Our dossier is now making the rounds—30 days at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and another 30 days at the Ministry of Education—before it heads to Uralsk where the letter of invitation is issued. This is a best case scenario (and only if all goes well).
So, what that means is we get to sit back and take a breather. Right? NOT.
There's so much to do in the meantime. Where to begin? Buy warm clothes, travel belts, medicine, converters, snacks, etc. Purchase SIM cards, international calling cards, video camera, etc. Pack for three for two months in two suitcases each 45 pounds max. Shop for thank you gifts for caretakers, translators, drivers, doctors, directors, attorneys. Interview pediatricians, schools, psychologists. Arrange for house sitting and pet sitting. Fill out more paperwork to take while traveling. (Notarized and apostilled.) Learn conversational Russian. What are we forgetting?
Come to think of it, I've written so many lists that my lists have become lists of those lists that I thought that I had lost. In other words, I'm finding the same version of my check list scribbled multiple times everywhere—with not one thing crossed off. Okay, time for an intervention.
6 comments:
HAHA I know the feeling, I have so many lists I need a list to keep up with my lists. Just keep breathing, that is what I have to keep doing to keep myself from going nuts.
Hang in there your time to meet Little Kazman is approaching.
sandi
I stopped counting how many times I would pack and repack the suitcases. For months, the baby's room was dedicated to holding all of our travel things.
I highly recommend the Eurosurge. It worked really well for us.
It's a little overwhelming to prepare so much, isn't it?! But it also really, really helps with the wait! Did you anticipate being there for the full 2 months? I know the judge changed in Uralsk and I didn't know if they were still sometimes waiving the waiting periods?
Yes...so many thing to do - so much to prepare - it is truly mind-boggling! Honestly, prepping for the trip has been so time-consuming that in a strange way, it really has helped distract us from the wait.
Our biggest problem now is that there isn't much more we can do to prepare until we get our LOI. It is getting harder and harder to distract ourselves from the wait. The wait, itself, is distracting!
Winter travel is TOUGH! We went in the summer and struggled with fitting everything in 2 bags. Good Luck - I know you will make it work!
Michelle Vipond
There is a lot to do, but there is not a lot to do. It still seems so far away to me. My pile of warm clothes is in our excercise room, my nursery is painted but in disarray since we are still deciding on wood floors. It was so good to get away to Cabo, and I am enjoying fall weather, and reading books. I figure I will do all the things I can kiss goodbye when a baby comes. I was with my 3 year old nephew the past 5 days--i had somewhat forgotten how much "work" lil ones are...Sean is so independent really at 9. But, it was fun. We can hang together. :)
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