Mike and Michelle Wolden are getting ready to go pick up their son in Russia whom they haven't seen in three years. Actually, they've never even met him.

The West Salem couple is in the process of adopting a 3-year old Russian orphan, Max.

Michelle said she and Mike were interested in having a second child after the birth of their son, 6-year old Tyler.

However, because of the high number of children in the world in need of adoption, they decided they would adopt their second child, and after doing some research on the Web, they contacted the Seattle, Wash. based adoption agency- World Association for Children and Parents. After expressing interest to the agency in adopting a child from Russia, the Wolden's learned about Max.

"Max just captured our hearts right from the get-go," Michelle said.

However, Michelle said she and Mike have only seen a picture of Max. When they travel to Russia in a couple months to meet him, it will be their first introduction to one another.

"I just cannot wait to bring him home," Michelle said. "Probably the biggest downside is the waiting. You have the picture and knowing you just can't get him is hard."

She said she and Mike first learned about Max in the beginning of March, and will make their first of two trips to where Max is living- Novosibirsk, Russia- at the end of January.

"It's the Russian Chicago," Michelle said of Novosibirsk, the capital of Siberia.

"So we'll have to dress very warmly," she laughed.

While there, they will meet with Max a couple of times and pick up souvenirs so he has something to remember his home country by, Michelle said.

Between four and six weeks later, they'll return to the country to go to court to legalize Max's adoption, and more importantly, to bring him home.

Although Michelle and Mike will change Max's first name to Samuel, they said they'd keep his birth name, Maxine, as his middle name.

She said they chose to name him Samuel because of its meaning, "God hears."

"Because so much has fallen into place for us to get this little guy and He's answered our prayers," Michelle said.

She said to help ease the language barrier, she and Mike are taking Russian language classes and are working hard to learn important words and phrases.

"Just reassuring things we can speak in his language like, ‘I love you,'" Michelle said.

"We know that brother's ‘brat,' don't we," Michelle said to her son, Tyler, with a smile.

Tyler said he's looking forward to meeting his soon-to-be little brother, and is especially excited to teach Max how to ride a bike.

"Someone to play with," Tyler said of what he's most looking forward to.

He said, however, he's not looking forward to the plane ride to Russia. Michelle it will take the three of them 23 hours to travel to Novosibirsk.

Besides time, the Wolden's are also spending a good chuck of money to bring Max home.

Michelle said it's costing them about $20,000. However, she said they're paying about half of what it would have cost them if they hadn't received sponsorships and subsidies.

"Don't let the money scare you," Michelle offered to anyone considering adoption.

She said there are organizations that will help with the fees and there ways to raise funds.

How to help:

The Wolden's are accepting donations for children left behind in the Russian orphanages. They are taking children's and baby's Tylenol, Beanie Babies and calamine lotion. Anyone interested in donating can send items to 349 N. Clark Street, West Salem, or call Michelle or Mike at 786-4493. To ease the cost of adopting Max, the Wolden's are also holding a fundraiser.

* What: The Wolden's are holding a spaghetti dinner with Russian desserts and a craft sale to help with the cost of adopting Max.

* When: Saturday, Nov. 20 at 7 p.m.

* Where: Onalaska Church of Christ, 1415 Well Street, Onalaska.

* Cost: $7 for adults, $5 for children between 6-years old and 12-years old and free for children under 5-years old.

* On the Web: To learn more about adoption, visit the World Association for Children and Parents Web site at visit www.wacap.org.