toys
* She understands simple instructions
* She smiles
* She babbles, says simple words.
* The girl shows good progress, developmentally she is almost on track(very small delay due to her stay in the orphanage). They say she is smart, likes attention , open to contact, gets along well with children.

Not exactly the development milestone information I was looking for, but I was thrilled to hear this nonetheless. Hopefully travel dates will be coming soon - I am about to burst from the anticipation!!!

Still no news...

I e-mailed my coordinator on Monday and after several technical hiccups getting that e-mail to go through, I still have no news on travel dates. I try to convince myself that the long part of waiting is over and that I can/should expect travel dates any day now but it is getting harder and harder to believe in that. "I want what I want when I want it" is coming out - in full force - right about now and traveling is pretty much ALL I think about anymore (which doesn't bode well for day-to-day stuff, like work!).

Hopefully I'll hear back from my coordinator soon, and hopefully it will be good news (as in travel dates!). The one positive is finding RP's updated photo on the database for waiting children - at least I have a new picture to pine over while I'm waiting, and I now have two pictures of her (one a baby picture when she was an infant and another, more recent, photo) along with her referral pictures for her baby book which yes, I have already started (thanks Jen!).

Thank you to each and every one of you for putting up with me and showing me tons of love and support during this process - you will never know just how much it means to me! :)

Week Twelve...

So we are two days into week twelve at this point and I keep thinking to myself that it can't be much longer, right? We have to hear something soon. Soon enough we will be jetting off to a land far, far away and it will be magical. Right?

Yes, this reminds me of a fairy tale, of a princess in a distant land struggling for someone to rescue her, to go home, and most importantly live happily ever after. I LOVED those stories when I was growing up and am still searching for that happily ever after, but not for myself. For RP. This entire process is about her - about bringing her home to a family that longs to hold her, love her, and give her all of the best in lift that they possibly can.

However, all fairy tales have villains, and for the life of me in this story I can't find one. It certainly isn't her birth mother who made the choice to place her for adoption in the hopes of giving her a loving family and all that she could not. It isn't the people working in the orphanage, doing the best they can to meet the needs of the children residing there. Nor are the agency people the villains in this story - they are working hard to unite these children to their forever families from tens of thousands of miles away. I have to believe it also isn't me (although those of you who know me know that I do have my moments!) or my family who truly want the best for our dark-eyed, beautiful little RP. So, can you have a fairy tale without the villain?

All in all we keep waiting here - waiting for our happily ever after...