The Russians are coming! The Russians are coming!

Have heard wonderful things about the Regional Baby Home in Arkhangel'sk. From a post: The baby home we adopted from has been written up by someone who studied orphanages in Russia as the best orphanage they have ever seen, and the director as the most caring about the kids. Because of the weather, when the new building was being constructed, he carved out a huge space for a "winter garden" and it's a huge room with palatial windows, tons of plants, small animals like turtles, birds, guinea pigs, and it's very inviting for kids. (They also have an indoor pool and sauna). ... We were told our daughter loved the pool, and it shows when she's bathing and tries to swim! Also, whenever our cat comes into the kitchen while she's eating she immediately picks up a piece of food and holds it out for the cat, and I believe that came from her "winter garden" experiences, so it makes me smile. Wow.

posted by AnnMarie at 11:16 AM |

On Saturday, we got our fingerprint appointments in the mail! Let me explain: For BCIS (formerly INS) approval to adopt an orphan from another country (the I600A or I600), you have to be fingerprinted (at a BCIS office). We sent our application in around March 21. I completely forgot that we should have sent it with a delivery confirmation so we'd know it actually got there. So we've been waiting and wonderful ever since. The appointment is for 2pm Thursday April 17, in Milwaukee. I'd just un-requested that afternoon off from work due to an appointment with the Chancellor. Also, our friend Al will be visiting that day, although we had talked about going to Milwaukee while he was here. If you can't make the appointed time, you can also come in any subsequent Wednesday morning from 8-11. It's first come, first served on those days. So...Chancellor or adoption paperwork......Chancellor or adoption paperwork.... Frankly, I'm not the important person in the meeting; Greg will be there, too and he's the Senate president. I just throw a few comments in now and again. So if we go to Milwaukee, it's okay. Plus, it was rescheduled from a Wed morning when I could have made it without a problem.

posted by AnnMarie at 11:05 AM |

Just sent my passport off again. Had to request an amendment for my name change. Came back fairly quickly, but they missed the fact that my first name is AnnMarie with just one middle name Paulukonis. It's listed Ann Marie Paulukonis. A number of items for our dossier require our names as shown on the passport. Therefore, it is imperative that the passport exactly match how I spell my name. ::sigh:: When it was Ann Marie, I had to work at getting people to put the space in. Now that it's not there, I have to fight to remove it! When I had my Social Security card changed, it came back just like this. I went to the office in person to set it straight. At first, the software refused to consider the space difference as a difference! She had to process it differently to get it accomplished. I just hope all my other documents done by others (homestudy, medicals, etc.) get done correctly the first time! Already had to correct CHU on it as well (they thought I was Anne!). I forgot to make a copy of the amendment page with the wrong info on it. I should have done that just to have a complete copy on hand.

By the way, Eric's passport already arrived, too!

posted by AnnMarie at 8:58 AM |

Two weeks before we expected to receive Eric's birth certificates from NJ, we not only have them but also have them apostilled. Yay! On the other hand, the info from CHI that we just received says birth certificates no longer need apostilles. Oh, well. The rules could change again and we'll be all set.

posted by AnnMarie at 6:42 AM |

We are officially a CHI family! Received the acceptance letter on Thursday; mailed our confirmation (and check) yesterday. Woohoo!

posted by AnnMarie at 6:34 AM |

TIP: Pack clothes in Ziplock bags. They sell some giant ones, possibly even made just for this. Use the ones with the tab closer, not the regular ones--too difficult to close. With the bags, it's easy to press air out so more fits in. This tip came from someone at the CATS conference.

posted by AnnMarie at 6:30 AM |