First trip experience?

Hey...for those fellow bloggers out there, what was your first experience like with your child in Russia? We have a few questions that we wanted to gauge how your experiences were:
* Did your child make noises, or relatively quiet?
* Did your child reach for toys, grab things and move a lot, or remain mostly still?
* Was your child able to crawl?
* Did your child laugh, try to communicate?
* Did your child smile?

Our first day yesterday was interesting...she was very quiet, reserved and didnt really show a lot of emotion. We assume its from the delays of being at an orphanage, but wanted to gauge other people's experiences. We leave soon for our second trip. Thanks for your advice!

Thank you everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you everyone for answering all our questions. We really appreciate it. It make us feel more prepared and at ease. We really hope that they let us spend a lot of time with her that would be just incredible. Thank you again from the bottom of our hearts. I will be sure to write everything down in my journal and share this special journey with you all..;-)))))))))))))))) Whoo hooo we are so excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A quick question?????????????

When you traveled on your first trip and went to see your child how long did they allow you to visit for was it everyday and how long one or two hours.?????? Just wanted to know. I don't wanna be disappointed. The reason I'm asking is we just got done talking to our social worker and she was telling me how other peoples experiences were that they usually met the baby twice for an hour or so but that depends on the region.. All my Vlad friends can you let me know so we get an idea what to expect... Thanks!!!

Got our visas today!!!

We were worried that we wouldn't get our visas on time but they showed up this morning. So hotel booked,flights booked,all packed,and got our visas we are pretty much all set to go. I just want to be on the plane already. These days are dragging because we are too excited of going already.Another couple reached out to us through our blog. They are traveling to the same region as us and their flights are the same so they gave us their phone numbers so we can meet up with them. We are so excited to meet people along the way and make new friends....

So close!!!!!

I can't believe we are flying out this weekend finally. It has been very stressful 2 weeks. Randy just left to Fedex the second dossier to our agency. We finished with all the paperwork after all. Now, I hope everything looks good and that we won't have to re-do too much of the paperwork. So far we didn't have to re-do anything the home study or the first dossier they liked everything we did but now this is the paperwork to get a court date so I am sure they'll find something wrong. (We hope not)Our visas should be arriving this Thursday. We managed to fit everything somehow. We are bringing one carry on duffel bag,a backpack for Randy and a large purse for me. We are flying in dressy pants so we can wash them and re-wear them at the end of the week . We packed 3 dressy pants for each of us,bunch of nice shirts and jewelry for me. I made sure everything mixed and matched. We didn't want to drag a huge suitcase and take a chance on it getting lost. We wanted to make this as stress free as we possibly can. We are very excited and nervous at the same time. I am not crazy about flying at all and it will take us 26 hours to get there. We are flying arofloat so I am not quite sure how good they are. I haven't been sleeping too good lately. It must be all the excitement. I go to bed late and wake up very early. I am an early bird I always wake up around 5 in the morning even on the weekends but 3 am is just too much for me.We are not taking a lap top with us so if we get a chance to post something at the hotel we will and if not I am bringing a journal with me so I can write everyday about our experiences and than I'll post everything. So that's about it for now. Wish us LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!

russian currency?

So for those that have traveled to Russia, should we convert some of our money at the airport into Rubles? Do the stores take American dollars and/or credit cards? We are taking a bunch of cash (we know...no marks, tears, etc...), but wanted to check if we should take out Russian currency as well. Thoughts? Thanks!

we are getting excited....now we are praying that the Visas come in on Wed and we get the final paperwork back so I (Randy) can go get them Apostilled! thanks everyone!

Ready to pull my hairout!!!

Okay so we got everything notarized except for my doctor. So I go there today to pick up the paperwork and what do you know everything looked good until I got to his license page and saw that the notary forgot to stamp the sheet with the stamp that says the expiration date. Great all of them were done except one. Now we had to leave the paper so he could bring it back to have that done but he doesn't go to his central office till tuesday so how are we suppose to appostile all of this before us leaving on saturday the 26th. It wouldn't be so bad but this time we have like 6 different notaries . it's always something first he didn't want to give me his license that took like 3 weeks of crying than talking to his lawyer now this. It's seems I can't never catch a break. My husband stuff is perfect as far as we think we'll see about the judge. The hotel is booked,flight booked,we are almost packed and our visas should come on the 23rd. If everything went right Randy would have dropped of to get everything appostiled tomorrow. I was thinking maybe we can just go to the central office tomorrow so the notary can stamp it . I'll run that idea by my husband even though we both have to work. So that's about it for now. I hope we figure this out!!!!!

A very important question???

If Randy and I each take a carry on and a personal bag is that okay. We will fit into a carry on that can't be more than 44 pounds but we also want to take a bag for the paperwork and ipods etc....I just want to make sure we understand this correctly. I tried all the clothes that I am going to be wearing so everything goes together so I don't have to over pack and I am also taking two pairs of flat black shoes that will go with everything. We got the questions for the orphanage,like 2 toys and a small pink elephant blankie for the baby. Our agency also suggested diapers for time that we stay with the baby so I'll pack a couple of those. we rather take two carry ones than a suitcase can you guys tell me is that what you did...Thank you!!!!!!!

