The Last 36 Hours

Our celebration on Tuesday was quickly interrupted by some frustrating (although not devastating) news.

Yesterday (Tuesday), I (Pam) was with a girlfriend painting pottery when an email came through my phone from our agency. The email advised us that there has been a policy change within the agency: the agency is no longer willing to accept the Citizenship Process for adopted children, and will only accept the Sponsorship Process.

When did this change come into effect? In December.

When were we told? Yesterday.

What the difference? Here's a chart from Citizenship & Immigration Canada's website (please see site for more details):

Will the adopted child ever be a Canadian Citizen? Yes. Once we are home and the entire adoption process is complete we will be able to apply for our child to become a Canadian Citizen.

So . . . what's the big deal then? This issue is that:

1. We spent money on the process, and
2. We wasted 8 weeks which now needs to be re-started at a time by which this should have been completed.

What do you have to do? The paperwork for Citizenship was straight forward (more or less); you simply needed to prove that one (or both) of the adopted parents is a Canadian Citizen(s).

For Sponsorship you need to prove that you can provide for the child (financial documents needed), provide proof of Citizenship status, marital status, employment and tax returns/pay statements. There are also more forms to fill out.

Okay, so you know what you need to do, so do it. We are! We are! However, there is frustration that comes from this.

1. The guide that explains the paperwork step-by-step does not cover certain specifics for adoptive parents. So we needed help with this. So we did our best and then called CIC. 
1. They can't help you fill out, or review a form to be sure it's filled out correctly, in the sections where you have to make presumptive guess.
2. The local CIC office in Nova Scotia is by appointment only, as deemed necessary by the processing Centre. You cannot walk in or call.
3. Called CIC back. The gave us a list of places in Nova Scotia that can help.
4. We called every single place. Sure they help - except for adoption applications.
5. So we called CIC back again. Still can't help.
6. We called the Nova Scotia Immigration Office. They help for family reunification, and without having a child assigned(??) to us with passport and birth date they don't know how to fill out the forms.
2. So we did our best and guessed where we had to. We included as much information as we could and hope it doesn't get sent back!

(If it gets sent back for missing information, the process is put on hold and no verification or progress will be made until it is returned to the office).

So are you done the paperwork? Yup! Because I'm a control freak I had made sure we had duplicate notarized copies of our identity proof, extra original employer letters and copies of all Citizenship paperwork.

Adam and I worked on it from last night 4 pm to 1:30 am, at which time he went to bed. I continued working on it until 5 am, and continued when I got up from noon - 3:30 this afternoon, when all the paperwork was sealed in a package and sent via UPS over-night service.

So what about the agency? Can they just change to process without telling people? You had already been though it!! The short answer? Yes, they can. The long answer? They can but given that our contract, and written instruction from them, specifies what we were to do, and does not say that they can alter the terms without contacting us, they shouldn't of.

So why did they? They have recently had some issues in-country when families who have gone through the Citizenship Process had trouble getting paperwork done in-country. In these cases the families were stuck in country for many days longer than they should have been, paying much more money than they should have been, and had no recourse. While everyone made it home eventually, it was more complex than it could have been.

But still - why didn't the tell you before now if it changed in December? Good question! I've spoken to our representative and her superior. Our representative was frustrating and made excuses but gave no reason. Her superior, on the other hand, was fantastic. He explained a few more details (which I can not share) and was very sympathetic. He offered to do whatever he could to make it better for us and understood how "pissed off" we were (his words!) and had every reason to be. He certainly eased my frustration and annoyance.

They should reimburse you for the money you spent on the first process! We thought about this at first too. But given that the Citizenship approval is good for 2 years we should still be able to use it when our Little One comes home and apply to make him/her a Canadian Citizen.

So you just let it go then? Hardly! I was a little too mad to just comply. C'mon - you know me! However, in keeping perspective, if this is the worst we get through the process, it's pretty darned good. I did, however, want 2 things from the agency.

1. A sincere apology, and
2. An agreement that they would contact all their other clients and advise them of the change.

You mean, they haven't done that yet? The supervisor apologized profusely. As for notifying people, the representative told me that they didn't intend to. Her reasoning was that they don't know who has chosen which one (since no one was required to advise them of their choice), so she would deal with it when she got each person's paperwork.
Her supervisor advised he will ensure she advises everyone. Again, he was very helpful.

