One of those days

Shanty Road
Originally uploaded by elzaelms

It's been one of those days where I feel more urgency. I go back and forth, though. At one moment I feel like I need to hurry up and get this paperwork off to Austin and in the next moment I figure, why hurry?

That's why I chose this picture today. It's a road in Novgorod, Russia lined with shanty houses. But see the little trail off to the side? That represents my little bits of urgency and optimism. Just a little trail of it on this long, winding road.

No, we're not going to Novgorod. Our region will actually be Smolensk. Maybe I'm being foolish, but I don't feel the need to be as secretive about our new region. Our old region (which I still won't name until after we bring our daughter home) was very rigid, strict and anti-International adoption. Smolensk is a much friendlier region toward IA and I keep having little jolts of hope when I think about it.

The dossier itself is just so skinny for this region! Our old region just kept asking for everything but the kitchen sink to no avail. Vika's last dossier was about 2 1/2 inches thick. No lie.

Our casemanager was out of the office at the end of last week, so I hope to hear from her Monday so we can make sure everything is in order with these documents so I can send them off to Austin.

We went to Sam's Club this afternoon and there was a precious little girl in a cart. I looked at her wondering if our daughter will look like her. Will she have blonde hair (like this baby) or brown (like Vika). I'm slowly starting to picture another child. Slowly but surely.