Late Thursday we received confirmation that our return trip to Russia would be from Saturday, November 17, through Saturday, December 8. As mentioned previously, this is dictated by our court date, set for Tuesday the 20th, followed by the mandatory 10-day wait (or 14-day wait if we count weekends), and several days of dealings with the U.S. embassy in Moscow once we take custody of Syevinch. Given that we are now planning to remain in Moscow during the waiting period, we hope to spend a considerable amount of time visiting the little one at the orphanage in order to continue to work at developing that essential bond.
I recognize that these blog postings have been fairly dry lately. While this lack of multimedia is apparent, it is also intentional, as there's not much to post other than random pics of Renee buying her first diapers or flipping through the latest issue of Adoptive Families, or of me steam cleaning the carpet or reseeding the back lawn. (Okay, I confess that neither of these last two things have actually happened yet, but they are definitely on my "to do" list.) I will keep an eye out for more interesting photos, video, and links, but until then, enjoy the text.
Larry & Renee
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Update: Change in Plans
Just a quick update to Monday's "News Flash" posting.
We received word yesterday from our adoption agency that our court date has been set for Tuesday, November 20. This is a bit further out than we had anticipated, but given that everything hinges on this court date, it's great that it's fixed and we can now focus on preparing to travel.
Realistically, we may still be required to travel three times (two more in addition to last month's trip) if the Dept. of Homeland Security doesn't hold to their promise of a quick turnaround on our pending documentation. We are expecting that approval to appear sometime next week, though, and even if it's a week or two late, we would have it well before our departure date, which would mean that we're back to just one more trip, a three-week stay in Moscow, and a happy homecoming with Syevinch in early December. If not, well, then it's just one more hitch in our plans.
I'll post more details as we have them.
Larry & Renee
We received word yesterday from our adoption agency that our court date has been set for Tuesday, November 20. This is a bit further out than we had anticipated, but given that everything hinges on this court date, it's great that it's fixed and we can now focus on preparing to travel.
Realistically, we may still be required to travel three times (two more in addition to last month's trip) if the Dept. of Homeland Security doesn't hold to their promise of a quick turnaround on our pending documentation. We are expecting that approval to appear sometime next week, though, and even if it's a week or two late, we would have it well before our departure date, which would mean that we're back to just one more trip, a three-week stay in Moscow, and a happy homecoming with Syevinch in early December. If not, well, then it's just one more hitch in our plans.
I'll post more details as we have them.
Larry & Renee
Monday, October 22, 2007
News Flash: Change in Plans
Adaptability ... flexibility ... spontaneity: All positive traits in certain situations.
This is one of those situations.
We got a call early this morning from our adoption agency informing us that a Moscow court date next week was not possible. They are now aiming for early November, which means that we will not be traveling this weekend. It also means that very likely we will be able to coordinate the remainder of the process in just one more, albeit longer, trip. This is, of course, assuming that the Homeland Security approval comes through on schedule, otherwise we may just have to move to Moscow to wait this out....
For those of you who made comments about wanting to experience the adoption process vicariously through us, well this moment-to-moment reversal is about as vicarious as it gets.
More to follow. (I just hope that isn't counter to what I wrote here!)
Larry & Renee
This is one of those situations.
We got a call early this morning from our adoption agency informing us that a Moscow court date next week was not possible. They are now aiming for early November, which means that we will not be traveling this weekend. It also means that very likely we will be able to coordinate the remainder of the process in just one more, albeit longer, trip. This is, of course, assuming that the Homeland Security approval comes through on schedule, otherwise we may just have to move to Moscow to wait this out....
For those of you who made comments about wanting to experience the adoption process vicariously through us, well this moment-to-moment reversal is about as vicarious as it gets.
More to follow. (I just hope that isn't counter to what I wrote here!)
Larry & Renee
Sunday, October 21, 2007
A Light at the End of the Tunnel
Note: Some of the information presented here relies on the reader's understanding of recent events. I would encourage you to scan some of the recently archived entries to get a better sense of where are in the process.
After the past two weeks' highs and lows, we thought we were finally on track to finish up this adoption drama and spend a quiet Christmas back in California with our new daughter. We received news on Friday that threw everything back up into the air — no problems that are unresolvable, but another complication that affects where we go from here.
