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The Long Wait Begins... All of the documents that make up our dossier have been sent by Living Hope to the China Center for Adoption Affairs (CCAA). We are officially "DTC" or Dossier To China on August 15, 2006. We have been notified that the CCAA logged in our dossier on September 22, 2006. Now the long wait officially begins. This part of the adoption process lasts until Live Hope notifies us that we have a "Referral". This means that CCAA has matched us with a child. The time between DTC and Referral is currently growing longer and could range from 36 - 48 months. After the wait officially begins there will be many things for us to do. The following is just a sample...with more to come.
These words have been adapted from an old Chinese proverb and have given hope to many of those who are waiting for a child from the People's Republic of China.
Long Wait Month #1 - October 2006 We're just beginning the long wait this month and we are already feeling the ups and downs of the long rollercoaster ride known as International Adoption. We know that if we don't keep ourselves occupied we could lose our minds long before we reach our goal, so in Long Wait Month #1 we're going to start a Hope Chest for Lili. Not sure what form it take...it might end up being a basket or a toy box or something entirely different. Anyway, what we're going to do is buy something each month that we'll put in the Hope Chest for Lili when she arrives. Hopefully this will help us focus on positive things and not worry about the uncertainties ahead. And since we always see little things in stores and say "one day..." maybe it will give us comfort during the difficult wait to actually buy some of them. Maybe this will reinforce the fact that one day they will belong to a little girl named Lili B.
I've always been fond of blocks. You know, the painted wooden blocks that have letters and numbers and pictures? Today I bought a box of 50 wooden blocks with a little drawstring bag to carry them in and a picture of a little Asian girl on the side.
"The moon festival
is one of my favorite times of year...In China, it's also a time where folks
wish on the moon to send messages to those who aren't able to be with them
for whatever reason. If there is any time in the year that our children's
birthparents might be thinking of them, this holiday is the one. So in our
house, we use the moon festival to remember those who aren't with us right
now but who are part of our families. We think of aunts, cousins,
grandparents, special friends and birth family who are half a world away."
-- Carrie A. Kitze I was inspired by Carrie Kitze's description of the Moon Festival when I read her message so I visited the website to take a closer look at her book for children adopted from China. When I opened the book online I found these words on the first page: "I See the Moon... I see the moon and the moon sees me, Down through the leaves of the old oak tree. Please let the light that shines on me, Shine on the one I love."
A sign? I think so. In the last months of my Mom's life she sang these words to me almost every day...I'm not sure why, but it always made her happy to look up at the sky and sing this little song. When I see the moon in the evening sky I always hear my Mom singing to me. And after reading this book not only do I think about how the moon keeps my Mom close to me but also how the moon links me to a little girl in China who probably hasn't even been born yet and how one day with any luck I'll look up at the moon with Lili and we'll both understand and share a bond.
Long Wait Month #2 - November 2006 Rumors everywhere are saying that the wait could stretch into years...2008, 2009, who knows how long before a referral might come our way. How to keep our sanity? One day at a time I guess. Take every rumor with a grain of salt. Remember that God led us on this path for a reason and leave it in His hands. This gives me the most comfort.
We both love music and are very eclectic thanks to our parents. You can bet that Lili will be exposed to many different types of music and be given the opportunity to find her own voice. So in part for Lili's future education and in part to satisfy our own insatiable quest for musical diversity we brought home these two gems.
Call it an act of faith...that's how I'm going to justify buying this now, maybe three years before we can use it. And since this Secret Garden bedding set won't be around in three years, if I don't buy it now and it gets discontinued I'll cry. I have been looking at this set for over six months and I am sure that no other will do. This says "Lili-Bee" and none of the other hundreds of sets that I've looked at even come close. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. ~ Romans 15:13
You know I love hats, right? Bill knows I do. He also knows that Lili will be a hat girl. This sun bonnet with the cute little dragonflies said "buy me".
Long Wait Month #3 - December 2006 We're feeling pretty optimistic right now. The CCAA just announced the latest round of referrals and they did a little bit more than predicted. Living Hope sent us an email letting us know that our LID was on September 22nd and even though it took a long five weeks between DTC and LID the email went on to say that referrals were taking 13-16 months. Even though that number is probably very optimistic it does sound soooooo much better than 24-36 months. We'll just have to wait and see.
They matched the dragonfly sun bonnet. Bill twisted my arm.
