The WAIT is Almost Over

December 25, 2005
We have been in this adoption process, otherwise known as WAIT, for almost a year now. We had been talking about adopting a baby girl for the last four years. Finally, last year around Christmas time, we decided it was time to do it and stop talking about it. We debated between adopting from China or Russia. After a lot of talking and praying we felt more led toward Russia. We researched agencies and decided to use Worldwide Adoption Services in Spartanburg, SC. One of the owners/founders works for Milliken in Spartanburg. Jim knows Bob and had talked to him about adoption a few times. We started our adoption homestudy at the end of January 2005. We received a referral of a 3 month old baby girl in the Kemerovo Region of Russia on May 9, 2005. A couple of months later we found out her Russian name is Galina. After many months of the four of us trying out different names, we decided on Kellie Galina Perkins. She didn't get off of the Russian adoption registry until the end of September. Jim and I were supposed to leave on Friday,September 30th for Russia to have our first visit with our baby. On the Monday before our trip, Jim had to have an emergency appendectomy and didn't get out of the hospital until Thursday. On Friday I left Jim and the boys at home in good hands (his Mom came to help out) and I left for Russia by myself.
I had a very good trip. It was, to say the least, an experience. I had two days that I could visit with Kellie. I went once the first day for 2 hours, then twice the second day for 2 hours each visit. I took lots of pictures. She is so sweet. I wanted to just take her with me. Its really hard to understand all of the waiting time. We could have had her home with us months ago.
About a week and a half before Thanksgiving our agent called with our court date. We were to leave on December 12th for court on the 16th and were to be home on the 24th-Christmas Eve. We thought, what a wonderful Christmas present. Then on the Friday afternoon before we were to leave on the following Monday our agent called and said our court date had been cancelled. She didn't think we would get another until the middle of January. We were heart broken. This is when you really need that extra faith, and know that God knows what is best. It will happen in His time, not ours. We received a call from our agent the following Friday. Our new court date is January 12, 2006. We leave for Russia on Saturday,Jan. 7th. We will stay in Moscow for two days before flying to Kemerovo on the night of the 10th. We will get to visit Kellie on the 11th, then have court on the 12th. Keep praying for us. We are hoping that the judge will waive the 10-day waiting period that they can impose after court. If we get our 10-days waived we will be going back to Moscow on the 17th. If we can get Kellie's U.S. VISA done on the 18th, we are going to try to get on the Delta Atlanta flight on the 19th. If not, we will be home on the Atlanta flight on the 21st.
This is the short version of this long process. We will keep you posted with updates and pictures of our trip while we are over there.