Next

We have finished our homestudy interviews!  WooHoo!!  We are waiting on the report to be written which will take about a month (we are 2 weeks into that month).  We will then apply to immigration.  This will be  USCIS deeming us eligible to adopt a child internationally.  We will have another round of immigration later on deeming our daughter eligible to become a citizen.  I am excited to be about to check off the first step in a long line of steps.  It's a big one though!  Homestudy-almost check!

Lots of people ask when we will be done or if we know who our girl is.  I thought I would take a minute to kind of explain that.

As far as when we will be done that is a big guessing game.  I would say anywhere from November (best case-pie in the sky) and January  (most likely).  As far as when we find out who our girl is it can go a couple of different ways.  Each country "does" adoption differently. You may know people who have a number; where they are in line.  China doesn't work that way.  We have several options:

*Healthy young infant- The wait for a healthy young infant is about 6 years.  This is not the route we are going.  There are lots of reasons why the wait is so long- another post another day :)

*Referrel- We do all of our months of paper work and get everything logged in (this is called LID or logged in date- this is a HUGE milestone for China adoption) and become officially eligible for a refererel.  We wait to matched with a child who meets our "criteria." One to six months is a fairly typical wait.  We are looking for an older child so that could shorten the wait.

*Waiting child- China designates it's special needs children in two ways, special needs and special focus.  To be matched with a special needs child you have to be logged in.  You can be matched with a special focus child at any time.  Our agency has files of children they have been given to advocate for.  We can ask to see those files and decide if we want to move forward.  Lots of people match with a special focus child before they even begin their homestudy.

What makes a special focus child?  A child that is older or has more signifigant needs.

*Orphange partnership- our amazing agency has seven orphanges that they partner with.  They do humanitarian work, education, medical trips, etc each year with these orphanges.  We can match with these files as well.  After LID if they are special needs, at any time if they are special focus.

Are you paying attention because there is a test at the end!  Just kidding.

Excuse Me?  Did you say special needs?  Yes. Yes I Did.  That post is coming.

I know that this is not riveting material.  It took months but I think I finally have all the acronyms for China adoptions down!  DTC, LID, PA, LOA, NVS, CA, TA.  All things that are so very important on this journey!  Let me just say this though.  Behind every acronym, wait, and report is the hope for a child.  A child who is sleeping tonight without a mother tucking her in.  In a room with 15 or more other kids.  Who hasn't been read to today or who is hungry.  It makes my mother's heart hurt and long.  

Please pray for our daughter and all the orphans, not only in China but around the world and here at home.