A Hint of Good News

Today I was able to pick up one of the documents I needed. So now I am copying 2 of the 5 needed documents. I also called the FBI today and found out that my police clearance will be going out in the mail either tomorrow or Friday!!! They could read the prints and so now I have to get that document apostilled but that will not take long. The is a HUGE answer to prayer! Another family received a court date today. They traveled about 2 weeks after me. But I don't believe they had to get the FBI clearance. I am happy for them as they started their adoption process a month or two after me. They go on the 19th of February, so I am more convinced that I will travel in March. That may not be a bad thing as I just checked the weather in Krasnoyarsk and it is negative 17 degrees F. Brrrr! That is not the wind chill, but actual temperature!

Flashback: Took a little break from this section, but I am ready to continue on. On Tuesday October 9th, 2007 I got a call and was asked if I could travel on Saturday. The emotional side of me yelled, Of course! And the practical side said, Absolutely not! So the two sides compromised and I was scheduled to leave the following Tuesday on the 16th. What a crazy week it was trying to get a plane ticket, a VISA to enter the country, pack, find transportation to and from the airport, manage to come up with clean money (no writing, old or ripped) and also work. But everything fell into place and on the 16th at 9:30 AM I left my house to meet my future daughter! I had heard earlier in the week that there had been a lot of delays with the flights. I left NC worried that I would miss my connection in Atlanta. But I arrived in plenty of time and right before I boarded, I was able to meet another family from my agency that was traveling over for their court date. They had been waiting over 2 years to bring their son home. They flew first class (A feat I hope to copy on the way over) and I did not see them again until we landed in Moscow. It was a 10 hour overnight flight and I think maybe I slept about an hour. Upon arriving, they waited for me and helped me get through customs. Once through I met my driver who would take me to a hotel for the day (my flight to Krasnoyarsk did not leave until 10:30 PM and I had arrived at 10:30 AM-local time) where I planned to take a shower and sleep for a short time. When we arrived in Moscow there was snow on the ground! We got to the hotel and some how my reservation had not been made or it had not been booked (I was not sure exactly as the driver spoke fair English. With less than a week's notice, I can see how this happened) and there were no empty rooms.