Our Little Russian Peanut

We can request to visit Nathan’s orphanage.  The SWI (Social Welfare Institute) has to approve our visit, but from what I understand they are usually pretty open to having guests.  I’m hesitant to do this though.

You see, when we adopted Andrew, we had a chance to get to “know” him before we took him out of his home, away from his caregivers and friends.  He was comfortable enough to go with us and not cry.  He was actually quite excited about riding in a machina and seeing autobuses.  Every time I remember that day, it makes me smile because it was a really, really good day.

Nathan’s departure from the familiar is much, much difference.  We won’t have a chance to know him before he’s given to us.  His nanny/caregiver will bring him from his orphanage on a two hour ride to the Civil Affairs office in Guangzhou (pronounced Guang-Joe).  We will be waiting in a large room with other moms and dads that are waiting for their child.  The caregiver will come in, hand Nathan to us, we’ll sign some papers and Voila!  Instant parent, just add water.

The poor child. I can’t even image what will be going through his head.  Leaving the orphanage for the first time, the sensory experience on the two hour ride there and then being handed to some strange, funny looking people who speak a totally different language that just want to love on him.  So, glass half empty, I’m assuming he’s going to be freaked out and rightly so.

The orphanage visit wouldn’t be until later that week.  I’m trying to put myself in his shoes and I think that if I was put back in a car to ride 2 hours to the orphanage with these people that I’m (hopefully) starting to warm up to would really freak me out.  I would think that I was going back there.  Maybe it would make him happy, but what about when he realizes it’s just a visit and he’s stuck with us?  For a 3 1/2 year old, that has got to be torture, wouldn’t you think?

Keith and I talked about it the other night and while it’s important for me to know where Nathan came from, it’s even more important for him to be happy and bond with us.  We discussed one of us going to the orphanage and leaving Nathan with the other, but I’m just not sure that we want to do that either.  We talked a bit more about returning to Russia and China when Andrew is 14 and Nathan is 11 for a heritage tour.  At that point, we could visit their orphanages and towns they lived in. 

What do you think? Are we missing out on an opportunity?  If you were 3 1/2 would you want to return to the place you just left?

Next up:  Confirmed travel dates on Monday, we hope!  Woohoo!
Becky

Happy Chinese New Year!  I found this little excerpt from Canada’s CBC News station (http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2012/01/22/f-year-of-the-dragon.html)

“In myths and fairytales, dragons may breathe fire and hold fair princesses captive until they can be rescued by their handsome heroes.

But when the dragon of Chinese astrology arrives with the Lunar New Year on Monday, the mythical creature will bring with it optimism and hope for better times ahead in 2012.”

Well, I’ll be the first to tell you that the first day of the Chinese New Year brought great optimism to this family!  At 1:16pm today, we received TRAVEL APPROVAL!

As is typical with our adoption adventures, we are unable to secure a Consulate Appointment (CA) until next week therefore no flights, hotels, etc… can be booked until then.  A bummer, but to be honest, I’m just SO happy to be approved!!  While we originally wanted to travel on 2/17, that is just too quick for Keith to be able to wrap work up (he’s a one man band) so we’re going to leave on 3/1.  We should have no issue getting CA the week of 3/12 – will just depend on what day of the week we get it!  Fingers crossed for a Tuesday CA because that will shorten our trip by a few days.

So, now we wait and I start my lists!  We had requested an update on through a care package company on 12/30 and have yet to get an update.  I know Chinese New Year is a very busy time and am hoping that is the only hold up.  When Keith’s mom was in town we bought a bunch of 3T clothes, but before I take tags off, wash and pack them I want to be sure I have measurements correct.

Andrew is… umm… still excited.  About the plane ride. :-)  I said the other day “We should know in a few days when we’ll be able to go pick Nathan up!”  He said “Pick him up?  You mean visit him, right?”  Ummm… no, sweet child of mine.  He’s coming home with us. :-)

Off to obsess over flight schedules.  TA! TA! TA!  This is really gonna happen, people!!!!

Hang on Nathan… We’ll be there soon to put a big ol’ smile on that sweet face!!

Off to celebrate!
Becky

We are officially in our wait for travel approval!!  Our Article 5 was picked up on 1/5 – later that it should have been, but don’t get me started on that right now. Each step in the process has really moved pretty quickly and believe it or not I have been pretty patient during the wait so far which is so out of character for me.  But now?  Now that I know we are maybe a month away from meeting Nathan?  Yeah, not so patient.  Can you blame me?

