January 23, 2000: Start making contacts with agency for adoption in Russia

February 11, 2000: Sent application to adoption agency, applied for passports, started homestudy application and paperwork and ordered INS forms.

February 19, 2000: Submitted Orphan Petition I-600-A to INS.

March 21, 2000: Medical exams done on both of us.

March 24, 2000: INS fingerprinting done.

April 23, 2000: Became aware of changes in Russian leadership and possible reulting changes in adoption procedures. Also became aware of possibility of independent adoption from Ukraine. We switched to semi-independent Ukrainian adoption using Sense Resource Center.

April 25, 2000: Homestudy completed and sent to INS. Change of country from Russia to Ukraine requested.

May 17, 2000: INS form I-171H arrives. We're finally on our way!

May 31, 2000: Dossier is finally complete and sent to State of Wisconsin Secretary of State for authentication.

June 8, 2000: Dossier at General Consulate of Ukraine in USA in Chicago.

June 9, 2000: Dossier on its way to Ukraine: National Adoption Center

July 17, 2000: I leave for Kiev (without my husband) with Jonathan (age 10) and Elizabeth (age 9).

July 18, 2000: Arrive in Kiev

July 19, 2000: Appointment at National Adoption Center

July 20, 2000: Go to orphanage in Pryluky in Chernihiv region

July 21, 2000: 2nd appointment for referal at National Adoption Center.

July 22, 2000: Husband leaves for Kiev.

July 23, 2000: Husband arrives Kiev.

July 24, 2000: Go to orphanage in Odessa. Meet Anna.

July 27, 2000: Court date in Odessa

July 28, 2000: Return to Kiev.

July 29, 2000: Husband leaves for USA (6 days in Ukriane).

July 31, 2000: Visit National Adoption Center with Anna to say thank yous and give gifts.

August 1, 2000: Documents are all translated and we go to U.S. Embassy in Kiev to complete paperwork.

August 2, 2000: Flight from Kiev to Warsaw, Poland. Visit to U. S. Embassy in Warsaw to obtain Anna's immigration visa.

August 3, 2000: Flight to USA. We're finally home!

Our adoption journey from the date of our first inquiry about adoption in Russia until we arrived back in our home from Ukraine with our precious Anna was 6 months and 11 days.