the plot thus far

Yesterday, September 8, marked 18 months from the time I announced my plans to adopt. It's hard to pick a length of time when someone asks me how long I've been in-process. I've wanted to adopt since I was in junior high. I knew it was time to adopt when I gave up life upon the wicked stage (it's a song--sing along if you know it) and went back to teaching. So there's never really been a specific time from which I can date things. How long have I been in process? 25 years? Close to four years? It seems best to date it from the moment I opened my mouth and said, "Go!" That would be 18 months ago.

Remember this post about me adopting an elephant? (You new readers have no excuse--it's in the sidebar and alluringly titled.) Well, if I finish in the next four months, that will be true. Right now that seems to be cutting it a little close. My I-171H expires on 6 March. I'm hoping to be finished by then. That would put me just shy of 24 months. It's a nice round number. Actually, it's not really nice. And, it's not really round. I think you have to be a multiple of 5 to be really round. Since we're dealing in base-12, I suppose 24 is round-ish.

September 8th is an important day in St. Petersburg. It's the day the seige began. All over town buses are carrying posters that say, "We remember." The siege of Leningrad lasted 900 days. (That's a round number.) Nine hundred days! It makes my little siege seem pathetically short. While I'm VERY hopeful that my adoption doesn't take 900 days (that would take us to right about this time next year) I am confident that I can outlast anything that is put in my path.

Have you ever wondered what God thinks about the internet? I have. I do. I think it's safe to say that there is some horrible, evil stuff out there--and the internet gives ready access to it. But, like all things, I believe that the internet can be used to work for Good. I have been so blessed to connect with people across the world who support me and my d2b both in prayer and with good wishes. I'm amazed at the friends I've made on this journey. A cyber-friend (who is extremely supportive and spends a lot of time checking in on me and offering encouragement) recently put me in touch with an irl friend of hers. It turns out, her irl friend has been reading my blog and praying for me every night for a long time now. Amazing! I didn't even know it. Another cyber-friend e-mailed me recently to say he had a strong sense that the verse, "Be still and know that I am God" was meant for me right now. It came at just the right time. I had just started to re-read Peretti's This Present Darkness and was feeling that a battle was being fought on my behalf. I spent the next day or two with the songs, God is Bigger than the Boogie Man and Amy Grant's Angels in my heart and on my lips. I have a faithful friend who keeps up with my journey despite the very busy life she has now and is quick to offer support--and cd's. All this in addition to my amazing IRL friends whom I know have had me covered all along. This blog has been a way to keep them updated with the trials and victories I've had along the way. It's an amazing thing.

(Thank you to ALL of you 100 or so people who read my blog each day and keep me well-supported. I value each and every one of you. Thank you for your comments and your e-mails.)

This year, there was another big event that took place on 8 September. I was reunited with my now-working car. Even the windshield wipers work now (wow, I've actually mentioned my wipers in two previous posts...a little sad)! Yes, it needed a new alternator. It cost about 8400 rubles for the jump start and escort, recharging the battery, checking all electronics, parts and labor for replacing the alternator and some dead bulbs (umm...like my brake light). I thought that was a pretty fair price. Then I asked them to winterize--change the oil and filter and check my fluids. That was going to cost over 12,000 rubles. The oil change alone was going to be 3000 rubles. Welcome to Russia! Still, I can't pay over $100 for an oil change. I bet there's somewhere online I can figure out how to do it myself (said the little red hen).

So, September 8 was a big day. Today it's September 9 and I'm ready to continue on my journey (see, there's the car bit tied in) with the support of friends and family (paragraphs 4 & 5 which seemed a little random should now make more sense) for however long it takes (siege reference) to complete my adoption and bring my little elephant home (and we're back to the top).