Renee received a call from our adoption agency Friday morning encouraging us to accept a Moscow court date the last week of October, despite the probability that our approval to bring her home would not yet be approved. What this would mean is that we would fly to Moscow, appear before a judge to state our case, hang out for a couple of days to make sure everything is proceeding, then fly back home ... again, without Syevinch. We do not fully understand why they are pushing us in this direction, especially given that our Department of Homeland Security document is currently on track to be approved around October 29 (while we're in Moscow). But we trust the agency and have decided to proceed on this course.
Because there is a mandatory 10-day waiting period between the time of this court appearance and the time that a child can be released to the adoptive parents' custody, the reality is that we would not be able to leave with her until at least November 15 or 16, anyway, so there is an up-side of not having to pay $300 per night in a Moscow hotel room while we sit and wait for the ten days to be up. Returning home between these two trips would allow us to not only wait for verification that the DHS approval had been granted in the free comfort of our own home, but also provide us an opportunity to finish baby-proofing the house, as well as to gather the toddler clothes, supplies, and distractions that would allow us to more reliably depart as a couple and return as a family.
The down side, as I mentioned in a message posted in late September, is if we do not remain in Moscow for the duration of the 10-day wait, then we lose any opportunity to return to the orphanage and work toward advancing that essential bond with Syevinch. I'm quite nervous about spending 20+ hours in airports and on airplanes with a 14-month-old who doesn't understand where her caregivers went and has little understanding of who we are. I suspect that we will try to time our final trip to allow several days of orphanage visits before prepping her (and us) for the flight home.
So I'm not thrilled that we're being pushed into a "hurry-up-and-wait" position. Perhaps we will achieve greater understanding of the need for an earlier court date once we get over there. The bottom line is that we can now see that light at the end of the tunnel — at times it still seems to be a fast-approaching train, but we're becoming more confident that it is, in fact,
the butterfly nightlight illuminating the bedroom that awaits Syevinch's arrival.
Stay tuned for more daily updates as we prep for a quick return to Moscow later this week.
Larry & Renee
After the past two weeks' highs and lows, we thought we were finally on track to finish up this adoption drama and spend a quiet Christmas back in California with our new daughter. We received news on Friday that threw everything back up into the air — no problems that are unresolvable, but another complication that affects where we go from here.
Renee received a call from our adoption agency Friday morning encouraging us to accept a Moscow court date the last week of October, despite the probability that our approval to bring her home would not yet be approved. What this would mean is that we would fly to Moscow, appear before a judge to state our case, hang out for a couple of days to make sure everything is proceeding, then fly back home ... again, without Syevinch. We do not fully understand why they are pushing us in this direction, especially given that our Department of Homeland Security document is currently on track to be approved around October 29 (while we're in Moscow). But we trust the agency and have decided to proceed on this course.
Because there is a mandatory 10-day waiting period between the time of this court appearance and the time that a child can be released to the adoptive parents' custody, the reality is that we would not be able to leave with her until at least November 15 or 16, anyway, so there is an up-side of not having to pay $300 per night in a Moscow hotel room while we sit and wait for the ten days to be up. Returning home between these two trips would allow us to not only wait for verification that the DHS approval had been granted in the free comfort of our own home, but also provide us an opportunity to finish baby-proofing the house, as well as to gather the toddler clothes, supplies, and distractions that would allow us to more reliably depart as a couple and return as a family.
The down side, as I mentioned in a message posted in late September, is if we do not remain in Moscow for the duration of the 10-day wait, then we lose any opportunity to return to the orphanage and work toward advancing that essential bond with Syevinch. I'm quite nervous about spending 20+ hours in airports and on airplanes with a 14-month-old who doesn't understand where her caregivers went and has little understanding of who we are. I suspect that we will try to time our final trip to allow several days of orphanage visits before prepping her (and us) for the flight home.
So I'm not thrilled that we're being pushed into a "hurry-up-and-wait" position. Perhaps we will achieve greater understanding of the need for an earlier court date once we get over there. The bottom line is that we can now see that light at the end of the tunnel — at times it still seems to be a fast-approaching train, but we're becoming more confident that it is, in fact,
the butterfly nightlight illuminating the bedroom that awaits Syevinch's arrival.Stay tuned for more daily updates as we prep for a quick return to Moscow later this week.
Larry & Renee
Monday, October 15, 2007
Bureaucratic Progress
Thank you to everyone who leveraged your networks and explored your degrees-of-separation to help us connect with our legislators (details posted below as "Home ... and Another Delay").
