February 1, 2004

Caring for and serving families in Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, Alabama,  Mississippi,
Florida, Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana 

Kelsey had her ear tubes put in on Monday of this week.  While we had a miserable experience preoperatively she is doing very well and bounced back right away.  She is really beginning to talk up a storm - hopefully with her improved hearing and speech she will get caught up in no time.  She is now 20 months old and weighs in at a whopping 22 lbs [still hanging on to the 10%ile in weight]. 

Katrina's last soccer game was today - her team won again!  She won't start up again until mid-March and will play on the same team as she did this Fall.  She enjoys it and man she is in good shape!!  Katrina is 6 yrs 4 months old, 44 lbs and 45 inches tall now and she loves first grade!

 Well, I must say that whoever matched our son with us couldn't have done a better job. He is beautiful! I broke into tears the moment they brought him in the room with us. He is 14 months old and has dark hair and brown eyes. He seems very healthy and based on the medical report (very thorough by the way) that we were given, he is just a bit underdeveloped (physically and mentally) but everything else was very positive. The report had the typical things that the Russians put in the report. Every test for the diseases that they test for came back negative and he is up to date on all of his shots. Vanderbilt was very helpful and they helped only to confirm my feelings on the situation. We got to visit him everyday and he seemed more comfortable towards the end of the week. We took lots of pictures and we (and our family) are showing them to everyone we know. We cannot wait for our second trip. I have already started packing Alex's (our new son) suitcase! 

You know what is also ironic about our story and assures us that Alex was truly meant for us? - I have had my name for my little boy picked out since I was 18 years old (Alex). When Jake and I got married, I asked him "What name would you pick out if we have a little boy? He replied "I've always liked the name Alex". I could not believe that he said that. Well, you can imagine our shear amazement when Olga told us that our baby's Russian middle name was Alexandrovich.  

Another ironic tidbit is that Alex's birthday is July 29th. This is also my mother and grandfather's birthday.

When we arrived our luggage got lost but was delivered to the hotel the next day. We had difficulty communicating with people at the airport. Finally, we gave up and met with Michael (our driver) and Olga (our translator) and they were life savers!! They were so friendly, helpful and went out of their way to make our experience in Russia very comfortable and pleasant. We met several wonderful adopting couples and went out to dinner with a few of them in the evenings. We went on the excursion with the tour guide Olga (amazingly knowledgeable about Russia) and she took us to the Kremlin, Red Square, St. Basil's. Moscow is a beautiful city and my, what gorgeous people! 

Thank you all for assisting us in meeting our wonderful son! 

 Destination: Vladivostok, Russia

Start date: January 9, 2004  

Traveling companions: Lynn & Andy Broyles   

Goal of trip: Adoption of our daughter

Day 4  Jan 12^th, 2004

The day to meet our daughter had finally arrived.  Since we had gone to sleep at 3pm the previous day, we were wide awake at about 4am.  We both just lay in bed imagining what the day would be like.  We got ready and made it to breakfast in the hotel restaurant around 7:30am.  Lynn had pancakes and hash browns and I had some kind of Italian egg breakfast thing.  It was very good, but very odd.  Somehow the cook managed to put an egg inside a piece of bread.  I can’t really explain it other than it looked almost like a magic trick.  Anyway, enough about breakfast. 

Just as we finished eating our CHI representatives arrived.  We were greeted by Oleg, the CHI director for the Vladivostok region, Irina, Vera, and Alexi.  Irina is the second in command so to speak.  She completes all the paperwork and coordinates the official correspondence with the Russian government.  Vera is our translator and Alexi is Vera’s father and our driver.  Oleg gives us a little information about what to expect and then we are on our way to Ussuyrisk.  Oleg must remain behind to work with another family.  

The trip to Ussuyrisk is about 1.5 hours on a very bumpy road.  On the drive we get the chance to view some of the countryside.  Some of the views look a lot like Tennessee.  Mountains and hills off in the distance and lots of farm land.  There are a lot of people along the sides of the road selling fish and all kinds of other stuff.  

We finally arrive in Ussuyrisk and make our way through the crowded streets to the baby home.  As we pull up to the building, Lynn and I both just looked at each other.  We had both seen photos of the building on the internet and we couldn’t believe that we were actually here and about to meet our daughter.  We made our way into the baby home and went up a flight of stairs that had a beautiful stained glass window and a hand rail lined with children’s clothes laid out to dry.  We were escorted into the director’s office and were introduced to Ludmilla, the director, and Tatiana, the chief doctor.  Both women were very nice and the office was much nicer than we had expected.  I guess I was expecting some third world type atmosphere, but they had normal computers, a television, and normal looking desks and furniture.   

