Paperwork Must Be Redone

I received some bad news this week. All of my INS paperwork expires on February 15, 2009 and I will not have Megan home by that point. This means that I have to redo ALL of my Dossier Paperwork, including my Home Study. Of course this news upset me, but I don't have a choice. If I don't update the paperwork I cannot bring Megan into the country. So.....whatelse am I going to do? Please pray that I can get all of this done by next week, so that things can be processing before and after Christmas. That way maybe I can get everything together before I head back to Russia, hopefully at the end of January.
At this point, I am hoping to have Megan home for my birthday, February 23rd.

Five Days and Counting

Hi Everyone,
It has been five days since I last saw Megan, and overall the time has gone pretty quickly. I have been staying busy and showing her pictures off to everyone. I can't post her picture on the blog until after court. So, if I happened to miss emailing you one, just email me and I will send you one!
The twelve hour flight got Mom and I back into Atlanta Thanksgiving night and it was a long ride home. We spent Friday working on some Christmas decorations at mom and dad's house and THANKS to my cousins, Jeff, Susan, Jill, Jan, and Jay, mom and I were able to have a leftover Thanksgiving meal!!! Saturday morning, I went to my grandmothers to show her pictures of Megan, but other than that, it was a bad day because Georgia lost to Georgia Tech. Yesterday, found me at church showing off pictures and telling everyone about our trip. I got to work early today, trying to get some things caught up, but it didn't work. I have been getting emails and visits from people wanting to see more pictures of my little princess. I sent three out this morning, and everyone thinks she is BEAUTIFUL!!!
As of now, I am once again waiting. I know I have to redo some paperwork, but I have not heard anything from CHI as of yet. According to CHI in St. Louis and in Moscow, there will be no way that I will have court until after January 12th. So, I am hoping to have court either the 12th or 13th and then start the 10 day waiting period. That would put her home near the first of February! I will just have to see how everything goes!!!!
Again, thanks for everyone's thoughts and prayers. Please keep Megan in your prayers, she is VERY ATTACHED to her caregivers (she has been in the same Baby House since she was three days old)and I know taking her out of the Baby House is going to be VERY traumatic for her.

I'm a Mom!!!!

Today was a VERY big day. Mom and I started at around 10:00 and traveled (I use that word loosely in downtown Moscow) to the Ministry of Education where I was matched with a 17 month old little girl. We then traveled around Moscow for an hour before we made it to her Baby House. After waiting for the Director and getting the basic information I got to meet my daughter. She was dressed in a GOD-AWFUL ugly blue dress and they had just shaved her head, but she came to me right away and seemed very happy until she saw herself in the mirrow. She then screamed her head off.......she visited with her Grand for a few minutes, but she wanted her Nurse. She is very attached to her. We then left her so she could go back to sleep and meet with her doctor. She was very nice and answered all of our questions.
The best news is my little angel is healthy!!! She is 17 months old, walking, potty trained, feeding herself, and very independent!!! She has a set of lungs, which I heard when she was upset. She also has a few teeth!!!! She is weighing in at over 25 pounds, so she isn't petite........
We will be seeing her again tomorrow and they said I could take her outside for awhile in the snow if I wanted to!
Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers!

We Made It!

Just wanted to let everyone know, mom and I made it safely to Russia and to the hotel! Lots of rain and now snow flurries!
Post more later!
Love,
Michelle

Time to Travel

It's hard to believe, but tomorrow is the big day. Mom and I will leave Atlanta around 4:40 Saturday afternoon and arrive in Moscow after 11:00 the next morning - their time. After all this waiting, I will finally be meeting my little girl next week.
I have heard from the Israel's (they went to court today) and it is snowing and cold in Moscow. I have checked the long range forecast and it is going to be in the 20's and 30's the whole time we are there and snow is predicted for most of the time. I wonder if Moscow residents drive any better in the snow than southerns?
I want to Thank everyone that has offered me words of encouragements, sent cards and emails, phoned, etc.....all of your words and actions have been wonderful! I know that many people are praying for me and this adoption and that helps all of the nerves and worries. I have put the matter in God's hands!
I will try to make two posts in Russia, one when we arrive and one after I meet Megan and visit with her. Hopefully everything will go well and mom and I will back in Atlanta Thanksgiving night.
I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday!
Love Michelle!
GO DAWGS - BEAT TECH!!!!

Fingerprinting Done and Getting Ready

This week is finally over and I feel like I can start the countdown to departure. Mom and I will be leaving Atlanta in less than eight days. I am going to make my first Target and Walmart runs this weekend to start picking up stuff and slowly start packing. That way, all the things I know I will forget, can be picked up next Friday evening!
I have been getting the nicest cards and emails from people wishing me the best on this trip!!!! Thanks so much to everyone who has been keeping my family in your thoughts and prayers. Having caring friends is a gift from God!
I think Mom is more excited and nervous than I am about leaving next Saturday. Since she hates to fly and has never been to Europe! I wish I had someone filming her!!!!!
I got my fingerprints done on Wednesday....one less thing that I will have to do when I get back!
It's hard to believe that after all this wait.....eight days and I will be leaving for Moscow!
Have a great weekend!