So . . . they sound like a stellar agency *sarcasm*. . .  Truth be told, we only have 2 options for agencies. And we chose this one very carefully. This whole situation has made us a bit nervous about dealing with them (will they pull a 'fast one' on us when we're in country?), but overall they do have a stellar reputation. They also deal with 8 regions in Russia, whereas the other agency only deals with 2.
All-in-all, while we aren't thrilled with this last couple days, we stand by our choice of agency.

So how long will the Sponsorship Process take? Is it a BIG set back? It can take 2-8 weeks, we have no way of knowing. We did include proof of the Citizenship approval, and a letter explaining the situation, but all we can do is keep our fingers crossed.

Okay, this is a L-O-N-G post - are you done yet? Yup!

THE HOME STUDY IS DONE!!!!!

So the process today went like this:

1. Arrive at SW's office

2. Each of us read through the home study and make corrections as necessary.

3. Meet with the Senior Social Worker and discuss the adoption.

4. Sign home study.

5. Pay fee.

6. Celebrate!  

 

 

Finally . . . Some Good News!

Well, we have some progress to share. It's been a good day here!

1) Our home study is done! We received a call this morning from the Social Worker to come in and sign it (and pay the balance) tomorrow.

Once that's done a draft will be sent to the agency for review (to see if things need to be added or re-worded), then final copy will go to them (with a hefty fee) while the study makes it way through the province for approval. From what we're told, approval can take a few weeks.

However, the region we will be registered will be largely based on our home study. So hopefully we'll know soon where we're going!

2) We got our Part 1 Approval from Citizenship and Immigration Canada! It arrived in the mail today - hooray! This is FANTASTIC! The approval is good for 2 years.
finally

3) Canadian Parliament sat today, for the first time since Russia instituted the American adoption ban. And nothing bad has come of it! This blew away a few expectations, but it's good! Things could still change, and the bill could be attached to another motion that passes. But for right now, today, we're okay.

We're still waiting to hear about what is going on with The Duma vote in Russia regarding banning all international adoptions. No one can seem to find any information about it right now. We're a little nervous/scared/terrified right now, but we finally have some good news so we're going to focus on that.

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Here's a fun photo of Adam. It was taken on our 1st Wedding Anniversary watching the Las Vegas 51's play - Adam had a great time!

Catching Up

I hope you all enjoyed our guest post! Candice is a wonderful lady and her story is so beautiful!

So we thought we'd catch you up on the non-progress on our end.

We are waiting for our draft home study from the Social Worker. We spoke with her yesterday via email and she has assured us that she is almost done writing it. She will forward a draft to the agency for review, and one to the senior social worker. When that is done then we will meet with her and sign it and pay the remaining balance for the home study.

As our personal references have asked, we aren't sure if/when you will be contacted. We were told to pass it along in early November that she would contact you, but we're not sure if that was meant as being on an "as needed basis" or not. We'll keep you updated if we hear any more about it.

As for our citizenship status, we are now 2 weeks past when we were told we would have our Part 1 approval. I called yesterday and the call centre advised they will "send a message" to the appropriate office to move things along.

Government and International News

Well, not much has happened. 

Canadian Parliament sits in 5 days - on January 28th. We're nervous while we wait.

In Russia: According to the Moscow Times, "The Supreme Court has instructed lower courts to allow orphans adopted by Americans to be permitted to join their new families in cases where the legal adoption process was completed before Jan. 1, according to a document posted on the court's website Tuesday."

We consider this a good sign. It's encouraging that the children get to go home with their already-court-appointed parents. Perhaps we will be lucky enough for Russia to grant us custody of one of their own.

Adam and I had one thing we wanted to ask of all our supporters. As you are very familiar with our plan, we wanted to plant a seed of thought in each of you.

Should you know of someone who wants to make an adoption plan for their child, please think of us. Please mention us. We want to be parents, and we promise to be wonderful parents, but it's just not that simple. 

Thank you

A Guest Blogger!!

The Highest of Highs, the Lowest of Lows

Several weeks ago Pam approached me to write a guest post for her.  As a fellow Canadian on the road to international adoption from Russia, Pam and I have an instant bond.  The adoption community is awesome that way, our arms are always wide open, ready to welcome new members into our sacred little club.  We "get it", the ups and downs, the excitement of completing a step, the agony of those moments in between when there is nothing you can do to hurry things along, and through it all we do our best to support each other.  Adoption is certainly not for the faint of heart and this stage that I am currently sitting in, is I think perhaps, the hardest part of it all.

