The bill that threatened to put a halt to international adoptions in Russia has been withdrawn from the Russian State Duma! Here's the latest ...
http://blog.russianadoptionhelp.com/2011/03/in-like-lion-out-like-lamb.html
Friday, March 25, 2011
Monday, March 14, 2011
Finally, An Update!
but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life!"
~ Proverbs 13:12
Finally! Our friends are safely back from Russia with their newly adopted daughter, so we can finally post an update without jeopardizing their adoption process. After three long years and many obstacles, we are so happy to be able to say ...
We apologize for not updating until now, but we were instructed by our agency not to share an update on the internet until the remaining family from our region was home and had completed their adoption successfully. Now, we are finally free to update you on what has taken place in the last few months ...
After moving to the #1 position on the waiting list in our region and believing we would travel at any time, we got a call in January of this year to let us know that we had lost our region assignment due to an "incident" that occurred with a family that traveled on their first trip at the end of December, which cost not just us, but our entire agency, any future activity in the region. While we are not at liberty to share the details of what happened, we can tell you how this will affect us and our adoption process. It means that we are no longer assigned to any specific region in the country and are back to waiting in a general pool with several other families who do not have a region assignment. Once we have been accepted into a new region, we will wait in line behind whoever has already received their region assignment ahead of us. Think of it like this: You have waited in a very (very!) long line at the bank and, just as it is about to finally be your turn, the bank closes and tells you that you will have to go to another bank to complete your transaction. So, first you have to choose a new bank (or, in our case, wait to have it chosen for you), and then wait in line behind anyone who was already there before you arrived. We were told in January that this could take 3-6 months. It has been almost two.
Of course, at first, we were bitterly disappointed, especially as it seems this was completely preventable (and we were so close). But as it turns out, we have been told that the region where we were assigned has been moving extremely slow and, even though things started moving again at the end of last year, they were not planning on accepting more than 1-2 adoptions per year per agency. Regardless, we are not going to "over-spiritualize" this. It is simply an obstacle that will be overcome, just like the many obstacles we have already faced along the way, and will ultimately lead us to the little girl that God has for our family. Sometimes "free will" just gets in the way of things happening the way they should ...
Today I received a (very timely) encouragement card from a dear friend who has walked very closely with us over the last four years: through the death of Abby, secondary infertility and our subsequent miscarriage, to our decision to adopt and, now, waiting for Hope. She writes from the perspective of someone who has seen firsthand the desires of our hearts and the longing as we have waited for those desires to be fulfilled. She writes:
"It's March now, of course, and the last time we talked you were optimistic about traveling this month. I know you said there has been *another* delay -- making this the longest adoption process ever! So I just wanted to send you a note of encouragement and to let you know that you are never far from my prayers and thoughts. Also, to let you know that I am definately NOT praying for patience for you! I think you've already been granted that chore! All my prayers are for fulfillment. For this dream to be brought to fruition. For a toddling blonde beauty to be brought into your lives now -- no more delays! In the meantime, I am, as always, impressed with your strength and inspired by your faith. God has asked so much from your family that at the very least I believe that you have a huge stockpile of treasures stored up in Heaven! But I do believe that He put the desire in your heart for a reason, and He will be faithful to that promise. Be strong, Emily. She is coming, and we will all fall to our knees in praise on the day she becomes yours."
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas! Yes, we are still here! We were hoping to travel to Russia (and Wyoming) by now, but obviously God's timing is not our own. We just received notice last week that another family has been chosen to travel at the end of December, which means our plans are on hold again. We will definitely be next to receive an invitation (we were one of only two families still waiting in our region); however, based on the current timeline, it will now likely be March or April before we are invited on our first trip to meet Hope. On the bright side, this actually gives us more time to get ready, financially and administratively. We still need to complete our immunizations, update our CIS filing and other documents that are about to expire and work on some additional grant applications, so we would have been scrambling to get everything done over the holidays. We are reminded that God's timing is perfect, and so we wait ...
