End of a year. Beginning of a new one.

Its 31st December 2012. So, much snow outside that even the 'For Sale' sign outside our house is fully covered in snow! They say it has snowed so much in the past 3 weeks that it is more than what was the total snowfall over the past 3 yrs, here in Ottawa.

This year has been an interesting ride. January saw us experience spending a night in a very luxurious yet obv cold Igloo at the Ice Hotel in Montreal. March and April, we spent in India, celebrating the 1st birthday of my darling niece, in a huge bash attended by more people than might attend some weddings here. The summer saw us taking quite a few trips, the 1st being one I took solo to Las Vegas to meet my good ol' friend Rohini, who came for a trip to the US from Australia. Meeting her in Vegas for a few days and spending time with her and her gorgeous daughter Amelia and hubby Mani was awesome. June 1st was also a big day for us as we started our home study! After years of trying to convince Dee, he finally saw that he was only afraid of things that are ok to be worried about, but he had nothing to be afraid of. If he could love my lil niece to pieces, to whom he is not related to by blood, he could love any child who came in our life and became part of our family. So, we have Nini to thank for this big step, in a way. :)
We also took our annual Europe trip and had a wonderful time in Scotland and England, before coming back to Canada to continue our adoption process, trips to Toronto ensued for our PRIDE training that is mandatory for all adoptive parents here. A visit to my family in California was just what we needed in August when we were invited to attend a beautiful wedding in Napa Valley of Dee's friend at work. To celebrate our anniversary we took a trip to our favorite Couples Resort in Algonquin (perhaps the last one for a few years at least!)

This is not so much to share with the whole world, but to remember myself when the next year ushers in a very very exciting phase in our life. 3 trips to Kaz coming up hopefully, if all goes well. A new home (and hopefully our current one will sell soon and relieve me of my stress!), family coming over to meet our baby, a whole new life for us in a way. I am SO ready for this phase of life, and SO looking forward to everything 2013 has to bring. All I can ask and pray for is that give me the courage to handle any obstacles with a calm mind and a patient virtue, that my family remain safe and healthy and part of my life. Everything else will just be gravy.
Oh Little Baby! The new year is about to begin and never again will you spend a new year alone!
Cannot wait to meet you and hold you in our arms!
Love,
Mama.

Russia and US: Adoptions no more?

Read the news today:

Russian lawmakers could move to ban Americans from adopting children from the country -- which is one of the top sources of international adoptions to the United States.

A bill to block adoption to the United States passed the State Duma, Russia's lower house of parliament, on its first reading last week and it will be considered again Wednesday for a crucial second reading.

This could affect hundreds of American families seeking to adopt Russian children. From 1999 to 2011, 45,112 adoptions to the United States came from Russia, second to only China. However, the number of adoptions from Russia has waned in recent years after a peak in 2005.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/19/world/russia-adoption-u-s-ban/index.html?hpt=hp_t3

If these countries could resolve their differences, and people were screened better (I know its already pretty tough so I wonder how someone slips through the cracks) to avoid the very very few incapable/unwilling parents doing this for the wrong reasons slip through the cracks to avoid hurt and harm to the innocent children, so many lives can continue to be positively affected by adoption.
I do hope they are able to resolve their issues and not deny families coming together through this method. All the thousands of families touched positively by adoption can attest to the fact, I am sure, that this is a tough process but is positively life changing for everyone involved.

UPDATE:Very sad news. On 27th Dec, read the news that Putin has signed the law that bans the adoption of Russian children by US Citizens. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/28/world/europe/putin-to-sign-ban-on-us-adoptions-of-russian-children.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
This is devastating news in the world of Adoption. Parents who were ready to bring home their children, those who were adopting from there will all be affected by this. As will all those innocent children whose lives would have changed dramatically. Very sad news. I hope this doesn't affect adoptions to Canada. US/Kazakhstan adoptions still continue to be suspended. I wish politicians would not put politics before the needs of families and children.

Date in January with the Ministry

Latest update is that our in-country co-ordinator has to go in person to the ministry as its the first international application for adoption, so they will like to talk face to face and discuss the new process. This will happen in the first week of Jan probably. So, till then, we wait, we try to find a buyer for our home, we enjoy Christmas (Yes, of course we celebrate it, whats not to love about Christmas! :) ), and we enjoy the season and welcome the new year with a bang.
The ministry is going to be making so many dreams come true, hope they are quick with the process and understand how difficult it is but also how it is so rewarding to everyone. Lives will be changed forever, in a good way.

Cannot even begin to imagine how our life will be in the new year, our little Kaz baby in our new home, everyone welcoming her/him with open arms and an open heart. To 2013!

File in Aktobe. 1st in Line, we're told, after Kaz re-opened for International Adoptions this year.

Hurray! The file has reached our agency co-ord in Aktobe! Now she will attach all Kazakh translations and send it on its way. In a week the file will be in Astana. Apparently we will be the first in Kaz to submit the file to the Ministry of Education. Dont know if that's a good thing but perhaps that means that they will work on it quicker as there aren't any other files pending to work on for them.

Our house needs to sell soon so that we are prepared to leave anytime after end of December. Its been 5 days since the house got listed, have had 8 people come in for showings, and they seem to like it but we dont have any formal offer yet. Pls Universe! Pls!

Dossier on its way to Kaz and House for sale

Yesterday Liana sent off our Dossier to Aktobe. She expects it to be there in 5 days or so, then around 5 days for the Kazakh translations to be added by Tanya there and sent off to Astana. So, by 13th dec it should be in Astana.

