Step 5

We have made it to step 5 on our online planner- “Preparing to Travel”. The online planner CWA provides to their families is a step-by-step guide for what you need to do and when you need to do it. It also has different family’s stories that have adopted from Russia. One family submitted their Dossier on Friday and their case worker called on Monday with a referral. Another family’s process from start to finish was 18 months. No rhyme or reason. That’s a big jump, huh? Just think, you could have another year of my ramblings! Don’t worry I won’t put you through that, I would definitely only update like once a week or something.
Anyway, preparing for travel…..We need to get our USCIS stuff sorted out. They still haven’t cashed our check, so I’m assuming nothing has been processed. I keep checking the mailbox for our fingerprinting appointment card (hopefully in Charlotte not Charleston). As of today, nada.
We need to be up to date on our shots per the “Center for Disease Control” website. I think those people have lost their ever loving minds. Maybe I’m thinking St. Pete isn’t as nice as it sounds. The CDC makes it sound like we are traveling to the African bush, not the home of the Hermitage and ornate cathedrals. I know I shouldn't’t drink the water or even eat the ice while I’m there, but really? Is the human pin cushion necessary? Hmmm….. I’ll put that on the list of things to do. Getting shots is still under flying on an airplane of things I would rather not do. Eat live scorpions is in between those two. Flying still rates number 1 on my list of things I wish I never had to do. Ever. ANYWAY…..
They also suggest reading up on the area, customs, and culture. That is much better than shots and USCIS. Reading is my friend ;0)
Finally, on Step 5, something we actually had prior to our adoption adventures- passports! That was the first thing I checked off our list 5 months ago. Everything else has been one crazy step at a time.
One more big step not on the planner, we have to save $3,500 more dollars to carry with us when we travel, as well as random money for stuff like visas, medical evaluation, orphan relief, etc. If my estimates are right, I think we need about $10,000 more total. God is so good, we're almost there!