Not so fast...we're back on

Conflicting reports from Russia and the US State Department yesterday over the status of US adoptions in Russia.  Early reports quoted an official from the Russian Foreign Ministry that all US adoptions were stopped, and these reports were widely published.  Later in the day, word came from the US State Department that it had no confirmation of such a freeze from either the Russian Ministry of Education (which oversees international adoptions in Russia) or the Kremlin's Children's Rights Office.

This might represent confusion among the Russian ministries, or a bureaucratic turf war in the Russian government, or it could also be brinksmanship by the Russians ahead of the meeting that will take place next week with US officials to negotiate a treaty to prevent further episodes like the ones that touched off this whole mess.  I spoke with the head of the Russia team at our adoption agency yesterday, and was told that as far as they know, nothing has formally changed, although they are (like everyone else) trying to get specific information about what the actual policy of the Russian government is at this time.

So until we get specific, confirmed information to the contrary, we will move with the understanding that US adoptions are still active in Russia.  Our plans are to travel to Russia tomorrow, and meet the two girls in the orphanage in Krasnoyarsk two days later.  Assuming that we do travel tomorrow, I will try to keep everyone posted on how things are going, as I have the time and the internet connectivity.

Thanks to everyone who's expressed concern for us in this journey.  The next big step may be about to begin.