But First, Lets Review

For those of you that are wondering what happens next, lets review (in brevity) where we have been. Sometime in the early spring/late winter of 2005, we began to discuss the idea of adoption. After much prayer, we decided we better check it out. I went to an adoption seminar at SEC and was totally not moved. (Off the hook, right?? WRONG!!!) It worked out later for the both of us to attend a seminar put on by some of the folks with Hopeful Hearts. We were ready right then and there to take off for Ukraine. Unfortunately, there is a little bit of paperwork involved between here and there. That was in the late spring/early summer of 2005. Thus began the home study and dossier preparations. Neither the home study nor the dossier preparations were overwhelming in and of themselves, but it was more effort than just making a phone call or two. We had the home study visit in the August 2005 time frame and at about that same time, the winds of change were blowing in Ukraine. Some time in the fall of 2005, Ukraine stopped accepting dossiers from Americans for a number of reasons. We went ahead and submitted our dossier in December of 2005 in the hopes that they would soon begin to accept from Americans again.

They did not begin to accept new dossiers in January of 2006, or February, or March for that matter but the rumors at that time were that they would open the new National Adoption Agency in July. While we were waiting, many of you helped us to have a monster yard sale to help finance our efforts. In July, much to our disappointment, the first thing the new National Adoption Agency, later to become known as the SDA, announced was that no new dossiers would be accepted by Americans until at least January 2007.

A key to dossiers, at least as we understand it, is that all of the dates need to be as current as possible. So in October of 2006, we began the quest to complete a whole new dossier. The home study was much easier (only an update required) and we didn't need new passports, but all of the other paperwork was involved.

But now, at least 18 months and probably more like 22 months since we first began to discuss it, we may actually be getting closer. We completed our current dossier on December 22, 2006. We received an e-mail from the Department of State on December 21 that stated that Ukraine was now accepting new dossiers (as of Dec. 19) from Americans but on a limited basis. (Limited in that facilitators in Ukraine could only submitted two per month. We are unsure how this will affect us or the timing of our dossier.)

So now what?? We wait and we pray. It has been amazing to witness the people and events that God has put in our way, seemingly at just the right time, to encourage us to keep going. We should know more before the weather turns warm about what we need to do next, but until then, we will continue to wait and pray.

This is a test. This is only a test.

We finished up getting all of paperwork apostilled today. It should be on a plane to Ukraine by the end of the month. According to an e-mail that we received from the Department of State, Ukraine is now accepting dossiers from Americans again. WooHoo!!! If we can, we will use this site to update folks while we are gone.