Positive Feedback

Last night I was fortunate to be able to speak with the friend of my cousin who is in the process of working with CHOC!  I was curious as to how the whole Russian end of this journey will play out because CHOC keeps saying I'm jumping the gun and we'll get to that info when it's time - I admit I am jumping the gun a little.

Gena told me the whole Russian end was remarkably smooth and everyone there was so polite!  She said it was easier dealing with the government officials at that end, using a translator, than it was working with our government to get visas, etc.  She said all of the people there were extremely nice and understanding.  She stayed with a host family instead of in a hotel so wonderful homecooked meals everyday.  They had a driver set up through CHOC to take them where they needed to go and these drivers and translators depend on this type of country exchange work so they are all really reliable and not likely to pull a fast one...or they'd be out of a job!  She said even with a hiccup here and there with their documents the Russians were still nice and understanding and she is very much looking forward to going back for a month when they pick up their little girl!

I was very curious about the orphanages and asked many questions.  She only saw the one where her child is but she said it was a lot different than they both had expected.  She said the place was really well run with a great full time staff (including a doctor) that gave the children a chance to really bond with people and form relationships.  They got to participate in meal times and said the food was what we would eat and nothing out of the norm for when she came over here.  She sounded so excited to go back and finally bring home her child.  I loved the picture she painted in my mind of the orphanage and the city.  She said they really enjoyed their time in Russia.

In the whole process she said the most frustrating was just communicating with the people at CHOC.  Because English is not their first language there can be miscommunications when questions are asked.  Her best advice was to ask everything three times to ensure consistant responses.  In her particular case, they were coached to choose a specific gender, boy, to ensure a quicker process and the likelihood of a healthier child.  They chose that and submitted their forms and were told they'd definately get a boy... somewhere in there something was mixed up!  They didn't care either way but I think she feels that might have been the result of a miscommunication between them and CHOC.  Now she just has to repaint the nursery!

Listening to Gena gave me such a good feeling and she believes we have a strong chance of getting siblings since we said we'd be open to that.  While she was there a couple were taking home three boys all under the age of 5!  She said the orphanages do all they can to keep siblings together.  Instant family!  We don't want more than two at this time but it would be amazing to have siblings!

For now, we will keep concnetrating on what we can do: homestudy!  And wait for photos and news from Gena's second trip!  So exciting!

Home Study step one - revisited

Yeah!  We finally got the second ball rolling!

We met with the social worker this morning to sign contracts and go over what the process will entail and what the final document will look like.  We checked off many items today (reference lists, copies of documents/identification, signing of disciplinary statement) and will be able to check off more in the next few weeks.  She said she will visit with us four or five times and that in combination with all the surveys we will fill out (and the ones our references will fill out - thanks in advance!) will allow her to draft a picture of how we would function as a family.  She has a very extensive grading document that is standard with all adoptions.  Everything from our values, beliefs, habits, diet, sexual compatibility, all get a grade.  And we get graded individually for the most part... I hope I win hahaha!  Seriously though, the whole thing not filled out was several pages long.  I will do my best to post a copy of it when I get it electronically from her.


I liked her and I like this process.  She is going to be bringing up many things that a lot of parents don't think to think of before they have kids.  She said feels all international adoptions are special needs children and will be looking at our ability to handle the problems that arrive with genetics, how we will tell Kid where he's from, how we will handle language barriers, etc.  I feel like my training as a teacher has given me an advantage here.  Maybe that's why I went to teachers college - to become a better understanding adoptive parent?

I look forward to the surveys and questionaires we will fill out and it should provide some good discussion between us.  I am interested to see if there is anything we haven't discussed in regards to children!  I also like filling out surveys - NERD!  When it comes to kids, I have a lot to say.  I very much hope this process goes quickly so our dossier can be sent to Russia as soon as possible. 

Next week the medical exam and questionaires!  For the time being... 9 more shows where I get to be a pirate!  ARRRRR!