The situation was that shortly after returning home from our first trip last week, we received word that a key document allowing us to bring Syevinch back into the U.S. had expired — a casualty of an exorbitantly long adoption process. The application needed to be resubmitted to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with supporting, notarized documentation. The problem was that the quoted time for processing this particular form was 60–90 days. Now that things were moving forward in Russia (a court date was scheduled for us for October 25, which we had to postpone) and Syevinch was technically ready to be handed over to our custody, this delay was yet another hurdle to our progress (and sanity). In response to this, it was recommended that we contact our legislators to seek high-visibility assistance in moving our application through the bureaucratic process on a shorter timeframe.
At the same time that I sent out the plea for assistance to some of you earlier this week , Renee was hearing from our adoption agency, recommending that we hold off on calling in the "big guns" until we see what sort of response we might get from DHS directly.
As it turns out, we got confirmation from the individual responsible for adoption processing in the San Jose office of DHS just yesterday that they will rush our application through within two weeks. (Looks like the pictures we included of Syevinch might have worked at tugging some heartstrings after all!) We have a call in to our agency now to see whether we might be able to move forward in scheduling the Moscow court date for the week of November 12 — two weeks after the anticipated approval from DHS in order to provide enough cushion (we hope) to prevent yet another rescheduling.
So, again, thank you to everyone who responded with connections. I was a bit surprised to learn that I am only two degrees separated from Representative Mike Honda and three from Senators Feinstein and Boxer! It was nice to know that we could utilize those connections if we had to, but even nicer to know that we didn't have to.
Appreciatively,
Larry & Renee
The situation was that shortly after returning home from our first trip last week, we received word that a key document allowing us to bring Syevinch back into the U.S. had expired — a casualty of an exorbitantly long adoption process. The application needed to be resubmitted to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with supporting, notarized documentation. The problem was that the quoted time for processing this particular form was 60–90 days. Now that things were moving forward in Russia (a court date was scheduled for us for October 25, which we had to postpone) and Syevinch was technically ready to be handed over to our custody, this delay was yet another hurdle to our progress (and sanity). In response to this, it was recommended that we contact our legislators to seek high-visibility assistance in moving our application through the bureaucratic process on a shorter timeframe.
At the same time that I sent out the plea for assistance to some of you earlier this week , Renee was hearing from our adoption agency, recommending that we hold off on calling in the "big guns" until we see what sort of response we might get from DHS directly.
As it turns out, we got confirmation from the individual responsible for adoption processing in the San Jose office of DHS just yesterday that they will rush our application through within two weeks. (Looks like the pictures we included of Syevinch might have worked at tugging some heartstrings after all!) We have a call in to our agency now to see whether we might be able to move forward in scheduling the Moscow court date for the week of November 12 — two weeks after the anticipated approval from DHS in order to provide enough cushion (we hope) to prevent yet another rescheduling.So, again, thank you to everyone who responded with connections. I was a bit surprised to learn that I am only two degrees separated from Representative Mike Honda and three from Senators Feinstein and Boxer! It was nice to know that we could utilize those connections if we had to, but even nicer to know that we didn't have to.
Appreciatively,
Larry & Renee
Friday, October 12, 2007
Careful What You Wish For
Today is my 40th birthday.
Since I am one of those who argued vehemently that the turn of the 21st century didn't occur until January 1, 2001, I will similarly argue that I will not enter my fourth decade until next October 12, at 10:35 p.m. (PDT). Regardless, the birthday ends in a zero, which makes it a big one.
I remember vividly, as a 3rd grader, thinking of my far-distant adult life. In addition to "knowing" that I would be fluent in 12 languages and smoke a pipe in my extensive, oak-walled library, I also knew that I would have kids once I hit 40. While I am now able to muddle through only two or three languages beyond English and my experience with smoking ended when cloves went out of fashion in 1984, I hit it square on with the third of my predictions: We are at the tail-end of the adoption process and I will in fact be a father — a role I've craved for half of my life now — before my next birthday.
So I say, careful what you wish for, for that wish may very well come true in the naive manner in which you envision it. Had I known back at Loyola Elementary what I know (or think I know) now, I would have wished for kids much sooner ... and perhaps that they came delivered in a brand new Audi to our mortgage-free, four-bedroom home in the foothills. :-)
Since I am one of those who argued vehemently that the turn of the 21st century didn't occur until January 1, 2001, I will similarly argue that I will not enter my fourth decade until next October 12, at 10:35 p.m. (PDT). Regardless, the birthday ends in a zero, which makes it a big one.
