Adopting Katie
7.7.06
I have just started this blog so that my friends and family can join me for the final stages of me becoming a Mom. I truly started the adoption process in November when I first attended an informational meeting at Children's Hope International. I finally rounded up my courage and mailed my initial application on December 1, 2005. After what some have referred to as "The Paper Chase", I finally had all of the necessary documentation completed at the beginning of April 2006, and my dossier was sent to Russia (Tver Region) on April 7, 2006. When my dossier was sent, I was told that I was 6th for people wanting a girl OR a boy or a girl., and that I the estimated waiting time was 10-12 months. Hearing how long it may take through me for a little spin. I had been thinking that it wouldn't take that long, and that Katie would be home by Christmas. Since that time, I have been waiting for the call telling me that I have a referral. (Referral is the term used to mean a child that is available for adoption. While it may appear to be a cold term, I can understand the need for such phrasing.) I am still waiting, but I can say that I am getting closer. Every time someone else gets a referral, I get excited for both that family and for me. I am almost afraid to get my hopes up for things to be quicker than initial estimates (but I have my fingers crossed).
I am hoping that my sister Cindy will be able to make the necessary journeys to Russia with me. Initially, I thought that my mother would go with me, but that changed when she needed to have a heart valve replaced and another one repaired. So, Aunt Tinny to the rescue! Everything is in place for Cindy to go with me on both trips: doctor's release, visa applications passport, and passport photos have all been submitted. The adoption process in Russia requires 2 trips. The first trip is to meet the judge (and Ministry of Education and Department of Education) and the 'referral'. Then, approximately 2 months later, one returns to Russia for the court date. Once the adoption is approved by the judge, then there are hoops to go through with the American Embassy. Then, its time to come HOME!
To help pass the time, I have begun getting my house ready for Katie. (That is the name that I have chosen for my daughter-to-be: actually Kathryn Lee Lanigan, but she will be called Katie.) I have thus far spent the most time on Katie's room. I friend told me about magnetic paint. When I heard about it, I knew that I wanted that in Katie's room. I am glad that I had decided to do only one wall, because when I put the first coat of the magnetic wall primer on, I was shocked to see that it was almost black. The box said it was dark gray, but I can tell you it's more black than gray. After an inital white primer coat, I applied four coats of the magnetic paint. Then it was time to paint the wall the color that I wanted. Of course, its pink! It took three coats of Ballerina colored paint to cover the 'dark gray'. Yikes! I had help painting from Cindy and from a neighbor. Cindy helped me prime the magnetic wall, and Emily helped me paint the other three walls pink. Emily doesn't know how much she helped. I am short enough that trying to reach to the ceiling to paint the wall would have been a big challenge even standing on a chair!
Cindy and I put together all of the furniture in Katie's room. I moved a bookshelf from another part of the house to her room, and we had put that together a while back. Everything else was put together at some point after Christmas, when Cindy was here for a visit. We decided that the last thing that we would put together would be the crib, because we figured it would be the hardest. However, the crib turned out to be the easiest thing to assemble!
I have taken pictures of the room, and I will try to post some of them as it gets closer to 'the call'. I needed to have the room ready so that I can show that judge that there is space available and ready for Katie. Pictures are probably the easiest thing to take care of. It's what has to be done prior to taking the pictures that takes time and effort!
My current babies are needing to go outside, so I best get going . . .
I have just started this blog so that my friends and family can join me for the final stages of me becoming a Mom. I truly started the adoption process in November when I first attended an informational meeting at Children's Hope International. I finally rounded up my courage and mailed my initial application on December 1, 2005. After what some have referred to as "The Paper Chase", I finally had all of the necessary documentation completed at the beginning of April 2006, and my dossier was sent to Russia (Tver Region) on April 7, 2006. When my dossier was sent, I was told that I was 6th for people wanting a girl OR a boy or a girl., and that I the estimated waiting time was 10-12 months. Hearing how long it may take through me for a little spin. I had been thinking that it wouldn't take that long, and that Katie would be home by Christmas. Since that time, I have been waiting for the call telling me that I have a referral. (Referral is the term used to mean a child that is available for adoption. While it may appear to be a cold term, I can understand the need for such phrasing.) I am still waiting, but I can say that I am getting closer. Every time someone else gets a referral, I get excited for both that family and for me. I am almost afraid to get my hopes up for things to be quicker than initial estimates (but I have my fingers crossed).
I am hoping that my sister Cindy will be able to make the necessary journeys to Russia with me. Initially, I thought that my mother would go with me, but that changed when she needed to have a heart valve replaced and another one repaired. So, Aunt Tinny to the rescue! Everything is in place for Cindy to go with me on both trips: doctor's release, visa applications passport, and passport photos have all been submitted. The adoption process in Russia requires 2 trips. The first trip is to meet the judge (and Ministry of Education and Department of Education) and the 'referral'. Then, approximately 2 months later, one returns to Russia for the court date. Once the adoption is approved by the judge, then there are hoops to go through with the American Embassy. Then, its time to come HOME!
To help pass the time, I have begun getting my house ready for Katie. (That is the name that I have chosen for my daughter-to-be: actually Kathryn Lee Lanigan, but she will be called Katie.) I have thus far spent the most time on Katie's room. I friend told me about magnetic paint. When I heard about it, I knew that I wanted that in Katie's room. I am glad that I had decided to do only one wall, because when I put the first coat of the magnetic wall primer on, I was shocked to see that it was almost black. The box said it was dark gray, but I can tell you it's more black than gray. After an inital white primer coat, I applied four coats of the magnetic paint. Then it was time to paint the wall the color that I wanted. Of course, its pink! It took three coats of Ballerina colored paint to cover the 'dark gray'. Yikes! I had help painting from Cindy and from a neighbor. Cindy helped me prime the magnetic wall, and Emily helped me paint the other three walls pink. Emily doesn't know how much she helped. I am short enough that trying to reach to the ceiling to paint the wall would have been a big challenge even standing on a chair!
Cindy and I put together all of the furniture in Katie's room. I moved a bookshelf from another part of the house to her room, and we had put that together a while back. Everything else was put together at some point after Christmas, when Cindy was here for a visit. We decided that the last thing that we would put together would be the crib, because we figured it would be the hardest. However, the crib turned out to be the easiest thing to assemble!
I have taken pictures of the room, and I will try to post some of them as it gets closer to 'the call'. I needed to have the room ready so that I can show that judge that there is space available and ready for Katie. Pictures are probably the easiest thing to take care of. It's what has to be done prior to taking the pictures that takes time and effort!
My current babies are needing to go outside, so I best get going . . .
posted by Christy @ 4:37 AM
0 comments
