Finally Some Good News

I just got a response from my agency, my dossier is back from the translator. I was beginning to think it had been lost in translation. It had gone to the translator back in February. Well it's back now and next it is off to the Embassy.

Second Guessing Myself

I've been following some friends as they go through the 'in Canada' stages of this game called Adopting from Kaz, and they are going MUCH faster than I am. My file has been in translation for over 2 months and I saw that someone else's file was translated in 3 days. 3 days. I'm still waiting. My complete dossier has been with my agency since November and it is still being processed, others have already gone to the embassy and they were still collecting paperwork in December and March. I feel like a kid saying, "It's just not fair" in my high squealing voice.
So, the second guessing begins. Do I stay the course because I do like the people I am working with in the agency? Do I forgo all the money I've spent so far and strike out with one of the other agencies?
The answer is, for now I'm staying the course. Just because the 'in Canada' paperwork is going so fast doesn't mean that the in Kazakh stages will be as fast. They might be, but... I can't rationalize it actually. It just seems like standing in line at the grocery store. If I switch lanes, am I really moving faster. Or do I just feel better because I'm moving??????

Canakaz Roll Call

We are doing our first roll call on the Canakaz Yahoo Group. It is amazing how many Kaz cuties there already are in Canada. And it is so exciting that as one family went to tell us where they were in the process they were able to share they have their LOI. That is truly a very good sign.
I'm so grateful for our on-line and in person community. I have learned so much about this process, had many fears relieved and met so many wonderful fellow Kaz adopters. Many of these fellow Kaz adopters I know consider to be closer than just friends, they are now part of my extended family. Cousins for when I finally come home with my son or daughter.

The Ups and Downs of Waiting

It seems that almost daily there are ups and downs with this waiting process. One day you hear wonderful news of files moving, adoptions approved, families arriving safely home, children making amazing progress. Just as you are enjoying the feeling of happiness bad news comes your way; potential changes in country, adoptions denied, families files going astray, months with no LOI's, regions closing.
I sometimes wonder if I should just close my mind to all of this and just go about my daily life and wait for my phone call. Ya right, as if!!!!!
I'll take the downs as long as all those wonderful up come with them!!!!

Birth Mother Returned

I heard some sad news regarding a fellow adoptive family. The adoption of their son ended when the birth mother returned to re-establish parental rights. I am so sad for the parents who had taken this child into their heart and made him their son. At the same time I am happy for the child. I hope he can have a real and loving relationship with his birth family.
Losing a child mid way through the process is one of my biggest nightmares. It goes with the fear of determining if a child I'm presented is 'my' child. And of course only being offered a severely handicapped child.
My beautiful and loving sister is profoundly developmental handicapped. To know me is to know my sister as I talk about her ALL the time. I call her my baby, as her mental development is around 2 and1/2 years of age. She is a total joy in my life. I cannot imagine not having her in my life and I enjoy all the time we get to spend together.
Having said that, I've done the job and I am continuing to do the job of caring for her. (She lives in the most wonderful group home, but I have her home with me on weekends, etc.) I want a healthy and normal child. That is the reason I chose international adoption. I was warned years ago, well before I actually began the process, not to go the domestic route as I would appear to be the perfect match for children with significant special needs.
With all bad luck stories coming from adoptions in Kazakhstan, of course I believe in one half of my heart it will NEVER happen to me, and in the other half (the one that wakes me in the middle of the night) I'm afraid of it happening.

Sourcing Information

My friend D and I are both awaiting our files going to the Embassy. She, unfortunately has been waiting with a translated file since October. We are forever on the hunt for information. Who's file has gone to Embassy? When did they submit their completed dossier? Where are they going? Who is waiting for LOI?
We've become quite good at ferreting out information, but of course we never feel we have found enough. This is like chocolate or potato chips, the more you get the more you want.
But it also seems so secretive, as if our agency doesn't want us to know all the information we are learning.
D and I, secret agents in the search for LOI information.
Do you have any to share?????

Lost In Translation

My file has been in translation now since just after Feb 17, and it's still there. I knew that it was 4th for the translator to do, but I didn't know it would take so long to go through.
I asked about the file going to the consul and was told it would go with the next batch of files to go after it comes back from translation and is bound. That doesn't help as I don't know when it will be coming back from the translator. As usual I still don't know anything.