The ever changing story of EE adoption...

An important prayer request for the EE orphan situation in general first...  On July 11th adoption will halt in this country.  The president did sign laws which will allow the shut down so that government offices can be restructured.  Let's hope positive changes occur in a timely manner due to this and that the doors reopen very very soon.  Pray that the restructuring may clean up some of the questionable processes that are a part of life here in regards to working the system...

In these laws that passed it also confirmed that unless you are an orphan with special needs you can't be adopted internationally until your 5yrs old.  I think they are trying to get more in country adoptions of their own orphans but this may increase the number of children who age up in the system and thus become harder to adopt.  Also the list of special needs that are accepted is quite limited to only more common diagnosis...lets pray more of the rare or less common diagnosis will also be allowed, otherwise more and more special needs children will face institutionalization here. 

Basically...let's hope the changes are quick, and improve the process overall.
Remember my post about leaving your type A at home?? That’s all I need to say J
If you can’t leave your type A at home…you should probably adopt from China! Very structured, planned, mapped out…

Arriving in region on Monday we were told there was a possibility of getting the passport on Friday…but more likely Monday.

By Tuesday PM we were told there was no chance of getting it by Friday, and to plan on being in region until

June 29^th because of the mon and tues EE holiday.

By Thursday we were told there was SOME chance we would get it by Friday.

By Friday we were told we would most likely get it that day…but they couldn’t really be sure.

By Friday at 3:00 we were told to be ready to leave the apt in 15 minutes to pick up the passport and then go have Gottcha Day and bring Shea home with us….and return to the capital by Saturday morning! (okay, I admit that my type A did kick in and I outlined all the flights, packed the suitcases and packed a Gotcha Day kit, gave the going away nanny and orphanage gifts etc etc all by Friday morning…you know….just in case!! )

I think the nannies knew we would be leaving soon too…because in addition to the normal treats, pampers fruits and toys that we would bring on visitations they had some special requests. They showed me a broken electric water hot pot, a broken lamp, missing light bulbs and a needed extension cord….implying I should buy them for the orphanage. This was a project for Dad and Mike S…walking over to the market with my shopping list while the women did that days visitation.

So back to EE adoption creative scheduling. My facilitator at one time laughed with me and said…you try to figure out how everything works….stop trying because it will only change and that’s why you pay us! Ohhh but it’s so hard to not be in control says this mamma.

(by the way…my stomach is visibly shifting Left and Right like the atlantic ocean waves right now…I think someone is trying to say hello…and don’t forget about meeeee!)

So we hurriedly booked our tickets to the capital, and headed out to the passport office. Luda had been out of region since wed am working with other families, so she had put the driver in charge of this task. When we arrived the door was locked and the office looked closed! The driver made a call and the door opened, I was asked in…the driver waited outside.

It was kind of strange being in a building, locked to the public from the outside, not speaking any of the language and having workers walk by you wondering what the heck you were doing sitting there in the waiting room. I tried not to make eye contact so that people wouldn’t try to make me explain what I was doing and I was half afraid they might tell me to leave! After a few minutes I was handed the passport, checked it for any errors, signed a paper that was all in Russian and headed toward my little one to spring him from the joint!

So you probably want to know about gotcha day….hee hee hee, I’m thirsty and have to go to the bathroom so you’ll just have to wait for the next post!

And also…before we get to that… before we rejoice….please say prayers for a family who is a bit delayed in Shea’s region. We were able to spend nice time with them and I would really love to see them having court very soon…..and also for any complications that have occurred or may happen in the future….whether day to day problems….or bigger external issues from external sources….that they be obliterated and their little boy goes home with them forever very very soon!
　
　
　
　
　

this is the sleeping room for the grouppa

the regional passport office...the last step before gotcha day!