Adoption Questions

I saw this on the Pease family website and thought I would answer them too.

1. How many months (days, weeks, YEARS...) from 1st paper signed to referral? 12 months

2. WAS YOUR SIGNIFICANT OTHER EXCITED? We were very excited.

3. WHAT WERE YOUR REACTIONS WHEN YOU GOT "THE" PHONE CALL? Elation. Nervousness. It was my late sister's birhtday.

4. WHERE WERE YOU WHEN YOU FOUND OUT? I was with my family having a Tequila Picnic. My sister and I took an amazing photograph. The sun was between us. It looked like a picture of me, Elizabeth, and Anna

5. HOW OLD WERE YOU? 32

6. WHAT IS YOUR CHILD'S BIRTH-COUNTRY? Kazakhstan

7. WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST? I called my sister Elizabeth.

8. DID YOU REQUEST A BOY, GIRL, OR EITHER? We requested a boy age 0-30 months.

9. HOW OLD WAS YOUR CHILD AT REFERRAL? 36 months

10. WHEN AND HOW DID YOU SEE YOUR CHILD'S FACE/PICTURE FOR THE FIRST TIME? On the internet.

11. WHAT WAS THE FIRST THING YOU BOUGHT FOR YOUR CHILD? Furniture

12. WHO/WHAT IRRITATED YOU THE MOST? The constant change of rules for international adoption and so therefore the uncertainty and wait.

13. WHEN WERE YOU ABLE TO TRAVEL? February 16, 2006

14. DID YOU HAVE A BABY SHOWER? yes. In September of 1005

15. HOW OLD WAS YOUR CHILD WHEN YOU SAW THEM IN PERSON FOR THE FIRST TIME? 40 months

16. DID YOU PACK ANYTHING SPECIAL JUST FOR YOUR BABY? A stuffed dog. A toolchest with different small toys.

17. WHAT SURPRISED YOU ABOUT YOUR TRAVEL EXPERIENCE THE MOST? The fact that Kazakshtan and Ust-Kamenogrosk looked so much like where I grew up in rural Utah.

18. DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS WITH YOUR PAPERWORK/PROCESS? We were supposed to travel in May of 2005. We didn't travel until Feb 2006

19. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY OR PLACE YOU VISITED IN YOUR CHILD'S BIRTH COUNTRY? I really loved watching the children perform for pancake day. It is a day to celebrate spring. Maks recited a poem and danced with a girl and some other "couples". We video taped the whole thing.

20. HOW MANY DAYS/WEEKS WERE YOU IN YOUR CHILD'S BIRTH COUNTRY? We took one trip 9 weeks 4 days.

21. FAVORITE PLACE/THING TO EAT WHILE THERE? Pancake House

22. FAVORITE PLACE TO SHOP WHILE THERE? Uh, that would probably be the green market where they had fresh vegetables, meats, cheeses, breads, honey, interesting nuts, beer, treats.

23. HOW MANY HOURS WERE YOU ON THE PLANE GOING/LEAVING? It took 20 hours, one way.

24. WHO MET YOU AT THE AIRPORT? family: My mom, dad, sister and her family, brother

25. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU DID AFTER LEAVING THE AIRPORT? Went straight home.

26. WHAT DO YOU CALL YOUR ADOPTION DAY? Gotcha Day: April 19th - when we left Kazakhstan. (the anniversary of my sister's death)

27. WHAT DID YOU NAME HIM/HER? Maksim Jason. We kept his Russian name and gave him his Daddy's name, too.

28. HOW OLD IS YOUR FIRST BORN TODAY? 6.4 years

29. ARE YOU PLANNING TO GO BACK TO THEIR BIRTH COUNTRY SOMEDAY? Yes.

30. HAVE YOU STARTED OR ALREADY MADE YOUR CHILD A LIFEBOOK? I have an adoption themed story book. The beginnings of a lifebook I guess. It needs more work. Much of what I would put in it is on the blog.