We would like to take this time to thank everyone who has supported our journey this year. Our Usborne Book sales raised over $1,000 for Hope and we are waiting to hear from two grant applications to be processed. One was denied last month due to more applications than funds available and two more are up for review in January (please pray we are approved). We held two garage sales, one in the spring and one in the fall, which together raised over $1,200. Our online coffee store generated almost $500. And we have had many friends and family generously give "just because!" God has certainly blessed our journey and we are excited to see what 2011 brings!
For those of you who expected us to be in Wyoming by now, we thought we'd give you a little update. We traveled to Cheyenne at the end of January after successfully jumping through all of the hoops required for our move. We were certain that things were moving along only to find out at the end of February that we had not gotten the job that would have made it possible to go at this time. Then we received notice from our adoption agency that we had been assigned to a region and would travel in 2-4 months. We decided to update our Home Study in Ohio to avoid complications that could prevent our travel and interrupt the process. While we were busy doing that, controversy arose surrounding Russian adoptions when a Tennessee woman put her 7 year old adopted son on a plane back to Moscow in April, accompanied only by a note that said she no longer wanted him. While many regions allowed adoptions to continue, our region came to a full stop while a bilateral agreement was discussed between the US and Russia. Several meetings have taken place between our two countries since then (including one that had to be postponed due to the volcano in Iceland) and an agreement is expected to be signed early next year. Just in time as the Russian Duma has been arguing about whether or not to ban international adoptions altogether until an agreement is signed. We have definitely had our share of obstacles this year, but things are finally moving again!
The "good" news during all of this is that several families assigned to our region dropped out of the adoption process, bumping us up on the list to one of three remaining families in August. The first of the three remaining families was invited to travel on their first trip at the end of August. We had the privilege of meeting this family (who live in Mason, Ohio) and learning all about their travel experiences over lunch in October. What we learned only makes us all the more determined to complete this long process and bring Hope home. Please pray that she has what she needs not just to survive, but to thrive while she waits for us!
Long story short, since the incident in April, our agency has been urging all families to keep their documents up-to-date and not to make any significant life changes, we have postponed pursuing our plans to relocate until later. How much later? We don't know. We only know that we are on God's timeline. As it says in Proverbs 16:9, "In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD directs his steps."
May the LORD direct your steps in 2011 and bless your family this Christmas as we once again celebrate His birth.
Love,
Chad, Emily & Benjamin
Remembering ^Abby^ and waiting for Hope!
We would like to take this time to thank everyone who has supported our journey this year. Our Usborne Book sales raised over $1,000 for Hope and we are waiting to hear from two grant applications to be processed. One was denied last month due to more applications than funds available and two more are up for review in January (please pray we are approved). We held two garage sales, one in the spring and one in the fall, which together raised over $1,200. Our online coffee store generated almost $500. And we have had many friends and family generously give "just because!" God has certainly blessed our journey and we are excited to see what 2011 brings!
For those of you who expected us to be in Wyoming by now, we thought we'd give you a little update. We traveled to Cheyenne at the end of January after successfully jumping through all of the hoops required for our move. We were certain that things were moving along only to find out at the end of February that we had not gotten the job that would have made it possible to go at this time. Then we received notice from our adoption agency that we had been assigned to a region and would travel in 2-4 months. We decided to update our Home Study in Ohio to avoid complications that could prevent our travel and interrupt the process. While we were busy doing that, controversy arose surrounding Russian adoptions when a Tennessee woman put her 7 year old adopted son on a plane back to Moscow in April, accompanied only by a note that said she no longer wanted him. While many regions allowed adoptions to continue, our region came to a full stop while a bilateral agreement was discussed between the US and Russia. Several meetings have taken place between our two countries since then (including one that had to be postponed due to the volcano in Iceland) and an agreement is expected to be signed early next year. Just in time as the Russian Duma has been arguing about whether or not to ban international adoptions altogether until an agreement is signed. We have definitely had our share of obstacles this year, but things are finally moving again!
