International Adoption
A Double Blessing by Tammy and Doug
When Annise, our caseworker from Adoption Associates, Inc., called, she was so excited, and after speaking with her, I was totally shocked!
There were fifteen month old identical twin girls waiting for us in Arkhangelsk, Russia, and within a day, we were looking at a picture on the Internet of two beautiful girls. All we could say was, “Look at those huge brown eyes!”
Choosing Adoption and AAI
The news of our two precious girls, whom we later named Zoe and Chloe, was made even more special because of the arduous journey we had already gone through to become parents. Before turning to adoption to build our family, we had fought a four year battle with infertility, and I had undergone various treatments to help us conceive. At first, I did not want to adopt because I could not imagine not knowing our children from the moment of conception. However, once I had had enough with the doctors and the shots, I became as excited about adoption as I had been about the thought of getting pregnant.
Doug and I turned to Adoption Associates, Inc. because the agency was nearby and because they had a good reputation. I researched several other agencies, but I could not see any reason not to choose the most familiar one.
Adopting from Russia
After learning about the domestic and international adoption programs at AAI, we decided to adopt from Russia. With our long battle with infertility still fresh in our minds, we remembered all too well the uncertainty during this time as to whether or not we would conceive. Because our emotions were still pretty raw from this experience, we wanted to choose an adoption program through which we would be sure to receive children in the end. Although we were warned that international adoption wasn’t for the “faint of heart,” we felt that once we received our children, we wouldn’t run the risk of losing them.
Requesting Twins
When we decided to adopt internationally, Doug and I requested twins because I had always hoped to someday have twins. I think my husband thought that adopting twins was the most convenient and economical way to form our family at once. When our caseworker informed us that it was rare for twins to be available for adoption, we were disappointed, which made us even more shocked when Annise called to tell us about the twins referred to us for adoption.
The First Trip
We made our first trip to Russia in November of 2004, and it was so well organized. What made it even more enjoyable was meeting another AAI couple who were also going to the same orphanage to meet their daughter. Teaming up with them allowed us to face the challenges of a new culture with a sense of humor. We were able to tour St. Petersburg together, eat borscht, and I even tried to learn to read Russian!
Zoe and Chloe
When we made it to Arkhangelsk to meet our girls for the first time, we discovered that they were both sick. Zoe played with us a little bit, but she mostly snuggled in my arms. By the third day of our visit, Chloe was feeling better and played with us quite a bit. The hardest part was leaving them behind until the adoption could be completed.
Three months later, in February of 2005, we traveled back to Russia, this time to bring our girls home forever.
God’s Hand
When I look back upon our adoption journey, I can see God’s hand in it in so many ways. These girls were handpicked for us by our Father because He knew exactly what we needed. One thing that always makes me smile is when a stranger comments on how much the girls look like me. Both girls have curly brown hair and big brown eyes, just like I do.
The Blessing of Twins
The resemblance I have with the twins is just one of the many ways that this adoption is special. Besides the fact that we were able to double our family in one adoption process, twins are an unbelievable blessing. Zoe and Chloe are so very different, yet they complement each other perfectly. From the very beginning, Chloe has been very protective of Zoe and even calls her “My Zoe.” I cannot help but smile every time I hear them laughing and playing together. They have such a close friendship.
Today
Today, Zoe and Chloe are doing wonderfully! I think their smiles get bigger every day. They spontaneously tell me that they are happy and generously give us hugs and kisses. Zoe struggles with some developmental delays, but she inspires me with her patience and persistence. I know that she will accomplish anything she sets her mind to.
For Other Adoptive Parents
The best advice I could give to anyone who is in the midst of adopting is to be ready for the greatest blessing you could ever imagine. Adoption is a lot of work, and there will be ups and downs throughout the process, but in the end, it will all be worth it.
More Information
For more information on adopting from Russia, please visit our Russia Adoption page or call 616.667.0921.
