Visa stuff is done!

Lance took the day off on Friday and we were able to get all our visa paperwork, photos, etc. completed and Fedex'd out in time for processing on Monday.  The Russian holidays are over this weekend and the consulate and all other official offices should be up and running again on Monday.

I had a brainstorm (or brainfart, if you will) that in order to take Jackson to Russia with us on Trip Two, we might actually need a US Passport for him!  Duh!  You think?  So part of the dashing about on Friday included going to the post office and getting his paperwork done as well.  We should have it back in less than a month.  It sure made me nervous to send out his original adoption paperwork and his COC.  Why not send in his US birth certificate you ask?  Because we never applied officially to re-adopt here in the States.  Slackers... complete slackers.

Well, to be fair, we have moved to another state in the time we've had Jackson home and the process here in MA can be a painful one, or so I've heard.  Pretty much free... but painful.  When we get back from Trip One, I plan to submit the paperwork to officially re-adopt here in the US.  For those that don't know why you would, or should...  Foreign adoption is recognized by the US, so even though we adopted in Russia, the US recognizes it and treats it no differently than they would one completed here.

The problem can come with replacing a foreign adoption decree and birth certificate.  Right now the ones we have are in Russian with official translations attached.  If we should lose them, we have to try to obtain replacement documents from Kemerovo, which is out in Southern Siberia...literally!  Might prove a bit difficult to do.  When you re-adopt in the US, you get a birth certificate from the state you live in.  It will always show that he was born in Russia, but will be as easy to replace as ours are.  It's really not a birth certificate as much as it is a Recognition of a Foreign Adoption Decree.  But it has all the pertinent details and lists us as his parents, etc.

One month from today we'll be on the way to Russia to meet our little guy!  It seems so close, yet still so far away.  Knowing how fast the Christmas season flew by, I'm sure it will be here before we're quite ready!

And a big Congratulations are in order for Mark and Sinziana... they just got their travel dates and referral for their little girl in Kaluga!  Good luck guys!!  The Johnsons left today for Moscow and should be there tomorrow.  They'll be meeting with the MoE on Monday to receive their referral.

Things are moving along!!