Long Wait Month #4 - January 2007 The wait seems to be growing longer and the CCAA doesn't appear to have any intention of speeding up the process. New regulations may shorten the wait at some point but probably not for us so we're looking at 24 months and maybe more. Sometimes it feels like we should just get on with our life and not think about the CCAA or how many referrals they're sending out this month or next because our turn in line is so very far away. Maybe this feeling will subside after the holidays.
Even though the wait is so long and the hoped for speed up is nowhere in sight, we did buy a little rocking horse kit that we can paint and put together. It seemed like a good idea at the time but I suspect that it will stay in the box for a long time yet.
Long Wait Month #5 - February 2007 How many years we will wait before our turn comes? Unless something drastic happens in China it looks like at least this year and next. Larry told me to mark the calendar, that our referral would come in February. Okay, February 2008 or February 2009 or February 2012? Alas, all we can do is take each day as it comes and hope for the best. That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: ~ Colossians 1:10-12
To celebrate Valentine's Day we bought a little outfit for Lili...with matching accessories of course. It's not very often that your accessories include a matching blanket but what the heck.
These little things are better to me than the biggest card or that dozen pink roses. And though Bill is a tough guy he wanted a picture of the little hat for his computer. Happy Chinese New Year 2007 - Year of the Boar 4704
Chinese New Year, known in China as the Spring Festival, is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. CNY starts with the new moon on the first day of the new year and ends on the full moon 15 days later with a celebration called the Lantern Festival. CNY is a time of family reunion and thanksgiving and remembrance of the departed family members whose sacrifices laid the foundation for the good fortune of the living family. There are many other traditions and superstitions associated with CNY including wearing red clothing for good fortune and outfitting oneself in new clothing. With these things in mind we ring in the Year of the Boar by adding to our hope chest for Lili.
Warning: Retail Therapy should only be used for short-term treatment of The Long Wait as it does pose some risk of dependency. A high occurrence of side effects associated with the long-term use of Retail Therapy have been reported including spiraling debt and marital discord. Retail Therapy is only one of many treatment options, in addition to lifestyle changes that you and DH can consider.
Long Wait Month #6 - March 2007 Even though everything points to the wait getting longer...two or three years for those of us LID in late 2006, in the back of my mind I keep thinking "June 2008". Maybe I'm setting myself up for a let-down but when I mentioned this to Larry he very calmly said "February 17th 2008 or the Tuesday closest to that date. Make a note of it." That would be Tuesday, February 19, 2008. Then he reminded me that he IS the Rain Man. Yes, I am probably delusional, but Larry really IS the Rain Man so I feel compelled to record this date!
Retail therapy really does work but only if you keep doing it.
I think about the adoption every day and even though the thought of waiting another two years is very discouraging I don't want to put it in the back of my mind and forget. In a way, keeping it a part of my day keeps my hopes up. Then there are the "ladybug" moments. We have one almost every time we go out. I believe that they are signs from God reminding us that He put us on this path for a reason and to help give us strength. Today's ladybug moment occurred while we were having lunch at Amigos. A couple with their small Asian-adopted boy came in and were seated nearby. The little family was only there for about twenty minutes before they got up and left the restaurant...not really long enough for a meal...but long enough to show us firsthand how much love we could have for a little boy like that. And since we have recently been discussing the possibility of a boy being referred to us and how we would feel about it, this seemed like a reassurance from above. If that is God's plan for us we will welcome a son. And just to be prepared we've been contemplating boy's names with a lot of help from our friends. Some of the more memorable suggestions include "Kyoti", "Colton" and "Jayden" from Karla, "Bing" from Deeanna, "Jayce" from John, "Garrett", "Morgan" and "Wyatt" from Hope, and "Bain" from Bain. Thanks guys! If you think of any more please let me know. Baby clothes hangers for baby clothes. Too cute and becoming necessary due to my retail therapy binge.
Long Wait Month #7 - April 2007 As we begin our seventh month of a presumed very long wait I can't help but feel optimistic. Maybe it's because it's spring and everything is warm and green. And because Easter is coming and I feel renewed in my faith. Maybe it's because these retail binges I go on give me something to look forward to in the short-term. Today is my Grandmother's birthday and I've been thinking about her and the continuity of life and I'm feeling at peace with the process. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. ~ I Corinthians 2:9
The referral news continues to be as dismal or worse than the month before it. Speculation from some China adoption agencies is that the wait could grow to 36 months. Each day I read the rumors because I want as much information as possible and then try to maintain a positive perspective. Today is April 11, 2007. I'm recording the date because today Karla told me that she feels that we'll get news before Mother's Day 2008. Not to be outdone, Deeanna added her prediction of April 2008. Plus I still have Rainman's February 19, 2008 prediction. If any one of these predictions holds up I'll be doing the longest happy dance of my life.
