We told certain non-familial people that we are adopting, and asked if they would be our references. We had to have 4 people who were not related. We chose two couples ("couples" count as one) that we are friends with, and two people who know us from our individual jobs. All of them were thrilled and agreed to help us!

I think on some level, as we begin to tell people our news, it is disappointing there’s no pregnancy to ooh and aah over. Asking “how’s the paperwork going?” is not the same as “do you feel him kicking yet?” Finishing an INS application is not the same as a first ultrasound. There's no visual confirmation that a baby is arriving in a few months. I wonder if this will make it difficult for friends and family - or for us?!

10 days ago we were sure we wanted to adopt from Kazakhstan. After some soul-searching and deep discussion, we have decided to go with Russia instead.
There are pros and cons to both programs - Russia expects 2 trips, Kazakhstan only demanded one. However, we both feel more comfortable adopting from this fascinating culture.