Deep Breath...

OK, so my New Year's Resolution (unofficial, because I don't usually make them officially) was to be more positive, and eliminate the negative. I am being tested already, and it is only 2 weeks into the year. Our adoption agency update today informed us that two families due to travel to our Region in January have had their trips postponed. So far we have not been notified that our trip is postponed, but I am sure it is coming (see, that's negative, isn't it?).

I had seen this coming for a while - at least since mid-December. I was choosing to ignore it until something actually happened. The reason is a court case in the US involving an adoptive parent (or a Russian child) who left the child in a car all day (accidentally, presumably) and he died.

http://www.moscowtimes.ru/article/600/42/373282.htm

The case is not new, but in December the man was acquitted in court of wrongdoing. The Russian gov't issued some statements about the US not giving adoptive children any rights in court...and so on. So our Region has decided to postpone some trips. They did this in 2008 as well, and shut down for several months. We will just have to wait and see how this will affect us. I know it is beyond my control. That is exactly what makes it so frustrating. I could go on and on about why I think measures like this make no sense, and probably do more harm to children overall. But nothing about int'l adoption has to make sense, and I am trying to learn not to expect anything to make sense or be "fair." I will try to find an outlet for all those feelings that want to burst out.

So, to leave the post on a more positive note. Liam is trying his hand at photography. I happen to think that he perfectly captured the essence of his first subject. Perfectly. And yes, if this picture scares you - it should. Be afraid...be very afraid.