Adoption Classes

Our adoption online classes are DONE! :) Part of the contract requires us to do 10 hours of classes pertaining to international adoption. Luckily, since our agency is out of state, we were able to do them online.

One thing to check off the neverending list!

Kemerovo, Russia

Here is the region where the orphanage is located.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kemerovo

How we started!

After numerous failed fertility treatments, we decided to pursue adoption. We've found a wonderful agency and have decided on Russia!! We signed with the agency on 11/5/08. Right now it's just a huge pile of overwhelming paperwork, but we know it'll be worth it all in the end.

Here's a *brief* timeline of what's going to happen.

1. Get a home study (in process) - This is where a social worker compiles info about us and deems whether or not we are fit to be adoptive parents.

2. Start Immigration process. This is an easy form, but takes about 2-3 months to be processed.

3. Dossier - this is the time consuming part! We're working on this right now. Basically, it's a bunch of paperwork that will need to be notarized and apostilled (a step above notary, done by the Secretary of State). We will also have to get physicals and get a psychologist report done. This Dossier is our ticket to Russia. We will have to make 2 trips there.

4. Get a referral of a child! We have decided on adopting a BOY. Once we receive some info, we will travel to Russia for trip #1 (5-7 days in length). In this trip we'll meet the child and go to the court to petition for adoption.

5. About 2 months later - trip #2 (10-21 days in length). This is when we'll go to Court to finalize the adoption and take OUR child home! :)


Obviously, there's a lot 'in between', but this is the jist of it. We're so excited!!

My 1st Blog entry!

My 1st blog!

I thought it would be appropriate to blog about our journey to adopt from Russia.

Feel free to check in anytime for updates!!