Two Weeks and Counting

When someone starts the process of International Adoption, their Adoption Agency tells them that there is no guarantee on a time frame. Things might happen quickly (probably not) or it could take months or even years to be matched with a child. Considering I have been in this process for over 16 months and have had my paperwork in Russia for over a year, one would think that I would be accustomed to the wait. However, now that I have been given a travel departure date, time has basically stopped moving. I feel like everyday just drags by. I am so ready to go to Russia and meet Megan. I could literally be packed and on my way to Atlanta in less than an hour, if I got a call for a change in departure dates. However, I don't see that happening, so I will have to continue to wait patiently for November 22nd. After all this waiting, it is really hard to believe that my wait time is down to two weeks.
Since my wait time has been so long, all of my Dossier documents have expired, including my INS fingerprints. I will be travelling to Atlanta this week to have them redone. For anyone that hasn't been to an INS office, it is an unique experience. Think of security at the airport and multiple it by two, then add a bunch of people that speak multiple different languages and you are close to the scene. There are lots of officials sending you to different "stations" and lots of different lines. However, even though there are lots of people and lines, they do manage to get you out quickly.
I heard from my new friends the Israels' this week. They are from Florida and will be heading back to Moscow on November 19th for their court date. I can't wait to see their little girl and hear all about the court process. I know that in the next couple of months it will be me getting ready to go back to Moscow. However, I know it will not be before Christmas. I am preparing myself and I am realistic enough to know that I probably won't be having my court date until near the MLK holiday. That means I probably won't be home with Megan until the first of February. However, great things can happen!!! Maybe I will be surprised and get to go before the end of the year. Please continue to keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

Get Ready......Get Set.......

Over the last couple of days, I have been busy getting things done for the trip to Moscow. Mom and I will leave Atlanta on Saturday, November 22nd and will return (hopefully) on Thanksgiving Day, November 27th. For those of you that do not know, I have an appointment with the Ministry of Education on Tuesday morning, November 25th. From his/her office, I will travel to the baby house or orphanage to meet my little girl and visit with her. Her age and schedule will determine how long we get to spend with her that afternoon. I will then have that evening to make my decision and if I decide to accept her, I will visit her again Wednesday morning. Then that afternoon, I will appear before a judge (probably a court clerk) asking to adopt my little girl and change her name. If these plans hold, mom and I will leave Moscow Thursday afternoon. If anything should go wrong or happen, we will remain in Moscow until Friday or Saturday. Please be praying that everything goes ok and mom and I have the strength to make the decisions we need to make.
As of today, I have purchased the airline tickets, made the hotel reservations, applied for our Visas and mom and I have purchased new "snow" boots and luggage. I think that other than putting things in the suitcase, we are as ready as we can be at this date! Needless to say, I am ready to go!
I talked to Leslie from CHI yesterday (via email) and she said that barring any major problems, CHI plans to have me finished before March. So........even though I now know I won't have Megan for Christmas, I now have some sort of deadline to work towards. I feel like there is a light at the end of the tunnel and I am slowing making my way to it.
Please continue to keep Megan in your thoughts and prayers!
Thanks for everything!

"THE CALL"

Well in the "world" of International Adoption , yesterday was one of those milestone days. I got the call from the adoption agency. I have been matched with a little girl and invited to travel to Moscow the weekend before Thanksgiving. I know no details on age, weight, ethnic background, etc.....it is a blind referral. However, I am still very excited and ready to go! I can't wait to meet Megan!

Approaching A Year

Hello Everyone,
On October 23rd, it will be one year since my paperwork was sent to Moscow City. When I started the International Adoption process I knew it would be a long wait, but I never dreamed it would last for over a year with still no word on a completion date. My first adoption consultant(Arati) hinted that it would be February, 2009, before I got my little girl. I never dreamed she would be right or at least close to the date! At this point, I am number one in line for a little girl in the region of Moscow City, but have no idea when I will be matched or when I will be able to travel. I am in the process of updating paperwork because the paperwork that has been sent to Moscow is either out of date by this point or will be soon! The paperwork "game" in International Adoption is a never ending process! BUT.....I just keep thinking that all of this will be worth it once I get my little girl.
For those of you that don't know, her first name is going to be Megan. I needed a "M" name for the Bailey side of the family, and finally decided on it. I have told people that Megan Bailey sounds like a good Irish name for my little Russian girl!!!! The nursery is also almost finished. I will post pictures soon. I am not buying a bed yet, because I don't know if I will need a baby bed, a toddler bed or a twin bed......that will be a purchase for after the first trip. If you want to see Megan's room decor before I post the pictures, you can go online to "Kids Line" and type in "Clothes Line".
Please continue to keep Megan in your thoughts and prayers! I know that by this point she has been born and is waiting for me somewhere in Moscow City!!!!!
By the way.....GO DAWGS!!!!!