Back in the paperwork game...

Over the last two weeks, we have successfully requested a new copy of our social worker's license, received it in the mail, sent it to Tallahassee and back to be apostilled, and then sent it on to Russia. This document had expired, so this will bring our set of documents back to being updated for the time being.

The next order of business is updating our home study, which expires in about a month. Fortunately, we don't need to go through another home visit - just need to get some updated documents to the social worker. All of them have been straightforward, except that we ran into a snag with Rob's doctor's approval form (stating that he is healthy). It turns out that Rob's doctor doesn't work in Florida anymore! So he is getting a new exam done with a new doctor instead of just having his old doctor sign a new form like mine did. Luckily, he is getting in for this appointment in the coming week. Once we have that, and the results of our background checks, we will be able to send them to our social worker and get the updated homestudy, which we'll send to Russia immediately.

I talked with a Russian grad student the other day and it was both encouraging and nerve-wracking. She accurately described the way that Russian bureaucracy seems so complicated and tends to go in circles - it was encouraging to know that this was her experience too. Then she gave me her prediction that our adoption would take another year. Nooooo!!!!! She was sweet - told me that she hopes it's shorter - but she just knows how slowly the government can operate. I've decided not to believe her, for my own sanity :) Plus, there is some evidence from the Russian adoption online message boards that the wheels may be turning for reaccreditation. At least one region is even allowing an agency to start operating again based on anticipated, imminent reaccreditation. Let's hope that our day of celebration is right around the corner!