9 Months!?!

Yes...we've been PaperWork Pregnant (PWP) for 9 months!! In the "fertile world" this would mean baby is coming soon...however in the "adoption world"....different story. We are still waiting for the call that there is a baby for us...once we get the call, then we travel on our first trip and meet the baby. A perfect analogy that I read somewhere before...the first trip is like an ultrasound...you get to see the baby, make sure he is doing okay, but you don't get to have him yet! Then we wait for the 2nd trip, which is when we actually bring him home (this would be the labor part). So, back to the 9 months...this is the amount of time that our paperwork has been in Russia, but we have actually been working on this adoption for 13 months! If you are able to read between the lines...you can tell that my patience is dwindling! Luckily, my dear husband, a.k.a. Optimistic Mike, keeps me sane!!

Where do we go from here? No more lounging around eating BonBons! Our agency informed us that our documents expire from the date we created them...guess what that means? Yes...we are back to doing paperwork! Since, most of our paperwork was dated in April, we have to update those documents! This includes our Homestudy. So...back to the computer! Luckily, this will keep us busy and prevent us from staring at the phone-willing it to ring!

The Checklist...

Well...we are trying to be proactive and are working on getting things done "as though" we will travel soon. The power of positive thinking, right? So, here is the checklist...if I'm missing something important, please let me know!

Things we have done or gotten ready to pack:
* Getting poked...we've beeen vaccinated for: Hep A/B, Typhoid, Tetanus, Diptheria, Whooping Cough
* Photo book - we made a photo story book to leave with our little guy
* Purchased - silk money belts
* Ordered brand new $100 bills
* Russia / English dictionary (not much of a help unless we can figure out how to read cyrillian)
* Learn Russian...so, far we know how to say: Hello, Hi, Good bye, Good morning, Good day, Good night, How are you? I'm fine, nice to meet you, my name is, what is your name? thank you, please, your welcome, boy, dog, cat, mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, sunshine, you are so beautiful, you are so handsome, you are so smart, counting to 10, I love you, to your health, I don't understand, yes, no, do you speak English?, I speak English, my little one, bathroom, poop, pee, my love, my dear, milk, juice, bread, meat, cheese (OF COURSE!), breakfast, lunch, dinner...
* Plug-in adapters
* Hand sanitizer
* Emergen-C packets
* Luggage
* Video camera
* List of contacts/ phone numbers
* Travel journal
* Prescriptions: Cipro, Ambien, Inhaler
* Travel alarm clock
* Ear plugs/eye mask
* Food for the little guy while we visit
* Baby wipes

To Do or Get:
* Toys for the little guy to play with while we visit
* Travel Scrabble game
* Learn more Russian
* Learn Cyrillian alphabet
* Snack food
* Vaccine for Japanese Encephalytis?
* Blanket that "smells" like us to leave with little guy
* Order visas
* Order tickets
* Reserve hotel room
* A REFERRAL!!!