Wonders Never Cease!!

I had such an interesting experience!! I mentioned the other day about being optimistic versus unrealistic in getting all my documentation completed and apostilled on Friday. I had originally planned to take the 3 hour drive to St. Louis on Friday afternoon after I had gotten our forms for our medical exams notarized by a physician friend of mine on Friday morning. He was going to accompany me to a bank for the notarizing because there was not a notary in his office. His office is also over an hour away from my home, too. Well, yesterday I had a meeting at the hospital, and I unexpectedly ran into this physician…..AND I had my medical paperwork with me!! We went to the hospital administration office and got everything notarized!! WeeHee!! That saved me a trip!! So yesterday, I was actually able to take off much earlier for the Secretary of State’s Office in St. Louis for the apostilling. When I arrived there, a young woman came in behind me and was speaking with an accent. Having just returned from Russia, I knew she HAD to be Russian. So…..I introduced myself and told her we were adopting from Russia, in Magadan. Her eyes opened so widely, and she repeated “Mag –a- DAN?” (Russian pronunciation)…….”I was born and raised there” she said! WOW!! She told me she left there 12 years ago and lives here now with her parents and her sister, although she and her sister are now married. I said “Yes, I was just in Magadan last week, would you like to see pictures??”!! We visited for quite a while, and then exchanged phone numbers. She was so shocked to find someone adopting from that area, as she has never even met another Russian from that area before!! I plan on introducing the boys to some of the Russian children she knows, and it will be so very nice for them to meet someone who has a connection the area of their birthplace!! Wonders Never Cease!!