I wanted to say Thank You to everyone who left us a reply or sent an email last week when I asked for your adoption experiences when we were evaluating our first referral. I asked for your input and you definitely gave me what I asked for! I had over 55 messages in my inbox the next morning and I read each and every one of them. I wish I had time in my day to personally respond to all of the messages but since I don't please know that it meant so much to me that you took the time to send me a message.
I still feel a great deal of guilt for turning down our first referral but I hope with time, those feelings will start to fade and I can just focus on our new addition and get through the wait until court. The wait for trip #1 is nothing compared to the wait for trip #2. At least we are heading into August next week; that sounds better than July!
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Since August 2007
Randy and Susan
After seven years of trying to start a family, we journeyed to Moscow Russia to bring our son Artem home. He has blessed our family more than we thought possible and now we are returning to Russia again to make Artem a big brother.
Artem...Our First Russian Blessing
Andrik...Our Second Russian Blessing
Cheerios In My Shorts
You can read about what we've been up to since Artem came home from Russia if you click here: Cheerios In My Shorts.
Adoptive Families I follow...
- Corey and Amy
- Brad, Jen, and Bek
- Life With Colin
- To Find a Daughter
- Amy and Norah
- Kim, Lance, Jack, Cooper, and Carter
- Chuck,Tracey, and Matt
- Justin, Lisa, and Nickolas
- Quest to Russia
- Steve, Carolynn, and Karina
- Joy, Gerard, and Anna
- Stayce, Andy, and Alina
- Renae, Joe, and Olivia
- Scott, Allison, Jasi, and Sasha
- Abraham Family
- Angie, Curt, Josh, and Vika
- Jane, Jim, Cooper and Kara
- Graeme, Rebecca, and Sam
- Allison, Stu and the crew
- Nicole, Brett and Ava
- David, Jodi, Andrei and Alex
- Becky, Keith, and Andrew
- Brian, Ondrea, the boys and Meg
- Heather, Jason, and Zachary
- Tiger, Kar and Ilya
- Scott, Carrie, Sophie and Sam
- Shane, Marie and Bryson
- Debbie, Dave and Isabel
- Troy, Rachel and Daniel
- Carrie, Michael and S
- Beth, Nick, Luca and Jaxon
- Carey, Norman and kids
- Mark, Sinziana and Diego
- Scott, Dana, and Cade
- Jane, Caroline, and Chase
- Rob, Dede, and Liam
- Chris, Danica, Alexa, and Anneliese
- Adrienne, Jim, and Owen
- Nathan, Melissa and Iliya
Helpful or Interesting Links
Important First Adoption Dates
- May 17, 2008 Certificate of Citizenship Arrived
- Apr 19, 2008 Home!!
- Apr 12, 2008 Gotcha Day!
- Mar 31, 2008 Court, We Are Approved!
- Mar 30, 2008 Visit With Artem
- Mar 24, 2008 171H Apostilled, Fed Ex'd to Moscow
- Mar 21, 2008 171H Received
- Mar 14, 2008 171H Approved!
- Mar 13, 2008 Petition Sent to Senator to Expedite 171H
- Mar 3, 2008 FBI Fingerprint Clearances Arrive
- Mar 3, 2008 FedEx'd Addendum to USCIS
- Feb 21, 2008 Court Date Assigned
- Feb 16, 2008 Letter From USCIS Stating Incomplete Info on Home Study
- Feb 13, 2008 FedEx'd FBI Fingerprint Clearance
- Feb 4, 2008 Met Our Son Artem Alexander
- Feb 2, 2008 Leave for 1st Trip
- Jan 25, 2008 Invite to Travel
- Jan 25, 2008 Fingerprint Appt, San Antonio
- Jan 15, 2008 Tentative Travel Plans for Feb 2nd
- Jan 12, 2008 Second Dossier Mailed to Agency
- Jan 9, 2008 I-797C Received, Invitation for Fingerpring Appt.
