Jodi Speaks Her Mind

Kiev - Best of 2004 2/27/2005

Something worth referring to in the future: Kyiv - Best of 2004.

Ukraine has the flu 2/25/2005

According to adoptiontranslation.org there is a terrible flu going around Ukraine that is so widespread they have shut down most of the schools. All of the Kyiv schools are shut down and many more beyond that - the site says the shutdown has been initiated in 2645 schools affecting more than 1.4 million students. The Kyiv public schools have been shut down since February 14!

I fear for the poor orphans who have such weakened immune systems already, and I hope it is not one of the more deadlier strains of flu. Lord, keep the babies safe and as healthy as possible!

Adoption Process - Week 29

This week was a great week for us. Our dossier was finally submitted to the National Adoption Center in Kyiv (or Kiev). The news from the message boards I frequent seems to indicate that they are now processing dossiers in a very timely manner and sending out invitation letters and appointment dates expeditiously. The actual appointment dates we are hearing about are as early as April and as far out as August. We are hoping that ours will fit somewhere in that range as well.

We have a new idea for adding some lively color to LT’s bedroom. More on that as we make progress on it.

I also think I may have found a great option for our airline travel to/from Kiev. I’m not going to go into any details at this time, but I’ll update later if it works out as great as I think it might! Of course we can’t make any definite travel plans until we have our appointment date at the NAC, so it may all change once that happens.

I’m going to try to start collecting things for our trip. In addition to normal travel items for us and for LT (clothes, snacks, amenities, time-fillers, etc.), we will need to pack a mini medcine cabinet in order to be prepared for all the possible aches/pains/digestive troubles/infections/ailments LT (or us for that matter) might be facing. We will also need to take with us a good supply of gifts, which are offered in thanks for assistance, services, or simply in appreciation.

We are still somewhat aglow from the good news from monday. After feeling like we were forced to be “on hold” for so long, it is so relieving to finally be moving forward again.

Edited to add some stuff I forgot:

I also got my third and final Hep B. vaccination this week. While I was at the Dr.’s office I was able to get another notarized copy of her medical license, since the old one expires in May. I then had to take it to the Arizona Secretary of State’s office to be apostilled in order to be accepted by the Ukraine government. Then I sent it off to Cheri, who is going to Ukraine next week. When she visits the Adoption Center she will be able to hand-deliver this “updated” document to them, thereby demonstrating that we are being proactive and conscientious about the status of all of our documents. I can’t imagine anyone not paying attention to things like that, but I suppose it happens, and I’m told it can cause a holdup in the process, and we certainly don’t need any more sources for those!

Success! 2/21/2005

We are very thrilled to announce that our dossier was finally submitted today to the National Adoption Center in Kyiv. WooHoo! Shouts, dancing, and obnoxious celebrating…

This ushers us at long last into the actual waiting phase. Typically, waiting is not required for dossier submission, but is definitely expected while they review the dossier, register us, then give us our travel date.

The major elements of an adoption from Ukraine are as follows:

1. Complete homestudy - check 2. Complete dossier paperwork (lots of forms, petitions, and powers of attorney) - check 3. Submit dossier to NAC - check!! 4. Receive letter of registration and invitation 5. Receive travel date 6. Travel and adopt your child

I am so relieved to have gotten past number 3. Number 4 is estimated to take 30 days to 6 weeks, though if there is a brief shutdown for a change in leadership, that might be extended a bit. We’ll just have to WAIT some more and see.

Heartfelt thanks are extended to everyone who hoped, waited, and prayed with us for this to happen. Your support means more than you can know, and we truly believe that the prayers are the key that broke through whatever barrier was hindering us.

Fighting on our Knees… 2/17/2005

Adoption Process - Week 28

Well, we finally got some news about dossier submission at the NAC. As always, there is good news and bad news. The good news (for some at least) is that they started accepting dossiers for all ages of children starting at least 2 weeks ago (might have been 3, we’re not sure). The bad news is that there is a lack of consistency in the system to the point where it is like playing the lottery to get one turned in. And we all know the odds are not in your favor when it comes to winning on any given ticket.

What happened this week, for example, is that our translator (part of our facilitation team) diligently arrived at the NAC around 7 am on Monday morning to get her name on the submission list. Although it was early, she was the fourth to put her name on the list. Sounds pretty promising, right? Well, throughout the day, facilitator after facilitator arrived and added their names to the list. Everyone mills about outside the center because they don’t know when they will start calling them in. Our translator is amazing, and waited there ALL day until finally, at 3:00 pm, someone came out to address the dossier submission issue. However, instead of consulting the list, this person just started randomly pointing at facilitators saying, “we’ll take dossiers from you today.” End of story. This is how it has happened for at least two weeks running. (They are currently only accepting them on Mondays in case you are wondering.)

So, what to do? Banking on the odds is not appealing to us, so we’re going to bank on God. We are going to pray and pray some more and invite everyone we know who believes in the power of God and of prayer to stand with us. I have a friend who has adopted four children from Ukraine and she said sometimes all they could do was pray in order for the blockades to move out of the way. And, she says, it worked!

Please, all of you believing prayers out there, join with us. Sunday night (because of the time difference) through Monday afternoon is the time frame that we need God to intervene on our behalf and on behalf of our little L.T. who is waiting for us to come get him and bring him to his forever home.

We are trusting for a miracle in God’s timing, and sometimes we play a part for whatever reasons God has for that.

Thank you!!

Adoption Process - Week 27 2/11/2005

See week 26.