Long Wait Month #8 - May 2007 So what am I going to write about if it really does take 32 more months before we receive a referral? When I started this journal I never dreamed that it would take more than about a year. Boy was that naive. Wake me up when it's 2009.
The elephant's gestation period is about 22 months, the longest for any mammal. I looked it up. Lucky for the elephant that they don't count prospective adoptive parents in the competition.
Long Wait Month #9 - June 2007 Wait, read RQ, work, shop, wait, read RQ, work, wait, read RQ, work, wait, read RQ, work, wait, read RQ, work, shop, wait, read RQ, work, wait, read RQ, work, wait, read RQ, work, wait, read RQ, work, shop, wait, read RQ, work, wait...get the picture?
Long Wait Month #10 - July 2007 This month makes one year since we mailed our completed dossier to LHAA, though it took an additional two months before we were officially logged in at the CCAA. Time seems to drag slowly and yet it's already time to start preparing to renew all of our paperwork again. There are conflicting opinions about when to begin the renewal process..."everything has to be current the entire time", "everything has to be current at the time your dossier reaches the review room", "nothing has to be current again until you receive your referral so let everything expire until 2009". "Better safe than sorry" is my motto so we'll be contacting USCIS in a few days to find out how to renew our fingerprints as they expire in 1.5 months. Later we will have to renew the I-171 so there will have to be a home study update and with it a range of new letters to compile, medicals, financials, and criminal records. The good news is that USCIS has recently stated that waiting parents can renew the I-171 one time for free. The bad news is that at the rate of referrals there could be more than one renewal needed.
Long Wait Month #11 - August 2007 Are we at the 1/3 point yet? Nobody really knows what's going to happen but I hope that we are at least 1/3 of the way there. It looks like a slight speed up in the review room at the CCAA is occurring, or maybe it's just that April 2006 was in review for such a long time that they were able to work on May and June 2006 at the same time. Either way it now looks like we "September 2006" LIDs will enter the review room before the end of the year. The review room is the part of the process where the CCAA reviews all of our paperwork and checks for any problems with our dossier and makes sure that we meet the CCAA's criteria for adopting a Chinese orphan. If they find any problem they may contact our agency to ask for additional information or clarification or (rare, worse case scenario) even deny our petition to adopt. So, even though the review room doesn't change the speed of referrals it is the next, very important step in the process. We are pretty sure that we will be questioned on at least one item in our dossier so right now we are thinking about how we will answer the inevitable questions. All we can do is hope and pray that 1) we will not be denied a referral and 2) that being questioned will not cause us to be moved farther back in the line. This is fairly common and can cause your referral not to come with the referrals for others with your LID date. Sometimes you receive a referral in the next LID group and sometimes you are put back in line with whatever date of LIDs they are reviewing when they finish with your dossier. Making it through review is a really big deal. Your prayers and crossed fingers would be greatly appreciated.
August 15, 2007
Long Wait Month #12 - September 2007 This has been an exciting month so far because the review room is getting closer to our LID month of September. As of today they have officially announced that they have finished processing the applications of those with LIDs through July 31, 2006. That means that all of the review room workers are working on August 2006 LID dossiers or possibly already working on September 2006 LID dossiers. This doesn't mean that any type of speed up in the rate of referrals is expected. The CCAA is still referring LIDs from November 2005 as of the beginning of this month. And they only referred four days of LIDs to boot. However, since we have that little issue that could cause our application to be rejected, being in the review room is a big deal. And we have our response letter ready to go in case they ask for one, so bring on the review room!
Other than the review room drama we are just trying to go on with life and not think about the wait. I am working on Lili's Bai Jia Bei or at least preparing to work on it. I've purchased some of this very soft cotton fabric in the bright yellow color below and I've chosen a design. I'm no quilter so I decided that I should choose an easy pattern. I found several patterns using a pinwheel design that looked more interesting than just sewing the squares together in strips. Now as soon as I find a replacement belt for my old Kenmore sewing machine (because I almost set it on fire by trying to sew with a dry-rotted belt) I'll be in business.