I remember vividly, as a 3rd grader, thinking of my far-distant adult life. In addition to "knowing" that I would be fluent in 12 languages and smoke a pipe in my extensive, oak-walled library, I also knew that I would have kids once I hit 40. While I am now able to muddle through only two or three languages beyond English and my experience with smoking ended when cloves went out of fashion in 1984, I hit it square on with the third of my predictions: We are at the tail-end of the adoption process and I will in fact be a father — a role I've craved for half of my life now — before my next birthday.So I say, careful what you wish for, for that wish may very well come true in the naive manner in which you envision it. Had I known back at Loyola Elementary what I know (or think I know) now, I would have wished for kids much sooner ... and perhaps that they came delivered in a brand new Audi to our mortgage-free, four-bedroom home in the foothills. :-)
But life is what it is, and I know that Syevinch is the greatest possible gift I will
ever know. I will spend the next 40 years (god willing) making sure that she understands that.
Everyone join in now as I make my wish:
ever know. I will spend the next 40 years (god willing) making sure that she understands that.Everyone join in now as I make my wish:
Happy birthday to me......
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Home ... and Another Delay
Friends & Family:
Renee and I arrived back in the States last Friday afternoon after an adventurous 18-hour trek and 36 hours of relative sleeplessness. It's good to be home, but it was very hard to leave Syevinch after just having met her. It helped knowing that we should expect a call to return by later this month or early November.
Coming off of our high from meeting her and beginning the process of bonding, however, we learned just yesterday that one of the essential forms required by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security prior to finalizing international adoption has expired. (Why nobody caught this until this critical stage is beyond me.) Sadly, our entire process has ground to a halt while this piece of paper gets appropriate approval.
What this means is that we must now scramble to complete this intensely bureaucratic form, provide supporting documentation (we currently have much of what they require, but when we initially completed the form they came back asking for documentation that was not originally requested), and plead for them to expedite the approval process. The instructions state that the processing period is 60 to 90 days -- which means that there is no way we'd be able to coordinate our return to Russia and finalize the adoption in the current plan of early November.
Our adoption agency is advising us to seek support of our legislators to expedite the process, stating that a personal contact with a Congressperson or U.S. Senator will go a very long way.
So my question to each of you is this: Do you have a contact with anyone in the offices of either Mike Honda, Zoe Lofgren, Barbara Boxer, or Dianne Feinstein that you be willing to share with us in the hope of accessing this legislative assistance?
I came back from this first trip feeling so good that things were finally moving forward, but I could not let go of that pessimistic piece that had worked its way deep into my consciousness, the result of the turbulent ride we've been on for two and a half years. The pessimism has re-awakened, and while no one is saying that the process could yet fall apart, I can't let go of that possibility. And now that Syevinch has found her way into my heart, tears welling up out of fear that we will, at best, have to wait even longer for her and and she for us.
Thanks for the opportunity to vent and for any assistance you might be able to provide in what we still consider to be the home stretch.
With love,
Larry & Renee
Renee and I arrived back in the States last Friday afternoon after an adventurous 18-hour trek and 36 hours of relative sleeplessness. It's good to be home, but it was very hard to leave Syevinch after just having met her. It helped knowing that we should expect a call to return by later this month or early November.
Coming off of our high from meeting her and beginning the process of bonding, however, we learned just yesterday that one of the essential forms required by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security prior to finalizing international adoption has expired. (Why nobody caught this until this critical stage is beyond me.) Sadly, our entire process has ground to a halt while this piece of paper gets appropriate approval.
What this means is that we must now scramble to complete this intensely bureaucratic form, provide supporting documentation (we currently have much of what they require, but when we initially completed the form they came back asking for documentation that was not originally requested), and plead for them to expedite the approval process. The instructions state that the processing period is 60 to 90 days -- which means that there is no way we'd be able to coordinate our return to Russia and finalize the adoption in the current plan of early November.
Our adoption agency is advising us to seek support of our legislators to expedite the process, stating that a personal contact with a Congressperson or U.S. Senator will go a very long way.
