FAQ's

1. When did you start this process? We have barely put our toe in the water!   We have just now started this process.  We are deciding between agencies right now. 
2. Do you want a specific gender? Yes!  We want a boy.  Luckily, boys have a lesser wait time.
3. When will you get him? The timeline of the adoption process varies.  From the time we submit the application, it's be between 20 -29 months until he is home with us.
4. How old will he be? Children in Russia do not become available for adoption until 9 months of age.  We'll bring him home when he's about 12-15 months old.
5. Why Russia? Because that's where God has led us.  Here are some heart wrenching statistics about Russian orphans I have found:  There are more than 750,000 orphans are living in Russian institutions (about 2,000 of them).  Among another estimated 2 million to 4 million homeless orphans living on the streets.  The annual number of children left without parental care has more than doubled over the last 10 years despite falling birth rates.  Some 10,000 young people graduate from the state-run orphanages every year.  And at least 40% of these graduates eventually end up in prisons or in prostitution while one in ten will commit suicide, not to mention the 40% that become addicted to drugs/alcohol. And then this statistic I read on another Russian adoption blog...13 out of every 100 children adopted by Russians are eventually returned to the orphanage.  How awful is that ???
6. Where in Russia? We're not sure yet.  There are many regions in Russia.
7. How long will you be there? We have to take two trips.  The first trip is about a week long (we'll go within a month of accepting our referral), and the second trip (2-4 months later) is about 3-4 weeks.  We could split the second trip into two, but most likely we will take one long trip. 
8. How far apart in age will the kiddos be?  Depending on how long it takes, probably a minimum of 9 months.