Salt Life

Adoption Update

Penny just called and I knew something was up when I answered the phone and she was screaming! After many long months of waiting for their agency's reaccreditation, they finally received word this morning that America World obtained the necessary certification from the Russian government to move forward with adoptions! This is amazing news!!! It means that within 2-3 weeks they should have the referral for their children and could travel as soon as two weeks after that!

I remember when Chris and Penny divulged their intention to adopt. It was August of 2005 and they began the process immediately. The entire family was elated! Hearing those words from their lips was no different than hearing the words "we're pregnant!" I recall Penny's attempt to soothe our enthusiasm by comparing the adoption process to that of an elephant's pregnancy...2 years!! I never believed it would take that long. Especially when they, after one year, were presented with a referral and pictures of two beautiful Russian orphans. We were amazed and thrilled beyond words to have made it to that point in just over a year. But it was too good to be true. Their agency lost their accreditation and while waiting for renewal, my precious brother and his wife lost their referrals for the babies our family had already grown to love in our hearts. So came the sorrow of such a loss, and then more waiting....

So here we are, coming up on the two year anniversary of the inception of this grueling procedure, and once again, there is light and hope. I ask each of you reading this to please commit Chris and Penny to prayer as they step into the unsure waters of new referrals, Russian travel, court appearances and all the other trappings of an international adoption. I'll keep you posted as things develop. You can also stay up to date by visiting their adoption blog here.

Labels: adoption

posted by Kushmama @ 12:01 PM