October 2, 2006

• Last visit with Allison before I leave

  The weather was beautiful again today and Allison and I spent the first part of our afternoon visit outside.  We played on the swing and walked around the building.  We saw some very pretty birds and a cat!  Allison found the birds and cat very interesting.

   

  After I setup our quilt and toys just outside the baby room downstairs, Allison’s permanent caregivers came down and gestured that I should move and take Allsion upstairs.  It appears that while we were outside, the caregivers had transferred all of Allison’s things (diapers, formula, clothes, etc.) upstairs to her baby group’s permanent rooms.

   

  When we arrived upstairs, we were greeted by two of her permanent caregivers, Natasha and Ulla.  Allison immediately held her arms out for Ulla to pick her up.  It was very comforting to see that she recognized her caregivers and had formed attachments to them.  They also seemed very fond of Allison.

   

  Allison, Alesha and I then played for about an hour.  I think they had more fun tearing apart a magazine than playing with Allison’s toys!   Allison tolerated fairly well my trying to give her enough kisses and hugs to last the next five weeks.  I’ve uploaded a picture of Allison, Alesha and me playing.

   

  Just before I left, I fed Allison a bottle and then carried her to her crib for her afternoon nap.  I feel very fortunate to have such a beautiful, loving daughter.

   

  I’m also grateful that she has been transferred back to the care of her permanent caregivers because it is obvious that she recognizes them and has formed attachments to them.   While I will still miss her and worry about her, I feel better knowing that she is being taken care of by people she knows and loves.

   

  I will be leaving Ust tomorrow morning and Almaty Wednesday morning.   This is my last blog posting from Kazakhstan until I come back to pickup Allison.  After I get home, I plan to post some additional pictures on Saturday. 

   

  Court Day

   

  This morning I went to court to ask the court to approve my petition to adopt Allison.  The process was a little nerve racking, but the Judge approved my adoption application!  

   

  Adoption court is held in an office with only the Judge, Prosecutor, Court Clerk, Ministry of Education representation, Orphanage Head Doctor, Interpreter, and me present.  I gave a speech to the court that I had prepared in advance with assistance from Ahz and my local attorney.  The prosecutor then asked me if I lived by myself and how did I plan to take care of Allison.  Then Oksana, the Ministry of Education representative, gave a report in which she described Allison’s medical condition, attempts and failure to locate her birth parents, and her recommendation the Court approve my adoption application.  After Oksana, the Orphanage Head Doctor gave her report and she recommended my application be approved as well.

   

  The waiting to finalize Allison’s adoption now begins.  The Judge’s decision will not be final for 15 days.  After the 15^th day, Galina will apply for a new birth certificate for Allison that will show her new name and me as her mother.  It will take a day or two to obtain the new birth certificate.   Once Galina has the new birth certificate, she will apply for Allison’s Kazakhstan passport.  It now takes 10 to 14 days to obtain a passport.

   

  Just before or immediately after Galina obtains Allison’s passport, I will return to Kazakhstan to pickup Allison from the orphanage and we will then go to Almaty to finish the paperwork required by the U.S. Embassy before they will issue Allison a visa to enter the U.S.   The U.S. Embassy requires all children adopted from Kazakhstan to be examined by a doctor at the SOS clinic in Almaty.   They are now requiring the clinic to perform an HIV test on all children due to the recent outbreak of HIV cases in children from the Shykempt (sp?) region of Kazakhstan.  This outbreak is due to the contamination of the blood supply in that region and is thought to be limited to that region.  Allison has already been tested for HIV and the results were negative, but she will have to be retested. While the HIV test is important, it does add two more days to the U.S. Embassy process. 

   

  After we complete all the U.S. Embassy requirements, Allison and I will be able to come home.   I’m estimating we will be able to leave Almaty on or about November 15^th.  I will be anxiously waiting that day!

   

   

  • 9:30 pm
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