Adopting Nicholas

• Oct 2007: We started talking about adopting.
• Nov 5th 2007: We announced our adoption dream to our church and family.
• December 18th: Submitted formal application to our agency (indicating our desire to adopt a Russian boy, 14 months or younger at time of referral).
• Jan-March 2008: completed home study and paperwork (and paperwork and paperwork, and paperwork).
• April 2008: Final dossier complete and on file with our agency.
• May 2008:  Our file is in Moscow waiting to be translated.
• May-December 2008: Waiting, Waiting, Waiting.
• December 2008 -February 2009: We both went through a period of doubt and worry.  Should we go on?  God are you there?
• Late February 2009-March:  Yes, God is there.  Yes, God still has a fierce passion for the fatherless.  Yes, James 1:27 is still true.  We are moving forward in faith!  Also, See this post (here).
• Tues March 24th–Traveled to Louisville to renew fingerprints with USCIS.  God took care of the fees for us!!
• Fri March 27th we got a referral.  Immediately sent child’s medical records and pictures to international adoption specialist (M. D. Pediatrician)
• March 31st–finalized decision to wait for the next referral.  Here’s why (click here).
• April 1-July 7th–waiting, praying, waiting, praying
• July 7th–received second referral.  Very cute baby boy (8 months old)
• July 17th–accepted referral after a week of prayer and consultation of Drs.
• July 17th-present–waiting on travel dates.  Praying for airfare and hotel expenses to be met.
• August 5th–Got our travel dates!  We’re heading to Russia late August.
• August 22nd-29th–We made our first trip to Russia and met the Baby.  We God to spend two days (3hrs each day) with him.  Missing him terribly.
• August 30-November 19th.  Waiting for court date.
• November 19th.  We received our court date this afternoon!  Our day will be in early December!
• December 11th.  Today was our court day and everything went well!  The adoption was approved and we will officially be Nicholas’s parents after the 10 day mandatory waiting period imposed by the court.  Then we have to wait until the staff in Russia can get the baby to us.  All flights from Kotlas ceased from today until after the hilidays.
• December 21st.  Nicholas turns 14 months old and the court petition is signed.  He is legally our son!  Still, he remains in the orphanage.
• December 23rd.  Brian got a call on his cell while picking up a few things at Walgreens…we have the date we can pickup the baby!
• Traveling mid-January to pick up the baby.
• January 8, 2010. Brian leaves to go to Russia to pick up Nicholas.
• January 21.  Nicholas is home in Kentucky!

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