What to pack?

Okay folks...since so many of you respond to our blog, looking for advice. What do we absolutely HAVE TO bring with us, and what did you think you needed, but really didnt and we should leave at home? Thanks everyone!

Working on paperwork!!!

So here we are running around like crazy again its my poor husband that is running around. He is the best paperwork master ever. We sent out paperwork for visas randy checked this morning they are in New York already.We are working on dossier 2 so we will turn that in before we leave. The only thing that we have to do that has to do with paperwork is the police,psychologist and doctors. Since that expires in 90 we are doing this last. Everything else is done. This time we have six different notaries so I think it will take longer to appostile .The other paperwork for the first dossier, they did it for us in one day so ,so far we had no trouble. They know us pretty good by now. Everything is coming along. I started to pack because knowing me I will pack and re-pack a couple of times. Randy told me the total weight can't be more than 44 pounds and that's including my carry on. That is a challenge in itself because I always over pack and this time I can't. I will re-wear pants but bring more shirts and I was thinking 2 pairs of shoes. I made a friend on face book that lives in Vlad so I have been asking her how the weather is and she said its hot and I have read in a lot of blogs that is really hot in the buildings so I was thinking shorts but is that appropriate. I just want to look nice and not like a slob or maybe I am just over thinking this whole thing too much. I am freaking out about flying for so long. Randy said it will take us 26 hours to get there and about 36 hours to get back home. On the way coming back we are staying in Moscow because our flight is at 10 am so instead of sleeping at the airport we'll get a hotel room at the airport. So that's the news so far.

Simple blog but it works at least!!!!!

We will egt our cute blog back after we figure it out what went wrong.Thank you everyone for boosting my spirits. It's so nice to chat with people that were and are in the same boat as us. Is there something we should bring or know for the first trip. Our bundle of joy is 12 months old. So far I got teething rings,toys,bunch of nice clothes,shoes that are variety sizes wasn't shure which size to get,and I also compiled questions for the caregiver/director. I just hope we did'nt miss anthing. Is there something that I should really be asking. I just want to make sure that it's on my list. One thing on my mind is all the darn paperwork .UGHHHH but looking at her picture makes it all better. Any suggestions would be welcomed..........Shelly you never know maybe we'll meet in Vlad........if not now than maybe for court........Thank you everyone....Hugs!!!!!

We got our TRAVEL date!!!!

This is so exciting...Randy called me and said lets go away for our anniversary and I said where and he said how about Vladivostok. I started screaming. June 28th is our anniversary!!!!!! I cannot wait to see our baby girl. We are so excited...................................Hang on baby girl mama and papa are coming!!!!!!!

2 months today!!

It's 2 months today since we got the best call of our lives. We were so excited and surprised that they picked a girl for us since we were expecting a boy because that's what we were told. We requsted either gender and it was just assumed that Russia would give us a boy. To our surprise they chose the most beautiful little girl in the world. We would be so blessed to have you in our lives and we would be forever gratful......We love you even though we have never met!!!!!!

A few fun pictures of us....

Zion....



















Bryce National Park


Vegas


Dog sledding in New Hampshire

The weekend is almost over! Hopefully some good news...

Boy,the weekend flew by really fast.Randy and I watched my sister's kids this weekend. They slept over Saturday to Sunday.Than my best friend that I known since 7tgh grade came over with her family and of course her daughter is 9 moths old and I started thinking about our little girl how great it would be just to hold her and hug her.This waiting really sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now we are hoping to see her by fathers day( highly doubt it though) and our next date would be our anniversary on June 28th. We keep on setting these days that we hope to see her by and it's like torture to us because the days pass and we just come up with new ones. We get invited to a birthday party or something and we always say '"Well, we'll come over unless we're in Russia" Than the day of the birthday party comes and it's like Darn we are going to a birthday party but we rather be in Russia. We should just stop but it's just so hard. Every time my friend's call the first thing out of their mouth is"Did you hear anything" UH no if I did the whole world would know...So here we go again... I hope we hear some good news this week!!!!!!!

Thanks Dr. Phil....

So yesterday, on Dr. Phil they had a story on international adoptions and of course picked a few families that were having severe issues with their adopted children. These families had adopted kids that turned out had autism, were deaf, had reactive attachment disorder, violent rages, etc...

Of course, that made me (Randy) nervous, but we are still hopeful. We realize that these kids will have some issues and are hoping for the best possible outcome. There are thousands of adoptions that have taken place before us that have worked out well. Just makes your brain swirl of all of the possible outcomes. Its good to have a community of folks going through the same thoughts and concerns that we have. Hope everything works out well for everyone....

Feeling a little down!!!!

We spoke with our agency and still no news. there is nothing to tell us. We just want to know the reason why and how long before we go on the first trip. We have good days and bad days and today is one of those days. When we called the hot line to our agency it stated that One of the regions( I forgot which one)has stopped with first travel dates and court until the meeting in Mid June. So maybe that' s whats happening to us. I just wish they would just be up front with us and let us know so we know what to expect. The worst part is the unknown it makes us nervous. I guess that's it for now.Hopefully some good news soon for all of us...