The referral came out of nowhere on a Monday morning in September and just like that,  my world turned upside down in the most amazing way possible.  I think I floated on air for those 4 weeks.  Oh yes, there was stress, there was so much to do; to have her medical report assessed, get our visas processed, book tickets, but at the end of the chaos I was going to meet her, my little bean. 

I flew out to Siberia, my mom and sister by my side, at the end of October and we made the 46 hour trek (yes, you read that right.  We had some very lengthy layovers) to her orphanage.  I sat in a chair while the orphanage doctor came in and reviewed her medical history with me and my level headed sister took the notes that I was too nervous to write myself.  And as all of this was taking place, there came the pitter patter of little feet and suddenly there she was, the little person I had travelled half way across the world to meet. What can I tell you?  It was nothing short of indescribable.  My word she is beautiful.  I think she may quite possibly be the prettiest little girl in the entire Russian federation and as I am not technically her mother yet, my opinion is completely unbiased. ;).  

She has curly blonde hair and blue eyes and is a petite 25 lbs at the age of 3.5 years.  I learned that she sucks her thumb at night, is afraid of needles and bugs, and asks every visitor that comes in, "are you my mama?  Can I come home with you?"  That week we spent with her has been the highlight of my life to date and walking out that door on our last visit after her nanny explained that mama had to go away now and would not be coming back to visit again for awhile, was one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life.  I knew it was coming, but oh my word.  I don't think anything could have prepared me for that moment.

So now I sit and wait.  Months have gone by and I worry.  I worry that she's forgotten me mostly.  I worry that she thinks I've changed my mind. This last leg of the marathon, this waiting for a court date, is really kind of gruesome. There are days I don't want to move from my couch, days where I cry at nothing at all, and always, always, the frantic checking of my email for news. Something. Anything. This ban that came down around Christmas only intensified every emotion already coursing through me and I am emotionally spent. 

Last week I finally heard that I can expect a court date around February 20th. I feel like I am holding my breath in anticipation of that call, that email, that moment when I know for sure that I am stepping on that plane again to go back to her.  Almost there. I breathe and remind myself, I am almost there.  

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Candice's blog is by invitation only. If you would like to follow Candice's blog, please send me an email and I'll forward your address on to her. She invites you!

A Piece of Hope From Across The Globe

No matter where you are in the world and in life, there is always gossip.

The international adoption community is no different. There is a great deal of curiosity and rumour. There are people who are told something and pass it along, but it is always open for interpretation.

The upcoming Bill in Russia is a matter of great conversation and great pain for many - and it's hard to find out what the real story is.

But we hold on to every bit of information we can and worry about each piece of news and hope with all our hearts that some of the gossip isn't true.

Today, however, we hope the gossip is.

Through a wide range of contacts and friends, we heard a piece of news from a newspaper in Finland. We have hope.

The article discusses the upcoming bill that has been proposed to ban international adoptions outside of bilateral agreements. Apparently the bill wouldn't take effect until January 2014.

That means we could still get through! We could bring our child home!

Oh how we hope this is true! Having just finished our home study this week it has been very hard and very emotional to complete such a large part of the adoption process only to hear that it is likely all for nothing.

Please keep your fingers crossed for us!

International Affairs

Today we heard some news.

There is a bill in Russia that will be going to the Duma (government house) in a few weeks. This bill proposes that only countries with 'bilateral agreements' with Russia be allowed to adopt from Russia.

There are 3 countries with this agreement. Canada is not one of them

We don't know what will happen at this point. Canadian Parliament sits  in late January and we'll need to wait and see what the happens in Russia.

So, while we wish this post could bring better news, as of right now we don't know what will happen. We are done with our home study and are now waiting for the report. There's nothing more we can do right now except wait for news and wait for the report.

We'll keep you updated when we have news of any kind!

New Year, Home Study!

We did the home study with our social worker today, and I think it went really well. We sat a talked for a couple of hours. She has seen some of the Russian/American adoption news, and thought of us right away (haven't seen anything in the past few days regarding possible Canadian consequences, so far so good). Thanks for all the well-wishes and thoughts on this front, everyone. Although if one of our readers could come to major political power (either country will do) and prevent any restrictions from happening, just in case, we'll owe you one.

Now we're developing photos, gathering letters and paperwork, and getting ready to send it all off to the agency. Just a quick update from Adam and Pam!