DTC...

...This stuffed ladybug was laying on the sidewalk outside our court house one day in September when I went in to get some papers authenticated...I took it as a sign...and took a photo...

So after nearly 365 days...of paper chasing our documents are on their way to China...just in time for them to get back from the holiday and review it. This makes me excited and anxious...excited as in getting closer anxious in that...there is still much to do, funds to raise and hurdles to clear....so with that we will celebrate briefly and then put our noses back down for the next portion of this journey and what to expect...

DTC: October 9, 2009

LID: usually within 2 weeks to a month of DTC, this is when the clock officially begins counting.

LOA: --Letter of Acceptance, after your dossier is reviewed by the CCAA, if there is no question by the CCAA, they will then issue LOA to notify you that they final agree for the adoption. It will take about 3-4 months from DTC to receive LOA on average. I have seen families get this in 60 days...not often but recently.

I-800 approved: additional steps for I800 process

Cable: additional steps for I800 process

Article 5: additional steps for I800 process

TA: Travel Approval, after the CCAA receives signed LOA, they will issue TA. Once we have travel approval we will travel fairly quickly usually within a month.

CA: additional steps for I800 process

Travel Dates:

What Does It Mean...the Acronyms...

CCAA: China Center of Adoption Affairs - organization responsible for all aspects of inter-country and domestic adoption in China

PAP: Prospective adoptive parent

AP: Adoptive parent

SW: Social worker

DTC: Date to China - date dossier was sent to CCAA in China

LID: Log in Date - date CCAA registered receipt of dossier

NSN: Non Special Needs - what the healthy child program is called

SN: Special Needs - “children with medical needs” program

WC: Waiting Child - new term used for older child or child with medical needs and Special Needs program

SWI: Social Welfare Institute - this is what the orphanage is called. There are often disabled and older adults living in SWI’s as well

CWI: Children’s Welfare Institute - this would be an orphanage strictly for children under the age of 16

LOI: Letter of Intent - letter issued by PAP to CCAA asking to adopt an identified WC, outlining understanding of need and care plan

PA: Pre-Approval - issued by CCAA to PAP approving LOI contingent upon approval of dossier

LOA/LSC: Letter of Acceptance/Letter Seeking Confirmation - formal approval of LOI signed by PAP’s confirming adoption of WC

TA: Travel Approval - sent to PAP when all immigration docs are ready and child is made ready by SWI

CA: Consulate Appointment - this is when the official adoption ceremony and appointments for visa & medical exam are confirmed. The travel itinerary is based on this date

PAPERWORK...Pregnant...

In the adoption world when your paperwork is done you are "paperwork pregnant" and believe me with the stress of the paperwork and the weight that I believe I have gained due to the stress of the paperwork...I feel a little BIG! What feels even bigger is my heart...it is beginning to feel REAL! Last Thursday I picked up mine and Ellie Lu's passport photos and made copies and then after work took our dossier to the UPS store and mailed it to our agency...this was of course after having created 3 duplicates of it. One to send with and 2 for safe keeping here.

What a relief to have the paperwork done...NOW WHAT...

Our dossier will be reviewed and hopefully pass and then it will be mailed on to China...this is called DTC. Our file will then be reviewed in logged in and then we will be LID. These are both big miles stones as once we are LID then it could be 60-90 days until we receive our LOC...Letter of Confirmation which invites us to China.

Once we receive that there is another round of paperwork and VISA applications etc and waiting and then in another 60-90 days travel to China. Of course at any time anything can change, but this is generally how this will happen in the program we are now in. So say a little prayer that our paperwork is in good order and that it is processed expeditiously and that soon we will be on our way to bring "Ladybug II" home.

Getting Closer...as far as paperwork is concerned

We just received the majority of our dossier back from the Chinese Embassy...still waiting on document from Houston Chinese Consulate and Chicago Consulate and then we can submit our dossier...hopefully by weeks end. Ellie Lu talks about baby sister "Ladybug II" also known to Ellie Lu as "Jing Jing" nearly daily. Just when you think she might not remember she may say..."Jing Jing in China" or "Pray for Jing Jing" or "Ellie Lu has baby sister"...just warms my heart...it is starting to feel real almost like a "growing belly", but in our case a growing stack of papers. At times I let myself wonder what our little "bug" is doing and it nearly breaks my heart that she is in China and we are here...but there is not a thing we can do but get our paperwork processed and hope it is processed quickly...a little peak into our "mound of paperwork".

