During day two
Us
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Let The Mayhem Begin!
I heard a low growl from Scilla as two jeaned legs walked into the backyard.
No doubt her kitty senses were tingling with the knowledge that she would spend the next six weeks under my bed.
Yes, its true Dear Readers, even as I write there is a man I met only yesterday pounding on some unsuspecting wall in my very family room! There is a backhoe parked where my trailer used to be and a large dumpster bearing the name of the construction company casting a large shadow on my leafing spirea. (I've been looking forward to that dumpster to rid our garage of some clutter too big for the trash can.)
My wonderful and magical husband managed to gently guide the internet and TV cable in through the dining room window so I can keep you posted and watch 'Samantha Who.' Though probably not at the same time.
I have taken pics of the progress but you will have to wait until tomorrow 'cause I have to ask Ro about the right plug into the computer case. Just use your imagination while looking at the lower level of the house shown in the photo below. Now, there is a big hole where the bottom wall used to be. Tomorrow (at 7am I am told), they will turn the key on that backhoe parked where my trailer used to be and make their way toward the area just outside that big hole in the house to make a bigger one. No doubt we will be awakened to the "beep . . . beep . . . beep" of the great yellow machine backing up and delivering towering mounds of dirt to an obscure corner of my yard. I'm told there will be quite a lot. Okay, but it's MY dirt. Good for planting stuff in. Eventually. Somewhere in my yard. I don't know where yet. Some time tomorrow afternoon they will get out their cement saw and start cutting away at the, well, cement and make a lot of dust and noise and there will be water everywhere. Poor Scilla. I think I will join her under the bed.
I may not write every day but I will try and share some photos if there is something to see. I hear they don't do much if it snows . . .
On a slightly different note, we have decided to host those little, Ukrainian, available-for-adoption-girls, for the summer. Waiting for photos and ages and background and stuff. Yes, we could get attached. Probably will in fact. We will have fun doing it. Not only that but it beats moving dirt all summer.
No doubt her kitty senses were tingling with the knowledge that she would spend the next six weeks under my bed.
Yes, its true Dear Readers, even as I write there is a man I met only yesterday pounding on some unsuspecting wall in my very family room! There is a backhoe parked where my trailer used to be and a large dumpster bearing the name of the construction company casting a large shadow on my leafing spirea. (I've been looking forward to that dumpster to rid our garage of some clutter too big for the trash can.)
My wonderful and magical husband managed to gently guide the internet and TV cable in through the dining room window so I can keep you posted and watch 'Samantha Who.' Though probably not at the same time.
I have taken pics of the progress but you will have to wait until tomorrow 'cause I have to ask Ro about the right plug into the computer case. Just use your imagination while looking at the lower level of the house shown in the photo below. Now, there is a big hole where the bottom wall used to be. Tomorrow (at 7am I am told), they will turn the key on that backhoe parked where my trailer used to be and make their way toward the area just outside that big hole in the house to make a bigger one. No doubt we will be awakened to the "beep . . . beep . . . beep" of the great yellow machine backing up and delivering towering mounds of dirt to an obscure corner of my yard. I'm told there will be quite a lot. Okay, but it's MY dirt. Good for planting stuff in. Eventually. Somewhere in my yard. I don't know where yet. Some time tomorrow afternoon they will get out their cement saw and start cutting away at the, well, cement and make a lot of dust and noise and there will be water everywhere. Poor Scilla. I think I will join her under the bed.
I may not write every day but I will try and share some photos if there is something to see. I hear they don't do much if it snows . . .
On a slightly different note, we have decided to host those little, Ukrainian, available-for-adoption-girls, for the summer. Waiting for photos and ages and background and stuff. Yes, we could get attached. Probably will in fact. We will have fun doing it. Not only that but it beats moving dirt all summer.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Too Quiet
A mixed blessing really. On one hand I want action! Someone dig in my yard with a back hoe or call me and tell me to take my papers to the immigration service in downtown Denver or something!
On the other hand, I want everyone to leave me alone so I can just work in my garden. Quietly dig weeds, divide perennials, spread mulch, plant annuals. Just let the lovely spring sunshine warm my air deprived skin. Smell the blossoms of flowering fruit trees and early bulbs. Meditate on life, the universe and everything. Doesn't that sound peaceful?
Some Ukrainian adoption friends e-mailed to say for $2500 each, we can have Ukrainian orphan kids come and stay the summer with us. Well . . . much thought. No guarantee we would be able to adopt the kids that spend the entire 10 weeks of summer with us. Hmmmm. House won't be ready when they arrive June 1. "Its okay girls, we usually have an outside wall in this room that will someday be your bedroom." Hmmm. Can we borrow for a couple of weeks someone else's Ukrainian orphans? Yes. Maybe that sounds like a better option. Thinking about it some more.
They still want to start digging on Monday. So glad that hasn't changed!