Some of the most critical documents that are collected for the dossier during the paperchase phase of an international adoption expire after eighteen months. These include the social worker's home study and the I-171H form that USCIS submits authorizing you to bring an alien orphan into the United States as a naturalized citizen. Our I-171H expires on January 7, 2008, therefore we must submit a request to renew the I-171H because it must remain continuously in effect until we return from China with our child. In order to renew the I-171H we must submit an updated home study from our state certified social worker. In order to receive an updated home study we must renew certain parts of our dossier including the police clearances and medical examinations. So in effect we have to begin a mini- paperchase, submit everything to get an updated home study and then submit the updated home study and a new I-600A in order to receive a renewed I-171H. And so it begins again. A contract and check mailed to Lori requesting that she update our home study. A call to Janet at the doctor's office to discuss our physicals. A call to Linda at Living Hope to verify which forms to use for renewing our documents. As I sat in my truck talking to Linda a bright red ladybug flew onto my door mirror. I sat there transfixed as the beautiful ladybug walked around and around on the mirror glass. It stayed with me the entire time. Did I mention that I seldom see ladybugs and that this one was so big and bright? I was so excited!
September 22, 2007
Long Wait Month #13 - October 2007 We are in the review room! August 2006 officially exited review on Thursday September 27, 2007 making way for all applications processed in September 2006. We haven't been notified of anything yet but I expect to hear something this month.
Long Wait Month #14 - November 2007 We are still in the review room and have not been questioned so far. We called LHAA and asked them why we hadn't been notified of any questions and they said that they didn't expect us to be questioned about the issue unless the issue wasn't covered in enough detail in our home study report. They also said that they would be notified by CCAA when all of their September LID families were through review. Some of my friends are keeping track and as of today we have been in review for 46 days. That's a lot longer than the last few months, but it seems that September 2006 was a larger month than the preceding months. So we wait and we keep our fingers crossed that we will be given the chance to wait some more.
Thanksgiving at the place I love more than any other in the world.
Out of Review November 29, 2007
Long Wait Month #15 - December 2007 How to wish time to move faster while not forgetting to live every day to the fullest...that is the question.
As referral rates keep slowing down and our projected referral date gets pushed farther and farther into the future it is sometimes very hard to keep a positive outlook on this process. Some of the waiting families find it too difficult and are dropping out but we have no intention of doing that. We will wait as long as it takes; we have invested too much of our hearts to do otherwise. It's just that waiting and wondering is hard, especially around monthly referral time. This has been one of those low weeks, however I did find a few bright spots that went a long way to renew my spirit. First, I stopped at the post office to mail out my monthly postcard for a swap that I joined with some others who are LID 2006 and waiting. There on the wall was a poster with a little Chinese girl smiling out at me. Then I opened my mailbox and among the "junk" mail I found another little Chinese girl smiling at me from the cover of one of the sales flyers. A short time later I received a call from my cousin Mark and in addition to just the pleasure of talking to him after such a long time, he proceeded to tell me about a chance encounter that he had just had that involved me. It seems that an elderly man who has been Mark's acquaintance for most of his life was talking about his recent trip back to his childhood home in South Georgia (Mark and this man live in PA). Mark explained that he had an uncle from Georgia and the gentleman said that he knew my Father and even provided details that he wouldn't have known unless he really did know my Dad. My Father left Georgia over seventy years ago and has been dead for more than twenty years, so to hear this was very special. I felt like I had been sent a reminder from God that he was watching over me in this process and not to lose faith. Yesterday I received an inspirational note from my cousin Huey. It contained several bits of good advice but the ones that hit me the most were these:
"HOPE" in a jar? Apparently you can now buy hope in a jar. Or at least that was the thought that went through my mind when I saw the label on this incense that simply says "HOPE". I can use all the hope I can get so I brought it right home.
Long Wait Month #16 - January 2008 Things are looking bleak in the China adoption world, and in the world of international adoption in general. Rumors are flying. Maybe only one or two months of 2006 LIDs will get a referral this year. Are the 2008 Beijing Olympics at the root of the continued slowdown? Who knows. Everyone has a different theory. Waiting families are essentially in the dark; PRC does not give updates, just cryptic comments like "every family who is willing to wait will eventually receive a child". That is good news, but because nobody knows how many referrals will be allocated in a given month it continues to create pandemonium. "Willing to wait" how long? Five years? Eight years? This is not what anyone who started a Chinese adoption in 2005-2006 thought. After all, the wait for families in 2005 was about eight months...not eight years. RQ continues to be the only source of "information" and our only lifeline in this process, even though much of what is posted on the site is speculation. It has been reported that over 100 families are pulling out of the program each month. Will that number continue to grow? Will that impact those of us that are still so far back in the line? There may be about 13,000 dossiers in front of us. That could mean two more years or five or more, nobody knows. Things are so bleak, yet somehow I feel very calm. "All children come from God - for some the journey home just takes longer."