We were talking to the director and all the sudden two little girls walked into the room with Dr. Tatiana.  One of the girls was Svetlana.  I don’t know how to explain how I felt when I finally saw her.  It was amazing, this little person was real, not just a picture anymore.  She wasn’t too sure about us.  Lynn managed to give her a hug and we both started slowly talking to her.  She basically gave us the cold shoulder.  She was very, very serious.  We had expected this type of behavior, but expecting it and actually experiencing it are totally different things.  It took about a half hour before she really started to show some interest in us.  Lynn really blossomed into the mother I always knew she could be right in front of my eyes.  Lynn found a way to connect with little Svieta (Her nickname at the baby home) and it wasn’t long before we saw our first smile and heard that wonderful little giggling laugh.   

Andy has done an amazing job so far with this journal, but I want to put my two-sense in.  So a change of authors for a moment.   

This moment absolutely changed my life.  We had become parents in a single moment.  When we walked up the stairs to the baby home, I could not even feel my legs.  My stomach was churning, my heart racing.  I just froze for a moment and Andy helped calm be down.  I was about to meet the 33” tall child that would change our lives forever.  I will never forget this moment for the rest of my life.  When she walked in, she was scared, but walked over to me as if she had been coached to do so.  She took the baby doll “kookla”  from me that my mom had gotten her, and walked away.  See Ya, thanks for the doll lady!  But the nurses said something in Russian, and she came back to me and hugged me.  She sat on my lap with her head down, not saying a word.  She was almost as scared as I was.  It was almost as if we were feeling the same thing.  She was also meeting the people that would change her life forever.  Within an hour, this little child had blossomed in front of our eyes.  Living in the baby home, she has only had female caregivers.  So Andy was a sight for her.  She was very curious about him, and very reserved.  I was worried that this had hurt his feelings, but as Andy always does, he understood that she was afraid, and told me that he just loved watching us together.  She laughed and giggled, and this was the sweetest sound that I have ever heard.  She wrinkles her nose when she laughs, and completely shakes her whole body.  She is hysterical with laughter.  Andy and I just look at each other as if to say, “We were meant for this moment.”  I have never loved my husband as much as when I saw the two of them together.  While she is timid with him, she wants to figure him out.  Probably, one of the first men that she has seen in many years.  I had made a picture book for her before we left.  It had pictures of our home, Knoxville, and our family.  She loved the book and recognized Mama and Papa right away.  She loved Max and Charlie.  She calls them “babaka” = Russian baby talk for “sabaka” which means dog.  She repeats everything that I say both Russian and English.  She is so attentive, and loves the personal attention that she is getting.  She is very ticklish.  She is giggling uncontrollably to the point that she cannot breath.  We have a little firecracker on our hands.     

We were also given the opportunity to speak with the doctor and social worker to gain information about her history.  Thank goodness that Andy is a calm and intelligent human being.  He took notes and listened intently.  I on the other hand, did not hear a word of anything that was said.  Svetlana and I were rolling around tickling each other and laughing.  The doctor was getting annoyed but I could have cared less.  Now that I look back we were probably a bit rude.  But we had a blast together.  We were given almost 2 hours to visit with Svetlana before lunch.  By the end of this initial visit, she was laughing and playing and was really enjoying her new Mama and Papa.

 Our guides suggested that we go to lunch alone and discuss our intentions with Svetlana.  We agreed but knew that there was nothing to discuss.  This child was meant to be ours, and nothing any doctor or social worker had to say would change that.   

