Here is a recent picture of the kids. They spent the summer with an aunt (who, unfortunately passed away after this picture was taken). Can you see the spark of life? We are SO in love with Sam and Jessica! 

Slowly, More Details

The new requirements may not be as bad as we initially thought. Still a great deal of extra work, but doable! We are trying to get our primary physician to refer us to various specialists who can review the tests and medical records already existent and sign off on us in letters. We would still have to pay out of pocket, most likely, but without having to redo all of the tests, etc.

But we don't know for sure, so please keep us in your prayers. Jessica and Sam do not know yet about these new requirements, so we need to let them know.

In the mean time, we are proceeding with painting our new house and getting ready for our kids to come home! We strongly believe that God has put us on this path, so we are moving forward regardless of the obstacles.

Thank you for all the encouraging emails and phone calls!

Blessings,

Glen, Cyndy and Nathan

Yet More Requirements

We have received word that in addition to the psychologist's report, we will need to see seven more specialists here in the United States to obtain their "bill of health", including some specialists that don't even exist in this country!

These new requirements have the potential of delaying our adoption of Sam and Jessica significantly! Please pray for God's favor as we work our way through the new requirements. Pray that they will not delay the adoption. Pray that the increase in costs related to these visits to doctors will not delay the adoption.

After we have gone through all of this in America, we have to do the same thing in Russia, so that their doctors can sign off on our health!

These new requirements are an attempt by the Russian government to protect their children, so we cannot be angry about it. It just seems over-board. And it is in part a reaction to some tragic abuse cases involving Russian adoptees in America. So, please pray!

Thanks!

Blessings,

Glen, Cyndy and Nathan Haworth

New Requirements

The Russian government has institued new requirements for international adoptive parents of Russian children. Because of some instances of neglect and abuse (including the beating death of a Russian adoptee in America), we will be required to take the MMPI test and be certified "sane" by a licensed psychologist! The mere fact that we are doing this is proof that we are NOT sane! (Just Kidding!).

In addition, our home study agency has to provide more documentation to the Russian government.

Our dossier is in Russia being translated, but we will have to add these things to it, along with the BCIS (US Immigration) approval when it comes through. Pray that the BCIS approval comes more quickly than we have been told. Otherwise, we may be pushing it to complete the adoption in 2005! We don't want to make Sam and Jessica wait a minute longer than they have to!

Thanks for all who have visited our website (www.haworthfamily.net) and left a guest book entry! We enjoy hearing from you! You can also email us at: home@haworthfamily.net, or mail: The Haworth Family, 12594 Monte Vista Ave., Chino, CA 91710.

Blessings,

Glen and Cyndy (and Nathan)

Dossier is On the Way!

Our dossier is on its way to Russia, in the hands of Alexandra Goode, our adoption agency director. She is hand carrying it to Russia to begin the translation of it in preparation for submission to the Russian court in Penza.

There are only a copy of documents that we need to send along after it when they come in, notibly the approval of our adoption by the BCIS (formerly INS). Please pray that the approval from BCIS will come more quickly than they estimated (2-3 months!). The longer that takes the longer it will be before we can go get the kids!

These last couple of weeks getting the dossier done has been exhausting! Cyndy's experience is just an example of what we've been through! Read this:

Well, so I ride the train in and get on the subway. I get off at Civic Center (1st & Hill) and head two blocks up a very steep hill. Should be at Spring St. but I'm on Grand. Hummmmm. Asking three people later, I find that I went two blocks in the wrong direction. Trying not to kick myself for doing such a thing and up a very steep hill no less, I head back down. I go through a ethic farmers market kind of thing on the ground floor of a high-rise (very interesting experience and yet another place I've never been) and finally find the State building. By now, my shirt is wet in spots on the front of me so I can only imagine what I look like from behind.

Reaching the 12th floor, I slink in behind a "staff" person into the "staff only" bathroom and hope they don't come with guns to get me so I can get a paper towel. By the time I get to the Secretary of State's office on that very same floor, I have wiped enough moisture to saturate the paper towel! Great!

There are very few people in the room (like maybe 2) so I think hopefully, this is good since I have wandered up hill (did I mention a very steep hill) and yon and it's now 10:45. The helpful woman behind the counter asks me what I need and I sheepishly reply "a bunch of apostilles" and pull out my stack. Her eyes widen somewhat but don't bug out of her completely - you know like in Looney Tunes - so I continue innocently on. She begins to count and gets 23 documents and then asks me to count. I count 25 so we go through it together and I find out she can't apostille the San Bernardino Police Clearance letters - they need to be notarized. FUDGE!!! (not what I thought or said, but you get the idea!)

She calls over Omar and asks how long and they determine they will be ready by 2:00 pm! Okay, I am standing there still dripping and mopping, feet hurting, and feeling very drained and thinking WHAT!!! But in my best the trek must go on fashion, I ask what time they close and we agree I need to be back by 4 (they close at 4:30) so I can go over everything and make sure it is correct. Now besides the fact that how in the world will I know what is correct and then general overwhelming fog of heat exhaustion, I don't even question that. Instead I ask if I get the two documents notarized, could I bring them back at 4 pm and get them done. Oh yes, she replies so helpfully. I start to walk out the door and realize I can't do that because they would still need county certificates. So back in I go thinking there must be somewhere in downtown LA to get county certificates. Oh contrare, I need to go to Norwalk. She tells me very helpfully that I could easily get to Norwalk and back by 2:00 pm and I can get them notarized in the adjacent building to where I get the certificates. Alas, I rode the train in so no way to get to NORWALK!!!!

Okay punt again, no police records until the next shipment of documents. Oh well…….

As I begin the trek back to the subway station I realize I can't go back at 4 pm because I need to bring them back to the office to finish copying and Fed Ex them. So in the middle of my day I will once again ride the rails back and forth to retrieve the apostilles and them come back to work.

Those kids better appreciate this!!!!!


Well, we are told that they WON'T appreciate the facts, but they will appreciate the adoption itself!

Keep us in your prayers, please. We appreciate each and everyone of you!

Blessings,

Glen and Cyndy Haworth