- Jan 4, 2008 DHL Loses our Dossier
- Jan 2, 2008 Decision Made By Us To Register Our Dossier in Late February
- Dec 14, 2007 Home Study Mailed to CIS (I600A)
- Dec 14, 2007 Dossier Mailed to Agency
- Dec 14, 2007 Dossier Apostilled
- Dec 12, 2007 Received Final Home Study
- Dec 3, 2007 Randy Dossier Physical
- Nov 28, 2007 Susan Dossier Physical
- Nov 27, 2007 Requested copies of medical license
- Nov 23, 2007 Receipt Received from Immigration Services
- Nov 16, 2007 Electronic Fingerprint Appt for Home Study
- Nov 12, 2007 Mailed I600A
- Nov 8, 2007 HIV, TB, STD, HEP B&C bloodwork complete
- Nov 7, 2007 Fire Marshall Inspection complete
- Oct 30, 2007 Approved with new agency, CSS
- Oct 24, 2007 Last meetings with home study agency
- Oct 17, 2007 First home study meeting with local agency
- Oct 12, 2007 Cancelled our home study with CHI
- Oct 11, 2007 Cancelled with CHI
- Sept 20, 2007 Home Study social worker assigned to us.
- Sept 19, 2007 Home study packet received at agency
- Sept 18, 2007 Home study packet is mailed to agency
- Sept 17, 2007 Home Study packet is complete!!
- Aug 7, 2007 Call from agency, no longer on hold, paperwork is being mailed to us.
- Aug 3, 2007 Approved from agency but on hold indefinetly from Russian govt.
- July 17, 2007 Mailed intial application to agency
Adoption Terminology
- 171H= Official permission to bring child/children into the country. NOTHING happens until this paper is in your hot little hand
- I 600A= Form requesting permission for us to bring a child/children into the country to adopt and become a citizen
- MOE = Ministry of Education (in Russia)
- Dossier = our packet of info (home study, financial statements, background checks) sent to Russia
- PAP= Potential Adoptive Parent
- IA= International Adoption
Friends Following Our Journey
Visitors
Credits:
*Photo of Randy and Susan taken by Melissa Bridges
*Check out the Shabbby Shoppe for great background papers
*Check out the Shabbby Shoppe for great background papers
8 comments:
You need to let go of the guilt and look forward to bringing home your new little guy. God gives us those "uncomfortable" feelings for a reason.
I am so happy you were able to get a 2nd referral that matches your family so perfectly. Only you and Randy know what is right for your family and it's amazing you were able to stay so level headed about what you can (and can't) handle while under such stressful circumstances. It's scary to think that the director withheld extremely important medical information about the first little boy. (It kind of makes me wonder if our little girl was being sedated during our first visits.)
I'm looking forward to seeing your family all together soon! And a house full of boys ROCKS!
Hey Susan! So glad you're back home and settling in with Artem. Having experienced the angelic choir when we met Ilya for the first time, I can only imagine how difficult declining the first little boy was. However, God had other plans not only for your family but for this little boy as well. Hoping you get your court date SOON!!
Hugs,
Karyn, Norm & Ilya
The guilt will fade, but for me anyway, it's never completely gone away. But at the same time...I couldn't have had Lydia if I had said yes to the first baby girl, so I know it was God's plan and it makes it ok. I do still wonder what happened to little Valentina though.
I hope you get travel news soon...this part is absolutely the hardest!
As the above Jodi said...the guilt will fade. But as she also said, it will likely never go away completely. We declined one referral of a little girl about two and a half years ago. I am so thankful that we know that another family brought her home. I can follow her on another blog! :) A child that doesn't fit our family is another family's answer to prayer!!! AND...we wouldn't have the little lady that we now have....
Blessings to you as you wait for your court date. We are waiting for a referral currently....and as you said, the waits are so totally different!
Jody
I'm so happy things worked out!! I know what your mean about feeling guilty for declining a referral but you have to trust your instincts and know your limits. I'm sure you made the right decision! Can't wait to hear more. Rachel
Hi Susan,
I am so, so happy for you and Randy!! Just had to say it again!!!
I'm just now catching up on blogs.
September is right around the corner - Have a great summer!
Teresa
We are so happy for you that August is here and you don't have to say July anymore:) Thinking of you Susan.......
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