Another Milestone

We received an email from our agency today. Our dossier is in the review room! Dossiers from each LID month spend about two months in the review room. So, we should be in there until the end of December of the beginning of January. Hopefully everything is in order and there are no questions. Once we make it out of the review room, then we will just be pending referral. We will still have more months of waiting, but each milestone gives me new hope that she will get here someday!

Referrals are Here!

And it's a big batch! August 25 is the cutoff for this batch, which doesn't seem that spectacular since it only covers 16 days worth of LIDs (last month was 18). But... August 24 was a HUGE day! I'm not sure what was happening at the CCAA last August, but a lot of dossiers were logged in on August 24, and the fact that the CCAA got through the 24 and the 25 may actually move us up by a month! It's a long shot, but it's the first glimmer of hope we've had for a while, so I'll take what I can get! I don't want to jinx hinting at signs of stablization, but I will celebrate the progress of a good month!

As far as other superstitions go, Grandma Lu has promised that she will not buy another item for Hana until we receive our referral. For those of you who didn't know... everytime she bought something, the timeline grew to one more month. And just to instill confidence, Kevin knows about the plan and has promised to help in her moments of weakness and take away her credit cards. It was a hard deal to broker, but we managed. The caveat is she can go wild the day she sees Hana's face for the first time.

Thanks to everyone for your support throughout all of this uncertainty. It's defintely taken longer than we expected, but it will happen one day. And it will be worth the wait.

No More Doubts on her Name!

As some of you may know, we considered changing Hana's name a few weeks back. Our neighbors just had a little girl, who they named Hannah Claire. Since the names were so close, we thought it may be confusing for the girls, so we started throwing around new names. But we just couldn't find anything that seemed to fit as well as Hana. First there is the meaning, "Flower", which is the reason we chose the name in the first place. Then there is the Hana Plantation Houses in Maui that Jess and Mark visited last December. They said the road to Hana was very hard and difficult, but that Hana is extremely beautiful and was very much worth the journey. Sounds a lot like our journey to our daughter, so the symbolism is too perfect for me to ignore. Now, if that wasn't enough to convince me, this last reason sealed the deal. Last week, Brian and I were killing time in a bookstore, waiting for Jess to buy some cards. We started leafing through a photo book about China when we stumbled upon a picture of the most beautiful mountain lake, Hanas Lake. Needless to say, I was excited that I found a Chinese connection to her name. But I had to learn more, so I googled Hanas Lake. The lake is located in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and is part of the Hanas Nature Reserve. The Mongolian meaning of Hanas is mysterious and beautiful. I can't think of any name that could be any more fitting for our daughter.

It's Referral Time again!

The CCAA has completed matching LIDs through August 9, 2005. Of course, it isn't a WHOLE month like we are all wishing for, but it does cover 18 days. So, we are now 18 days closer to Hana. I have to admit, the wait still is hard, but I'm handling it a little better than last month. So, that is a good thing. I do think that last month really was rock bottom, and now I'm just taking it one month at a time. I really do hope that we get our referral in a year, but I guess it seems like I have been saying "about a year" since we started this process last July. So, I guess until we post photos of Hana, I'll be saying "about a year". In the meantime, I have a big list of projects to keep me busy and help the time pass. And, we will keep all of you posted!

August Referrals have Arrived

Great Wall received the latest batch of referrals on Friday. It was a small batch this month and only included LIDs through July 22. I was very disappointed and a little depressed at the thought that the wait is now approaching 14 months. After doing the math, I realized that our wait could be at least another year if things continue as they are. This resulted in a total meltdown, and I spent my Friday night and Saturday morning in tears. Poor Brian didn't know what to do to make me feel better, so he just exercised patience and tried to make me laugh. After getting out my cry, I realized this is something that is completely out of my control and there is nothing I can do to speed up the process. So, I think that I have "Hit Rock Bottom" and now I have to just take the referrals as they come. My heart keeps telling me that my little girl is (or will be) somewhere in China, and she will get here when the time is right. In the meantime, I have been making a project list to keep me occupied while we wait for Hana to come home.

