Week of 7/4-7/11

Dan and I have spent most of our spare time this week completing requirements: 8 hour online course, required readings, filling our forms, coping certificates (i.e. marriage, birth), individually writing answers to pages of questionnaires, 4 sets of finger prints each taken at the police station, medical checkups (even our dog needed a copy of her rabies certificate), interviews with our case worker - this week were the individual interviews ( we already have been interviewed together at the agency's office, then at our home meeting the family). Next week we are interviewed again together.

We have learned a lot! We have been made aware of lots of possible issues that may appear when raising Kolya and Christina because of having lived in an orpanage. We have come through this tunnel of information even more resolved in our desire to adopt these kids and having them become part of our family!

We are using an adoption agency, Lifeline, to guide us through the labyrinth of forms and deadlines as well as conducting the required home study. We are very grateful for the encouragement, understanding and expertise of our case worker. We are thankful for the agency's experience in past adoptions from Ukraine and feel confident in their hands!

By the end of July we hope to have the home study completed. It will be sent to the CIS (Citizenship and Immigration Service) to be joined with our application - including the certificates and forms. The application was sent this week. Then we wait for it to be accepted. I'll let you know what happens next!! Leslie