Preparation for the Flight and Trip One

So, we are packing our bags waiting for our 6pm flight from Philly to Frankfurt. Luckily the Lufthansa pilots have settled and are not going to strike on Thursday..what a plus for us, since the pilot is the essential part of the flight ! We reviewed our checklist with Michalina and prepared our clean, crisp, $100 bills of year 2000 series...(no, I am not kidding and you could imagine that conversation at the bank!). We have also recently connected with two other Frank Adoption families who know the road very well in Yekaterinburg. Carol and Richard from Cherry Hill and Jeni and Jason from Minnesota. What a huge help they have been in giving us some valuable insider information. Jeni and Jason will be picking up their son while we are on trip one, so we will meet at the Park Inn hotel while we are all staying there. What a nice treat to have American faces and people you know (even if its just over the phone!). Carol and Richard being in NJ is a huge benefit because their paperwork roads will be the same as ours and they have already travelled them and mapped out some of the rough turns. This could save huge amounts of time and money.
So the big question is, how long before you take them home. Well, that's where adoption gets very funny and the different regions come into play. Ekaterinburg is a one judge place with a long waiting period between trips (4-7 months) and TONS of redundant paperwork. So we aren't painting the bedroom just yet. There are still several hurdles to pass before we bring anyone home. Keeping in mind also, that until you actually have your children IN HAND, nothing is finished in Russia and anything could change at any time; including a Russian family adopting your children. Yes, it isn't fair, but then again Adoption isn't fair and the laws in the US and Internationally are not on adoptive parents sides in many respects. Maybe someday that will change, maybe it won't; but I think it just weeds out the faint at heart and spirit.

So, while we are in Ekat I will be posting some updates on our trip. We are in the city orphanage, which is a short travel distance from the hotel (nice !). We receive our VISAS on Friday morning (no sense in not cutting it close) and then we are off to the Philly airport for our 14 hour layover in Frankfurt. We might use that time to take a quick cab ride through Frankfurt and take in some sights ! Why not... we have 14 hours. Then on Sunday it is relaxation day upon arrival to Ekaterinburg and sleeping til Monday morning when Olga gets us to meet the kids ! Emotion, emotion, emotion.

We will have email in Russia, so feel free to email anytime. Please don't call unless its an emergency..(at $3.99 a minute !). Again, thank you to everyone for their care and concern and we will see you next in Siberia !!

FINALLY !!! TRIP ONE DATES

So here we are , returning from a week long cruise during a major northeast snowstorm. travel was horrible, but we were glad to be away from NJ. Only to come home to a snow bound street followed by three of us with a stomach flu. UGH, what a week ! Then on Tuesday feb. 16th while recuperating on the coach from illness, Michalina calls and has travel dates !! Now I have to move my limp body and get travel visas and airline arrangements together, while trying to hold down the pedilylte that has been my sustenance for 24 hours.
So we are leaving Feb 26th and returning on the 7th of March. We had to extend our trip a few days because of no availability on the 4,5,or 6th out of Ekaterinburg. We are however able to fly out of Philly rather than JFK, which we like immensely ! Although we must endure a 14 hour outbound layover in Frankfurt. Oh well, take a ride and see the city and grab a German bite.
We meet our boys on Monday March 1st after being picked up by Olga and Crew in region and a quick trip to the Minister of Education first.
So, this is the moment of truth. Dr. Oleg Togoyev will meet us in Ekat on the 1st to examine the boys and then we will take it from there. Hopefully all is well. We are loaded with some crayons, candies for the kids, cheerios, developmental toys and the SKYPE on our laptop for cheap phone calls back to the states.
A four month wait for trip one will probably harden us to the region of Ekaterinburg and how they operate....slowlyyyyyyy. From here, we see where we go.
So we will update from Russia ! Until then, thank you for all your support to my friends and family !!