In other news, the purchase of our new home is coming along well, and tomorrow (Friday) all conditions will be waived as well. Now we need to QUICKLY sell our own home. If anyone knows someone looking to buy a nice bright End Unit 2000 sq ft 4 Bedroom/3 Bath Townhome in Ottawa, Canada, pls let me know. :) It goes on Grapevine listing today and MLS next week.

Yippeee! Last Canadian part all done! File off to Kaz tomorrow!

Yippee!!! So Dee went to the Kaz consulate today and tried his best charms on them to try and convince them to give him the complete file today. And they did!!!
Yippee! Now the Dossier is on its way to Toronto to our agency co-ordinator, the lovely Liana, and then tomorrow she will be sending it on to Kazakhstan!!! On track to hear good news in January. Keeping our fingers crossed.

And tonight we sign the papers on the offer for our new home, closing end of March-to time it with the beginning of our lives with our little one!

Wow! 1005 visitors to the blog thus far.

Just a few days back I noticed it was about 300 something. To all of you who read the blog from all over the world, thanks for being here and following us on this journey. Pls pray that everything works out nicely for us with the least amount of hiccups if at all. Power of thought and power of prayer irrespective of region, religion, caste and creed has the strength to do a lot, IMHO. :)

Here's hoping Monday/Tuesday brings some good news. Amen.

P.S.: If you or anyone you know is currently in the process of adopting a baby from Kazakhstan, and live anywhere in the world not just Canada/USA, pls send me a msg and/or write a comment to let us know how things are in your corner of the world proceeding with the process. :)

Someone is slacking at the Embassy. Grrr! Kaz Consulate update

I wonder if the people working in the consulate in Ottawa are held to any productivity standards. It surely doesnt feel as if they are. It is now exactly 1 month since we sent the Dossier to the consulate. Excuses have come easily thus far. First, he's not here, then he's here but he needs more paperwork and needs even the index sheet stamped by the External affairs ministry in Canada. Then he promises Dee (my hubby) that the file will be ready for him to be picked up on Friday. Well, today is Friday and since Dee is out of town on work, I went to the consulate. Guess what!??? Niet. Nada. No. Monsieur Consul has again gone out somewhere and the file is still not completed. When I asked them why doesnt anyone answer the phone when Iv been trying to call since morning to avoid an unnecessary trip...I get a strange look saying "we must have been busy". Everytime someone has gone there it is empty! There is no one there! And how much work do they get everyday that they have still not completed a 1 month old file, I wonder!?

This is when they have no other adoption files to work on. I wonder when the files do start trickling in, what their turn around will be.

I doubt they realise that they are controlling the time when families will be created and completed. I doubt they care.Not happy. Yes, delays are normal, but someone working in Canada should at least be more productive.

Update after Liana's meeting at the Kazakhstan Consulate

So, Liana came to Ottawa from Toronto for the scheduled meeting. The consul, however, was not available all day till 3pm. We were in a bit of a panic as her train back was at 5:30pm and we knew he probably wouldn't complete the file that day as there was hardly any time then.
She met him when he called her in at 3pm and he went through the file and asked for some more papers from Liana which she will send today and also wanted the 1st page of the document-the index page stating what all pages are there in the Dossier-to be stamped by Foreign Affairs. :) By now, we almost expect something additional to be needed/asked for. So, today, Deepak will head back to the Foreign Affairs Ministry office (thank God we live in Ottawa itself!) and request them to stamp that 1st page. Hope they dont have a problem doing that.
Then he is to deliver the file himself to the consul and request him to allow him to pick it up next week as promised to Liana that the file will be completed by 23rd Nov. Which is next Friday. Arrgh!

So, now, we wait for 23rd November.

In other news... we made the mistake of looking at new homes on Sunday. Yes, mistake. Because we fell in love with one! So, now we're wondering, how we can prepare/list/sell our own home and buy/close both homes when we dont know when we will be asked to travel to Kaz. But one can't even put life on hold in anticipation of events to come. And we would love to start this new chapter of our lives in the home we saw and fell in love with. We can already envision our little one running around in her shirt and diaper, playing hide and seek with mommy and daddy and leaving toys all around for us to pick up...you get the picture.

So, in the middle of this anxiety-filled journey we may now be throwing in a dollop or 2 more of the same. Good thing is it will keep my mind and self occupied while we wait for the process to reach the referral stage.

Diwali diyas in our home. The festival of lights celebrating the win of light over darkness, good over evil.

Yesterday was Diwali, a big festival in India, and we celebrated by going to the Sikh temple (Gurudwara as it is called) for the evening prayers, and langar (community meal which btw is absolutely delicious and just so you know...free to the public so next time in Nov find out when Diwali is and head to the Gurudwara in your area to witness this lovely celebration). We couldn't help but think that next yr, hopefully, we will be going to the Gurudwara (Sikh temple) with our little one! Fingers crossed! Happy Diwali to everyone! May the goodness in all of us always win over the evil.

A pre-baby couple's getaway and Liana has an appointment with the Kaz consulate!

Liana has scored an appointment with the consul on the 14th November! Yippee! So, wednesday next week she will come up to Ottawa from Toronto to get him to work on our dossier. Let's hope he completes it and hands it over the same day to her. Then it goes to Kazakhstan for translation into Kazakh, notarize there, legalise there and put together and off to the Ministry of Education in Astana! We hope top hear some good news by end of Jan (finger crossed), if that happens.

Dee and I are taking a short break right now, at the Couples Resort in Whitney, Algonquin (3.5 hrs from Ottawa). We love coming here every 2 yrs or so. The fine dining, luxurious suites with the in-room jacuzzi, lake views from the suites/cabins, massages, spa, did I mention the fine dining... Mmm Love this place! Its our 4th or 5th time here and its great to unwind, and enjoy great 5 course meals.

Next update:  After Liana meets Mr Consul.