From Russia With Love
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
BY ROSA HATFIELD, Times-Union Correspondent
At the beginning of this year, Ekaterina lived in a baby house in Russia with 70-75 other infants under 2 years old.
But she spends her days now in her Bourbon home showered with love and attention.
In late 1995, Ralph and Paula Meyer knew they couldn't have children of their own and decided to adopt. After calling around, the information they received wasn't too promising. They were hearing about a three- to five-year-wait with no guarantee a baby would be found for them even after they were approved.
Paula talked to her supervisor, Vicky Truelove, at NCI and learned about another option. Vicky had adopted a child from another country. She was also in charge of an organization called Hand In Hand International Adoptions.
Ralph and Paula filled out application forms in November 1995 and began attending parenting classes soon after. In January 1996 the preliminary paperwork was started, including police reports, fingerprinting and medical reports. They were required to write biographies and wait.
In May 1996, the papers were sent to the Philippines, only to be rejected because the Meyers weren't old enough to meet the standards set by new adoption laws in that country.
On January 3, 1997, they decided to try adopting a child from Russia. The wait began again but this time, it wasn't long. In just 10 days, Ralph and Paula received a call asking them if they would like to view a video of a child waiting to be adopted.
Ralph and Paula fell in love with baby Ekaterina as soon as they saw her. They called Vicky and said, "She's ours."
The Meyers flew out of Indianapolis on April 4 and arrived in Moscow the next day. Paula said she had never been out of the country and no one spoke English. However, Hand In Hand had a driver waiting to escort them to all the places they needed to go and to make sure all the paperwork was in order.
The next leg of the journey was a 17-hour train ride to Saratov, where the Meyers stayed with a Russian family whose daughter acted as a translator. Paula said the daughter spoke better English than she and Ralph did. They arrived on Sunday and learned they would go to court the next day.
They left at 6 a.m. for Volsk, where they would meet "Katia" for the first time before appearing in court. When Katia reached her arms out and came right to them, they lost their hearts all over again.
They were allowed 20 minutes with the baby before going to court. The court process took just 15 minutes and they were granted a waiver that would allow them to leave the country with Katia as soon as the paperwork was processed instead of adhering to the usual 10-day waiting period.
Two days later, they picked Katia up from the baby house and took her to Saratov, where they would stay until Sunday before starting the trip home. They experienced Katia's amazement at her first look at the outside world and on Thursday, another first: Katia took her first steps.
A plane ride from Saratov to Moscow saved the new family a repeat of the 17-hour train ride. A Hand In Hand representative met them in Moscow and took them to the embassy Monday to apply for Katia's visa.
"I am so thankful for Vicky Truelove and Hand In Hand," said Paula. "We saw other families' applications for visas rejected because of poor paperwork. They had to start all over again and go back to court. Ours was perfect because Hand In Hand made sure everything was taken care of."
The trip home via Delta airlines was another unusual experience for the Meyers. Twenty-five newly adopted babies and their families traveled together and Paula said they did great. She called the trip unusually peaceful considering the number of infants aboard.
In Indianapolis, the Meyers were greeted by Truelove, Ralph's parents, Paula's mom and other relatives anxious to meet the new family member.
Katia was speaking in Russian before Ralph and Paula brought her to the United States. During all the confusion, she stopped talking. Now, just a few weeks later, she says "mama," "dada," "dog," and "bye-bye" in English. She also plays peek-a-boo and patty cake, looks at books, carries things from room to room, and gives kisses and hugs.
It took Katia a while to adjust to American food because she was used to a more bland diet. Now she loves macaroni and cheese and hot dogs and will try anything.
Paula said the adoption process was expensive but Hand In Hand made it a good experience. She and Ralph plan to apply for another child in about a year, possibly from another country. By the time the process is complete, Katia will have time to adjust and be ready for a brother or sister.
"We definitely plan to put Katia in touch with her Russian heritage," said Paula. "When she's older, we will take her back there to visit if she wants to go."
Ralph works as an accounting clerk at United Technologies in Plymouth and Paula is a reading recovery and special education teacher in the Tippecanoe Valley School Corp. Katia's ready smile has them hurrying home after work.
