Today I am sitting at the computer (as always) and wondering what to do. Really it is a good problem, yet it still stresses me out (as does everything with adoption) :0). I will get to the problem in a second. When we started this journey, we planned on it taking a year - at least. Chris was comfortable with that timeframe as it gave us a while to save up money. Our last adoption took us two and a half years, and I can honestly say that it almost killed me. While Chris did it the right way.. "Don't worry and stress about it, it will happen when it happens, it's out of our hands", I was on the computer watching Russia's temperature, talking with every person who ever adopted or thought about adopting, or was in the middle of adopting - and driving myself to the edge of sanity:0)
"THE PROBLEM" We found an agency that says if we just do the paperwork dilligently (I can get it done in a record time with my eyes closed and both hands tied behind my back with all my practice) we could have Max's little brother home by Christmas. WHAT? Keep in mind that I understand that things could change any minute, and that even if I have our dossier ready to go in a few weeks, Russia could shut down, or change the rules again... but by Christmas? Wow!
Chris is the ever rational (sometimes referred to as the Downer) guy. I just read this to him and he said "I think he's bad a__" :0) he he. We have just been thru a rough financial time, at least in comparisson to what we were used to on 05' and 06' . We are both in real estate, and while Texas is much better off than much of our great nation... It's not like the good ol'days.
I was planning on having a little more time to prepare for double mommyhood.. but hey - I can cope!
So here is how I see it... I would give anything for an "easy" adoption. I can still feel the gut wrenching daily pain of waiting, changing countries twice, losing referrals, wondering if it would ever happen, wondering if the Russians would finally close their adoptions off from Americans - the list can go on and on. I think we pull money out of some of our assets (most of the people I talk to do this - or get a loan) and get in and get out. Max is ready for his little brother to get home, the weather will be good (for the first trip anyway in September). It just makes me crazy to think that if we wait, we will look back 4 years from now (and many trips to the crazy farm) and say "we should have jumped on it while things were easy".
Chris see's it as black and white - we wait till we save up the money and if it happens it happens..
So there is the dilema. I have to rush now to church, but will post when we (chris) has made a final decision.
Tracie
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Here We Go Again!!!!
Here we go again!
We have been home with our little Russian Angel Max now just short of two years. When we were in the process of adopting Max, we were SURE we only wanted one child. The other day we got to talking about how neat it would be for Max to have a brother, then we talked about it again, and again... and now we are committed to starting the process all over again. I can't believe it! Max is very excited, and he and his dad are already planning a big "boys are the best" fest. (Little Scary :0) )
The adoption process last time around was a nightmare. I chose the wrong agency, and we paid the price for it. I found a picture of a little boy on a website and fell in love with him - and went with the agency that had posted the picture and gave them a call. Chris didn't have a good feeling about this agency, but I talked him into using them anyway. Needless to say - we were in for a rough ride. We spent a year and a half waiting, jumping thru hoops, waisting tons of money and being lied to - all for nothing. We had all our paperwork (dossiers) completed for Ukraine, Kaz, and Russia, and then lost referrals of 3 children. (this agency is now on Americas Most Wanted) you can check it out. It is Orson Moses and Adoption International Program, he has fled the country and is being investigated for 73 criminal acts.
We then switched to Adoption Ark. They were wonderful. They showed us a Picture of Max at 17 Months old, we accepted and immediately flew to Siberia to bring him home. Although the process was very painful, we now understand that it all happened for a reason. We were waiting to find Max! He is wonderful. He is three and a half and the cutest sweetest smartest little boy in the whole world.
We now would like to find Max a younger brother. Somewhere between 2 and 3.
We sent off our contract to our new agency a few days ago and are very excited to get started. We had to pick a different agency because we decided we would like to adopt from Moscow. We loved Moscow, and would prefer to do the whole thing there. (last time we had to hop on a plane for another 4 hour trip to get to Kemerovo - and then it was a 2.5 hour drive to the baby house that Max was in). The plan is to start our home study in the next week or so. I am very excited about our new agency. Lighthouse. I have talked to many people who are either in the process, or are already home with their children. They have all been very happy with the agency - and the time frames are very impressive. We were planning on it taking a year and a half, but see that it is going much faster. I won't get my hopes up too much though, because we know that things can change in an instant. Russia has been moving smoothly - - -- So, I imagine there will be a slowdown or two soon. I will hope for the best, but expect less.. It will be fun to read our last post once we have the little guy home and see how it ended up. :0)
We have been home with our little Russian Angel Max now just short of two years. When we were in the process of adopting Max, we were SURE we only wanted one child. The other day we got to talking about how neat it would be for Max to have a brother, then we talked about it again, and again... and now we are committed to starting the process all over again. I can't believe it! Max is very excited, and he and his dad are already planning a big "boys are the best" fest. (Little Scary :0) )
The adoption process last time around was a nightmare. I chose the wrong agency, and we paid the price for it. I found a picture of a little boy on a website and fell in love with him - and went with the agency that had posted the picture and gave them a call. Chris didn't have a good feeling about this agency, but I talked him into using them anyway. Needless to say - we were in for a rough ride. We spent a year and a half waiting, jumping thru hoops, waisting tons of money and being lied to - all for nothing. We had all our paperwork (dossiers) completed for Ukraine, Kaz, and Russia, and then lost referrals of 3 children. (this agency is now on Americas Most Wanted) you can check it out. It is Orson Moses and Adoption International Program, he has fled the country and is being investigated for 73 criminal acts.
We then switched to Adoption Ark. They were wonderful. They showed us a Picture of Max at 17 Months old, we accepted and immediately flew to Siberia to bring him home. Although the process was very painful, we now understand that it all happened for a reason. We were waiting to find Max! He is wonderful. He is three and a half and the cutest sweetest smartest little boy in the whole world.
We now would like to find Max a younger brother. Somewhere between 2 and 3.
We sent off our contract to our new agency a few days ago and are very excited to get started. We had to pick a different agency because we decided we would like to adopt from Moscow. We loved Moscow, and would prefer to do the whole thing there. (last time we had to hop on a plane for another 4 hour trip to get to Kemerovo - and then it was a 2.5 hour drive to the baby house that Max was in). The plan is to start our home study in the next week or so. I am very excited about our new agency. Lighthouse. I have talked to many people who are either in the process, or are already home with their children. They have all been very happy with the agency - and the time frames are very impressive. We were planning on it taking a year and a half, but see that it is going much faster. I won't get my hopes up too much though, because we know that things can change in an instant. Russia has been moving smoothly - - -- So, I imagine there will be a slowdown or two soon. I will hope for the best, but expect less.. It will be fun to read our last post once we have the little guy home and see how it ended up. :0)
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