As a result, I am no longer tracking referral. Looking at the actual numbers is just downright depressing. I guess sometimes ignorance can be bliss! :)

The Stork Has Landed

Great Wall has received referrals today for LIDs through July 13. It still isn't a full month of referrals, but it includes 2 more days than the June batch. It's slow progress, but it's progress. There is still a lot of uncertainty about when she will finally be here, but we are now 15 days closer! Cross your fingers that August referrals include August '05 LIDs.

I have updated my referral tracker with this months numbers.

Stork Alert!!!!

I got an email yesterday announcing that referrals are on the way. Great Wall has received referrals for LIDs through July 13, 2005. The CCAA has not updated their website yet, so I'm not sure if the cutoff if July 13 or later. I'm thinking we should know sometime soon. It's not a whole month, but it does include more days than last month. Keep your fingers crossed that this positive trend continues!

Helping Families Adopt Orphans Act

Congresswoman Heather Wilson has introduced legislation to extend the life of the I-171H from 18 to 24 months. WIth the referrals now taking 12 months, most families will have to renw this form. If this bill passes, it may save adoptive families lots of time and money! If you haven't already, please take a few minutes to write to your congressman and ask that they support this bill! Below is the link to Representative Wilson's website where you can read about the bill. I have also included the links to the House and Senate websites.

http://wilson.house.gov/NewsAction.asp?FormMode=Releases&ID=1284

http://www.house.gov/writerep/
http://www.senate.gov/

Thanks for your help!

The Stork Has Landed and Hunan is open!!!

Great Wall received referrals today, so we are now one month closer. The best part is that there were 8 children from the Hunan, which means it is open again! This is huge news, since many referred children were from the Hunan Province prior to it closing. Of course, we won't get too excited yet, but I think this is a good sign!

Referral Tracker

Ok, I am about to show all of you what a dork I really am (just in case there was any doubt)! I guess I can attribute it to the analyst in me, Brian's influence, and just my need to do SOMETHING besides just waiting! In any case, I have created a spreadsheet to track referrals, wait times, and LIDs. I have referral dates beginning in March 2005 through June's referrals.* I will update it monthly until we get our referral. If the wait gets too long and I really get restless, I may add some graphs just for fun!

Here is the debut of my tracker.




*The format and old data was borrowed from the Rumor Queen (I have a link to her website), so I wanted to give her the credit.

June Referrals are on the way!

Great Wall has sent out a Stork Alert email today. The CCAA has finished the matching process for LIDs through June 28. It looks as though the referral timeline has officially hit the 12 month mark, which is a little disappointing, but not unexpected. I have managed to find the silver lining though. The referrals include 13 days worth of LIDs, which is the most number of days since January! I won't get my hopes up yet, but its the first positive trend in a while. Keep your fingers crossed that it continues.

I'm still hesitant to speculate on when we may receive our referral due to the uncertainty. But if the wait stays at 12 months, we will be bringing Hana home in May!

Counting Down the Days

While we wait...

Since the timelines keep growing, we are keeping busy in an attempt to pass that time. In addition to working outside, we have been working on Hana's nursery. The crib has been up and made since Grandma and Puppup bought it last fall, but the room was still very much an office. However, after lots of shuffling, a little nagging, and yes... an evening of painting, the room is finally a nursery. It is still a work in progress, but it is well on its way, and so far, it has exceeded my expectations! We are going to put up chair rail, so we painted the wall above the chair rail yellow, and we kept the green/taupe below the chair rail. We moved in the rocking chair, draped Auntie Jess's beautiful blanket over the back, and hung up the plush Peter Rabbit. I have also been spending LOTS of time on eBay, and we picked up a framed Peter Rabbit print for under $5.00! Now I only need a couple more pictures, and the walls will be done! It still needs a little more work, but once we finish, pictures will follow!

Let's just hope Hana likes Peter Rabbit!

Wedding in the Tetons

One day... we will be parents!

Referral timelines seem to be growing longer and longer. Recently, each email I receive from Great Wall makes my heart stop because I fear it will be more bad news. The wait was only 6 months when we started in July, and it is now estimated to be 10-14 months! Needless to say, I am a little disheartened by the wait. But enough venting...