The "good" news during all of this is that several families assigned to our region dropped out of the adoption process, bumping us up on the list to one of three remaining families in August. The first of the three remaining families was invited to travel on their first trip at the end of August. We had the privilege of meeting this family (who live in Mason, Ohio) and learning all about their travel experiences over lunch in October. What we learned only makes us all the more determined to complete this long process and bring Hope home. Please pray that she has what she needs not just to survive, but to thrive while she waits for us!
Long story short, since the incident in April, our agency has been urging all families to keep their documents up-to-date and not to make any significant life changes, we have postponed pursuing our plans to relocate until later. How much later? We don't know. We only know that we are on God's timeline. As it says in Proverbs 16:9, "In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD directs his steps."
May the LORD direct your steps in 2011 and bless your family this Christmas as we once again celebrate His birth.
Love,
Chad, Emily & Benjamin
Remembering ^Abby^ and waiting for Hope!
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Bilateral Agreement - Update!
Delegations from the United States and Russia met December 1-3, 2010 in Washington, D.C. for the fifth round of talks on a bilateral agreement regarding intercountry adoptions. The talks were fruitful, and further progress was made. Several key issues remain under discussion; however, both sides remain committed to reaching an agreement. A decision on scheduling future talks will be taken once both sides complete respective interagency reviews of the draft text.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Usborne, Coffee & The Journey to Hope
We have raised almost $1,000 for the Journey to Hope through Usborne Book sales since our first show in October. Thanks to each of you who hosted a show for us and/or purchased books! I am doing one last show to help us reach our goal this year. Usborne Books make great Christmas gifts and there is something for every child in your life, from babies to teens (children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, friends and neighbors). I will be taking catalog orders and online orders through Monday, December 13th, to be sure books arrive in time for Christmas. Please visit our online store at the link below or ask to see a catalog and place your order before the 13th!
For those of you who do not have a need for Usborne Books but would like to find a way to support our journey this Christmas, we also have an online coffee store selling Fair Trade coffees in just about any blend you can imagine. Fair Trade Coffees also make great Christmas gifts! For every bag of coffee purchased from Just Love Coffee Roasters through our storefront, we receive $5 for the Journey to Hope (and you support an awesome organization that helps many other families and an orphanage in Ethiopia!). The link to our online coffee store is also below.
Thank you for considering Usborne Books and Just Love Coffee as Christmas gifts this year and for your help and support in bringing Hope home from Russia!
Blessings,
Chad & Emily
Click here to visit our online stores:
Usborne Books & More
Just Love Coffee Roasters
For those of you who do not have a need for Usborne Books but would like to find a way to support our journey this Christmas, we also have an online coffee store selling Fair Trade coffees in just about any blend you can imagine. Fair Trade Coffees also make great Christmas gifts! For every bag of coffee purchased from Just Love Coffee Roasters through our storefront, we receive $5 for the Journey to Hope (and you support an awesome organization that helps many other families and an orphanage in Ethiopia!). The link to our online coffee store is also below.
Thank you for considering Usborne Books and Just Love Coffee as Christmas gifts this year and for your help and support in bringing Hope home from Russia!
Blessings,
Chad & Emily
Click here to visit our online stores:
Usborne Books & More
Just Love Coffee Roasters
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Fundraiser/Adoption Update
We have raised over $600 for the Journey to Hope since the middle of September through Usborne Books & More thanks to all of our friends and family (and their friends and family) who have generously hosted shows and/or purchased books! THANK YOU!!! We have three more bookings this month and hope to raise even more! Please keep in mind, especially with the coming holidays, you can make a purchase from our online store at any time and support the Journey to Hope. Usborne Books make great Christmas gifts and so do Fair Trade coffees! Links for both of our online stores are on the panel to the left (scroll down).
