Shmuley the monkey...

Maggie bought this little monkey a few months ago in anticipation of our upcoming adoption. Shmuley cant wait to go to Russia and meet his "true" owner!!!

Craft show!

Today my sister-in-law and I went to a craft show. I bought 2 caramel apples, a beautiful Chistmas wreath,cute scarfs,and of course I saw a book made out of material for a baby and had to get one. Its a Mother Goose book so cute and soft and it something you can throw into the wash .We really had a good time today.I am so blessed to have a wonderful sister-in law. Still waiting on a refferral..............(Where are you little one?)

Things for the baby!

Yesterday Randy's brother dropped off a lot of things for the baby. Things like baby books,playpen,changing table if the baby is too big for it we can use it for other things because it has shelves and a drawer,babygate,and a lot of Elmos and a rocking chair.

Randy and I started to prepare the toy room. We moved the couches around and made room for all the toys. Now,the room is spacious and there is a lot more room for more toys to come. We received a paper stating that the I-600 approval went to Moscow. Thats is great because thats where it has to be so now we don't have to follow up on it. We are still waiting on a refferral. We hope it will come really soon.

We can't wait to see our little one and finally hold him/her. We told the agency we will take either but you never know. Here we are preparing everything for a little boy and the surprise might be a little girl but whatever it will be we will be very happy!

Our Process!

June 16,09- called the adoption Agency
June18,09 - Send papers out to agency
June 25,09- met w/agency
July9th,09-1st meeting with social worker
July 12,09-fingerprints for the homestudy
July14,09- send out application for Russia to the agency in Minnessota
July21,09-2nd meeting with social worker
Julu22,09- send out fingerprints
July25,09-send out I-600 application
August6,09-Maggie meeting w/social worker first and than Randy in the afternoon by himself
August17,09- Final meeting w/social worker at the house
August17,09-send out 2nd part of adoption papers to agency
September3,09-finished homestudy (sent to the other agency)
September8,09-I-600 fingerprints
September22,09-social worker sent in revised homestudy
September22,09-adoption classes
September25,09- homestudy approved by the other agency
October7,09- received Dossier part one
October15,09-sent out first Dossier (part 1)
October23,09- Dossier approved and sent out to Russia (needs to be translated and re-notorized)
November,09-received INS approval
Waiting , waiting, waiting for a refferal!!!!!!!!!!!!
We are so excited to go to Russia and we can't wait to meet our precious little baby!

Happy Thanksgiving and a flat tire!

Not much here except for the flat tire today and could't go to work because Randy had doctor appt. and couldn't drive me. So just another day waiting on a refferral. I hope it comes really soon. For Thanksgiving we are going to New York to visit Randy's family and than on Friday we'll go over my moms house.

The start of our adoption process.....

We wanted to start this blog to document our adoption process. We currently are waiting for our referral from Russia as we have completed the CT home study, government approval and submitted our first dossier to Russia.

We know that the region that we will be adopting from is Vladivostok, which is literally on the other side of Russia....a six day train ride from Moscow, directly above North Korea.

As we patiently (okay maybe not so patiently) wait, we begin to transform our home into one that is getting ready for a child. We have purchased furniture for the baby room and started to collect small items.

We know that we will be most likely receiving a boy from the age of 9 to 18 months old. For now, we continue to wait....