Alexander has been hard at work trying to find out what the hold up is in Vladivostok. He has just delivered a report to us about our case. Alexander contacted Anastasia's social worker and was able to get lots of information from her.

Anastasia's father has been in a mental institution for just over a year. We don't know his diagnosis but do know that he is actively opposed to the adoption of our daughter. We have also learned that he is the biological father of our son Max. We were told that the two children have different fathers and have always wondered how they could look so exactly alike. This makes a little more sense to us now.

Anastasia's father grew up in an orphanage and says there is nothing wrong with it and that it is a fine life for his daughter. The social worker has applied to the court again to have him declared menatally incapable. Court should be in late August and if the court declares him incapable then we can go forth to get his parental rights terminated.

The catch here is that the mental hospital has already asked for two extentions. The first date was scheduled for April, then another for June and now again for August. We are not getting too excited until the day actually comes.

From Alexander, we learn that the hospital has pitted itself against us. The doctors claim that they must do as their patient wishes (which kind of makes you wonder who is in charge there, after all, it is a mental institution) and that if he is against the adoption of his daughter then they will support him in that. We don't know how far this extends. Will they keep stonewalling and asking for extentions? If the father actually is mentally incapable of fathering his child (he has never even visited her in the 6 years she has lived in an orphange), will the doctors deny this?

We continue to pray and fast and try to think of whatever we can do to make this happen. This is our daughter, we have no doubt about that. And, she is definately our son's sister. She calls us "mom" and "papa" and she misses her brother terribly. We hope we will soon find the way to get her home.