The couple is wary of sharing photos that show his face, for fear of breaching adoption protocol. But they readily recall their five visits with him, dating back to June 2008, when he was 7 months old and they found him at his orphanage in a large pen filled with crying children.

Their last meeting was in July 2012. Since then, said Drew Pardus-Abbadessa, they've been sending letters and packages but have been told not to visit.

‘‘You’re introduced to a child, and they become part of your heart, part of your family,’’ Drew said. ‘‘Then there are the delays, all the ups and downs. You have your hopes raised and they’re dashed again.’’

Drew, an environmental engineering consultant, and Frances, who works for New York City’s Office of Child Support Enforcement, completed a domestic adoption while waiting for a resolution in Kyrgyzstan. They’re intent that son Pavol, who turns 2 on Feb. 22, will have an older brother.

‘‘It’s not what we signed up for — adopting a child that old,’’ Frances said of Vladimir. ‘‘It will be harder for us. He will have bonding issues. But at least he'll have love and support, a chance he'll never have if he stays in that orphanage.’’

The Pardus-Abbadessas, the Fenskes and the other waiting families have an ardent well-wisher in the person of Ann Bates, a 41-year-old pediatric transport nurse from Bernville, Pa., who was one of the nine members of the Kyrgyz 65 able to complete her adoption last summer. Bates — a single mother now engaged to a long-time friend — says her 6-year-old daughter, Krystina, is developmentally delayed compared to other children her age, but is physically healthy and a joy to have around the house.

Bates also adopted a boy from Russia in 2010, and considers herself lucky, given that Russia in December banned further adoptions by Americans in retaliation for a U.S. law targeting alleged Russian human-rights violators.

Bates remains in touch with the families still waiting for Kyrgyz adoptions and yearns for their success.

‘‘My heart still bleeds for all of those kids,’’ she said. ‘‘I've seen them, I've held them, I've helped advocate for the last five years.

‘‘I see the huge improvements that Krystina has made in six months that she would never have made in an institution,’’ Bates added. ‘‘To know the others are not getting that attention is heartbreaking.’’

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