It's been an amazing week and a half.
The referral was followed by medical records and more bits of information about the first year of BB's life. Most of that will be kept private, but everything tells a tale of a healthy, alert, and well-cared for little girl.
The next phase was a bit of deja vu, with more forms and paperwork to fill out, phone calls and appointments to make, and emails to exchange. My letter seeking confirmation (LSC) has been sent off - formally acknowledging BB is to be mine.
I met with a pediatrician specializing in international adoption and she gave BB a two thumbs up. I have to compliment Nationwide Children's Hospital IA clinic for their great staff - they have been amazing.
My next step is putting together a care package to send to BB, including a disposable camera so the SWI staff can take pictures of BB and all her wonderful caregivers. Important memories to keep for her.
I can't stop looking at her picture, by my bedside at home and on my desk at work - I just cannot believe how wonderful life has become!
M
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Cut off is the 10th!
And that's ME!
Just waiting for THE CALL. It could be today, tomorrow, or anytime over the next week!
I'm hoping for an early Christmas gift!
M
Just waiting for THE CALL. It could be today, tomorrow, or anytime over the next week!
I'm hoping for an early Christmas gift!
M
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Missed it by That Much!
The latest referral batch came through on Monday - they matched through August 7, 2006. 3 days, I missed the cutoff by 3 measly days!
It's going to be a long December.
It's likely the next batch won't make it in time for Christmas - it will be closer to New Year's Eve.
There's no guarantee I'm in this next batch, though the odds makers (and a certain predictive website) say I'm in. Truth be told, only those families with LIDs of August 8, 2006 are guaranteed.
If all goes well, I will be travelling to China sometime in February!
M
It's going to be a long December.
It's likely the next batch won't make it in time for Christmas - it will be closer to New Year's Eve.
There's no guarantee I'm in this next batch, though the odds makers (and a certain predictive website) say I'm in. Truth be told, only those families with LIDs of August 8, 2006 are guaranteed.
If all goes well, I will be travelling to China sometime in February!
M
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
2 months later
I haven't posted in over two months. Bad blogger!
Let me preface my post today with the most recent stats - last month's referrals were through August 2, 2006. This month's referrals are imminent.
So September's referrals were huge; they matched two full weeks worth of LIDs. That was fabulous and very exciting! Since then the anticipation has just ramped up and I've been trying to keep myself busy. Take my mind off these last few bits of waiting. And I thought the last 5 years were tough - I had no idea!
October's referrals were much smaller so I've really no idea what is coming with the next batch. But it is coming. And there are only 8 days of LIDs left between August 2, 2006 and me. My heart is racing!
And you know what I'm most looking forward to, after the obvious - hearing those words, seeing her picture, knowing it's real? Telling the people at work! Weird, right!? Everyone else in my life already knows; but at work it's this huge secret. Every time I'm in a planning meeting, or revising the project schedule, I want to speak up and let someone know about this new factor. I feel guilty. Just an extra element of anxiety.
Everyone hang on - more news will be coming soon!
M
Let me preface my post today with the most recent stats - last month's referrals were through August 2, 2006. This month's referrals are imminent.
So September's referrals were huge; they matched two full weeks worth of LIDs. That was fabulous and very exciting! Since then the anticipation has just ramped up and I've been trying to keep myself busy. Take my mind off these last few bits of waiting. And I thought the last 5 years were tough - I had no idea!
October's referrals were much smaller so I've really no idea what is coming with the next batch. But it is coming. And there are only 8 days of LIDs left between August 2, 2006 and me. My heart is racing!
And you know what I'm most looking forward to, after the obvious - hearing those words, seeing her picture, knowing it's real? Telling the people at work! Weird, right!? Everyone else in my life already knows; but at work it's this huge secret. Every time I'm in a planning meeting, or revising the project schedule, I want to speak up and let someone know about this new factor. I feel guilty. Just an extra element of anxiety.
Everyone hang on - more news will be coming soon!
M
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Lots to say but little report
It’s been awhile. Have you been anxiously awaiting news? Me too.
First the news – there has been another set of referrals since my last post. CCCWA (yeah, it did change) has matched waiting families through July 14, 2006.
It is me, or is it getting slower the closer I get?
The next referrals should show up at the end of September. The number of waiting families with LIDs between July 14, 2006 and my date of August 10, 2006 are pretty light. That’s no guarantee of faster progress but I’m hopeful.
Now some other observations - I let my 5-year LID anniversary come and go without comment. I didn’t have anything to say that I haven’t said before. And, I’m beginning to buy in to all manner of superstition when it comes to this situation. Maybe discussing it is bad luck?
Sometimes, I just have to have a baby ‘fix’. This is typically cured with a trip to T@rget, BRU, or some such. In the last month, I’ve purchased the stroller and car seat, along with a varied selection of stuff from my travel list. Ah, retail therapy!
M
First the news – there has been another set of referrals since my last post. CCCWA (yeah, it did change) has matched waiting families through July 14, 2006.
It is me, or is it getting slower the closer I get?
The next referrals should show up at the end of September. The number of waiting families with LIDs between July 14, 2006 and my date of August 10, 2006 are pretty light. That’s no guarantee of faster progress but I’m hopeful.
Now some other observations - I let my 5-year LID anniversary come and go without comment. I didn’t have anything to say that I haven’t said before. And, I’m beginning to buy in to all manner of superstition when it comes to this situation. Maybe discussing it is bad luck?
Sometimes, I just have to have a baby ‘fix’. This is typically cured with a trip to T@rget, BRU, or some such. In the last month, I’ve purchased the stroller and car seat, along with a varied selection of stuff from my travel list. Ah, retail therapy!
