We Are Ready!

I told myself that I would have everything done by Sunday evening, but I just now finished the last task and am very ready for some sleep.

We'll be up at 4:30 to resume our journey. My sister, Laura, will pick us up at 6:00, as our alternative (surreal) life as airline passengers begins again.

Looking forward to only stopping in Altlanta this time, and for a much shorter time, before heading out over the water.

We will have three checked bags, two checked car seats and one carry-on, plus our coats. That includes the gifts we are bringing.

It warming up over there. Should be a high of 28 the day we arrive, there will be snow and rain for the first few days, then just cloudy.

Gayle's brother Stephen will again move in here while we are gone. Angie, Lily and Sarah love to have Uncle Stephen keep them company.

Will try our best to update the blog as we travel this time. If not, we'll be back the night of the 6th.

We greatly appreciate all the well wishes and offers of help that we have received. We are truely blessed by your support!

Preparations Continue

We put together the swing set Saturday. Had to send off for a missing part, but it will be in full working order before Andrew and Bethany arrive.

Gayle is busy preparing photo albums of family and home to take on the next trip to show the kids, the court, the orphanage caretakers and others who support us during our stay. The ones for the kids are labeled with the words in English, Russian and with Russian phoentically spelled out. For example, dog, собака, sabaka.

We have started attending a new church "Light of Christ" in nearby Chandler. This is where our good friends and fellow adoptive parents, Art and Michele, are members. They are adopting an adorable pair of twin girls (Kaitlyn and Gabriella) from China (see link to the right) and should be back with their kids in early April.

The pastor of the church and his wife adopted from Russia a few years ago and are very excited for us. There are other members who have adopted from China and elsewhere.

Had to put $1800 worth of repairs into the '97 Jeep and it needs more. The '99 Oldmobile is making some worrisome noises. Wouldn't it be great to have a minivan? Isn't it great to not have any car payments?

We have friends and family that live in planned communities further to the east. Gayle's stepbrother and family live in one. They have two kids. Anthony is the same age as our Bethany. Halle is four. They have a big yard with no pool. The house (larger than ours) behind them is for sale and has a pool and a small yard. A gate could be built in the block wall that separates the two. Surrounded by parks and community activities.

House buying and selling is hard. Packing, moving and unpacking do not make for entertaining weekends. Larger mortgage payments?

Things to think about, but no time to act now...our next trip is in five days!

Moscow Weather: low -6, high 11, light snow

The Tickets Have Been Purchased

Below is the plan we are working for now. We were told that we have an option to stay with a Russian host family on the first trip. No more details. We will give it a try, then if it goes well, maybe it will be an option on the third trip with the kids.

Trip Two (for Court date)

Wed Feb 28 – Leave Phoenix
Thu Mar 1 – Arrive Moscow; stay with a Russian host family
Fri Mar 2 – Our medical examinations; stay with host family
Sat Mar 3 – Night train to Bryansk
Sun Mar 4 – Drive to Klintsy and Karachev to see the kids
Mon Mar 5 – Court date; night train to Moscow
Tue Mar 6 – Leave Moscow; arrive Phoenix


Trip Three (to get the kids, finally!)

Wed, Mar 14 – Leave for Moscow
Thu Mar 15 – Arrive Moscow; night train to Bryansk
Fri Mar 16 – Pick up court decree; pick up kids, get passports; night train to Moscow
Sat Mar 17 – Free day
Sun Mar 18 – Free day
Mon Mar 19 – Medical exams for the kids
Tue Mar 20 – US Embassy appointment for visas for the kids
Wed Mar 21 – Register the kids with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Thu Mar 22 – Pick up the registration from the Russian Ministry
Fri Mar 23 – Free day
Sat Mar 24 – Leave Moscow; arrive Phoenix with Andrew and Bethany

The swing set arrived at our doorstep a few days ago. We got the one we wanted in the first place. Hope to have it assembled this weekend.

We are putting in our leave requests for work. We will both be off the first week home, then Gayle will be off for a month, then I will be off for a month. Then we hope to have arranged to reduce our work schedule to 4 days per week (maybe one of us off on Friday and the other Monday), so that A and B only need to be in daycare three days per week.

Still No Confirmation

Here are the likely events.

Wednesday, February 28th – Leave Phoenix with a one and a half hour layover in Atlanta (a much shorter travel time than last time).

Thursday, March 1st – Arrive Moscow; overnight stay in hotel

Friday, March 2nd – We receive medical examinations by Russian doctors (8 specialists); overnight train to Bryansk

Saturday, March 3rd – arrive Bryansk; drive to Klinsky and Karachev to see the kids

Sunday, March 4th – free day in Bryansk

Monday, March 5th – the court date; overnight train to Moscow

Waiting Period – After the court date, allow 5 calendar days for the decree to be issued, then the 10 calendar day waiting period begins. We return home for the wait.

Tuesday, March 6th – Leave Moscow, thru Atlanta

Wednesday, March 7th – Arrive Phoenix; return to normal work routine

Sunday March 18th – Dust off the shamrocks and leave for Moscow, thru Atlanta

Monday March 19th – Arrive Moscow; overnight train to Bryansk

Tuesday March 20th – Arrive Bryansk; car ride to Klinsty and Karachev to pick up the kids

OK, let's pause a second there. That's the moment. That's the one for which we've hoped, planned and prayed. The real journey begins at that moment. It may be a frightening beginning for the kid's, suddenly snatched from their caretakers, familiar surroundings and companions...I know it will be frightening for the new parents...but there will be a very bright and warm future ahead for all of us.

We'll always remember that moment, and recount it to the kids over and over as they grow up. Some call it the "Gotcha Day" and it becomes an annual celebration as important as a birthday.

OK, back to details:

Still Tuesday March 20 – Obtain the adoption decree and passports for the kids; overnight train to Moscow

Wednesday March 21 – Medical exams for the kids

Thursday March 22 – US Embassy appointment for visas for the kids

Friday March 23rd – Register the kids with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Saturday March 24th – free day in Moscow - what will we do?!

Sunday March 25th – another free day in Moscow - what will we do?!

Monday March 26th – Pick up the registration from the Russian Ministry

Tuesday March 27th – Leave Moscow thru Atlanta(our most traveled to city)

Wednesday March 28th – Arrive Phoenix and the kids first look at their new home, their dog and two cats and new grandma's, grandpa, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends and neighbors. Might even take them to the grocery store...Oh, but that's a whole other story.

We Got ANOTHER Call

The info we got this morning was not correct. The Visa applications were almost in FedEx's hands and the airline tickets had already been reserved.

We now believe that we will be leaving for Moscow on February 28th for a March 5th court date. We would then fly out of Moscow on March 27th to bring the kids home.

An even longer stay than we expected.

Our options are to hang out in a hotel or apartment in Moscow (high of 15°, low of 0° and light snow today), without the kids, for the March 6th to March 18th waiting period, when we have no adoption related activity. Or, and this now appears to be less expensive, to return home on March 6th, go to work the rest of that week and next, then fly back to Moscow on March 18th. Thus making it the three trip journey that many other adoptive couples are choosing now.

We'll have more answers and greater confirmation tomorrow.

We Got The Call

We just got THE call!!! We must be in Moscow on Tuesday 2/13 to start the two to three week final process. We have not yet been given a time, but we will go ahead and book a flight now to arrive by Noon and hope that works out. We'll have more details soon.