Back to the baby home.  I had missed her already.  I could not wait to see her face again.  I will never forget the smell when you enter the building; it is forever engrained in my mind.  When you enter on the ground floor, you walk past the kitchen.  So the smell hits you when you enter.  It is not a bad smell, but it is distinct.  Maybe the spices or food that they are preparing.  But you would never forget it.  We walk up the stocking lined stairs, and I could not climb stairs fast enough.  We waited a moment and they brought Lana to us after her nap, and a small snack of a cookie and milk.  She was still sleepy, and had on about three pounds of clothing.  The caregivers are very worried about the children getting cold, and dress them in several layers.  She was a bit timid again, and I think looking back, she could not believe that we had come back.  But within minutes she warmed up and was giggling and laughing again.  She got a burst of energy, and we played her favorite run and chase game.  She would not let go of her kookla.  She loved balloons, and she loved to put them in her mouth and run with them.  Then snap the balloon back and hit herself in the face with it, and laugh uncontrollably.  Don’t they say that children are twice as mischievous as their parents.  Great, I am getting my pay backs then.  No more shy and timid Lana.  She is a full throttle 3 year old, who did not sit down for two hours.  We chased her, and helped her climb on these huge blocks, and tickled her.  What a wonderful day with our girl.  I would not have been anywhere else in the world at that moment.  The nurses came in to take her to dinner.  They stick strictly to her schedule, parents or not.  So the time came to say goodbye, and she hugged and kissed us both and said “Paka”, bye-bye in Russian.  My heart broke as this little person walked away from us and into her room with her little group.  She sat in her little cubby and listened intently while her teacher gave her instructions for dinner.  But did not take her eyes off of us walking out the door.  I was so afraid that she thought that we would never come back.  What an emotional day.  It was the best and the worst of human emotions.  I would not trade this day for anything in this world.  I became a mother today.  Andy became the father that I dreamed of for my children.  Miracles do happen.  We just had to travel to Russia to find ours. 

In June and July 2004 Operation Hope will return to the Nashville Area!  Anyone interested in participating this year, will need to begin preparations now!!  And, if you get your application in this year, you will be guaranteed this year’s prices!! Please contact Tanya Yurlova at Tanya@ChildrensHopeInt.org, or 615-309-8109 for more information.

The Citizenship and Immigration Service has instituted new procedures for the automatic provision of Certificates to adopted children who enter the US on an IR-3 Visa.

Please read carefully, as there are several different categories mentioned. Questions can be mailed to us at ethica@ethicanet.org.

In an effort to clear backlogged certificate of citizenship cases, CIS instructed their field offices to either clear all pending cases by January 1, or to send them to a central location for processing.
CIS reports that 700 cases were forwarded to the central location, and all of those cases were processed by January 1. At this time, CIS is attempting to find out how many backlogged cases have not yet been processed.

If you filed an application for a certificate of citizenship for your child PRIOR TO JANUARY 1, 2004 and have not yet received your certificate, PLEASE CLICK THE WEBSITE ABOVE AND COMPLETE THE FORM.  This information will be transmitted to CIS Headquarters who will seek information on your case. It is vital that you fill in the form as completely as possible, and that you include contact information. All data is secure and will ONLY be transmitted to CIS Headquarters. You MUST check the box giving us permission to forward your information or we will not be able to do so because of confidentiality requirements.

***If you previously entered information into this form and you have still not received your certificate, CIS requests that you please SEND us an EMAIL with your name and contact information (phone, email, etc) to ethica@ethicanet.org. The information will be forwarded to CIS*** NEW PROCEDURES

The following new procedures will apply to applications for Citizenship for adopted children.

If your child enters the country on or after JANUARY 20, 2004, AND your child enters the US on an ***IR-3*** visa (which will be clearly marked in your child's passport), then you do NOT have to apply for a certificate. Your child's certificate of Citizenship will be received automatically by mail.

If your child enters the country on or after JANUARY 20, 2004, and your child enters the US on an ***IR-4*** visa (which will be clearly marked in your child's passport), then you must still file for a certificate of citizenship after re-adoption requirements have been met.

ANY adopted child entering the US PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2004 must file an application to receive the certificate of citizenship. At this time, the application procedure remains the same as it was prior to January 20, 2004. Changes to the process will be announced as they are made. 

EDITOR’S NOTE:  YOU WILL NEED TO REMEMBER TO RETURN TO THE SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE AND PRESENT DOCUMENTATION OF US CITIZENSHIP FOR YOUR CHILD!!! (OR WAIT TO RECEIVE CITIZENSHIP DOCUMENTATION BEFORE APPLYING TO SOCIAL SECURITY!) THIS IS CRITICAL…ONCE YOU HAVE PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP, EITHER THROUGH A PASSPORT OR NATURALIZATION FORM, BE SURE AND HAVE THIS CHANGED WITH YOUR LOCAL SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE! 

