My very sweet and thoughtful online friend, Bethany, has "featured" us in her online blog. She has adopted a beyond cute little girl from Russia who happens to have Down's Syndrome, as does their biological daughter. I am warning you if you check out their blog, you will get addicted, they are just so stinkin cute!! She's got her family blog, her adoption blog, and a photography blog. I have read close to her entire adoption blog, and I read her other blogs everyday, no joke! She's also got a really good list of blogs on her blog roll. Be careful you may get addicted to reading other people's blogs. Just a warning, you know like the warning on cigarettes, you cannot blame me if you get addicted, OK?
Anyways, I found her blog through someone else's blog, no ideas whose. Yesterday she mentioned and linked to several families that she knows of who are adopting. How thoughtful of her is that? I mean she hardly knows me, she didn't have to take he time or thought to do that for me. I was very touched by her thoughtfulness.
Here it is if you wanna check it out http://thebalsisfamily.blogspot.com/
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Updated Cost
As we get ready to write our second check to the agency I decided to update our "cost analysis"
I know alot of people are curious about costs, especially those who run across this blog and are thinking about doing what we are doing. As our costs occur we will post them here, along with a summary of future costs.
Application fee for Homestudy 100.00
Local background checks (2, one for me and one for Gary) 40.00
Fingerprints
Mailing the fingerprints to the proper places 17.00
Money orders for fees to cover having the fingerprints processed 66.00
9/1/08 Payment to Homestudy Agency 700
9/2/08 "Down Payment" to Hosting Agency 750
Passports 232
Final Homestudy Payment 700
10/15-11/1 Rest of Hosting Fee through donations, thank you Aunt Kelly, Uncle Dave, Papaw and Memaw 1400
10/15 Adoption Agency Application Fee 500
10/15 INS I600A FEE 830
10/30 First Installment of Adoption Agency Fee 5,500
Apostilled Copies of our Marriage Certificate for Dossier 59
Mandatory donation to Hosting Agency 2,250
Apostille cost for first set of Dossier 80
Last Minute Visas 715
Airline 2000.00
Hotel 600.00
Adoption Agency 4500.00
Adoption Coordinator in Russia 4500.00
Translator 1st Trip 750.00
Driver 1st Trip 830.00
Medicals in Russia 1200.00
Food First Trip 500.00
Total Paid for so far: $28819.00
2nd Trip
Adoption Agency 5000.00
Facilitator 4000.00
Airline Tickets 1300.00 (for 2, got a great deal!)
Plane Tickets for 3 to Moscow 350.00
Change in Tickets Home 1200.00
Anastasia's Ticket 950.00
First Hotel 350.00
Second Hotel 750.00
Hotel in Moscow 950.00
Translator St. P 900.00
Driver St. P 850.00
Visas 900.00
Driver Moscow 500.00
Food and Tips etc...1000.00
Anastasia's Passport 200.00
Anastasia's Visa 400.00
Anastasia's Medical 100.00
Total 51,719
I know alot of people are curious about costs, especially those who run across this blog and are thinking about doing what we are doing. As our costs occur we will post them here, along with a summary of future costs.
Application fee for Homestudy 100.00
Local background checks (2, one for me and one for Gary) 40.00
Fingerprints
Mailing the fingerprints to the proper places 17.00
Money orders for fees to cover having the fingerprints processed 66.00
9/1/08 Payment to Homestudy Agency 700
9/2/08 "Down Payment" to Hosting Agency 750
Passports 232
Final Homestudy Payment 700
10/15-11/1 Rest of Hosting Fee through donations, thank you Aunt Kelly, Uncle Dave, Papaw and Memaw 1400
10/15 Adoption Agency Application Fee 500
10/15 INS I600A FEE 830
10/30 First Installment of Adoption Agency Fee 5,500
Apostilled Copies of our Marriage Certificate for Dossier 59
Mandatory donation to Hosting Agency 2,250
Apostille cost for first set of Dossier 80
Last Minute Visas 715
Airline 2000.00
Hotel 600.00
Adoption Agency 4500.00
Adoption Coordinator in Russia 4500.00
Translator 1st Trip 750.00
Driver 1st Trip 830.00
Medicals in Russia 1200.00
Food First Trip 500.00
Total Paid for so far: $28819.00
2nd Trip
Adoption Agency 5000.00
Facilitator 4000.00
Airline Tickets 1300.00 (for 2, got a great deal!)