I really like this Vera Bradley diaper bag but just can't justify buying it...too bad.
Oh, and these cute little Panda shoes....
Long Wait Month #17 -
February 2008
One of the traditions of Chinese New Year is to give your surroundings a good cleaning to sweep away the bad luck of the previous year and to prepare for good luck in the future. With this in mind I am symbolically cleaning house. Out with some of my old thoughts and fears and in with a new healthier, happier outlook. With the help of a good friend I have realized (finally) that I cannot control others, and I cannot allow others to control me. I am responsible for my own happiness and more importantly I am not responsible for the happiness or unhappiness of every other person that I come into contact with. What a simple concept for my hard-head to accept. I like this quote from Dr. Suess: "be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind". And something that I learned a long time ago from my Grandmother Lucy: Ask yourself if the person telling you how to think or feel is someone whose opinion should matter to you in the first place. If not, then don't allow them to influence you. A clean sweep on Chinese New Year 2008.
Talk about a ladybug sighting...
It's called a jumbo plush toy and it's about three feet long and oh so soft. There was only one in the store and we could not leave it behind. For another picture click here. Long Wait Month #18 - March 2008 The CCAA has finally referred the last of 2005's LIDs and is now beginning to refer LIDs from January 2006. That means that there are 260 LID days ahead of us. Do the math. That equals a long, long wait still. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18
Long Wait Month #19 - April 2008
Long Wait Month #20 - May 2008
Long Wait Month #21 - June 2008 Taking a step back, not living and breathing China adoption every second; currently that seems like the best way to survive and not end up sinking too far into the abyss of negativity that is surrounding China adoption.
Long Wait Month #22 - July 2008 The downside of taking a step back from the adoption is that in some ways it stops being real; more like a nice dream. And yet, in order to survive an ordeal such as this (and yes it is an ordeal to wait for something that you want so bad and not know when, or even if it will happen) it's the only thing that we can do. What we know is that at the current rate of referrals we can expect at least two or three years before our group is called. And we know that it's not healthy to live every moment looking into the future waiting for an unknown to become reality. You miss too much of your life that way. Live for today, that's what we have to do even if it means putting the adoption on a shelf. "But these things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, be patient. For it will surely take place. It will not be late by a single day." ~ Habakkuk 2:3
Long Wait Month #23 - August 2008 The 2008 Beijing Olympics have come and gone...and with them, one of the possible causes for the dramatic slowdown in China adoption since 2005. But this is just one small part of the equation. Other factors are having a bigger and more long-term impact, namely The Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption. "The Hague" is a formal international agreement designed to ensure transparency in adoptions to prevent trafficking, kidnapping, smuggling and baby-selling. It also requires the sending country to place a greater emphasis on domestic adoption and to view international adoption of it's children as a last resort. China ratified The Hague agreement in September 2005, about the time that the slowdown began. This is not a coincidence. Formal domestic adoptions have grown significantly in the last three years inside China, limiting the number of children in orphanages that will be sent into the international adoption program. This is a good thing for the children of China and is something we have to remember, though it makes our wait so much longer. An interesting, if somewhat inaccurate article that addresses some of the issues can be found here: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-08/20/content_6952813.htm
September 22, 2008 How many more will we wait?