So my question to each of you is this: Do you have a contact with anyone in the offices of either Mike Honda, Zoe Lofgren, Barbara Boxer, or Dianne Feinstein that you be willing to share with us in the hope of accessing this legislative assistance?
I came back from this first trip feeling so good that things were finally moving forward, but I could not let go of that pessimistic piece that had worked its way deep into my consciousness, the result of the turbulent ride we've been on for two and a half years. The pessimism has re-awakened, and while no one is saying that the process could yet fall apart, I can't let go of that possibility. And now that Syevinch has found her way into my heart, tears welling up out of fear that we will, at best, have to wait even longer for her and and she for us.
Thanks for the opportunity to vent and for any assistance you might be able to provide in what we still consider to be the home stretch.
With love,
Larry & Renee
Monday, October 1, 2007
Breakthrough!
Another couple of visits to the orphanage to visit little Syevinch (a.k.a. Genevieve).
Going into Monday was challenging for me, as I feared that my role in the ongoing saga of attachment would be a supporting one until familiarity was much more established. We arrived at the orphanage after her morning nap, armed with a supply of Cheerios and as much patience as we could muster. We took Syevinch on another outdoor stroll in the sunny autumn weather. We witnessed a profound revelation as Syevinch learned that Cheerios were not just for clutching (as she'd been doing the past several visits), but were in fact edible. I jumped at the opportunity to use this knowledge to my advantage, and ... breakthrough!
As Renee pushed the stroller, I held out my hand with a General Mills™ peace offering, and she accepted, even allowing me to feed her. We played a little game of touching fingers (re-enacting the a scene from "E.T." at right) as she blew raspberries and said the first words we'd heard her speak — "Baba," which may be short for "Babushka" ("grandmother" or a generic term for her older caregivers). If you listened hard enough and with the right motivation, it could have been "Dada." :-) She stopped short of letting me push the stroller or pick her up, but great progress nonetheless.
After such a rewarding visit, it was hard to say goodbye to her today, knowing that we won't see her again for another month. She could not know that our regular interaction of the last five days had come to an end, but I thought I caught a glimpse of sadness in her eyes as she was carried away for her afternoon nap. Odd (and so incredibly hopeful) to see her express emotion as she was taken from us, rather than brought to us.
So she will continue with her daily routine at Moscow Orphanage #2 as we jump through a few more bureaucratic hoops before heading home later in the week. Now that the interaction with Syevinch is at an end (for the time being), the most interesting part of this Russian update is over. I will share much more once we're back home and into the next stage of this wonderful adventure.
Thanks again for your ongoing support and encouragement. The past two years have finally proven worthwhile....
Larry & Renee
Going into Monday was challenging for me, as I feared that my role in the ongoing saga of attachment would be a supporting one until familiarity was much more established. We arrived at the orphanage after her morning nap, armed with a supply of Cheerios and as much patience as we could muster. We took Syevinch on another outdoor stroll in the sunny autumn weather. We witnessed a profound revelation as Syevinch learned that Cheerios were not just for clutching (as she'd been doing the past several visits), but were in fact edible. I jumped at the opportunity to use this knowledge to my advantage, and ... breakthrough!
As Renee pushed the stroller, I held out my hand with a General Mills™ peace offering, and she accepted, even allowing me to feed her. We played a little game of touching fingers (re-enacting the a scene from "E.T." at right) as she blew raspberries and said the first words we'd heard her speak — "Baba," which may be short for "Babushka" ("grandmother" or a generic term for her older caregivers). If you listened hard enough and with the right motivation, it could have been "Dada." :-) She stopped short of letting me push the stroller or pick her up, but great progress nonetheless.
After such a rewarding visit, it was hard to say goodbye to her today, knowing that we won't see her again for another month. She could not know that our regular interaction of the last five days had come to an end, but I thought I caught a glimpse of sadness in her eyes as she was carried away for her afternoon nap. Odd (and so incredibly hopeful) to see her express emotion as she was taken from us, rather than brought to us.
So she will continue with her daily routine at Moscow Orphanage #2 as we jump through a few more bureaucratic hoops before heading home later in the week. Now that the interaction with Syevinch is at an end (for the time being), the most interesting part of this Russian update is over. I will share much more once we're back home and into the next stage of this wonderful adventure.
Thanks again for your ongoing support and encouragement. The past two years have finally proven worthwhile....
Larry & Renee
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