Katia's first trip outside the baby home was the beginning of a long voyage for her and the Meyers. But, as Paula said, "She is worth it." [[In-content Ad]]
BY ROSA HATFIELD, Times-Union Correspondent
At the beginning of this year, Ekaterina lived in a baby house in Russia with 70-75 other infants under 2 years old.
But she spends her days now in her Bourbon home showered with love and attention.
In late 1995, Ralph and Paula Meyer knew they couldn't have children of their own and decided to adopt. After calling around, the information they received wasn't too promising. They were hearing about a three- to five-year-wait with no guarantee a baby would be found for them even after they were approved.
Paula talked to her supervisor, Vicky Truelove, at NCI and learned about another option. Vicky had adopted a child from another country. She was also in charge of an organization called Hand In Hand International Adoptions.
Ralph and Paula filled out application forms in November 1995 and began attending parenting classes soon after. In January 1996 the preliminary paperwork was started, including police reports, fingerprinting and medical reports. They were required to write biographies and wait.
In May 1996, the papers were sent to the Philippines, only to be rejected because the Meyers weren't old enough to meet the standards set by new adoption laws in that country.
On January 3, 1997, they decided to try adopting a child from Russia. The wait began again but this time, it wasn't long. In just 10 days, Ralph and Paula received a call asking them if they would like to view a video of a child waiting to be adopted.
Ralph and Paula fell in love with baby Ekaterina as soon as they saw her. They called Vicky and said, "She's ours."
The Meyers flew out of Indianapolis on April 4 and arrived in Moscow the next day. Paula said she had never been out of the country and no one spoke English. However, Hand In Hand had a driver waiting to escort them to all the places they needed to go and to make sure all the paperwork was in order.
The next leg of the journey was a 17-hour train ride to Saratov, where the Meyers stayed with a Russian family whose daughter acted as a translator. Paula said the daughter spoke better English than she and Ralph did. They arrived on Sunday and learned they would go to court the next day.
They left at 6 a.m. for Volsk, where they would meet "Katia" for the first time before appearing in court. When Katia reached her arms out and came right to them, they lost their hearts all over again.
They were allowed 20 minutes with the baby before going to court. The court process took just 15 minutes and they were granted a waiver that would allow them to leave the country with Katia as soon as the paperwork was processed instead of adhering to the usual 10-day waiting period.
Two days later, they picked Katia up from the baby house and took her to Saratov, where they would stay until Sunday before starting the trip home. They experienced Katia's amazement at her first look at the outside world and on Thursday, another first: Katia took her first steps.
A plane ride from Saratov to Moscow saved the new family a repeat of the 17-hour train ride. A Hand In Hand representative met them in Moscow and took them to the embassy Monday to apply for Katia's visa.
"I am so thankful for Vicky Truelove and Hand In Hand," said Paula. "We saw other families' applications for visas rejected because of poor paperwork. They had to start all over again and go back to court. Ours was perfect because Hand In Hand made sure everything was taken care of."
The trip home via Delta airlines was another unusual experience for the Meyers. Twenty-five newly adopted babies and their families traveled together and Paula said they did great. She called the trip unusually peaceful considering the number of infants aboard.
In Indianapolis, the Meyers were greeted by Truelove, Ralph's parents, Paula's mom and other relatives anxious to meet the new family member.
Katia was speaking in Russian before Ralph and Paula brought her to the United States. During all the confusion, she stopped talking. Now, just a few weeks later, she says "mama," "dada," "dog," and "bye-bye" in English. She also plays peek-a-boo and patty cake, looks at books, carries things from room to room, and gives kisses and hugs.
It took Katia a while to adjust to American food because she was used to a more bland diet. Now she loves macaroni and cheese and hot dogs and will try anything.
Paula said the adoption process was expensive but Hand In Hand made it a good experience. She and Ralph plan to apply for another child in about a year, possibly from another country. By the time the process is complete, Katia will have time to adjust and be ready for a brother or sister.
"We definitely plan to put Katia in touch with her Russian heritage," said Paula. "When she's older, we will take her back there to visit if she wants to go."
Ralph works as an accounting clerk at United Technologies in Plymouth and Paula is a reading recovery and special education teacher in the Tippecanoe Valley School Corp. Katia's ready smile has them hurrying home after work.
Katia's first trip outside the baby home was the beginning of a long voyage for her and the Meyers. But, as Paula said, "She is worth it." [[In-content Ad]]