Data Bank Picture

Hi Everyone!


I found Jill's picture on the Russian Orphan Data Bank, a photolisting used to promote adoption throughout Russia. This will likely be the only "baby" picture we have for her.



On an interesting note. In Russia, families are provided apartments in which to live. These apartments are registered to the family. What that means is, if your grown children want to, they (and their family) have the legal right to live in your home.... forever! Now, don't get me wrong. I'm looking forward to having my children here, but let's hope they're on their own after college! Vlad, our facilitator in Russia, confirmed it's cost him a small fortune to purchase two apartments for two of his grown three daughters. Plus, he had to purchase an apartment for his ex-wife. But, the end result is they live on their own, not with him in his 1,000 sq ft apartment (large for Moscow!). The third daughter doesn't want to move out and may not since the apartment is much more spacious than anything Vlad can buy for her. I believe he's hoping for a good marriage with a large in-law apartment! Another note, purchased homes are considered personal property and are excluded from the homesteading law.



I mention this because Russia is internally promoting adoption and the number of children available for adoption outside of Russia has declined over the past year. A new law, helping Russian families choose adoption, states adopted children will be given an apartment by the government at age 18 rather than the child being entitled to their adopted parent's home. That being said, more Russians are adopting with less worry of having their kids home forever.



I never mentioned (shame on me!) the lovely couple we met during our first trip. Jules and David, Lighthouse clients, met their sweet baby girl, Claire, while we were meeting Baby Jill. Claire is in a different baby home from Jill so we didn't roam Moscow together but did stay in the same hotel and met up for dinner twice. What's so random is they live in city only about 1 1/2 hours from us! I'm very much looking forward to getting together with their family after the adoptions are complete! Plus, I'm hoping we travel together again for trips 2 & 3!



Lorien, from Lighthouse, has asked us to update our medicals in preparation for court. Rumor is, our judge may be on vacation in early August so our agency is working towards an end-of-July court date. That's pretty optimistic but who'd have thought we'd have met our daughter only 2 1/2 months after we applied! More to come but for now, I need to call for doctor appointments!