It has taken me this long to actually have the time to sit down and post...the trip home was crazy!! As Andrew said, our flight out of Warsaw was cancelled, so Lot Airlines set us up in the really nice Marriott across from the airport. We had a dinner voucher and the room was beautiful. We settled in early (sleeping in our clothes because we had no luggage) and ordered "Hitch" on PPV. It was so nice to watch something on TV in English other than BBC World.

We got up early the next morning to catch our 7:00 a.m. flight. We had complimentary breakfast, but Beth wouldn't let me eat anything other than grabbing a quick croissant...that quickly became the joke because once we got checked in and through security, they werent even opening the gates until 7:00. Our flight was late taking off...and lo and behold it caused us to miss our connection to Dulles in Zurich!!! So...once again we were at the ticket counter getting our flights changed. Then, 3 hours later, we were taking an hour long flight to Frankfurt to catch our flight home. Almost 8 hours later, we were finally landing at Dulles....then, guess what? My suitcase was still in Zurich!! Figures! It didnt show up until sometime on Tuesday.

So, now we are back at home and the waiting starts again...must have great patience and determination to go through this process. We are excited to start decorating the baby room, but we can't do that until we find out if we will be adopting a baby boy or baby girl.

I have pics to post to show Kaliningrad in all its' glory, but that will have to wait until later. Glad to be home...we have a softball playoff game tonight...go fighting bunnies.

Gaye and Beth are stuck in Poland! They were set to fly home today, their itinerary was to take them from Kaliningrad, to Warsaw, to Frankfurt, to JFK where they would stay the night and then fly to Dulles in the morning. However, they are now stuck in Warsaw for the evening and will be flying to Zurich and then straight to Dulles. So, if all goes according to plan, we'll see them at 3:30pm tomorrow. Unfortunately, that means Gaye and Beth will both miss their respective weddings/receptions that they were planning on going to.

Andrew

The cell phone apparently keeps cutting out on the girls, and that's what happened yesterday. However, they called from their room today and things are going along swimmingly. While getting them a calling card, Yuri bought them both a yellow "summertime" beer-like drink (that my office-mate, whose wife is from Lithuania, knows and hates). They both took a sip and hated it. But at least they're trying! They had a good time on the beach today, which is about 30 kilometers from the city of Kaliningrad. They were also apparently shopping at a Calvin Klein store (they can't seem to get away from stores).

Word from Gaye is that the big news in Russia right now is apparently a soccer game between Russia and Lithuania (however, upon looking up this match online, it looks like Russia is playing Latvia in an important World Cup qualifying game - in an attempt to finish in one of the top two spots of their group). Tomorrow, the girls are going to an amber museum and bowling.

On the adoption front, Yuri talked to the courts and we are supposedly at the top of the list now. Therefore, we might get to adopt fairly soon. Also, we find out that the process consists of Yuri hand picking a child, getting as much medical and birth records as possible, brining the child to a doctor for an exam (to determine any possible issues - fetal alcohol syndrome, etc) and then sending us a picture. So, most of the leg work should be done before we get their next. Of course, we will repeat some of these steps for ourselves, just to make sure. Oh, and there are many more boys than girls available, so it looks like we'll be painting the baby room blue!

By the way, for those who aren't familiar with Yuri, he is our Adoption Agency's contact in Kaliningrad, and he has been very helpful thus far, taking care of my wife and mom, getting the necessary paperwork completed, and communicating with the courts and locals. Gaye and my mom might be meeting Yuri's daughter tomorrow!

Andrew

Gaye and my mom made it to the court date on time today. Gaye was asked to talk about herself and why she wanted to adopt. Everything seemed to go fine and the director stated that he like Yuri and would put us towards the top of the list (there were supposedly 10 other people that went there that day). The director stated that the adoption process could take up to nine months, but he is optimistic. Gaye said that they had a long day and they had just gotten back to their hotel room (8:45 pm their time), but I'm not sure what they did today, as the phone cut off (I'm not sure if it was my cell phone, or the international connection. I haven't heard from them since, but I'm sure they are asleep by now.

