Readoption, Vacation, Russian Easter Party, Easter/Forever Family Day, and Change. . .

We've started the process of re-adoption for Aidan. I've almost completed filling out the paperwork--piece of cake compared to what we had to do for Russia!--and had Pat pick up our official documents from the Safety Deposit box. I expect to file on Thursday, March 18th. This is significant for us. . .It will be two years to the day since we left to finalize the Russia portion of this adoption and to bring Aidan home, and it will provide that Virginia, nor any other US State for that matter, may question our foriegn adoption and custody of Aidan. Further, he will receive a Certificate of Foreign Birth--essentially a Virginia Birth Certificate indicating he was born in Russia but is a citizen of the Commonwealth of Virginia. He will then be able to obtain a certified copy of his Virginia Birth Certificate at some obscure point in the future should he decide to adopt. . .he won't have to go all the way to Krasnoyarsk, Russia to get one!

So, here's our status:
Adoption completed in Russia. . .check
Certificate of Citizenship. . .check
Post Placement Reports started and timely. . .check--one to go
Obtained US Passport. . .check
Re-adoption in US with Virginia Birh Certificate. . .in process

In the meantime, we're making our vacation plans--we had some, but they fell through. Now we'e trying to decide if we'll go to North Carolina as usual, go to Mexico, or go to St. Petersburg, Florida and see our friends the Jergers.

In a couple of weeks, April 17th to be exact, we will be meeting up with another couple who adopted from Russia--Joy and Gerard and their little girl Anna. They are coming down from Jersey to go to the Easter party at the Russian Embassy with us. I can't wait! It's going to be a blast. We haven't been down into the city for a while (since the Jergers were here in November '08!) so this will be awesome.

I've never been a big fan of "Gotcha Day" but it has grown on me over the last couple of years. But, I saw recently someone used the term "Forever Family Day." I like that a lot better. This year, Aidan's falls on Easter--April 4th. So, we're not planning anything huge--it will be Easter after all and how much more huge--huger--can you get?? So, I'm planning to do something special and fun with him on April 13th--his Citizenship Day. I may try to go and get something from the Russia store to celebrate. . .his US citizenship. . . : )

One really quick note before I finish this up: Pat and I have talked, at length, over the past couple of years about going back to Russia for another child. We are not going to do so. We've been assured by our Social Worker that we would have no problem, in spite of our name and where we live, because of our successful current adoption and life with Aidan. However, the cost is great--we could scrape the money together somehow, we're sure--and we are feeling our 46 years. Add to all of that, we both feel that if we were to go back, we would want to go to the same orphanage. But, as much as I feel pulled and called to do this, it really isn't in our cards. I think that we are supposed to spend our time focusing and concentrating on Aidan--making sure he is growing, healthy, happy, and becomes all, and more, that he can be. . .the $300. week Preschool bill really isn't playing into that. . .really. : )

Finally, speaking of Preschool, Aidan's teacher changed again last week. It is somewhat okay in that it is the one who is always there when I drop Aidan off. However, he has been moved from his old group and this is now his fourth teacher since last July 20th! And, guess what, he was acting up last week. I really, really like this school but I wish they would hear me when I tell them that Aidan has a hard time with change. . .I did talk to Aidan over the weekend and again this morning. I think he'll be okay, but I need to talk to the teachers again about preparing us for change. For Aidan's sake!