Plane Tickets for 3 to Moscow 350.00
Change in Tickets Home 1200.00
Anastasia's Ticket 950.00
First Hotel 350.00
Second Hotel 750.00
Hotel in Moscow 950.00
Translator St. P 900.00
Driver St. P 850.00
Visas 900.00
Driver Moscow 500.00
Food and Tips etc...1000.00
Anastasia's Passport 200.00
Anastasia's Visa 400.00
Anastasia's Medical 100.00
Total 51,719
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Several other things
During our conversation she also told us that she told her Grandma and Grandpa that she is being adopted. It will be interested once we get there to find out if they are both really alive. I would love to meet them, find out more about their family, etc...
We think Anastasia was sitting by herself while she was talking to us, there was no background noises and she seemed to be opening up to us.
She told us that sometimes when she goes to sleep she thinks she might die, because she has seen movies where people die. Then she said that when her Mom died that she cried so hard and was so sad that she had no strength. Break my heart. This leads us to believe that she really has not been in the orphanage terribly long, maybe 2-3 years. So of course she is going to have issues with death. I prayed to God that night, I'm not sure if he takes messages for others, but I just prayed that Anastasia's first mother would know that we love her, are devoted to her, and will do our very best in raising her.
We think Anastasia was sitting by herself while she was talking to us, there was no background noises and she seemed to be opening up to us.
She told us that sometimes when she goes to sleep she thinks she might die, because she has seen movies where people die. Then she said that when her Mom died that she cried so hard and was so sad that she had no strength. Break my heart. This leads us to believe that she really has not been in the orphanage terribly long, maybe 2-3 years. So of course she is going to have issues with death. I prayed to God that night, I'm not sure if he takes messages for others, but I just prayed that Anastasia's first mother would know that we love her, are devoted to her, and will do our very best in raising her.
Our last conversation with Anastasia
I wanted to post more about the conversation we had with Anastasia, yesterday morning at 2 am. The translator called to let us know that he had gotten through and that the caretaker was going to get Anastasia to come to the phone and to call back in 10 minutes. We are so blessed for her to be at an orphanage where they allow her to take our calls. And we talked for an hour!!! It was just a wonderful conversation, she had so many questions. She definitly knows that we are adopting her, not sure how, but she does.
Here are some of the highlights:
-When we come could we please come on a Monday evening because this is when her schedule is free!
-I told her she looked pretty in the pictures our friends took while we were there, and her response is that there is nothing pretty about her, to which I responded that she is very pretty, she then asked if that is the reason we want to adopt her. Which made me realize that it must seem mysterious to her why we want to adopt her. I just told her that we love her, that she is wonderul,funny,sweet, smart, etc... and that we want her to be our child forever just like Cody and Cooper are.
It's so hard to explain to her, that we just feel as if we are her parents, and that we have an unconditional love for her, she doesn't understand.
-She asked why all the kids who come to visit the USA don't get adopted. I told her some people cannot adopt.
-She wanted to know if her room was the same. And if she could have more pictures on the wall so she wouldn't be bored when she looked at them. Pink butterflies, preferrably!
-Can she have a TV in her room so she won't be scared at night. (hmm..typical child)
To which I explained that children in our house don't get TVs in their rooms.
-She wanted to know where she would go to school, I told her Cody's school, she wanted to know why not Cooper's school, and I told her that Cooper's school is for little children, and that even Cooper would be going to Cody's school next year
-She wanted to know what if she was too scared to ride the bus? I told her I would drive her to school. And pick me up? Yes, I told her I could also pick you up.