Brian and I have been keeping ourselves busy to pass the time. We've been relocating the "office" so we can begin to prepare the nursery. We already have the crib and a glider for the nursery, but I want to (believe it or not) do some painting, trim, and puttying! We are adding chair rail and painting the wall above yellow. It works well with the current green, which I will keep below the chair rail, but just brightens the room a bit. It also works very well with the Peter Rabbit theme we have going. But, I guess anything to keep me busy while I wait!

Keep us in your thoughts and prayers! Cross your fingers that the timelines shorten and she will be here soon!

OFFICIAL LID!!!!!

Great Wall notified us today that the CCAA has logged in our dossier on March 20! I wish it were sooner, but at least we have an official date. Let's hope that the timelines speed up!

NY Times Article

The New York Times published an artilce earlier this week about children who have been adopted from China. It's a very interesting article from the perspective of the adoptees. Each of the girls are going through the process of finding their identity, but each are happy they were adopted.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/23/national/23adopt.html

China Adoption Vindicated!!!

I received an email from Great Wall today with the following link:

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1104AP_China_US_Baby_Trafficking.html

In a nutshell, the US government requested that the CCAA investigate any placements from Hengyang (Hunan) welfare home. They concluded that the children from those placments were orphaned or abandoned. So, it proves that the article in the Post did not effectively exhaust all of its resources before printing the article.

ARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!

Whatever Happened to Responsible Journalism?!

On Monday, I was told of an article that appeared in Sunday's Washington Post. The article was titled "Stealing Babies for Adoption: With U.S. Couples Eager to Adopt, Some Infants Are Abducted and Sold in China". The sensationalist title alone sheds a negative light on Chinese adoption, but that article was worse. The reporter made it seem that all babies in China are stolen. He misquoted reputable aid workers, adoptive parents, and agencies.

I was really disturbed when I read this. The process is extremely rigorous, and China is very thorough about placing their children. So much in fact, that the CCAA has suspended adoptions in the Hunan Provence, which is where the welfare home in the article is located. China really does a good job to ensure that the adoption process is legal and above board.

I guess there is no such thing as responsible journalism anymore!

Here is the link to the Post article:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/11/AR2006031100942.html

Here is the link to Brian Stuy's letter to the editor:
http://research-china.blogspot.com/

DTC to China

Our dossier is FINALLY on its way to China! After what seemed like an eternity of filling out paper work, the paper chase is finally over. I know the upcoming months are going to be a LONG wait, but at least we are in the queue and can officially start counting. I don't have to keep track of 15 documents, where they were in processing, and wait for a number of agencies and not be officially wating! It seems as if my 7+ months of labor are finally over!

Adoption Acronyms

BCIS - Bureau of Customs & Immigration Services (now USCIS)
CA - Consulate Appointment
CCAA - China Center for Adoption Affairs (in China)
CIS - Customs & Immigration Services (now USCIS)
CN - Chinese Name
CoC - Certificate of Citizenship
DOR - Date Of Referral
DOT - Date Of Travel
DTC - Dossier To China (the date our dossier was mailed to China)
FCC - Families with Children from China: www.fwcc.org
FCM - Families of the China Moon (Local organization consisting of families who have adopted or are adopting children from China)
FP - Fingerprint / Fingerprinting
GWCA - Great Wall China Adoption, our adoption agency
HS - Home Study / homestudy
IA - International Adoption
I-600 - Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative
I-600A - Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition
I-171H - US federal approval to adopt foreign-born child
I-797 The new I-171H
INS - Immigration & Naturalization Service (now USCIS)
LID - Log In Date (official date our dossier was registered with the CCAA)
LOI - Letter Of Intent (SN adoptions)
NSN - Non-Special Needs
PA - Permission to Adopt (SN adoptions)
PAP - Prospective Adoptive Parent(s)
PPR - Post Placement Report
SN - Special Needs
SW - Social Worker
TA - Travel Approval
UMFS - United Methodist Family Services (the agency that completed our home study)
USCIS - US Customs & Immigration Services (Dept. of Homeland Security)
WC - Waiting Child