| There was a place in my life where I was in deep | | | | arrive. We were put into a van and drove down an |
| thought about what I was doing to change the world. | | | | icy road to a secluded Siberian building. It took over |
| My husband was amazing and I had three beautiful | | | | five hours to reach it. This was to be the orphanage |
| boys, a great home based business I enjoyed and I | | | | that our Alex stayed in with about sixty other |
| still did not feel I was changing the world. I felt a | | | | children. The room we were escorted to was a |
| strong necessity for parents to come forward for | | | | bright green room with large chairs. As we were |
| kids did not have any. I made the decision to take in | | | | trying to be patient, the women that were there |
| a child myself because after all, I was not a bad | | | | took off down the hall in a hurry. All the excitement |
| parent. We started on our quest for an international | | | | and travel had really started to creep upon us. It was |
| child. Our choice was a Russian boy to add to our | | | | eighteen hours later than it was at home. We still |
| growing family of boys. The orphanages are packed | | | | were amazed that we were in this place. Finally, the |
| with males and sprinkled with a few girls. We | | | | door swung open and a big Russian woman entered |
| received pictures of boys around the ages of four to | | | | with a tiny little boy holding her hand. He was not |
| ten and we set out finding the one we wanted. We | | | | five as Alex was supposed to be but only about |
| grew close to a young boy around the age of five. | | | | three years old. He was dressed in a shirt and shorts |
| His name was Alex. He came from the farthest | | | | that did not fit him and was not clean at all. This |
| corner of Russia and was said to be a healthy little | | | | building was very hot and we were dressed in winter |
| boy. We sent the money for the fee out directly. | | | | apparel. This tiny boy stole our hearts immediately. |
| Mounds of papers were sent for us to fill to | | | | He said help in Russian. My husband hugged him so |
| perfection and have notarized. Some had to carry a | | | | tightly, they placed him on his lap, and in no time at |
| seal that shows that the notary we used was legal. | | | | all, Alex was laughing aloud. For three days, we |
| The papers were mailed back and more would come | | | | stayed in a very small hotel room with almost nothing |
| in. The cycle would start all over again. Blood tests | | | | in it except for a bed and a chair. In addition, a |
| were due every three months. Our fingerprints were | | | | bathtub did not have clean water. The Russians that |
| taken and we had a background check done. A | | | | were taking care of us asked if we could find |
| homestudy was also necessary. It was requires that | | | | someone to take their older sister at an orphanage |
| we show proof of marriage, the money we made, | | | | here. We got as much information as we could about |
| and we sent in all the forms they asked for. We got | | | | her with the desire to help her. It was soon time to |
| many different emotions from those around us. One | | | | leave our Alex and come home with only a few |
| individual would be happy about it while another | | | | pictures of him. When we returned, the papers were |
| individual would think we were not doing the right | | | | piling up for us to sign and return. More blood tests |
| thing. The photo that was sent the first time was | | | | were needed. We were waiting until the time we |
| the only one we were allowed to have. It was | | | | could go back for the official court. For more info see |
| explained that the Russians thought we were crazy | | | | on adoption photo. Of course, it was longer than the |
| and should appreciate what we were getting. This | | | | three months. In that time, we made the choice to |
| photo was now two years old. More time went by | | | | adopt his older sister also. This time, we visited in the |
| and we did not move for a vacation or even think | | | | scorching summertime. Nothing seemed to go right |
| about new jobs because we never knew when we | | | | for us. Not only did it take prayers from all around by |
| were leaving for Russia. Finally, the telephone rang | | | | only God could help us return with these children. It |
| and the agency we were using notified us of the | | | | was something we were supposed to do. It was not |
| need for us to go to Russia within a week's time. | | | | a simple thing to complete this Russian adoption. God |
| This was the same week as Christmas. Our travels | | | | does not give us the option to have things made |
| would take us away from our family and children to | | | | easy if they are gifted to us. |
| meet our new son for the first time. We were | | | | You can also find more info on baby adoption and |
| skeptical about it because of not knowing if this was | | | | foreign adoption brace.ChildAdoptionGuide.org is a |
| right or not. What had we done? This child might | | | | comprehensive resource to help couples with the |
| bring something to our family that we had not | | | | adoption process. |
| expected! It took us over twenty-five hours to | | | | |