M
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Another small batch of referrals
We're up to July 13, 2006.
I'm now less than one month from the current referral date.
Am I freaked out? Yes, yes I am!
M
I'm now less than one month from the current referral date.
Am I freaked out? Yes, yes I am!
M
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Nesting?
I've gotten my big suitcase out and moved it to the nursery as a staging area of sorts.
In true project management style I have a packing list working in Excel - with the idea of slowly accumulating (and tracking) travel supplies. Oh how I love my lists!
Tonight I'm washing baby clothes. Some will go into the packing staging area.
I've been acquiring baby stuffs for so long (5 years!) it's interesting to see it all together. Do I have enough sizes? I hadn't planned (okay I hoped) on travel in the colder months; I need more warm outfits for BB.
M
In true project management style I have a packing list working in Excel - with the idea of slowly accumulating (and tracking) travel supplies. Oh how I love my lists!
Tonight I'm washing baby clothes. Some will go into the packing staging area.
I've been acquiring baby stuffs for so long (5 years!) it's interesting to see it all together. Do I have enough sizes? I hadn't planned (okay I hoped) on travel in the colder months; I need more warm outfits for BB.
M
Friday, July 1, 2011
Not the birthday news I was hoping for but . . .
Latest referral batch began arriving this afternoon - matches to LIDs through July 6, 2006.
My stats now read:
34 days
24 possible LIDs
4 GW LIDs
Each new batch, no matter how small, brings me closer to BB.
M
My stats now read:
34 days
24 possible LIDs
4 GW LIDs
Each new batch, no matter how small, brings me closer to BB.
M
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Biggest batch of referrals in ages!
Another batch came through early last week. Referrals through June 30, 2006! 10 days worth.
I was surprised to see how few referrals there where for my agency - only five. It implies there was a lot of attrition (families dropping out of the adoption process). Not many willing to wait over five years, which I understand.
What does this mean for BB and her still-waiting mom? 40 days left to my LID, 28 days of possible LIDs before mine, and 5 LIDs before mine from my agency.
Latest predictions: referral in late August or September.
Wow, that isn't that far off . . .no reason to panic, right!?
m
I was surprised to see how few referrals there where for my agency - only five. It implies there was a lot of attrition (families dropping out of the adoption process). Not many willing to wait over five years, which I understand.
What does this mean for BB and her still-waiting mom? 40 days left to my LID, 28 days of possible LIDs before mine, and 5 LIDs before mine from my agency.
Latest predictions: referral in late August or September.
Wow, that isn't that far off . . .no reason to panic, right!?
m
Sunday, May 1, 2011
More referrals -slow, slower, slowest
Referrals late Friday, through June 20, 2006.
For those keeping score (me), that's 36 possible LID days or 6 possible Great Wall LID days still in front of me.
M
For those keeping score (me), that's 36 possible LID days or 6 possible Great Wall LID days still in front of me.
M
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Feelings
Well we had another round of referrals in April - we're up to June 15, 2006. Another set is due in a few weeks.
This is the first time in a long, long while that I feel like I'm really close. (Wait, have I written that before?) The tension is beginning to rise a bit. I want to tell people - to share my excitement. But. I also feel like it's such old news to my close friends and family that they are tired of it already!
So much of the situation has changed. Friends waiting with me became parents a few years ago - they have toddlers now. Everyone is older; two of my nephews have children themselves and another is getting married. Even the plans I'd tentatively made, for house sitters and daycare, have changed! I have a different job, so does my traveling companion. What if I have to travel by myself? What if I can't get the daycare I want?
Everything has to be rethought. Excitement tinged with confusion. Ah, pending parenthood!
M
This is the first time in a long, long while that I feel like I'm really close. (Wait, have I written that before?) The tension is beginning to rise a bit. I want to tell people - to share my excitement. But. I also feel like it's such old news to my close friends and family that they are tired of it already!
So much of the situation has changed. Friends waiting with me became parents a few years ago - they have toddlers now. Everyone is older; two of my nephews have children themselves and another is getting married. Even the plans I'd tentatively made, for house sitters and daycare, have changed! I have a different job, so does my traveling companion. What if I have to travel by myself? What if I can't get the daycare I want?
Everything has to be rethought. Excitement tinged with confusion. Ah, pending parenthood!
M
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Wow
A very pleasant surprise-another batch of referrals just came through. Weeks ahead of schedule!
Don't know why - don't care! It's a good thing!
Latest referral date appears to be June 9, 2006.
That leaves 43 possible LIDs before me, or 7 possible Great Wall LID dates.
Who wants to start a betting pool on my referral date?
Wahoo! Progress!
m
Don't know why - don't care! It's a good thing!
Latest referral date appears to be June 9, 2006.
That leaves 43 possible LIDs before me, or 7 possible Great Wall LID dates.
Who wants to start a betting pool on my referral date?
Wahoo! Progress!
m
Thursday, February 3, 2011
June 2, 2006
That's the latest referral date. That leaves 48 possible referral dates in front of me.
It sounds so much better to say there are only 9 more Great Wall referrals dates in front of me.
Why the disparity? Great Wall sends dossiers weekly, not every week day. And oddly enough, there are only three days of LIDs in July 2006; nothing for the last half of the month. Wishful thinking that all the agencies did the same . . . (hey, let a girl dream once in a while!).
While this month only had four days of LIDs in the batch it was still a good thing. Some were predicting no referrals until after Chinese New Year. I take that four days, thankyouverymuch.
m
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