FAQ

Nothing new to report but I found this on another blog and thought it was a good post to answer some Frequently Asked Questions:

When will you get your baby?
First we have to get a referral from our agency. Once we accept the referral, we will travel approx 2-4 weeks after that call. We meet the baby, then come home. Then we wait for a court date. Waiting for a court date could be anywhere from 6 weeks to 3 months. After we receive a court date, we travel back to Russia, go to court...if the court allows, then the baby is ours.

How long will you be in Russia?
The first trip will be approximately 5-8 days. The second trip will be longer, as we are required to stay in Russia for 10 days after we have our court date. Once the 10 day wait is done, we have to travel to Moscow to take care of paperwork at the Embassy. So, considering we will need to arrive before the court date, and then traveling to Moscow afterwards it could be about 3-4 weeks.

What is a referral?
Russia identifies a child that is ready for adoption and notifies our agency. Our agency looks at their "list" of people that are ready to adopt and matches the child with the first person on their list. If it matches that person's request...then that person gets a phone call about the child (aka referral).

What happens when you get a referral?
We will get some basic medical information that the Baby Home has written about the child and a couple of pictures. We send that information to our IA doctor and they give us their analysis. If we agree with the doctor that it is a healthy referral, we call our agency and let them know we accept.

What is an IA doctor?
International Adoption Doctor...they specialize in children that are adopted internationally. International adoption specialists are aware of medical concerns and diagnoses that children in Baby Homes (orphanages) may have, that pediatricians aren't used to seeing. Not only do they provide support prior to, and during the adoption, but support post adoption, as well.

How old will your baby be?
Russia does not allow any children under 8 months to be adopted.We requested a child between 8-24 months. However, if we received a referral for a baby that is 24 months old...they would be older than that by the time they come home because of the time that lapses while waiting for a court date.

Why is it taking so long?
Reaccreditation held up our paperwork for about 6 months. Our dossier should have been registered last June/July 07 but instead was registered on January 16, 2008. The wait for a referral after your dossier has been registered is normally about 2-6 months.

Feel free to ask us questions, if there is something we didn't address.