5 months since LID

We hit the 5-month mark since LID today (Sept. 4)!
People in the U.S. also were getting their referrals today. It's great to see the pictures of the babies, but I will admit to getting a little jealous, too. I really wish it was us.
We realize our day will come, but since CCAA still isn't through November 2005 yet, it's going to be a long, long time.
Keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we deal with the wait.

Kevin

Those who walk along do not walk alone

I think one of the most wonderful discoveries on this journey has been the realization that so many others are on the same pathway. It is an overwhelming source of support that I never dreamed of finding.
So many people (who post encouraging messages on your blog or whom you read about or talk to everyday on blogs) have made this journey not only special but bearable.
It helps knowing at any time of the day or night I can find support by those who have been there or are going through the same things we are. It is so refreshing to help those behind us or to see their enthusiasm as they begin in the same place we started mere months ago. It is something I never expected going into this journey.
God bless all of us on this pathway to our futures.

Violet

Out of translation

We found out today we are out of the translation room. We only found out last month we were in translation, so to be out is pretty cool.

CCAA actually has dossiers through June out of translation, so it looks like that much of the process has speeded up. Wonder if the new regulations that took effect May 1 have had any impact on that (i.e., fewer dossiers to translate)? Of course, this move now puts us near the end of a long line pending review (July 2006 currently is in review). Then, it's the long line pending referral.

But, the good news is it's one more step in the process behind us. Gotta love that!

Lost in translation

Yess. We are finally in translation, a process in which our dossier in China is being translated in Chinese. This apparently takes a few months. Once through we go into "pending review" which will be several months — they are now reviewing June 2006 dossiers, so we will have a long wait for that one.
Keep us in prayer.
Kevin and Violet

Bracelets for our child

These are the bracelets we chose to wear from our LID (log in date) with the China Center for Adoption Affairs (CCAA). We will wear them until we receive our little one.

Why international adoption?

Just this past month I got my first real negative comment about China adoption, although I'm sure the woman had the best of intentions.
So I thought I'd share about why we chose international adoption. First, we didn't just jump into this. We went through some traditional routes before we settled on Department of Human Services in Oklahoma, where we sat and waited for nearly three years.
Maybe we were too picky, maybe our social workers were just burned out (we're on our fourth) or maybe it just wasn't meant to be. We went through a course that taught us how to restrain our child (albeit they said we probably would never use it) and that definitely wasn't what we were looking for in a family.
Domestic adoption was quoted at about $30,000 upfront, money we just don't have. And while I admit we didn't look further into that realm (opting to try DHS) we were not comfortable with the U.S. court system's lack of precedent when it comes to standing up for the adoptive parent.
All of these may seem obstacles easily overcome by those who do not understand adopting internationally when there are so many children here in the United States, and I will admit that even we did not at one time in our long journey see ourselves on this pathway. However, from the minute we left the China adoption seminar we knew this was our destiny for our family. And all the struggles and stress with the long wait for referral (which has stretched up to two years and is expected to go beyond) has not changed that at all.
We are able to pay for our adoption costs as the expenses come up, and so far that means we have been able to save all the money we have needed (it's very important to us to not go into debt.)
In China, it is illegal to abandon a child, and after a certain waiting period when no one identifies the child ( through newspaper advertisements) then the child legally is declared an orphan, and no one will contest the adoption in the future.
Reading the history of China shows a need for a home for these children (most are girls, but there also are male orphans).
But we aren't looking to save the world. We're only looking for a family.
I hope this helps.
Violet

Another month goes by

Well, another month has passed, with only seven days of referrals in July. Those with Log In Dates (LID) of Nov. 7-14, 2005, were able to see their precious babies late last week and early this week.
That puts the wait time at around 20 months. It is expected to increase. We can only hope time flies by, and, yet, you hate to see it go so quickly to.
China adoption is all about hurry, hurry, hurry and then hope for time to slow once you have your family.