Gallagher Family- Faith, Love, and Holy Socks: Heading to Russia

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Heading to Russia

John and I received our travel dates today and we leave in about two weeks. We are so exicted to go to Russia to meet our baby girl. The kids are thrilled too. This gets us closer to bringing her home and they get a week with their Binga (my mom) which to them is a week off...

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Adoption Timeline

November 2009- sign with agency for Russian adoption. January 2010- begin homestudy March 2010- my fingerprints rejected for a second time and Alabama DHR has no idea what to do with me. Apparently I clean too much... March 2010- We had our home visits from our social worker and all went well. March 2010- the squeaky wheels...spoke to a very nice man at ALDHR and after giving him my BD and SSN, I had my FBI clearance letter the next day. April 2010- All Russian adoptions on hold due to one mother's terrible, idiotic, and insane judgement in Tennesse. No one needs the details. April 2010- US delegation prepares to travel to Moscow for treaty talks. They cannot leave. There is an abundant amount of ash across Europe from a volcano erupting in Iceland. European air space shuts down. May 1 2010- US and Russia are able to meet in Moscow and move forward to a bilateral agreement. Next meeting on May 12, 2010. Things are moving very slow. May 10 2010- Our papers went out. May 12 2010- Good news from Russia. The US and Russia has reached an agreement and will be signed within the next 2 months hopefully. May 20 2010- We are officially on the Russian waitlist for our baby girl. Praises. Note the keyword "waitlist" We have lots of waiting now. June 2, 2010- We went to USCIS office in Birmingham for our fingerprints. This is for our petition to the United States to bring an orphan home...eventually. June 14-16- Next round of talks between Russian and US delegates being held in Washington DC. Getting closer to a signed treaty we pray. June 17- We received our approval from USCIS for the adoption! July 20-22-Another round of talks begin in Moscow today between Russia and the US. We pray for an agreement which will lead to an adoption treaty. July 27- Things aren't moving at all and it is not expected to have a treaty signed before 2011. Things seem a little bleak. September 13- We were contacted about a very special girl in Russia. It took about a minute for John to look at me and say let's go for her. September 17- After consulting with our international adoption doctor we are officially moving forward. Now we update documents and paperwork. We hope to travel by the first of November October 8- Regional paperwork sent off to agency... October 15- Received a call from a very nice lady with the FBI letting me know our new fingerprints were approved and the letter was already in the mail...we received it today. October 18- Documents to Russia for first visit and registration. October 28- We were notified we are traveling in two weeks to meet our baby girl. October 29- Sent passports out for visas. November 4- Visas arrive November 13- Leave Atlanta for Moscow to begin our journey to meet our little girl. November 14- Arrive in Moscow 4:00 local time November 15- Met our little girl for the first time- she's absolutely wonderful. November 18- Officially accept our referral with the regional controller November 19- Headed back to US and begin the wait for our court hearing November 24- Another round of talks between US and Russia will be held in DC December 1-3 December 8- We were notified the judge in Russia has requested more documents before a court hearing can be set. This will take some time as everything must be notarized. So we are off again... December 22- We were notified our coordinator in Russia has a prelim hearing with the judge on December 27. Praying the judge does not request any other documents and our court hearing will be set. December 30-We have our court hearing which is January 21st. We head to Russia Janaury 15 and scheduled to return on Janauary 22. January 5, 2011- We sent our passports to New York. The Russian consulate is closed through the 11th, so the visas will not be processed until then. We should receive them by the 14th. We are so excited. January 15- head to Russia for court. January 21-adoption granted and 10 day waived in a most interesting fashion- we couldn't leave Russia with Emma Grace until after February 2. January 22- Picked up Emma Grace forever- it was very emotional for everyone. February 9- after many delays on the Russian side- we fly home forever. As Emma Grace would say, "all done,"