Andrew

I heard from Gaye this afternoon (about 4:00pm our time - 11:00 pm their time). Apparently, Gaye and my mom had a great time in business class on the flight over. They ate a three course meal, finishing with haagen dazs ice cream; breakfast a few hours later; had pillows, headphones, and reclining seats....pretty nice. They got into Kaliningrad, took a power nap, went out to eat (where they both got tipsy off of ONE German beer), came back to the hotel, and called me. Then, they were going to bed. They have to get ready for the 9:30 appointment tomorrow morning. After that, it's all tourism. Albeit, it was a long flight, but with business class, and all of the fun they seem to be having, we should all be jealous. My time will come...

Andrew

Alright everyone, events are starting off quicker than we anticipated. I got a call from Gaye and my mother while they were on the plane and ready to leave for Europe and they are now traveling in class. They didn't have seating assignments before they got to the airport, and there were not two seats available next to each other. The attendant was apparently very nice and held onto their tickets to see if she could find consecutive seats. As they were about to board, the attendant looked at what they paid (last minute trips to Europe aren't cheap, expecially using a travel agent) and put them in business class. In order to sit next to each other they had to sweet talk a man into giving up his seat...he had to give up his seat once he realized what heros the girls were for adopting a desperate child from a poor country. Anyway, they can now be at least a bit more relaxed for their long journey. I'll let you know when I hear from them.

Andrew

Kind of surreal...it seems like it isn't real because we have been planning it for so long.

Our flight leaves at 5:55 tonight...we have a friend walking us through the security checkpoint at the airport, so hopefully, that will shorten the wait time to get through. I couldn't sleep last night, my stomach was in knots as it always is before I fly. But, this time...the knots were even worse.

I can't believe that the first trip is already here...it seems like we have been waiting forever. Our passports should be delivered back today with our Russian travel visas. The agency called yesterday and said they were on their way.

Since our flight doesn't leave until later in the day on Sunday...Beth & I are going to go to brunch with my parents, Andrew's Dad and Erica & Haylee so that everyone can say goodbye.

Our friend, Ryan, was living with us this summer while doing an internship at Andrew's company. I woke up this morning at 6:15 so I can say goodbye to him because he will be in Boston when I leave for Russia on Sunday...and, I will be in Russia when he leaves to go back to school in Texas next week. Hopefully, he will move back here after he graduates and gets a job at Andrew's company again :)

Oh...Andrew said he would post on this blog while his Mom & I are gone...keep everyone up-to-date on what is happening while we are there.

Just a few more days until we get on the plane bound for Germany...then to Poland...then to Kaliningrad!! We have our hotel all booked. We are staying at the Hotel Kaliningrad...it looks very nice. We are excited because we will have our own bathroom :)

We are now just awaiting the arrival of our Visas by FedEx. They should come tomorrow. And, Andrew had to sign a Power of Attorney form for me...I FedExed that down to the Secy. of the Commonwealth to be apostilled on Friday. It should be back this morning sometime.

My Mom is taking my mother-in-law, Beth, & me out to lunch on Wednesday to send us off...she is so excited and wishes she could come too.

Oh yeah...Erica, Brent & Haylee moved out on Sunday. Andrew's sister and her family had been living with us since October, but they found the cutest townhouse in Springfield...very close to Grandma. And, still close to us. I miss them...the house is so empty and quiet without Miss Haylee.

Not much else to report...just trying to stay grounded and get some work done since I will be out all next week. Right in the middle of our book cycle...more work for others in my absence.

We got a call last Friday (7/29) that we could go ahead and make our flight arrangements to travel over to Kaliningrad for our first trip...anytime in the next 2 weeks. Andrew's mom, Beth, will be making the first trip with me. So, the two of us will be experts on Kaliningrad by the time Andrew has to make his 1st trip over with me :)

Beth & I fly out on the evening of August 14th, but don't arrive in Kaliningrad until the late afternoon on the 15th. On the 16th, I will be dropping off my dossier (paperwork) to the Ministry of Education for them to process. Kaliningrad requires that you deliver the papers in person. Since that is all I needed to do this trip, we decided to go ahead and stay a few extra days and explore the city. Grandma Lins will get to see where her grandchild was born.

We fly home on the 19th...then, it is just a waiting game to see when we get our referral and can make the 2nd trip to see our child for the first time. It is usually around 6 weeks after the first trip. So, maybe the first week of October (right after we fly back from Colleen's wedding in Phoenix).

There is so much to do between now and the 14th...hotel reservations, get travel visas, figuring out what to bring. So exciting and overwhelming all at the same time :)

I will keep posting new news :)