Six-month old twin boys, Nicholas Sergei and Gregory Dimitri Long, sleep comfortably in their cribs while their parents, Gregory and Lydia watch over them. They were adopted with the help of The Cradle's Russian Adoption Program. When the Longs adopted their daughter Kira four years ago, they were able to work directly with the Russian Orthodox Church orphanage. However, the Russian government put an end to independent adoptions, requiring all prospective adoptive families to go through a placement agency accredited by the Russian government. The Cradle is one of only 51 U.S. adoption agencies accredited in Russia.

The Longs learned of The Cradle through the Russian Orthodox Church in Bryansk. Svetlana Davidiak, who was working with the Longs at the time the government's new rules went into effect, has been working as a facilitator of adoptions through the Church for six years. She now works with The Cradle. She says, "The Russian Orthodox Church chose to work with The Cradle for adoption placements. It is very difficult to get accredited so the accreditation means the government has a high opinion of The Cradle's work." Lydia Long agrees. "Going through The Cradle made the process much easier. [Cradle International Adoption Director] Anne Schmidt worked really hard for us. She kept the ball rolling with the adoption process by sending emails and keeping us in contact with our Russian host and hostess."

The Longs are both Ukrainian Russian Orthodox so they wanted to adopt from Russia. "Our faith is very important to us. My father and grandfather were both priests in the Orthodox Church, " noted Lydia. Gregory and Lydia hope to foster this pride in their children as well. "Nicholas and Gregory's middle names are their birth names, the same with Kira." They plan to visit Russia often. Lydia believes that whether or not the children wish to know their heritage is their choice, but it will not be kept from them. "All our children know from day one that they are adopted. It is part of our daily conversations."

If you would like to learn more about The Cradle Russia adoption program call Anne Schmidt at 847-448-8772 or Kristen Jones at 847-448-8779 or go to www.cradle.org and click on Adoption Services.