I haven't posted since November, simply because I didn't feel the need to bore you all with the details of paperwork and more paperwork!
Very simply put, the SDA (SDA is the Ukraine social services) shutdown in Ukraine caused families like us, families in the middle of their dossiers, to have to re-do most all paperwork and notaries b/c of the new address and changes to the Ukraine paperwork. So once all of the paperwork was redone, the entire packet had to be sent to NC Secretary of State to be apostilled - a system that proves that the notary is a "real" notary. All of the paperwork is then scanned and emailed to Ukraine to be translated and the originals are fed ex'd to Ukraine. That is where we are now. Dossier is in route to Ukraine. Thank goodness that is behind us.
Most important is that we have had contact with the boys and they are doing well. They are anxious about when we are coming, but they are healthy and safe and always offering us smiles when we see them on Skype. Luckily for us, and them, there have been a few families in and out of the orphanage in the process of adopting their own children. We have been able to send them little items and most importantly we get to see and talk with them on Skype, while these families are there.
Main reason for this post is that today is Ivan's 16th birthday! And all week, my only focus has been to make sure that we get to call him on his birthday and let him know how much we love him and miss him. We were able to send him a fruit basket and chocolate bars through a Ukrainian florist and I posted a picture below of him with our basket. So today after 2 phone calls and a secretary who really wanted us to call back in 5 minutes, we got Ivan on the phone. I say "we" as in me and a very, wonderful Russian speaking friend that we met here in Charlotte through New Horizons for Children that stepped out of work to translate for me on our three way call:) Hearing his voice is always wonderful, but Ivan is a child of very few words and expresses limited emotions. But in those few words that he did say - here is the most important: "I love your family very much and I am happy to become your son and have you adopt me!" And those few words have filled me up with the hope and happiness until we see him in person - hopefully in February!
Very simply put, the SDA (SDA is the Ukraine social services) shutdown in Ukraine caused families like us, families in the middle of their dossiers, to have to re-do most all paperwork and notaries b/c of the new address and changes to the Ukraine paperwork. So once all of the paperwork was redone, the entire packet had to be sent to NC Secretary of State to be apostilled - a system that proves that the notary is a "real" notary. All of the paperwork is then scanned and emailed to Ukraine to be translated and the originals are fed ex'd to Ukraine. That is where we are now. Dossier is in route to Ukraine. Thank goodness that is behind us.
Most important is that we have had contact with the boys and they are doing well. They are anxious about when we are coming, but they are healthy and safe and always offering us smiles when we see them on Skype. Luckily for us, and them, there have been a few families in and out of the orphanage in the process of adopting their own children. We have been able to send them little items and most importantly we get to see and talk with them on Skype, while these families are there.
Main reason for this post is that today is Ivan's 16th birthday! And all week, my only focus has been to make sure that we get to call him on his birthday and let him know how much we love him and miss him. We were able to send him a fruit basket and chocolate bars through a Ukrainian florist and I posted a picture below of him with our basket. So today after 2 phone calls and a secretary who really wanted us to call back in 5 minutes, we got Ivan on the phone. I say "we" as in me and a very, wonderful Russian speaking friend that we met here in Charlotte through New Horizons for Children that stepped out of work to translate for me on our three way call:) Hearing his voice is always wonderful, but Ivan is a child of very few words and expresses limited emotions. But in those few words that he did say - here is the most important: "I love your family very much and I am happy to become your son and have you adopt me!" And those few words have filled me up with the hope and happiness until we see him in person - hopefully in February!
