MOJ Adoption Data Released

Today, MOJ released the long awaited data on the numbers of active registered dossiers. It's quite an extensive compilation of very detailed information and I am sure proper translations will be forthcoming from agencies soon. For now, here's the gist of it as Google Translate put it:

In the register under Article 113, Paragraph 1, Item 2 of the SC from 2005 to 2009 inclusive there are 581 entries not deleted. Of these, 60 are in various stages of the procedure, after determining as suitable adoptive parents by the WCO. Of the remaining 521, entered in the register 401 adopters have been confirmed in the proper order (statement of CB or CC) - Table № 1 based on the same stated age of the child they wish to adopt (without taking into account health) and the number of adopters for children of that age […].

The number of entries of adopters in 2010 (to 15.12.10) is 683, of which 14 were deleted, 70 are in various stages of the procedure, after determining as suitable adoptive parents by the WCO and 599 are active.

As of 15.12.2010 the total number of registrations under Article 113, paragraph 1, item 2 is active adopters 1035.

IAC 162 Results

The following referrals were issued in IAC Session 162 which was held on 11/05/10:

1) German dossier from 2006 referred a child up to age 2, male, disclaimer 22.11.2010

2) French dossier from 2006 referred a child under 3 yo, male

3) Italian dossier from 2006 referred child up to age 5, female

4) French dossier from 2007 referred a child up to age 6, male

5) Italian dossier from 2008 referred two biological children with respect to age 7 yo, female

6) French dossier from 2009 referred a child up to age 7, male, with decline in neuro-psychological development

7) French dossier from 2009 referred two biological children with respect to 8yo, male and female

8) Dutch dossier from 2010 referred a child up to 4 yo, female, family history and characteristics in healthy status

9) Dutch dossier from 2010 referred child up to age 6, male, family history and characteristics in healthy status

10) Italian dossier from 2010 referred a child up to age 8, female, family history and characteristics in healthy status

11) U.S. dossier from 2010 referred two biological children with respect to age 4 yo, male, family history and characteristics in healthy status

By the way, I don't know what happened to IAC 161.

Oh Tannenbaum, Oh Tannenbaum

Our Christmas tree is finally up! Craig lugged it upstairs Sunday night and I decorated it yesterday afternoon. It’s more fun when we trim the tree together, but I knew it was now or never at this point. Craig’s favorite color, purple, is the annual inspiration for our tree. Unfortunately, the photos don’t show it well.

I finished writing all the Christmas cards and wrapped the remaining gifts. Craig and I decided not to exchange presents with each other this year as we have already received the most amazing gift in our son. Seems like now it’s time to simply kick back and enjoy the season. Hot chocolate, holiday parties, Christmas movies, crocheting, reading, and frosted sugar cookies here I come!

Hohoho & Mistletoe

With nearly two weeks into December, our household is only about half way ready for Christmas. Holiday baking has been in full force. Last week we personally delivered Christmas treats to nine recipients, yesterday morning we sent several boxes of goodies to family and friends around the world, and next week another package needs to go off to Germany.

A dozen or so cards have made it into the mail with more waiting to be written and I did manage to book a large cabin last minute for our extended family Christmas overnight celebration next weekend. But our Christmas tree isn’t up yet. Can you believe it? I am hoping today will finally be the day we manage to bring it up from the basement and decorate it. I’d like to enjoy the glow and sparkle before the season’s over.

Even though we are a little behind this year, I love our Christmas traditions and can’t wait to share them with our son next December. Every time I wrap a present or open a holiday card or watch a Christmas movie or sneak a molasses spice cookie, I think of him and how all of these experiences will become part of his life in 2011.

Christmas Cookie Giveaway

For the last ten Christmases, ever since we were married, Craig and I have spent a Friday in December baking Christmas treats for our family and friends. The following day we always mail them out in packages that have become quite popular. One year we ran late and received calls from people wondering if we were doing the packages. That’s when we realized we’d started something that would be hard to stop.

Needless to say, we are continuing our tradition this year with the baking day being scheduled for the upcoming Friday. As always, we will make two kinds of cookies: a family favorite and a new recipe. Since I have made so many wonderful connections through this blog and other adoption sites, I would like to give away a box of homemade treats to one of you. If you are interested, please let me know at viviane8 @ yahoo.com by Thursday 12/9. First person to email wins the giveaway!

Our Son's Birth City

Even though I cannot reveal our son’s location on our blog yet, I do want to post some additional information and a few more photos from our trip.

First, here are two views from our hotel room which was located in a residential neighborhood with one and multiple family homes. We had windows facing both west and east. At night we heard street dogs barking, in the morning roosters crowing, and during the day hammers clanking onto metal.

Our son’s birth city has a vibrant, modern, wealthy city center with countless stores, restaurants, museums, sights, and so on. I will post some photos of this area at a later date. For now, here’s a look at how most people live in this city:

Traffic in the city was absolutely crazy. There seemed to be no rules. We were amazed that we only saw one accident per day. While I don’t have any photos of driving, check out this bird’s eye view of a parking lot and note that ALL cars shown are fully stopped and parked. Trust me, I know for sure because we stared at this lot in fascination for at least 20 minutes while waiting for an appointment.

Lastly, I wanted to mention that we delivered all the donations. We took them to the orphanage on Monday afternoon and on Tuesday morning our little guy was wearing a pair of overalls that we’d brought. I recognized them immediately because I had ironed on a fun patch over a thin spot on the knee. I was glad to know that the donations had, in fact, been distributed to the groups and reached the children for whom they were intended.

By the way, the day we returned home from meeting our son was the one year anniversary of our registration with MOJ in Bulgaria. While I am so happy that we took a leap of faith and pursued our first child in a different country, my heart goes out to all the parents who, like us, continue to wait for Bulgarian referrals in a very slow, seemingly unpredictable program.

Happy Thanksgiving

Several years ago, I came across a Native American prayer that has since stuck in my mind. Throughout the long months of gathering paperwork and waiting for the adoption process to unfold, with things mostly out of my control and surprises and obstacles at every bend, it gained even more significance for me and became my daily mantra. It still is. Today, I want to share this prayer with you and dedicate it especially to those of you who have been waiting for referrals for many months, if not years. My heart goes out to all of you. May there be good news soon! Until then, “Give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way.”