Ukraine. Special Needs. The Paper Chase 2.0

Did I say "Ukraine, No"?

Ha ha, just kidding!

The adoption journey is full of twists and turns. . .

Wednesday morning, after I posted my last blog, about how we were thinking of adoption from other countries besides Kazakhstan (and I wrote off Ukraine) I got a call from our Home Study agency director. We were talking about the two countries Bard and I had discussed looking into-Bulgaria and Kyrgyzstan and she said she had just received information on a little boy with special needs from Ukraine.  We have always been open to some special needs, but this one was a little more serious and it gave me pause.  But I did some research and contacted the agency to see what other information they might have.  Within three days I had read everything the internet had to offer on several different special needs, the history of Ukraine, what resources the medical community here had to offer, and researched a third adoption agency.  Okay, maybe not everything the internet had to offer, but at least the first 2 or 3 pages on Google!

I felt good talking to the agency.  I felt worried reading other people's stories.  I felt excited about adopting ANYTIME SOONER THAN NEVER. I felt panicked when reading the news.  And then I felt sick.  No, actually sick, I mean I've been fighting off some virus for 3 weeks now and instead of finishing that off my immune system apparently decided to roll over and I came down with a head cold and sore throat over the weekend.  Fabulous.  I guess the bonus was that I was too tired to feel anything :/

Remember how I said that we would take a few months to decide on our next step-which was weird for me since I normally make fairly quick decisions?

Ha ha, just kidding!

Kidding on the few months, not the fact that I normally make quick decisions. . .We felt that because of all the complicating circumstances (Ukraine sliding into civil war, the little boy's special needs, our own process and schedule) it was best to make a decision right away-as in it was Friday and we would decide by Sunday!  Well, we emailed close friends and family-to let them know we were getting ready to make a 180-and asked them for their prayers and support during this time.

I am excited and terrified to announce that we have started the process for adoption in Ukraine!

I honestly don't know how I feel about this.  Okay, I do-happy, scared, cynical, sad, confident, nervous, and optimistic.  At this point no single emotion outweighs any other. . . I am equally crazy :) The exciting part is that since we would move pretty fast (knock on wood, please don't look at the past year as an example for our timeline) there is a chance we could be traveling soon, and by soon I mean start of summer soon!

That prospect floors me and energizes me.  So, here is what I have been doing: contacted the agency, got their paperwork (10 pages), filled it out, signed, notarized, scanned and sent off to them.  In the mail tomorrow.  Contacted our HS agency, requested an update for change of country, change of special needs, sent them our research, the agency's information, emailed their new social worker, went over additional processes regarding our I600 (non Hague country petition to our government to adopt an international orphan) and downloaded the new form.  Filled out I600a, printed, wrote two answers wrong, redid, printed, signed, contacted Vital records for new copies of marriage certificates, etc.  Located our passports, copies, and other paperwork from past the homestudy that we can reuse.  Side note-I had mine and Bard's passports downstairs and when I was done with them I set them in our little stair basket-things that need to go up to our room.  I thought to myself as I left them there that it was probably not a good idea and sure enough when I went back, Bard's was missing!  I asked Cici if she had taken a little blue book from the stairs and she said, "Yes, I read it and put it away."  And there it was-sitting in her book basket next to Cinderella and Go Dog Go!

Anyhoo, I printed new medical forms for both of us, made an appointment with my PCP, got a new copy of my employment letter, contacted UW Adoption Clinic with our details and set up a dialogue with them to evaluate our referral,ordered three books from Amazon about Ukraine, and now. . .I'm typing this update, just for you :)

That was Monday and Tuesday.  The next few weeks will be full of redoing our home study, prepping our dossier, and freaking out.  Last year we spent roughly three months doing our home study , then we took about three weeks, later in the year, to complete our dossier.  This time I would like to complete both in two weeks.  Let's repeat my mantra, shall we?  Don't tell me what I can't do!

Once our home study is done, we'll send it along with our I600a off to some random government building. I'm guessing it will take about a month.  We're leaving our I800 open-the approval for adopting from Kazakhstan (I'm not sure which one is Plan A and which one is Plan B!) and since we have current fingerprints with the FBI, I am hoping that means we wouldn't have to redo them.  However knowing our government, I'm not holding my breath!  Then our information is sent to Ukraine and as long as their next door bully, err neighbor, has gone back to mutilating children's toys instead of invading sovereign countries, then we should hear from Ukraine's Department of Family and Children relatively soon.  They process applications within 20 days and then send an invitation to travel.  And then, we fly to Ukraine!

I'll blog more later about Ukraine, when Russia closed over a year ago, they were the first country I thought of wanting to adopt from, but didn't think the program would be a good fit for us.  Funny what a year will do. . .it's a beautiful country with an ancient heritage and rich artistic culture.  In fact, I wrote my thesis on Soviet artists, including two from Ukraine, but more on that another time!  Their adoption process is very different from any other country we've looked at and it's pretty nerve wracking for me to think about how it will all work out. . .more on that later too.  And, I'm sure you're all wanting more information on special needs, if we know what child we can adopt and what we know, more to come, I promise-no one has ever accused me of not providing enough information. :)

For now, I'll leave you with an Evelynism from this morning, who, bless her heart, when I was on the phone with Vital Records, thought that I was talking to someone in Ukraine:
Me, "Evelyn, please be quiet I'm on the phone trying to talk to someone about the adoption."
Evelyn, "Oh, well they probably can't answer the phone because they're fighting Russia.  And it will probably take a while, like a year or something cause Russia is trying to take their land away from them."

Why yes, my five year old does have more geopolitical genius in her little pinky than most adult Americans have in their whole brain.  Thanks :)