Count to 10

Dearest Dema,

OK, trying to calm down - taking deep breaths and counting to 10! We just got our immigration letter in - so I guess my appeals worked, but days too late! Why toy with us I ask the almighty? Either give us the form in time or make it good and late so I can complain, fuss, and generally blame everyone else for my misery in not having you now!

Anyway, in other news, Amanda got her braces off today and is sooo happy. I told the orthodontist to get ready for you Dema. I know you won't be happy to hear this, but you are in for some major dental work. I showed them your photo - so they will be expecting you in the spring!

I keep showing your photo off to everyone - I keep it with me in my purse so that I can whip it out and brag on you. Sorry to embarrass you before you are even ours - but I am a mom and just can't help it.

Love,

Bethany, Amanda, G3, & G4

Keeping our Cool

Dearest Dema,

I feel like we are going back to the beginning of all the paperwork here. We finally got the immigration paperwork in and were able to go get fingerprints done (for the 4th time!) We had an appointment for November the 8th but everyone told us to go in early. So, G3 took time off from work and in we drove. We went to the office and had to go through the equivalent of airport security to get to the reception desk. We were questioned about an appointment. When we told them that we had one for next week, we got quite the look as they explained that the office was moving and consolidating and would be at that location next week, but as of that day, was still at their old location about 30 miles away. And, just for the frosting on top, it was added that probably the machines would be turned off in anticipation of the move. 

So we jump back into the car and hightail to the old office. We screeched to a halt, jumped out and raced into the office. This was very low security compared to their new office. This was just a few middle-aged women in an office in a strip mall! They listened to our sob story and nicely agreed to fingerprint us. So we got accomplished what we needed to that morning and felt vastly superior!

Well, that superior feeling dissipated quickly over the next few days as we tried to get the final immigration letter pushed through. I called every day for about a week and kept nicely asking but kept getting put off. Then a week before Thanksgiving finally got through to an officer and now felt absolutely awful! The case had been initially assigned to someone that was now leaving immigration. The new officer that was reassigned to the case put all the other new cases at the bottom of her stack! And, even though I gave the whole sob story, was unmoved.

It took me a while to recover from this blow. We were hoping to get the paperwork off to Ukraine by the end of November to be able to get the first appointment in February. Now, we are looking at not being able to submit the paperwork until February and then maybe not getting an appointment to come get you until April or May. This makes me so furious - I have already decided in my mind that you are my son and as you come to know me, you will realize that I can't let anyone else get in the way of one of my children!

But, neither can I move governmental agencies any faster, so I will just have to relax and hope that nothing else will go bad. I am trying to find the good in all of this and have come up with the fact that it will be warmer in the spring and you will get another year of schooling complete before I come to get you. This are pitiful positives but positives nonetheless.

But, we will persevere and continue until we finally can bring you home!

Love, 

Bethany, Amanda, G3, & G4

At last we speak

Dearest Dema,

I have so much to update you on that I can't even remember what. So, I will start with us trying to get in touch with you. We got the phone number of the orphanage and tried calling several times without any luck. I think we were calling to close to the evening and were missing everyone in the office. Then we tried calling in the morning your time and finally got someone in the office. Here is where it started to go downhill. I thought my Russian was better that it actually is - well, I got a comedown pretty fast! I realized pretty quick that I can only count to 20, say colors, and identify pieces of clothing! That does not make for an easy conversation with someone who doesn't speak English. Anyway, I think I got from the conversation that someone would be back at 10:00 that spoke English but then I fell asleep because it was the middle of the night.

We were getting discouraged and kept trying, but kept getting no answer. So, I got the brilliant idea to ask a neighbor to call that speaks Russian. So I called her up and begged her to help us and thank goodness that she agreed to help out. So I ran over an international calling card, the phone number to the orphanage and a list a questions to ask you.

We didn't hear anything back for several days and I was beginning to get anxious, but lo and behold - she called and left a message this morning that she had heard from you!!!! We were so excited. She said that you were doing well and sent us you love. You didn't want anything specifically but were anxiously awaiting us. I am so happy that you are still looking forward to being a part of our family. I was worried that as a teenager, you would rather be with your friends and not with some strangers! Maybe that is a crazy worry, but trust me, I know that teenagers can be crazy sometimes.

I will be calling her back later to squeeze every detail out of her about your conversation, but as of now I am basking in the knowledge that you are ok and are still waiting for us.

Love,

Bethany, Amanda, G3, & G4