Resources For Those Considering Russian Adoption

Lately I've been getting quite a few private messages from people, inquiring about older child adoption from Russia. I think it is due to all the recent posts I've written concerning Nastia's orphanage, as well as our recent hosting experience with Dasha. Whatever is prompting it, I'm grateful!


Anyway, I thought -- for every person who writes, there are probably ten others who are curious but afraid to ask.  I thought I'd try to do a series of posts about this subject before I head off to Siberia. Once back, I know jetlag will get the best of me for awhile! so.....here is the first resource worth mentioning:


FRUA - Friends of Russian and Ukrainian Adoption.

This organization made my first few years more bearable  -- specifically the  FRUA chat board. You can find it here. Although FRUA chats can get heated and controversial sometimes,  it was also the first place I was able to turn to for support when RAD reared its ugly head. Veteran adoptive parents who had dealt with RAD became my lifeline. They made themselves available, day or night. They called me, they checked up on me, they listened when things felt unbearable. 
Anything I could throw at them, they had been there. Anyway, you get the point. I honestly don't think anyone should adopt an older child from Eastern Europe without first reading every post they can on FRUA. What better resource could there possibly be than families that have 'been there'?


Thank you, FRUA, for being my #1 resource when I adopted my daughter. You were a lifesaver!