The Beginning

Our story is much the same as many others. For that we are thankful, as we have had much to read and many with whom to talk.

We met online at Matchmaker.com on May 27th, 2001. We later married, surrounded by friends and family from across the country, at the MGM Grand hotel in Las Vegas. After a few months as newlyweds, we started trying to conceive a child. This eventually led to a steadily escalating series of infertility trials. In January 2005, we decided that it was time to start a new path. That, after much research, led us to Hand In Hand International Adoptions, and our choice to adopt from Russia.

Russia was easy for us. After considering all of the alternatives, we felt that it was the best fit. A strong people living in a beautiful country, rich in history and culture that we would could share with our child.

In 2005, the Russian adoption process underwent great change and at times ground to a halt. It was not until January 2006 that our paperwork could be accepted there for processing.

Now we wait for the phone to ring, announcing a referral from the Bryansk region on the western border. We are told that we will hear the age and sex of the child and little more (no video, photo or medical) until we arrive at the government offices in Russia.

We will make two trips. One for three to five days to be introduced to a child, and the second for six to twenty days to finalize in the regional court and bring our son or daughter home.

While we wait, life goes on, and we have the opportunity to prepare a nursery, learn a little conversational Russian and now to create this diary.

We hope you will enjoy our story as it unfolds.

Thanks.