Long Wait Month #25 - October 2008 In April 2008 the United States ratified a treaty on international adoption. This treaty, known as the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption, has been signed by many other countries including the People's Republic of China . For those of us who have been waiting to adopt since prior to April 2008 the treaty states clearly that we would be allowed to continue under the rules that were in place when we submitted our paperwork and not be subject to the new stricter rules. Unfortunately USCIS is the agency who actually grants permission for us to adopt and they are interpreting the law that when our current paperwork expires we have to meet the new stricter guidelines. These guidelines will cost us a lot more money, force us to submit new home studies, attend 12 hours of training and obtain police clearances from every state and country that we have lived in since the age of 18--even if the country refuses to send a police clearance to you. Currently USCIS is taking 6 months or more to process the new paperwork and they have been turning many people down. This could cost some families the adoption that they have waited over two years to complete. We are encouraging everyone we know to consider clicking on the link below and signing your name to the "Adoption for All - The Fairness for Families Petition". The petition is to ask congress to force USCIS to enforce the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption as it was written and allow those of us who were granted permission to adopt prior to April 2008 to continue renewing our USCIS paperwork for as long as it takes to complete our adoptions. The hope is that if we can gather 20,000 signatures by the end of October that our petition will be heard. http://www.gopetition.com/online/22112.html
We have been touched by the outpouring of support that we received on this issue from most of our friends and family. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We received an update on this issue from Joint Council on International Children's Services, one of the oldest and largest international adoption advocacy groups. To summarize, they believe that effective immediately, families who filed Form I-600A, Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition, prior to April 1, 2008 and whose USCIS approval of that petition (the I-717H) has not expired, will be able to proceed with their adoption under the I-600A process if they take certain steps while their approval remains valid. This means that families (including ours) with valid Form I-600A approvals will not be required to transition to The Hague process as long as they follow the steps outlined for renewing the I-600A before it expires.
Long Wait Month #26 - November 2008 I love Thanksgiving. Not the holiday itself, but the tradition that we've created for us on the week of Thanksgiving. It's not in the least bit the traditional holiday that most people celebrate, but it's the one thing that I look forward to all year long. A few days when the whole world is blocked out and it's just us at our home-away-from-home. Planning our Thanksgiving meal so that we can bring it with us, cooking it in someone else's kitchen, watching the waves crash on the beach and snuggling up inside with the thermostat cranked up so that it feels like summer even though it's cold and wet outside. Then after Thanksgiving, driving just down the road to St. Helena's to buy the freshest shrimp in the world, right off the boats at Gay Shrimp Company. Eating piles of shrimp and grits for the rest of the week, browsing the shops in downtown Beaufort on Black Friday, hiking Hunting Island, visiting the What's In Store on Sea Island Parkway, criss-crossing the marsh over and over and over again. Trying our best to breathe in every moment so that when we leave we will carry the memory of this place with us until we can return again.
Long Wait Month #27 - December 2008 John Lennon said "life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans". Time does not stand still; changes come whether we want them to or not.
I've never owned a hope chest and Bill wanted me to have one. A place to store the things that I buy for our someday child he said. Such a sentimental gift, such sentimental thoughts, I couldn't protest.
Long Wait Month #28 - January 2009
We have taken another step on our own personal journey of a thousand miles.
Long Wait Month #29 - February 2009 Rumors of a possible speed-up at the CCAA are starting to appear here and there. We have been waiting long enough to have heard rumors of a speed-up due to factors X, Y or Z now several times. This time it has something to do with the fact that the orphanage donation/fee required for international adopters has been raised to almost double the old amount and also something to do with stricter regulations being placed on domestic adoption inside China. At the same time, if the current rate of referrals continues it could be 2014 before our LID group gets the call. Time will tell if this time the rumors will come true. My thoughts are that I will believe it when I see it.
Long Wait Month #30 - March 2009 Here we go again...another round of updates and this time there are no freebies. Our old fingerprints have expired and we are set to get new ones this month. Also, with only three months before the I-171H expires again we need to update our home study and then submit a new I-600A in order to obtain the I-171H extension. It's very important that we don't let our I-171H expire because if it does we are no longer grandfathered in under the old regulations and will have to start over, meeting the new Hague requirements.
Long Wait Month #31 - April 2009 Our home study update is underway. We have just been informed that the Orlando office of USCIS has become extremely slow about updating the paperwork of waiting parents so this a new problem. In the past, the orphan officer at Orlando USCIS was the best. She was prompt about returning emails and returned our approvals within days of submission. Now we hear that due the a change in staffing that other waiting parents are being forced to contact their congressional representative to attempt to pressure the USCIS office to complete the paperwork. It's a crying shame that with all that we have all gone through (and are still going through) waiting for years and years and having to submit countless and costly renewals that our own government is dragging us over the coals like this. And because we are grandfathered in under the old I-171h form so as not to have to start from scratch with the Hague compliant I-800, we have been told not to let the paperwork expire. Our paperwork expires in July. It doesn't sound like if we submitted our home study update today that they would even have our paperwork logged into the system by July. Who knows what that means as far as losing our "grandfather" status. We are resolved not to let this become another stressor in our lives. We will just wait and see what happens and have faith that it is in God's hands.
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Never laugh at someone's dream. Those who don't have dreams don't have much.
