word from Russia ( but not THE word!)

I about came unglued today when an email showed up. I fumbled to translate the darn thing and got all happy when I read "we are pleased to inform applicants..."

what it really meant was
"Dont call us we'll call you!"
Kidding! But it does confirm they got our official request to adopt A.
They again now have 30 days to make a definite decision.

In the meantime, all American agencies have lost their accreditation to adopt in Russia.
BOO!
Some regions (like our 50 states) continue to process what they call independent adoptions ( this is what we are hoping to do.) but for the most part everything has come to a screaching halt.

Ah! But the sign of the day???
LOOK AT WHERE THESE DOCUMENTS HAD TO GO TO GET TO SIBERIA!!

Two stops in the US
Korea
Germany
Belgium
Moscow
Western Far East Russian Federation


I gave them all the info (along with pix) of where to even find the child!!
Make it easy for them I say!

whoo hoo things happening!

- I dug out our INS approval ( takes months to get ) we are still approved for another child (our agency always puts down 2 even though we only asked for one!!) Our INS fingerprints are also still good thru JULY 2007! Remember the Federal bld debacle??

THE PLANETS START TO ALIGN

-I contact legal counsel and we have written a
LETTER OF INTENT TO ADOPT A SIBLING.
Russia has 30 days to respond. Of course this isnt cheap and to express the hard copies of all documents costs even more... not like Fed Ex goes to Siberia!! (but I cant wait 2 MONTHS to even get them there!!) I pause a mili sec and money becomes a non issue. ( At least to ME!)
Just HOW we will pay for this does not concern me. We pulled it off the first time didnt we??? ( it's sickening but the orphanage doesnt get a penny, its all the agencies.) 35K AND we flew free!!

-The same weekend we found A we were also condsidering writing a contract on our DREAM DREAM home ( we are in our dream home but now that we have three kids its laid out all wrong. Besides if you know me, why would I need two kitchens? ;)
T built this house and to find one we BOTH absolutely loved has not been easy, but after months of looking we found it.
- My printer had run out of ink a few days prior. Fixing it to print out the contract we were about to write,
it decided to spit out another file.
Reaching over, it wasnt the big beautiful house at all..


It was little "A"s face.

moments later the image of the house slides out.
Putting them side by side I realize that it isnt the fancy house I really want.
IT'S A.

YOU WANT SIGNS??? I"LL GIVE YOU SIGNS!!!!

I've always been one to lead with my heart, trust my gut.. ignore obstacles..
SPIDER SENSES Todd jokingly calls it...
but even this time I cannot believe all the signs that have led up to now.

SIT BACK. OPEN YOUR MIND AND TELL ME IF WE AREN'T HEADED FOR GREAT THINGS!!!



-Found A on Russian website
-Went to get into Summer's court files to register her for Pre-K in the fall. ( who KNEW you were supposed to do this in MARCH???)In my haste I scattered everything out on the floor. My eye caught a paper from the Russian stack.Puzzled I started to read it, it was in English but I had not seen it before.
- TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS. No not Summer's...
but little Miss "A". Full name-date of birth - parents names EVERYTHING.
Absolutely FLYING to the computer I went to the Russia site & frantically searched for that face again. Holding my breath, translated the info...
A.S. YES! NAME MATCES!!!!
DOB HALLOWEEN!! YES!

I started crying as I looked at the face that could be my sweet Summer's. It was her. The only full blooded sister she has. ( there are 4 more but they are older and have different fathers)

Shaking I ran to tell T.

"Yes, Rain... but what does it change???"
I couldve slapped him! ( OF COURSE WE HAVE TO GO GET HER!) but knowing how he is slow to change I just gave him a look and walked out of the room...

HERE WE GO AGAIN?????

Back up about three months ago....
I couldnt sleep ( so what else is new?? ) so I was randomly searching the Russian data base website. This is where they list the children available for adoption or at least that are in orphanages. The site had been down for "upgrading" so I thought I'd look & see if Summer's pix was still listed... It wasnt. So then I thought I'd be cute and punch in her sister's date of birth. We knew nothing except she was born in 1997. The site is in Russian but I could navigate it enough to search the year and sex of child. Scrolling through the many many sad faces I suddenly came across a little girl who could be Summer's twin!!! STUNNED to the core, ( I had searched previously yet had never seen this face) printing it out, I ran to show Todd and a few of my closest friends. He looked at me like I was nuts and said "Out of 1000's of kids what are the chances of it being her? Afterall we have no other info." In my heart I KNEW that I KNEW that I KNEW it was her.

yet he was right, it may well be just wishful thinking...with no proof..
quietly I threw away the picture and went on with my life....