A few weeks ago, we received word that our case was being reviewed by our region and that we needed to correct a couple of discrepancies they found on our paperwork. While it was frustrating to find out that there would be another delay while we updated our documents, this was a really good sign! They are (finally) reviewing our dossier, which most likely means that they are preparing us for a referral soon. We could travel any time between now and the end of December when the government offices in Russia shut down for several weeks for the Christmas/New Years holidays. Russians celebrate New Year's twice: on January 1 and again on January 14. Before 1918, Russia used a different system for keeping track of months and years. According to this old system, January 14 is New Year's Day. So, unlike the United States, the governement offices in Russia don't re-open until mid-January. If we don't travel by the end of December, we will travel early next year. As fast as time is passing, it doesn't really feel that far off. I'm praying we'll still get our referral and travel in 2010!
While working on the updates to our documents last month, I had the pleasure of meeting a fellow adoptive family who will be adopting a little girl from Russia through our agency. We had previously "met" on our agency's support forum (online) where we discovered that we are assigned to the same region! They were also asked to update their records in preparation for their 2nd trip to Russia and I ran into them at the Secretary of State's office (in Columbus) of all places. We had about a 5 minute window to run into each other and had never seen each other face to face, yet as soon as she saw me, she knew it was me. How crazy is that? If she hadn't tapped me on the shoulder and said, "Are you Emily?" I would have never known it was her. We spent about 15 minutes chatting in Columbus after our apostilles were completed and we finally had the privilege of meeting for lunch last week. I was grateful to learn so much detailed information about their first trip and what to expect when we are in Russia for the first time. We are praying that we will get to travel with them when it's time for us to meet Hope and when they go back for their court date to bring home their daughter. If you could pray for that, too, we would appreciate it very much!
Please also continue to pray for Hope's health and for patience and endurance for our family as we wait for our referral. I just know that it is imminent. We could get the call as soon as next week! But that is the rollercoaster of international adoption. It could be next week, next month, or next year. Meanwhile, we wait for Hope with hope and with great anticipation!!
A few weeks ago, we received word that our case was being reviewed by our region and that we needed to correct a couple of discrepancies they found on our paperwork. While it was frustrating to find out that there would be another delay while we updated our documents, this was a really good sign! They are (finally) reviewing our dossier, which most likely means that they are preparing us for a referral soon. We could travel any time between now and the end of December when the government offices in Russia shut down for several weeks for the Christmas/New Years holidays. Russians celebrate New Year's twice: on January 1 and again on January 14. Before 1918, Russia used a different system for keeping track of months and years. According to this old system, January 14 is New Year's Day. So, unlike the United States, the governement offices in Russia don't re-open until mid-January. If we don't travel by the end of December, we will travel early next year. As fast as time is passing, it doesn't really feel that far off. I'm praying we'll still get our referral and travel in 2010!
While working on the updates to our documents last month, I had the pleasure of meeting a fellow adoptive family who will be adopting a little girl from Russia through our agency. We had previously "met" on our agency's support forum (online) where we discovered that we are assigned to the same region! They were also asked to update their records in preparation for their 2nd trip to Russia and I ran into them at the Secretary of State's office (in Columbus) of all places. We had about a 5 minute window to run into each other and had never seen each other face to face, yet as soon as she saw me, she knew it was me. How crazy is that? If she hadn't tapped me on the shoulder and said, "Are you Emily?" I would have never known it was her. We spent about 15 minutes chatting in Columbus after our apostilles were completed and we finally had the privilege of meeting for lunch last week. I was grateful to learn so much detailed information about their first trip and what to expect when we are in Russia for the first time. We are praying that we will get to travel with them when it's time for us to meet Hope and when they go back for their court date to bring home their daughter. If you could pray for that, too, we would appreciate it very much!
Please also continue to pray for Hope's health and for patience and endurance for our family as we wait for our referral. I just know that it is imminent. We could get the call as soon as next week! But that is the rollercoaster of international adoption. It could be next week, next month, or next year. Meanwhile, we wait for Hope with hope and with great anticipation!!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Duma Vote Postponed
The State Duma decided to reschedule the vote for next Tuesday, November 23. So, it appears we have another week to wait for the results of the vote.
(Source: http://blog.russianadoptionhelp.com/2010/11/postponed-again.html)
(Source: http://blog.russianadoptionhelp.com/2010/11/postponed-again.html)
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