Friday, June 6, 2008
Starting out...
We started our paper work for the adoption in August 2007. No specified country. A few months later, we decided on China. Around February God closed that door and we have since been looking at the Ukraine. By July 2008 we should be done with the paperwork and our home study. At that point we can finally apply to Ukraine! Once they receive our dossier there is a one to two year wait for permission to travel to Kiev and adopt our child.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Map of Ukraine
(Click on map for larger view)
The Ukraine is in Eastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Poland, Romania, and Moldova in the west and Russia in the east. It is slightly smaller than Texas with a population of about 52 million of which 73% is Ukrainian and 22% Russian. The remaining population is made up of many minorities, the largest of which is Jewish 1.35%. The climate in Ukraine is similar to the wheat-producing regions of Canada. They have an abundance of precipitation and cloudy skies, especially in fall and winter. The mean temperature in summer is 67oF (19oC) and in winter 21oF (-6oC). Although the summers tend to be short, the temperature can rise into the 90's making it uncomfortable, since most buildings have no central cooling systems. The winters are long and cold, with cloudy skies as a norm.
We are excited to travel here! It is rich in history and is suppose to be beautiful. As of now...(which is subject to change drastically and with out notice, as we've experienced over the last two years!) the steps are as follows: Once we are approved and "invited" to the country we will travel to the US Embassy in Kiev. Once there, we will recieve information about an orphan that fits our specifics (we've said a boy or girl, 0 -4 yrs. old). We then get papers (permission) to visit the orphanage and meet the child!! Once there we will be shown his/her medical history. If any doubts arise, we go back to Kiev for another referral. Once we identify a child for adoption, the file for our case is presented to a judge in the region where the child lives. As a general rule, the judge's decision is announced and issued the day of the hearing. However, it does not take effect for ten days (sometimes 30 days!).
Once the decision takes effect, we are granted parental rights! After this we obtain a Post-Adoption Birth Certificate and passport so our new child can travel home with us. Sean and I both have to be present for the initial court hearing and after the waiting period to finalize the adoption. We could be in the country for 3 to 5 weeks, or less time if we travel there twice.
The Ukraine is in Eastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Poland, Romania, and Moldova in the west and Russia in the east. It is slightly smaller than Texas with a population of about 52 million of which 73% is Ukrainian and 22% Russian. The remaining population is made up of many minorities, the largest of which is Jewish 1.35%. The climate in Ukraine is similar to the wheat-producing regions of Canada. They have an abundance of precipitation and cloudy skies, especially in fall and winter. The mean temperature in summer is 67oF (19oC) and in winter 21oF (-6oC). Although the summers tend to be short, the temperature can rise into the 90's making it uncomfortable, since most buildings have no central cooling systems. The winters are long and cold, with cloudy skies as a norm.
We are excited to travel here! It is rich in history and is suppose to be beautiful. As of now...(which is subject to change drastically and with out notice, as we've experienced over the last two years!) the steps are as follows: Once we are approved and "invited" to the country we will travel to the US Embassy in Kiev. Once there, we will recieve information about an orphan that fits our specifics (we've said a boy or girl, 0 -4 yrs. old). We then get papers (permission) to visit the orphanage and meet the child!! Once there we will be shown his/her medical history. If any doubts arise, we go back to Kiev for another referral. Once we identify a child for adoption, the file for our case is presented to a judge in the region where the child lives. As a general rule, the judge's decision is announced and issued the day of the hearing. However, it does not take effect for ten days (sometimes 30 days!).
Once the decision takes effect, we are granted parental rights! After this we obtain a Post-Adoption Birth Certificate and passport so our new child can travel home with us. Sean and I both have to be present for the initial court hearing and after the waiting period to finalize the adoption. We could be in the country for 3 to 5 weeks, or less time if we travel there twice.
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