Moving Right Along

Just a quick update.

We got our agency packet, so soon we'll be assigned a coordinator. I am really looking forward to that part. As some of you know we didn't have the best communication with our case workers last time around, so this time I'm hoping our expectations are met, and feel confident they will be.

We've been in contact with our homestudy agency and they gave us a heads up on some things they might take awhile to get, so we were able to request those now. Hopefully that means we won't have any hold ups. Our fire inspection is done and we put our request in for our local record checks.

I'm getting ready to decorate Avery's new room. She has been sleeping in the guestroom, since she likes the BIG bed, so we're moving her there permanently. I'll post pictures as I go on that.

Now for Russia, still no real news on accredidation. I am feeling more patient this week than I was last week. Hopefully we'll hear soon though.

That's all for now folks.

On Our Way

Take a deep breath... close your eyes... say a prayer and... JUMP!
We are going for it. We've decided on an agency and we are sending our application in for adoption #2.
I can hardly believe it. In less than a year we could be a family of 4.

So now for some of the boring details. For those of you who aren't familiar with adoption terminology I'll try to keep things basic.
The agency we've chosen is not yet accredited in Russia, but they are part of the group that is to be accredited next. Hopefully that means this month. We are requesting a girl again as you probably all know.
Because of the law changes that occurred while we were in process to adopt Avery, we expect that our next referral will be for a child in the same age range, 10-18 months. We are hoping for the low end of that scale.

Right now we are working to compile our dossier. That is the paperwork that we gather to submit to Russia for approval to adopt. We also have to schedule our homestudy. Right now I expect all of these things to take about 2 months to complete. That is if I hustle to get it all done.

Avery is starting to realize what this means. Today she said she'd share and change diapers, but she couldn't give her sister a bath because she can't turn on the water. I'll be happy if she just shares.

So that's all for now. I'll be updating more frequently now that things are moving. So stay tuned!!!

2 Years Ago Today!!!

My brain is going a million miles a minute tonight and I just can't sleep, so I'm gonna share a few thoughts on our last 2 years. Bear with me, as I'm emotional, it's late, and who knows if what I'm typing is even words at this point.

2 years!!! I really can't believe it. It honestly seems like a lifetime ago that I became mommy to my little pooka girl. Really, I can not remember what life was like before her. Last year, I remember feeling like it felt like forever, then also felt like yesterday. Today it just feels like forever.

I honestly don't know how I got so blessed. Avery is just the perfect match for our family and I can't imagine anything better than her. That being said these last 2 years haven't been a walk in the park, but I'd live every hard day over again, to get to where we are today.

To have her run to me a hundred times a day with such vigor and yell "HUG!" and wrap her whole body around my legs.

For every "Mommy, I love you too much. You're my best friend".

I'm so lucky to watch her put on her tap shoes and run off to dance class with her friends, and see her learn that butterfly starts with the letter B.

I love being the one that gets to kiss her owies, and even being the one that tells her to go back to bed for the umteenth time when she thinks one more potty break is a "great idea".

I love that after 2 years of singing her special lullaby, she asks for it every night and then sings along with me.

I love that she makes up crazy voices and laughs just to hear her own voice. I love that all her imaginary friends have the same name.

So today, as I look back at what it has meant to me to be Avery's mom for the last 2 years, all I can do is thank God, and be very grateful that I was chosen for her.

Today as we all go through the motions and live out each moment, I'm going to take some extra time to hug my girl and think about a warm breeze blowing and the sun shining as I walked to the courthouse, an interesting luch at the Irish Pub, the hands of the orphanage director cupping my daughter's face as she kissed her goodbye, fighting back the tears as I walked away from the only home my daughter had ever known, and rocking my baby to sleep for the very first time.