Friday, April 11, 2008
Delays Delays
The lead construction worker knocked on my door last Wednesday and said meekly that the building permits aren't approved yet. (Thanks for the heads up Rich!) He said we could either begin demo now in hopes that the permit will come through when they are ready to put humpty together again (two weeks) or we could wait until the permits to come through to begin.
Well, that is a no brainer!
I can see Ro and I sitting the freezing house while the last of the winter snow storms reminds us that it will be impossible to heat a home that has a whole side missing! My cats would file for a divorce and I would be temped to build a campfire grabbing anything and everything that burns just to keep my ever freezing body warm.
No thank you kindly, Sir. I think I will sit in my cozy home with its walls intact to wait for Boulder County to finish pouring over the fine print . . .
On the adoption front, I am waiting for our local agent to get back from a week long training to finish our papers so we can take them to the US Gov.
Prayer request:
Right now the Ukraine government only allows so many of its orphans to be adopted out of country a year. Its not a huge number. I'll have to get that for you. Something like 5,000 families mostly from US, Italy and Spain. The problem is, that is only 10,000 kids at most per year. There are 100,000 in orphanages and 100,000 on the streets. My heart breaks for the kids who long to be adopted (almost all) languishing in these orphanages when there are so many families who have to wait because there are more than 5,000 families a year that wish to adopt them.
Pray that the gov would throw out the limits. Ro and I can wait. The children can't.
Well, that is a no brainer!
I can see Ro and I sitting the freezing house while the last of the winter snow storms reminds us that it will be impossible to heat a home that has a whole side missing! My cats would file for a divorce and I would be temped to build a campfire grabbing anything and everything that burns just to keep my ever freezing body warm.
No thank you kindly, Sir. I think I will sit in my cozy home with its walls intact to wait for Boulder County to finish pouring over the fine print . . .
On the adoption front, I am waiting for our local agent to get back from a week long training to finish our papers so we can take them to the US Gov.
Prayer request:
Right now the Ukraine government only allows so many of its orphans to be adopted out of country a year. Its not a huge number. I'll have to get that for you. Something like 5,000 families mostly from US, Italy and Spain. The problem is, that is only 10,000 kids at most per year. There are 100,000 in orphanages and 100,000 on the streets. My heart breaks for the kids who long to be adopted (almost all) languishing in these orphanages when there are so many families who have to wait because there are more than 5,000 families a year that wish to adopt them.
Pray that the gov would throw out the limits. Ro and I can wait. The children can't.
Friday, April 4, 2008
A Crack at the Almighty Process
There is so much I know I will leave something out but here goes.
Even though we have to satisfy the local adoption agency, another local agency (I"ll explain later), the US government, Colorado State government and the Ukrainian government, what we need to bear in mind is that when it comes down to it, we must make Ukraine happy. The seemingly senseless gathering of reams of paper is ultimately for the reading pleasure of the Ukrainian SDA (State Department of Adoption). So the king of all our paperwork is THE ALMIGHTY DOSSIER, hereafter to be referred to as TAD. This may explain the following craziness a little. They live far away and have some pretty strange ideas about us Americans.
TAD wants:
A certified copy of the deed to your house
A notarized copy of your passports
2 certified copies of your marriage certificates (?!)
A notarized copy of certificate of health from your doc with a copy of her doc license
A letter (notarized, of course) from Rolan's employer stating that he is truly working there for
cashable greenback and will continue to do so.
Copies of your homestudy done by an agency
A certified photo of your homestudy worker's license
Some sort of Adoption release form that I haven't seen yet
I think there is also a power of attorney form for the translator
This is all gathered by Ro and I. Be sure to use notaries whose terms don't expire within the next couple of years 'cause it may take that long to actually get the kids. Oh, and
GET TWO COPIES OF ALL OF THIS, because someone could drop one in the ocean or something. I guess it doesn't happen very often. But we were also told that since we are looking for siblings, they may be in different regions and you need to be able to send another TAD to another region (you bring it with you when you go).
The Local adoption agency wants:
Background inquiries (permission to talk to all your past therapists)
Fingerprints done by a gov person (local sheriff will do) for the purpose of sending it in for a
crime check to FBI and CBI. Really, all they had to do was ask my mother!
A copy of last year's1040
A different medical paper filled out by my doc
A brief autobiography from Rolan and I
Proof that our medical ins would cover the children sent in by the ins company
And 5 or 6 papers that waiving any liability on their part, agreeing we could get some sick
kids, etc.
An agreement that we would receive or have received 24 hours of education on children and
their adoptive needs.
A copy of Boulder County SS homestudy from our old days as fost/adopt folk
Letters of reference from three people we know and have fooled into thinking we will be good at
this.
The Immigration Service (US CIS) wants:
A copy of our passports
A copy of our completed homestudy from the local agency
Copy of our Marriage certificate (again)
Their form filled out
Another wad of money
A set of fingerprints that you have to do and pay for right there. And NO they won't use
someone elses!
Are you still with me? Bless you my child.