So the average wait for TA (not that I’ve been obsessing and number crunching) is 16 days.  We are officially on day 11.  For those of you that are just as over analyzing as I am, you will realize that day 16 is on Friday.  Friday, January 20th.  The last business day before Chinese New Year.  If I was a betting woman, I would bet that we DON’T get our TA on Friday, but instead get it two weeks after Chinese New Year.  Not sure why I think that, but it’s what my gut is telling me.  Let’s say, best case scenario, we did get TA on Friday.  We wouldn’t be able to get our consulate appointment confirmed until the first week of February because the consulate is closed for Chinese New Year.  I vaguely remember being caught in the holiday hustle and bustle with Andrew’s adoption too! :-)

I’ve begun “nesting”.  Getting Nathan’s room ready, cleaning out Andrew’s room, moving his older books into Nathan’s room, cleaning the house and trying to tie up loose ends at work.  In all reality I have so much to do before we leave that I should be grateful for some extra time.  I still need to send off for our visas, get new bills, figure out what we are packing, get things lined up for the animals, freeze some meals and much, much more.

Andrew is excited.  For what, you ask?  The plane ride.  It must be so nice to not have any concept of what 14 hours on a plane will be like because this mommy  and daddy are dreading the 14 hour plane ride.  :-)  We will survive though – we really will!  Just ready to get there!

In other news, we got Andrew’s report card a few weeks ago.  Great, great grades – we couldn’t be happier.  He is still struggling with his writing and it’s not because he CAN’T do it, it’s because he doesn’t WANT to do it.  It’s partly poor penmanship but he is also struggling with his creative writing.  Andrew is one of the most imaginative kids I know and so he is not short of great ideas!  The issue?  He knows that the more involved the sentences, the more he has to write.  I have a meeting with his teacher this week to talk about how we can hold him accountable.  He has figured out her “system” and is getting away with murder which I’m not happy about.  The “master negotiator” is what he is called at our house.

So grateful for a 3 day weekend this weekend!  Dentist appointment for Andrew tomorrow, grocery shopping and maybe a nap! :-)

Have a great one!

Becky

Here I sit on January 2nd, the night before I head back to work, clicking “Refresh” obsessively on my email hoping to get an email from the American Consulate.  Our Article 5 is due to be picked up on 1/3 and guess what?  It’s 8:54 am in China on 1/3 right now.  I know, I might be a tad bit overzealous, huh?

We had an absolutely fabulous Christmas and New Years.  Tons of time with family and friends which makes it all the more fun!  Santa was very, very good to the boys.  I’m actually sitting in the living room right now listening to Andrew and his Grandma (Keith’s mom) watch the Smurfs (a gift from Santa).  Oh, how I wish I could bottle that laughter.  It is so sweet and contagious!

Andrew goes back to school on Wednesday which is going to be a rude awakening.  :-)  He has stayed up late into the night and has vegged and played and eaten his way through the house.  Poor boy isn’t going to know what to do with a measly snack and lunch each day!

We have gotten some clothes for Nathan over the past few days and I have almost cleaned out his room.  Still have some decorating to do, but if he was to come home today, we would at least have some place for him to sleep!  I have requested another update from Nathan’s orphanage.  Before I cut the tags off of the clothes, I’m hoping to get some better measurements and some basic questions answered.  I don’t even know if this boy is fully potty trained!

Alright, how about some Christmas pictures?

Our special ornaments this year – the fish ornament Andrew made in school and the Russian ornament Andrew chose to hung on the tree.  I know I’ve mentioned this before, but we bought 18 handcrafted ornaments when we were in Russia and each year Andrew gets to pick a new one.  When he is old enough to live on his own (which will be NEVER), he can take them for his own Christmas tree!

We attempted to take pics in front of the tree.  Many, many outtakes!

Max the Elf came to visit again and made a mess all over the house.  We visited Santa at Lake Lanier Islands again and Andrew chatted his ear off! :-)

Santa came!!

We were all smiles on Christmas morning in our Christmas PJs!  Andrew got a coin bank just like Grandpa’s!  Of course, we had to empty his piggy bank into it, one coin at a time.  Added up to $50!

Santa gave Andrew a long awaited MP3 player and boy was he happy!!  He kissed it and got all giddy.  Santa also gave him some headphones and an armband which became a permanent attachment after everything was unwrapped!  So funny watching him dance and sing his Kidz Bop songs!

Skipper and Killer made sure to wrestle during the middle of gift opening.  Those two are SO funny when they play together! :-)

I’m not sure if I’ve ever mentioned this on my blog, but ever since Andrew came home from Russia, he has hated fuzzy things.  Absolutely, “I will not touch that, it’s fuzzy”, type attitude.  Well, this Christmas, Nana and Grandpa got him a stuffed turtle who is now his best friend.  Grandma and Grandpa got him the Seal (Sealy is his name, not to be confused with “Vasily”, Andrew’s Russian name, I’m told).  Andrew spent some of his Christmas money on the Angry Bird and these fine, fuzzy friends go with him EVERYWHERE.  He sleeps with them, talks to them, plays with them and I’m loving it!

Playing a game of Headbanz, the Disney version.  Brothers – they really DO like each other! 

Hope everyone has a wonderful 2012!  We’re so looking forward to a fabulous year with many new chapters!

Hugs!
Becky