Saturday, July 28, 2007

China Update

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I have NOT posted in the last few months when there has been a change in the Chinese adoption world, largely because most of my audience is on the same Roller Coaster I am and don't need the Play By Play.

So I am going to post today to get my family and friends up to date on our adoption progress. Can anyone say, "Year of the Snail"?


OUT OF REVIEW

  • The CCAA has reviewed all dossiers logged in (LID) through June 30, 2006, as of this week.
  • Now they have 13 months of dossiers sitting, waiting for the CCAA approval, pray for these people.

MATCHED

  • The first week of July, the CCAA matched families with LID's from November 8 - 14, 2005. (7 days this cycle, this stinks)
  • This leaves 128 LID days until they reach our LID, March 22, 2006. (our golden ticket)
  • This also leaves 7.5 months to match that are currently in the Matching Room, add the 13 more waiting - over 20 months behind overall.

LYNN's LAW of AVERAGES

Glass is EMPTY theory: If the CCAA continues at the snail pace of matching 2-9 days each cycle, (I'll go with 7 day average) it will take (128/7=18.28) another 20 months before we are referred! I won't even figure that month out...

Glass is FULL theory: If the CCAA picks up its pace once November is all matched (big month for adoption requests) say 15 - 20 days per cycle. Then the overall average might move up to 15. (128/15=8.53) or 9 more months - April 2008 referral.

Glass is HALF FULL theory: (my bet) I believe that the overall average will become larger, but not sure if it will make it to 15. So if we go with the mid line between 7 & 15, OR 11, then (128/11=11.63) or ANOTHER YEAR. - July 2008 referral.


Oh, yeah, Don't forget to tac on 2 more months until we travel, and a referral in June may end us in China during the Olympics. Then we will have to re-mortgage the house for airfare (Just kidding, I think?)

At this point, I believe we will have another Christmas, another school year, and very possibly another summer, without a referral. I am deeply saddened by the thought of this. Chris is growing into a young man before my eyes and I can't imagine another year without a sister for him or a daughter us, or a baby at home to care for.

My actual wish at this point would be an early April 2008 referral, travel by mid-May and be home for Chris' last 2 weeks of 6th grade. This or sooner...

If we truly must wait until the fall of 2008 to unite with Hope, it will be a 3 year wait, as we began our official journey on October 17, 2005, expecting no more than a years wait.

So, I am asking for prayer - The prayer that never fails, "Thy will be done." and the strength and patience to live with the outcome. I still believe that this is where we should be - Waiting for Hope - however hopeless it may seem.

Sunday, July 22, 2007

Sweet Sixteen

Today marks our Sweet Sixteen...LID months that is.

Had a dream this morning, I was busy dressing a baby boy. I couldn't find shoes to match his outfit. I had him dressed in white shorts, white short sleeved button down and a white cable sweater vest with red in the V. Very similar to one Chris wore when he was small. I kept saying, "I wasn't planning on having a boy, so I got rid of all of Chris' baby shoes." I don't remember feeling upset in the dream. The baby was cute and very snuggly...

Maybe this is how Hope's mother will feel, not planning on having a girl and not being prepared, but loving her just the same.

Sixteen down... how many more to go?


Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Today's forecast was rain...



We were planning to have my friend Amiee and her boys (Adrian 8 & Luca 3) over today to swim. With cool temps and pending rain, what else do you do in Michigan when it rains? We went shopping... heading out to Great Lakes Crossing and 'Did the Mall'!

We had lunch at Rainforest Cafe, where Luca was enthralled with all the animals but became a little nervous when they started to move and make noise. He was a real trooper and made it just fine through lunch.

Chris and Adrian had fun doing what boys do best, and Amiee even let Chris push Luca around in the stroller for a while. He LOVED this... visions of things to come...

We went to Outdoor World, to see the fish and mandarins, and various 'stuffed' animals! Once we got that out of the way we lured the boys into some of our favorite children's clothing stores by bribing them with ice cream at DQ later. When they were filled with DQ we let them run around on the play area and take a ride on the carousel. Chris loved getting a chance to "watch" Luca, giving him an excuse to crawl all over the play food himself!

It was a perfect way to spend a rainy summer day, letting the boys bond and giving us mom's times to dream about getting our girls one day...

Thanks Amiee, Adrian & Luca! Chris & I had a very fun day!

My only regret... I didn't bring my camera!