How does Russian adoption work?

Some folks have been asking quesions, so I'll answer them here. :-)

During Trip 2, we will arrive in Moscow, x-rays and medical tests in hand (literally...we will hand carry these into the country with a death grip on them and our other paperwork...want my laptop? here, you can have it...but don't even think about touching my apostilles), to do our 8 doctor medical. The day after the medical, we will fly to our region, visit N the next day, and then day after that we go to court. Then if the judge declares us a family, we get to go visit N again at the abby home. Then the next day we either fly home alone or stay in country for ten days and maybe try to visit her a few more times because we cannot physically have N until after a ten day waiting period.

On Trip 3, unless we stay and it is the end of Trip 2, we pick N up at the baby home and fly to Moscow, where we need to hang out for a few days, visit the American embassy there, and wait for paperwork. Then we get to come home with her for forever and ever.

Unless the Russian govt. requires a biometric passport for N, in which case we could have to wait long enough that a trip 4 would be required, but my agency hasn't indicated that this is likely for us, and I'm just trying not to think about it.

This blogger has a post describing the Russian adoption process pretty accurately, if in a tongue in cheek manner. She has adopted two older boys and is now in the process of adopting two sisters for them: http://www.destinationsdreamsanddogs.com/?p=12