How's the Adoption Process Going?

Well, I am steadily working on our paperwork for the adoption. Today I spent all day in the car, it seemed. I dropped Tyler off at school, then went to the courthouse in Covington to get a certified document. I had to order one, and they said it takes 3-4 days to get it done, so I'm waiting for that one. Until I get it and know its official name, there is another document that I can't complete because it requires the official name of that document. Mm-hmm, that's the way this goes... one document depends upon another, and they all have to be notarized, then taken to the Secretary of State's office in Baton Rouge for an Apostille (certification that the notary was a real notary, etc.).

After I went to the courthouse in Covington, I went to the juvenile court on the other side of the River (did I mention that that is also on the other side of the lake?). I picked up documents there and took them to Baton Rouge for the Apostille. Then I returned to Covington to pick Tyler up from school, went to pick up a prescription at CVS, and came home. I had to organize a few files when I got home, return some phone calls, and send out a reminder email about the continuing education seminar that I'm hosting on Thursday. Whew!

There are so many hoops to jump through in international adoption! Imagine asking your physician to fill out a document regarding your general health, signing it before a notary, then attaching a copy of his medical license, and asking him to sign all in front of a notary that they are "true and correct copies" of his license and the medical report. That's the sort of thing that people are required to do in international adoption cases. It's a pain, really. But, right now I am looking at the picture of Kolya holding the care package we sent him in September. HE IS SO WORTH IT! I hope he "gets" how much he means to us, and how badly we want him home for good. I'm sure he doesn't get the whole concept, yet, because he has never had anyone who wanted him in just the same way before. But, if he could just feel a little of our hopes for him...

Kolya's birthday is Friday, and I am hoping I can figure out a good way to call him. I'd like to communicate with him all the time, but I know nothing about Skype, so I'm doing just a little inquiring... Honestly, his orphanage is so remote (it's out in the country), that I don't know if we can arrange Skype to work, anyway. I don't know how much computer access he would have there, but I'm trying to find out this week.

I have not been good this week about keeping up with my Bible study group lessons on Daniel. :o( I've just been so busy with the family visit, and all this adoption paperwork, and Sunday was devoted to our church's Trunk or Treat (and Tyler had a birthday party to go to that afternoon), that I've been too tired at night to sit down and study it all...

I hope you all have a blessed week. We are so blessed to be able to do this adoption! I have a friend whose adoption will take more than a year from the same country, but the child has not yet been certified free for adoption, so it will take them a while. We may or may not host Kolya over Christmas. It's a bit expensive, if we're able to go see him a month later... My God is good all the time! He will work things out the way they are supposed to be worked out. Pray for us as we go through this journey. There are so many indecisions involved!