Big Step Forward!

The good thing about boomeranging back to China so quickly is that the process is fairly fresh in my mind and I know what to expect.  The bad thing is - I know what to expect and how long things should take.  So when our dossier headed to the Consuate in Houston for authentication I knew it would take a week.  It was one week to the day last time and we were DTC that day.  DTC means Dossier to China.  It is a HUGE step forward.

Well, the one week mark came and I checked and no dossier. Next day- no dossier.  LONG weekend wait.  Monday- no dossier.  Our social worker is out this week and she let me know who would be handling our "case".  Poor girl.  She got me on an email everyday kind of week.  Tuesday-no Dossier.  Now I was becoming anxious.  Someone in a group I am in posted that they were having a "nightmare" with the Houson consulate.  Anxiety was beginning to creep in.  Pateince Lord, give me patience.  Wednesday- no dossier.  We are bumping up against 2 weeks now.  And then this morning-- "I have your Dossier- It is headed to China today!!!  Praise the Lord!!!  That means we are one gigantic step closer to our girl.

Next we wait for our Log in Date (LID in China adoption talk).  Not sure how long that will be- typically 3 weeks (ish).  Then the yucky wait starts!  We wait for our LOA (Letter of Approval).  Theoretically it could be a shorter wait because we are a "re-use", but who knows.  We had a fairly short wait last time so I am not holding my breath for shorter this time.  We are 6 days behind where we were last year and we traveled the first of November.  I am not looking that far forward right now.  Today I am celebrating the milestone of DTC and praying over my sweet Emily!