What Has Been Done

Just to make sure people don't think we are just trying to sneak in some vacation time over here, I'd like to document what has been done and give some explanation as to why we are going through this experience this way.  I will do this in two posts because it will get too long otherwise.  This will also help you see what we have yet to do.  These will be those informational posts that may not be of any interest to anyone but us, so feel free to tune out.

IF, however, you choose to read on, refer to the timeline a post or two ago for clarity on what I'm about to say.  You may want to bring up the blog in two separate windows and have them side by side so you can refer to the timeline and this post at the same time.  This is, of course, for people who really don't have anything else to do right now...like me!  Yes, I know it's 2am here in Ukraine.  Stop nagging.

What has been done:

1.  Ruslan has been through steps 1-5 required for adoptability and we have been able to complete steps 1-3 of his official adoption process.


2.  By our first trip back in April, Nastia had only completed steps 1 and 2 required for adoptability.  As a matter of fact, she was not even completely off the local registry (step 1) until just after we arrived back home.  She was required to be on the regional registry for the 30 days (step 3 of her adoptability process) and we chose to wait this out at home.

*It should be noted that the reason she was so far from being ready on the SDA registry was because someone dropped the ball back in October 2011 when it was required, by law, to have put her on the local registry.  She wasn't put on until March 2012.*

3.  Step 4 of adoptability is not required for Nastia, therefore she is available after step 3.

4.  In April, the orphanage staff allowed us to complete step 3 (of their adoption) for Nastia along with Ruslan because they knew we had come for them both.  So, we have accomplished steps 1 and 3 of the official adoption process for Nastia.

5.  It is step 2 in Nastia's adoptability process that we are waiting on.  Until this step is complete, the official adoption process is in a holding pattern and nothing can be done until we catch her up to Ruslan. In order for us to complete step 2 of the adoption process for Nastia (obtaining of her referral) the SDA department director has to sign the paperwork.  After her signature is received, we can sign for the referral, take it to the orphanage region and complete steps 4-10 for both children in tandem.

Now, IF you are still with me here, you can understand a little better what I'm about to explain in the next post...and, by the way,  if you ARE still with me, I don't know if I should be impressed or apologize...