The Final Days??

So this is where the pressure of the final days of document preparation really starts to get to you.  I have now sent our Florida Timeshare deed back to the Orange County Comptroller 3x with minor things that needed correction.  Even though they were asked to please email or call me with any problems; no they chose to use my $26 return prepaid airbill (twice) to send all the documents back to me so that I could write a new check, because I overpaid them by $2.70.  WOW !  I often wonder if when they [State Govt] interview people for government [public sector] jobs, is a prerequisite that you have absolutely no common sense, humanity, compassion, or concern for fiscal expenditures; or is it that they work to train these official drones until they become mindless government weebles?

Yes, now I do feel better having gotten that off my chest, but in the world of paperwork-here we still are.  So very close to the final package going to Olga in Ekat, but not quite there yet.   Fingerprints were sent on March 17, 2010 and still no reply.  My credit card was charged the $36 in May, so maybe that means the turtle is nearing the finish line.  Everything is back from NJ with an Apostille on it, and I patiently make copies of each document and each apostille for my files and Frank Adoption files as well. 

Wednesday  May 26th , my boys turned 17 months old.  3 months older than when I met them.  I wonder what they are up to?  Are they talking more, walking unassisted, eating different foods?  Everytime I walk past their empty bedroom, my heart quietly breaks.

What I thought was pretty quick on our part with paperwork, turned out to be the wait for other "officials" to get papers back to us.  So, I think this week I will send everything off.  Double check my documents again and send them to Olga.  I am sure I will get a redo list anyway, so why quibble over the small stuff right now.

In Wildwood, NJ now, most of the foreigners are here for the summer. Russians, Bulgarians, Ukrainians etc.  Many work for my family and many come into our restaurant and bar.  They very nicely ask about the boys and "tsk" dramatically when we tell them about the paperwork.  It's funny, because the Russians are the most appalled at the kind of paperwork we need to complete.  Many have said "Tell them to give you those children and get them out of those orphanages!"   Oh, if only I can take you with me to tell the judge that in Russian !
We have a great relationship with the Europeans where we live.  They are hard working, fun, and pretty easy going for the most part; but that's probably because they are young.  In their 20's and 30's and here to work or learn.  I think the bureaucracy is learned and taught after age 40 in any country, including the USA.  The Russian Students ask me about the family of the children; do I know them, will they know them?  I think they seem very encouraged that I have information on the mother and brothers of Sasha and Pasha, and someday when they need it or want it- I have it for them.   I think it would be good for them to know their heritage and share the beauty of America with others.

This week I will send off that package via DHL to Olga; and whatever is missing can follow. I feel like I would have at least accomplished something if its on its way to Russia by June.  Sometimes I actually think the agencies delay things on purpose (not sure why).  I was asked to change and add to several documents several times. I couldn't understand why that wasn't told in the beginnning when the document was obtained? 

I do know one thing; when this process is over and I have those boys with me to love and to raise, they will always know their heritage, they will always know where they came from,  and they will never know how this paperwork and wait time has mentally defeated me.  I will never regret the road to them, no matter how unpaved and steep it may be; but as far as they have to know, the ride was nothing more than a summer carriage in central park; maybe with a few pigeon poohs on the way !

Spero di vederti presto bambini !!

The Nesting Stage?

Is this what pregnant women call the nesting stage?  When you are fluffing pillows on the freshly made bed, in the freshly painted room with the brand new toy box put together and awaiting the little fingers to open and close it hourly?
Yes, the bed is put together and ready to go; it looks great. Plenty of room for the visiting Jake and Mattie as well ! The toy chest is put together and topped with stuffed animals and pillows, the bookshelves have toys, beanie babies and Russian Cups on display [how long you think this stuff will last here?] and the new area rug matches the room perfectly for playtime. Beau, our lab, made himself quite comfortable on it and thinks this new room is for him.  He has no idea what he's in for ! 

So I am assuming this is what they call nesting?  When you are hanging pictures, primping the room, making beds and such?  We in the adoption world call it torture !  The endless waiting and wondering when your children will enjoy their new bedroom and toys all their own. 

One thing I did not think of when I bought these fabulous bunk beds is that I am the one making the bed.  I hit my head 4 times on the upper bunk and could get the hospital corners quite like I wanted them.  My best friend Kathlyn laughs at me and tells me that the nicely tucked corners and even the made beds won't last too long with twins.  She's probably right, but I won't admit it just yet !

Thank you Grandma and Grandpa for our new bedroom furniture !  Jack and Noah will have countless hours of sleep and fun in their new room.

Now we wait.....UGH !

Apostilles on the way.....

Well, it has been just under 2 months since we arrived home from our first trip and our documents are on their way to get Apostilled.   A few changes were made to satisfy the Russian judges, and I am sure that several more will follow eventually.   We emailed everything to Olga in Russia and Michalina in NC to ok the documents and so far it looks alright.  8 Doctors in 2 months, not bad for a novice ! 
The only thing we are waiting for is our FBI fingerprints, government bureaucracy at its best, which could take another month or so.  By then of course the medicals will have expired and we start that all over again....yeah, what a ride.
We will send this package off to Russia without the fingerprints, so Olga can begin the translation and at least move the process somewhat along.  So--a list of who's fast and who isn't for future reference:
1) ABMS- very fast, not even one week turn around. (see what $100 per doc gets you)
2) Accountant Certification from State of PA - 30 days max, got it in 3 weeks.  Cost $40
3) Psychologist Certification from NJ Attorney General - 1 week - $35 Cost
4) Home Study Agency Certification - 3 weeks
5) Social Worker Certification - 2 weeks
6) Home Study Updates - $325 - rather quick with Golden Cradle (great agency)
7) Fingerprints- FOREVER.......$80 per person
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The end result...................Priceless.

OK I couldn't resist that last part, it just had to be said. :)

There have been some statements that talks in Russia are going well with the State Depts.  and Russian officials, although the courts have not been disrupted by the Hanson adoption fiasco.  The judge in Ekat still moves at the speed of a thundering herd of turtles and I would guess that realistically, we won't travel before Sept or Oct. for court. 

So, for future reference....Don't ask " When do you pick them up?" , it simply does not work that way. 
If adoptive parents immediately had a gotcha date after trip one, the world would have a lot less blogs in it.
My mother saw the large binder full of documents the other day and said "what is that"...I replied "this is the road to your grandchildren."  --did they think I was making this stuff up??  :)

I think I have everything organized, the room is freshly painted, the new  beds are being delivered next week, the toy chest in a few days and the stuffed animals are already dotting the shelves.  Sea Turtles, that's our theme.  Joe and I love Sea Turtles.   We purchased a WYLAND watercolor in Key West in February that we were drawn to.  It was Two Sea Turtles swimming side by side.  We fell in love with it and it spoke Jack and Noah to us.  That painting is the focal point of the boys' room.  
Sea Turtles are majestic, graceful, patient, protective and endangered - much like the Adopting Parent.

From FINDING NEMO:
Marlin: [Inside the whale] I have to get out of here! I have to find my son! I have to tell him how old sea turtles are!