After around 5 months of paperwork, we have finally completed our applications and dossier. We had 59 original documents which all had to be individually notarized, authenticated and apostilled. This was far more than some of our other friends who have adopted internationally, but apparently this is typical for Russian adoption. The woman at the KY secretary of state's office (in the capital building) said she had one family that had 120 documents, which is sad for them, but made me feel a little better :).
I spoke to our program director this afternoon, and our dossier has been received and approved, so we are officially on the waiting list. Our paperwork will be in Russia early next week where it will begin translation. She reconfirmed the time line of referral for a little boy at 3-8 months. From our referral, it will take us at least a couple more months to travel and have our child home. So, as I've told several of you, we are looking at the end of this year at the earliest, but more likely, we won't bring our new son home till the first half of 2012.
Only the Lord really knows our time line, so now it's up to us to rely on His sovereignty for patience and peace through the waiting. We will also finish up our education materials, get all of our shots for travel, and get our home ready. We should have plenty of time for all of this.
We continue to appreciate everyone's prayers for us. Here are some of our ongoing requests:
- Pray for our child in Russia, wherever he is. Pray that God will provide for his needs and provide love from his caregivers.
- Pray for patience and peace for us as we wait.
- Pray that we will fully trust God's sovereign plan and timing for our adoption.
- Pray for us as we prepare for the adjustment of caring for our new child with his specific needs and challenges.
- Pray for us as we continue to parent Joshua and hopefully, in small ways, prepare him for his new brother.
