ADOPTION TIMELINE

Here goes my best rendition of our adoption timeline. 

We hosted Kolya last summer through New Horizons for Children, from June 24 to August 4.  Our first step was to write an official letter requesting information about Kolya, and particularly whether he was available for adoption.  The letter was notarized and apostilled, and sent sometime in mid-August.  Meanwhile, on September 4, the New Horizons group was at his orphanage interviewing for the Christmas hosting program.  The facilitator asked him whether he wanted us to adopt him.  He said yes - :o)
On September 17, with completed home study in hand, we had our USCIS appointment.  Our fingerprint date was October 13, and we received our approval on October 30 -- pretty darn quickly.

Our dossier was completed and Fedex'd to the agency on November 10, and was submitted to his country in mid-November (around the 18th).  We received our invitation and so knew our travel dates on December 4. 

We left home on January 19, arrived in-country on January 20, and had our SDA appointment in the capital on Thursday January 21.  Our apartment was $65 per night there.  We left on the train (16 hours) on Saturday to go to the region.  On Monday January 25 I was able to see Kolya, finally!  January 26 was "Appendectomy Tuesday!"  David left the hospital on February 1.  Saturday February 6 Tyler and David left to go home, and on Sunday morning before church, I moved to a new apartment.  That evening, Sunday February 7, the SAINTS WON THE SUPER BOWL!!!  February 10 we received our Interpol clearance (we were delayed by this only a week, as it turned out).  Friday, February 12 was court.  My beautiful grandson was born one week later, on February 19.  I got Kolya from the orphanage on February 24, and left the country on Sunday, February 28.  I woke up in my own bed March 1 with a new son upstairs.  :o)

I'll edit this post and pretty it all up later; just wanted to get the info gathered and into the post. 

Tyler and Kolya had baseball evaluations this morning.  They did pretty well, except Kolya isn't good, yet, at hitting the ball.  Tyler is gone for his second-ever sleep-over tonight at a friend's house, and David's gone to Austin until Thursday.  Kolya is now on spring break, so he's stuck here at home with me.  I'm picking up his new friend Ilya (he's Russian, and has only been here for 6 months) in just a little while and taking them to a movie and to Sicily's for pizza.

Gotta run!