In 5 days we'll know if we are able to adopt a little girl

[lettinggo]

I won't go thorugh all the process that's brought us this far, but we're 6 1/2 years in the process.

In 5 days time, on June 30th, we're going to find out if we will be able to adopt a little girl from Russia. She must be made available for domestic adoption until June 30th and after that will be able to be adopted internationally. She has some minor health issues, as far as we know nothing hugely serious, but apparantly Russians don't like to adopt children with health issues. She's been adoptable since she was 2 months old.

For the past month we've known about her and have been told that if she doesn't get adopted domestically, we will be allowed to adopt her. In my heart I know we should be hoping she gets to be adopted domestically because that would obviously be what is best for her but it's hard not to hope that it doesn't happen. I'm just not that good.

And now there's only 5 days to go and she's still there. I'm not at all religious, I certainly don't pray. But I remember years ago doing a novena (type of prayer service you do for 9 days where you pray for a specific thing) to St Francis Xavier and the words are rattling around in my head

"but if what I ask is not for the glory of God and the good of my soul,
I pray and desire that which is most conducive to both"

Might not make sense to anyone not Catholic but it's a comfort at the moment.
Sorry for the ramble. I wish I could go to sleep and wake up on Thursday at 1pm (close of business in that part of Russia).

[Just5minswithDacre]

Please feel free to add your reports to my own to hurry things up

And now I've lost my place in the lovely story too. I must learn to bookmark!

[mineallmine]

No worries, Just5 ;)

[thebigmummabear]

I have just found this thread and have spent the morning reading your story! It really is such a wonderful story. I have 2dc of my own but have always thought about adoption, specifically a child with additional needs from a childrens home (my dd is disabled.) It really has made up my mind that this is something that I want to do. You have given an honest account of the ups and downs but it bought a tear to my eye reading ur story. Please keep updating as I will be checking back to see how you are all doing. You sound like such a wonderful mother to both your children, you should be so proud of yourself

[mineallmine]

Thanks, thebigmummabear.

[Confusedsolicitor123]

I stumbled on this thread and have laid in bed all morning ( rather than starting my HUGE to do list) reading it from start to finish. It seems a little strange to randomly post so late after the (initial) events, but I just wanted to say how amazing you are mineallmine. I hope you, your dh, ds and dd are all blissfully happy. Xxxx

[itsbeenaverylongweek]

Well I'm so glad that Confused stumbled across this thread as it being bumped up meant I've now read the whole thing through (later night than I was planning!). It was lovely to read the whole journey and people's advice along the way

[gabsdot]

I've just read through this too. We might know each other actually. I live in Dublin and we have 2 Russian adopted kids. Mine are 13 and 9 now.
Reading your story brought back so many memories of our experience.
I met up with some other "Russia adoptive mammies last week and we were commenting on what a crazy experience we all share. I wouldn't change it for the world.

[mineallmine]

Lovely to see this thread still alive. Dd is still a little ray of sunshine and is thriving in every way. We'll never stop pinching ourselves. She loves everyone but her Daddy most of all these days (unless she's sick or tired in which case it's still Mammy she wants😉) "I do love you Mammy but I just love Daddy bigger."

Gabsdot, Dublin is so small that if we don't actually know each other, we surely know people in common. I'm Northside?

[LuptoLego]

The best thread I've ever read. So so happy for you and your family op. Please keep updating every year.

[Terri26]

Wow, I've just spent over an hour reading this thread and it's 2am! What a fantasting story. I'd love to adopt myself but as a single person it would be so much harder. Raging I missed the photos lol

[oldlaundbooth]

Brilliant thread, loved it

[Colinfarrellsarse]

Loveliest thread ever. Im another Dubliner only just considering adoption. Would love to know how long it took you start to finish and costs involved.

[BlackJesus]

What an amazing thread and an amazing journey for your family 😍. Will keep checking back for an update!

[mineallmine]

colinfarrellsarse, It was a long process, 7 years from start to end. But I think it's actually much harder now than it was for us. Your first step is to contact the HSE to get the forms. I'd do this now even if you're not sure you'll proceed- you'll have plenty time to think about it while you're waiting.

All's good in Little Miss Sunshine's household. She's here in front of me watching Paw Patrol with chocolate spread all over her face aka Mutella😉 She's now 6 and three quarters and we're getting ready for going back to school. I'm totally outing myself here probably but she goes to the school that I teach in and we're next door neighbours in school. She loves catching sight of me in school and grabbing a quick cuddle. I job share and each morning she says 'today are you Mammy or Ms x?'

She's as happy as ever, only in bad form if she's hungry or tired and then she's like the snickers ad. She has lots of little pals and is a great socialiser. She's quite young for her age emotionally so keeping her home from school until she was nearly 6 was the best decision ever. The kids in her class are a year or more younger than her and this is really where she is emotionally so great relief that it was the right decision.
She rarely mentions anything about adoption - I don't think she understands it really yet. She knows her whole story but rarely initiates any conversation about it. However, one of her (many many many) babies is always adopted. From England actually! She does often say 'Weren't you so sad before you got me? Didn't you always want a little girl?'


It's a happy life for us. You couldn't be sad around this child.

[mineallmine]

PS Does anyone know what that deleted comment was? I hope no one was being nasty about my lovely family?

[KateLennard]

Mineallmine, I didn't see it, but there are lots of spam posts around at the moment;

I.e. click on this link and you can make x000 dollars working from home, my friends cousin did.

Thank you for the update. So lovely to read.

[mineallmine]

Thanks KateLennard

[alltouchedout]

I just read this for the first time ever today and there is definitely something in my eye. In both of them. Such a lovely, lovely thread.