As of today, the local agency is almost done gathering all their papers. They have a long homestudy and Ukraine only wants 8 pages of that so we have to find a way to shorten it. Our Ukraine agency will help us with that. Then local agency will send the whole blessed packet to another local agency to make sure Colorado Department of Human Services will accept it. I guess it's an integrity thing. That only takes a couple of days. Then we take the approved packet to the CIS and they get out their big stamps and put their mark on it but it takes about 8 weeks.
So then . . we take all that stuff and the papers we completed for TAD to the Colorado State Offices of the Boss of all the Notaries and they check to make sure all the notaries we used are really certified notaries! Honest! I'm not kidding! I think this is called "Apostilles." I heard someone say "Apostles" but I don't think there is anything the least bit biblical about it and not only that but it is a French word.
We fax copies of all to our Ukraine agency person so she can check to make sure that ze papers are in order.....
THEN..... we get to send one copy of TAD to Ukraine. . .
where it gets translated by someone the agency hired and they take it to the SDA in Kiev and it gets an appointment to be reviewed. Four to 9 months later they say "yes" or "no" and give us an appointment date to come over and look at kids. TA DA!
I'll save the Ukraine end of things till we get closer to that. I fear, Gentle Reader that you will either never read this blog again or you have fallen asleep.
Out to move more plants. Its a great day.
eileen
Even though we have to satisfy the local adoption agency, another local agency (I"ll explain later), the US government, Colorado State government and the Ukrainian government, what we need to bear in mind is that when it comes down to it, we must make Ukraine happy. The seemingly senseless gathering of reams of paper is ultimately for the reading pleasure of the Ukrainian SDA (State Department of Adoption). So the king of all our paperwork is THE ALMIGHTY DOSSIER, hereafter to be referred to as TAD. This may explain the following craziness a little. They live far away and have some pretty strange ideas about us Americans.
TAD wants:
A certified copy of the deed to your house
A notarized copy of your passports
2 certified copies of your marriage certificates (?!)
A notarized copy of certificate of health from your doc with a copy of her doc license
A letter (notarized, of course) from Rolan's employer stating that he is truly working there for
cashable greenback and will continue to do so.
Copies of your homestudy done by an agency
A certified photo of your homestudy worker's license
Some sort of Adoption release form that I haven't seen yet
I think there is also a power of attorney form for the translator
This is all gathered by Ro and I. Be sure to use notaries whose terms don't expire within the next couple of years 'cause it may take that long to actually get the kids. Oh, and
GET TWO COPIES OF ALL OF THIS, because someone could drop one in the ocean or something. I guess it doesn't happen very often. But we were also told that since we are looking for siblings, they may be in different regions and you need to be able to send another TAD to another region (you bring it with you when you go).
The Local adoption agency wants:
Background inquiries (permission to talk to all your past therapists)
Fingerprints done by a gov person (local sheriff will do) for the purpose of sending it in for a
crime check to FBI and CBI. Really, all they had to do was ask my mother!
A copy of last year's1040
A different medical paper filled out by my doc
A brief autobiography from Rolan and I
Proof that our medical ins would cover the children sent in by the ins company
And 5 or 6 papers that waiving any liability on their part, agreeing we could get some sick
kids, etc.
An agreement that we would receive or have received 24 hours of education on children and
their adoptive needs.
A copy of Boulder County SS homestudy from our old days as fost/adopt folk
Letters of reference from three people we know and have fooled into thinking we will be good at
this.
The Immigration Service (US CIS) wants:
A copy of our passports
A copy of our completed homestudy from the local agency
Copy of our Marriage certificate (again)
Their form filled out
Another wad of money
A set of fingerprints that you have to do and pay for right there. And NO they won't use
someone elses!
Are you still with me? Bless you my child.
As of today, the local agency is almost done gathering all their papers. They have a long homestudy and Ukraine only wants 8 pages of that so we have to find a way to shorten it. Our Ukraine agency will help us with that. Then local agency will send the whole blessed packet to another local agency to make sure Colorado Department of Human Services will accept it. I guess it's an integrity thing. That only takes a couple of days. Then we take the approved packet to the CIS and they get out their big stamps and put their mark on it but it takes about 8 weeks.
So then . . we take all that stuff and the papers we completed for TAD to the Colorado State Offices of the Boss of all the Notaries and they check to make sure all the notaries we used are really certified notaries! Honest! I'm not kidding! I think this is called "Apostilles." I heard someone say "Apostles" but I don't think there is anything the least bit biblical about it and not only that but it is a French word.
We fax copies of all to our Ukraine agency person so she can check to make sure that ze papers are in order.....
THEN..... we get to send one copy of TAD to Ukraine. . .
where it gets translated by someone the agency hired and they take it to the SDA in Kiev and it gets an appointment to be reviewed. Four to 9 months later they say "yes" or "no" and give us an appointment date to come over and look at kids. TA DA!
I'll save the Ukraine end of things till we get closer to that. I fear, Gentle Reader that you will either never read this blog again or you have fallen asleep.
Out to move more plants. Its a great day.
eileen
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