CONGRESS CONSIDERS PERMANENT ADOPTION TAX CREDIT Senator Bunning (R-KY) introduced legislation (S1931) last month to make the adoption tax credit permanent. Currently, the credit is set to expire December 31, 2010, reducing the maximum credit from $10,000 to $5,000 and
making the adoptive parents of children with special needs eligible for only $6,000 in qualified expenses, not a flat $10,000 credit. The bill is with the Committee on Finance. A companion bill (HR336) was introduced in the House in January 2003 and has been sitting in committee since then. To read S1931, go to:

http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=108_cong_bills&docid=f:s1931is.txt.pdf.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!  We have enjoyed celebrating the New Year with our families!  The

Russian New Year Party was on January 9, with over 100 folks in attendance.  If you would like to see pictures and the story, please click here or go to www.childrenshope.com/southeast.  

The Chinese and Vietnamese New Year Parties were held on January 17, again with over 100 people there!!  Please click here or go to www.childrenshope.com/southeast to see pictures!  Happy New Year to all of you!! 

  
CHI Foundation Briefing…

A new year is a time for new resolutions (whether we end up keeping them or not!), new commitment, new hope. It is also a time to reflect. Thanks to the generosity of so many donors, CHI Foundation was able to focus throughout 2003 on our mission of “providing homes, health and hope to the children at risk throughout our world”. Close to $800,000 was distributed for humanitarian aid in the past year. Some of the highlights include:

         In China, nearly 100 surgeries – many of them life-saving heart procedures - were provided to orphans through our “Give Me New Life” project.

         In Russia, over $300,000 was spent on bettering the conditions of orphanage life, from supplying food and winter shoes for the little ones to providing training and development for staff.

         In India, 16 wells were constructed, providing villagers with easy, daily access to fresh water. Each new well serves approximately 3000 people, the majority of whom are children.

         In Vietnam, CHI was one of the few agencies that continued to do humanitarian aid work in the country during the moratorium on adoptions. Projects ranged from bringing in physical therapists to work with handicapped children in an orphanage to sponsoring sewing classes for impoverished teenagers that will enable them to find employment.   

There is still so much that needs to be done and so many children who need our help that our accomplishments sometimes seem a mere “drop in the bucket”. Yet, as the Foundation prepares for a new year, we realize that - as Mother Theresa once said - “…if this drop were not in the ocean, it would be missed.” Thank you to all our donors – your support means the world to so many little ones in need.
 

Please join us for free information meetings:

For more information, please go to http://www.childrenshope.com/southeast/index.htm

 February 1, 2004, Frisco, TX

Stonebriar Community Church

2:00pm-4:00pm 

February 7, Nashville, TN

Adoption Conference

Woodmont Hills Church of Christ, 3710 Franklin Rd

8:30-4:30 

February 10, 2004, Brentwood, TN

Children’s Hope Office, 7003 Chadwick Dr, Suite 350

6:30-8:30 PM 

February 15, 2004, Louisville, KY

2:00-4:0 PM 

February 29, 2004, Atlanta, GA

TBA

February 16                  Home Study Group             6:30-8:30 PM                     Children’s Hope

February 19                  Home Study Group              6:30-8:30 PM                    Children’s Hope

February 20                  Parenting Class                   6:30 PM                             Children’s Hope

February 21                  Dossier Class                      8:30 AM                             Children’s Hope

                                       Travel Class                        10:00 -12:00 Noon            Children’s Hope

                                       Pre-Adopt Class #1             12:30-6 PM                        Woodmont Hills Church of Christ

I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.
I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish enough 'Hellos' to get you through the final 'Good-bye'.
Author Unknown

My friends and loved ones, I wish you ENOUGH!!!  Have a wonderful month celebrating love!!  And, what a better time than today to begin your adoption, and share your love and all of the “enoughs” with a child!

We don't want to burden you with a lot of information, but we do want to help you if you are looking for a way to adopt. If not, please let us know and we will regretfully remove your name from our newsletter.   E-mail me at my address below with any question you have.  I would love to hear from you.   

Brenda 

Southeastern U.S.
 Brenda Barker, Director
 7003 Chadwick Dr. Suite 350
 Brentwood, TN  37027
 615-309-8109   Fax: 615-309-8483

 Brenda@ChildrensHope.com
 Also serving the following states: TN, KY, GA, AL, AR, MS, FL, TX and LA