August 10, 2008...E-mail to family and friends

Well, I have been trying to put off updating everyone, mostly because I am waiting on more definite information..I don't feel like waiting any longer and just want to share!!!

On the 25th of July I received a referral for a little girl!!!! Honestly, it totally came out of no where, so I thought. I will give a recap of the last few months really quick here. I was assigned a region in which they would find a child for me. One is assigned a region because regions have different requirements and paper work for adoption... a region would be similar to a state here in the US. For example, CA adoption laws would be different than Ohio adoption laws.....so you are assigned a region and then work on paperwork requirements for that region until a child is determined. Shortly after that, I was contacted by the agency asking if I would be willing to switch regions. They felt there was more "movement" going on in this other region and things would move quicker....sure, I said yes, that was fine with me.

Shortly after that switch, they found out that region would no longer adopt to singles.....so they would determine another region for me.....all my paperwork would be submitted back to Moscow and then when a new region was located, sent to that region. Basically in limbo!

In the meantime, the consultant that I had been working with decided to quit the agency to stay home with her young children and I would be assigned a new consultant. After the new consultant was in her position for a week or so, I contacted her to discuss that I was in limbo and wanted to know if they had found a new region for me yet. Her response was no and that the paperwork was still in Moscow. She would let me know when she heard news.

On the 24th she called and left a message to return her call when I get a chance. I did not think much of it. The other consultant knows I teach and am gone most of the day...also if it was anything really important, she (the other consultant) would call my cell and know I would call her just as soon as I had a break.....Anyway....I heard the message and thought I would just call her in the morning due to different time zones and again knowing I was in limbo and did not think much of it. I called and got the news that they had a referral for me, but they questioned if I would accept because she was 6 months older than what my paperwork stated....I am open to that, of course..send the info already!!!! She wanted to have the file in front of her when we talked, so she said she would call back in 5 minutes....which really was fine too because I was trembling!!!!!! I really needed to collect myself, though 5 minutes was just not long enough!!!

That day I received some pictures and very scant information. The medical info was in Russian and will be translated and sent to me. Fast forward a day or two...I still did not have medical info, but spoke with my consultant and she informed me that somewhere along the lines there was suspicion that this little girl had had a seizure...she did not know any details, info was vague, but a CAT scan had been ordered...I went very quickly back to not getting my hopes up and of course a ton of stuff flooding my mind...I continued to push for the medical report. I have been consulting with an international adoption Dr. that does an amazing job at interpreting these medicals and I wanted to get him the info ASAP...At this point, I do have the medical info, but in Russian. This Dr. has someone to translate it, so that he can make some assessments. After he has reviewed we phone conference....and for the phone conference I really need it to be in English...I take lots of notes, so I am trying hard to still wait and hope to have it in English by Friday....

BUT...I have been slowly receiving bits and pieces of information and it turns out the CAT scan has been done and shows nothing abnormal....and even more calming...she did not have a seizure after all. They gave her a shot/vaccination and she fainted....aaawwwww!!!!

She is a BEAUTIFUL little girl!!!! Though I may be biased....It looks as though she has red hair, and her eyes are amazing!!! She needs some love, some hugs, some kisses, and just to cuddle on someones lap for a while.....at this point, I will be traveling to meet her (unless something really wild shows up in the medical). I do not have any idea when I will be going..very soon I hope...nobody seems to be in a hurry except me!!!.....lots of prayers please!!!