State Department Update

4/29/2010

There has been no official suspension in adoptions of Russian orphans by American parents. However, in some parts of Russia, we are aware that adoptions are being slowed down or delayed. The United States and Russia held their first round of talks on adoption issues in Moscow on April 29. The discussions focused on the U.S. and Russian concerns regarding protecting the welfare and rights of children being adopted internationally. The talks were productive and an expert-level working group will travel to Moscow for further discussions on an adoption agreement on May 12, 2010.

Department of State Update

April 20, 2010

We have received no official notification that adoptions of Russian orphans by Americans have been suspended, but it is clear the recent controversy has slowed down adoptions in some parts of the country.

Volcanic ash prevented the U.S. delegation from traveling to Moscow over the April 17^th weekend.The talks in Moscow between U.S. and Russian officials are now rescheduled for April 29 and 30. The United States plans to emphasize the importance of this issue, and will discuss our mutual concerns about how to better protect the welfare and rights of children and all parties involved in intercountry adoptions. Many thousands of Russian children have found loving, safe and permanent homes in the United States through intercountry adoption. Families in the United States have adopted more than 50,000 children from Russia.

UPDATE: Okay, so it is currently 3:20 a.m. on the 29th in Moscow. Are we settled?

mama

The One Thing I Know

I don't know how you slept last night.
I don't know what you had for breakfast.
I don't know if you laughed
or if you cried.
I don't know what you're wearing.
Or if you smiled.
I don't know how you smell,
or how soft your skin is
I don't know what color your hair is
or your eyes
Or if you've felt the rain
or sun on your face
Do you like the sound of soft music?
Are your feet and hands oh so soft?
I don't know who you are...

but I do know that I love you.

mama

Through thick (volcano ash) and thin..,and a terrible terrible mistake.

Volcanic ash prevented the U.S. delegation from traveling to Moscow over the April 17th weekend.The delegation now plans to travel to Moscow during the week of April 25. They plan to emphasize the importance of this issue to the United States, and will discuss our mutual concerns about how to better protect the welfare and rights of children and all parties involved in intercountry adoptions. Many adoption cases are continuing to move forward in the courts including a few people that I know (who have managed to make it through the flight delays). Fingers crossed for you all! Squeeze your little one tight!

Wanna Help?

Please sign this petition for the US and Russian Presidents!

http://www.gopetition.com/online/35485.html

Thank you,

mama

Gliding Along

Remaining positive.
Keeping our thoughts with those already planning trips who have met their referral.
Hoping for the best.
Knowing things will work out just fine.

Mama.

UPDATE 4.12.10~
(CNN) -- Top officials from the U.S. State Department plan to travel to Moscow this week to push Russia to allow adoptions by U.S. families to continue.

Anxious Hearts

Being patient is not something I am good at, but I know it's something I need to get used to if I'm going to keep my sanity. On to fingerprints #3. Tuesday morning I went to the Sheriff's Office (I had been going to UPD because they do ink prints and they are free- which is very important right now) to see if they could give this fingerprinting thing a try. I brought photocopies of the unreadables and told them my horrible story of being print-less after four months of trying. The sweet print lady, Sharleen said that she thought I should try the Live Scans instead....and of course I told her that the agency said INK PRINTS ONLY-NO BIOMETRICS. As it turns out the live scans are not biometrics. They scan the prints so they can tell the quality and then print them on the card...voila! They look just like regular prints! I also found out that my prints are worn (no doubt from typing all day) and would probably never make a good ink print. The Sheriff's Office wrote a note about my worn prints to include in the packet. I did the Live Scan and called the HS Agency and told them what happened. They seemed to think that this should work. I do hope so. I also hope that it doesn't take another 8 weeks...but it probably will. I went to the bank for a certified check and then to the post office and sent those suckers off.

Meanwhile, we can't do anymore paperwork until I get the prints. We have everything ready to go, ready to be notorized and apostilled...BUT we don't want the dates on these documents to expire...so we wait...wait wait wait.

8 weeks is a long time when your heart is anxious.

mama

Green Plastic World

Does a child really need so many giant plastic toys? I really am overwhelmed by the yards full of plastic toys that I drive by...sitting covered in pollen and mildew neglected in the Florida heat. The houses I visit with piles and piles of plastic untouched toys in the corner. The parent who says "she never plays with those, she'd rather play with the cardboard or in the the dirt." I dearly hope that I don't fall into that consumerist mode. There's more to parenting than shopping. My nieces would rather I push them on the tire swing or play a game where I hide toys in the yard for them to find. I've bought plastic doll houses at yard sales for them and they sit in the yard today. They played with them for a few minutes (literally) and then never touched them again.