-"Why don't I share a room with Cody and Cooper" ME-"Because boys and girls don't usually share rooms" Her-"They do in the orphanage" Me-"Well not usually in homes"
Her-"Well why can't we get another girl, and I could share with Cody, and the other girl can share with Cooper" Me-"No, Maam, good try" Notice it would be her sharing with Cody, she adores Cody!!!
Which by the way Cody woke up in the middle of our conversation, and talked to her, she was so happy, and so was he. The only other person Cody has ever talked to on the phone are his grandparents, and even that is usually only a word or two, he avoids it all cost.
I just wanted to type that all out before I forgot details.
Here are some of the highlights:
-When we come could we please come on a Monday evening because this is when her schedule is free!
-I told her she looked pretty in the pictures our friends took while we were there, and her response is that there is nothing pretty about her, to which I responded that she is very pretty, she then asked if that is the reason we want to adopt her. Which made me realize that it must seem mysterious to her why we want to adopt her. I just told her that we love her, that she is wonderul,funny,sweet, smart, etc... and that we want her to be our child forever just like Cody and Cooper are.
It's so hard to explain to her, that we just feel as if we are her parents, and that we have an unconditional love for her, she doesn't understand.
-She asked why all the kids who come to visit the USA don't get adopted. I told her some people cannot adopt.
-She wanted to know if her room was the same. And if she could have more pictures on the wall so she wouldn't be bored when she looked at them. Pink butterflies, preferrably!
-Can she have a TV in her room so she won't be scared at night. (hmm..typical child)
To which I explained that children in our house don't get TVs in their rooms.
-She wanted to know where she would go to school, I told her Cody's school, she wanted to know why not Cooper's school, and I told her that Cooper's school is for little children, and that even Cooper would be going to Cody's school next year
-She wanted to know what if she was too scared to ride the bus? I told her I would drive her to school. And pick me up? Yes, I told her I could also pick you up.
-"Why don't I share a room with Cody and Cooper" ME-"Because boys and girls don't usually share rooms" Her-"They do in the orphanage" Me-"Well not usually in homes"
Her-"Well why can't we get another girl, and I could share with Cody, and the other girl can share with Cooper" Me-"No, Maam, good try" Notice it would be her sharing with Cody, she adores Cody!!!
Which by the way Cody woke up in the middle of our conversation, and talked to her, she was so happy, and so was he. The only other person Cody has ever talked to on the phone are his grandparents, and even that is usually only a word or two, he avoids it all cost.
I just wanted to type that all out before I forgot details.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Russia Here We Come
I don't have a lot of time, but we got the call this morning!!!
We leave this Saturday for a week! Crazy I know. There is a million things to do, and not much time. Regardless, we are so happy! We spoke to Anastasia last night (before we knew our dates), and she told us to come on a Monday becuase that is when her schedule is free, Funny Girl! Little did we know, that it would be this coming Monday! Talk about ask and you shall receive!!
We leave this Saturday for a week! Crazy I know. There is a million things to do, and not much time. Regardless, we are so happy! We spoke to Anastasia last night (before we knew our dates), and she told us to come on a Monday becuase that is when her schedule is free, Funny Girl! Little did we know, that it would be this coming Monday! Talk about ask and you shall receive!!
Saturday, March 7, 2009
I think I'm paper pregnant
I've come to the conclusion that our paper work must have been accepted, which makes me paper pregnant in the world of adoption!!
My friend who was over picking up her little girl took Anastasia a package for us. She took pictures of Anastasia getting the package, and not only that but she emailed them to me, which was truly sweet of her considering they are still in Russia. Their adoption is finalized, yea!!!
The caregiver told my friend that Anastasia was being very shy and stand offish because she didn't know her, but she was not normally like this, which we know!!!
You can tell by the pictures how well taken care of she is, we are so blessed that she is in such a loving orphanage! She looks clean, happy, and chubby!!! I truly pray I will be to lift her when we get her home, I better keep working out!!
She's got on a leapord print skirt, she loves leapord print.
My friend explained to her that she was a friend of her Mama's and that the package was from us, (they had an translator there).
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