Progress...

Well this adoption process has been very different than the one for Ellie Lu...first our lives are so busy I find myself up late a night trying to get the paperwork done. Next the process has changed since the Hague came into affect.

Finally yesterday I was able to send off our I-800a application all 9 pages of it with the fee and our supporting documentation....me oh my... now we wait for a fingerprinting appointment then approval. Some wait months and others I have heard jump thru this hurdle pretty quickly...I hope we are one of those...cross your fingers and say a prayer. Meanwhile other paperwork is being sent off to Nashville and Texas, Michigan and Kentucky to get state authenticated and then once that is all done we need to get authenticated in DC....I hope so much we can be DTC in September and then it would be 6- 8 months until travel.

Everyday our little Ladybug II is growing and changing and we just can't wait to hold her in our arms and look into her eyes and tell her how much she is loved....

A Bend in the Road...PRAY!

Today at about 2:30 pm we received an email that at first glance indicated our journey to "Ladybug II" was OVER. I will post a bit of it here...

"I just wanted to touch base with you to see how your dossier documents are coming along. Probably you already know that under the CCAA's new regulation, the only option for you is to adopt a child through CCOP before Melvin turns 55. We have received the Child Medical Condition Check List but we are unable to match you at this point. Because the CCAA asking us to match a child to a family whose dossier is already in China if the child is with minor or correctable medical condition. If you could update me your dossier status that will be great. So we would know where you are at this point. If you need any help with the dossier process, feel free to contact me. I will be happy to assist you in completing your dossier as soon as possible. "

So you may say...what is the big deal...the big deal is our dossier is NOT in China and we had been told they could match us with "JUST" our home study...which would allow us additional time to get our dossier completed and then send the match and dossier to China together.

After receiving the email I called the gal who sent it and then she proceeded to explain the situation...NOT VERY WELL...she said that in February they began seeing children with a notation "family must already have dossier in China". She then began to try to find out if we would accept an older child or a child with more needs than we had indicated on our checklist. I had to stop her at that point...we have been moving forward in this process with encouragement and guidance and for some reaason some 2 months later we are informed of a change....basically I said I know there are children that meet our criteria and they are waiting for a family...I also know that if they and the CCAA want children to have a family they have to make it happen.

She suggested that I speak to "BS" the lady who we have spoken with all along who had encouraged us and guided us down this path. I left her a message and asked her to call...all the while feeling like the whole process was "derailed" and that, but for some papers or signatures or "red tape" a child would have a family sooner verses later.

The phone rang it was Mel...my heart sunk as I had to tell him what was going on. He took it well, but all the while I knew his heart was breaking with the knowledge that the dream and hope of adding another child to our family a sister or brother for Ellie Lu likely would not happen. It was more than I could handle to tell him and for the first time since getting the email I just sobbed. My friend Jeannie was with me and she just hugged me and said "don't give up".

Something came over me and I thought NO we are not giving up. I know that it can happen, it is possible, someone somewhere can make this happen. WE just need to let them know.....we are ready to meet our daughter or son.....so find them. We later had our call returned by "BS" and she was very encouraging and said that they are working diligently to understand the meaning of this new "rule" and also to inform the CCAA of the families they have in process waiting for a match.

So where to do YOU come in...PRAY...PRAY LIKE YOU HAVE NEVER PRAYED BEFORE...PRAY that this dear child that is waiting for a family is presented to those who can make it happen. PRAY that our dossier is completed quickly and somehow...someway...."Ladybug II comes home".

It Matters...

Up until this point it seems this adoption has been all about the paperwork and the checklist and the classes and JUST GETTING IT DONE to possibly have the chance, but today the doorbell rang it was UPS and I asked them to meet me at the garage...they had a large envelope package from the state of Tennessee and as I opened it while walking downstairs I saw the familiar blue cover on the authenticated documents and a tear streamed down my cheek...I would compare it to seeing the pregnancy stick turn blue or seeing your child's ultrasound for the first time...as I viewed this document my emotions emerged and I allowed myself to want this ALL to work out...and to anticipate Ladybug II. I had to stop and record this moment because for the last few months I have wondered and have not allowed myself to even really be excited afraid of the disappointment that may follow...but today I was and regardless of the outcome....it feels good to be excited and it matters...