Holidays: Milestones During the Wait

Ladybug. Angel. Tiger. Cat. Ghost. Halloween costumes. Halloween costumes?! Yep, Halloween costumes graced the pages of the latest PotteryBarn Kid catalog and I was ecstatic! I typically protest the early exploitation of holidays, shielding my eyes from the Christmas trees that are erected at the front door of the grocery store even before the Halloween costumes have gone on sale. But not this year. BRING IT ON!

You see, IF (and it's a big IF) the CCAA were to match through LID 11.28.05 by Labor Day, then we can project our referral to arrive shortly after Halloween. In about 9 weeks, people!! That's less than a pregnancy trimester...as often as I use to get a report card...less than a semester of college classes! And if we do indeed receive a referral at that time (and this is optimistic), then 6-8 weeks later means we are traveling to China around Christmas time. Might we possibly have a baby by Christmas! What amazing timing that would be!

A baby by Christmas? A baby in a manger in Bethlehem. A baby in a plane from China. Me pondering a referral by Halloween. Mary, the Mother of God, had there been holidays, might she too have also anticipated the coming of her child around All Saints' Day?

The Latest News from CCAA

Well, it appears that my hyperventilation episode yesterday was in vain. I figured it was too good to be true. I wasted all that extra oxygen for nothing. It appears that at a recent CCAA meeting, CCAA delegates confirmed that there is a 2-3 year wait (from LID to referral). Several agencies who attended the meeting reported that the CCAA will be referring some of the December 2005 families (that's us) in December 2007. I don't know if this means the first half of December or the last. We're LID 12.12.05. What's the reason for the slow down? The CCAA reports that there are not enough paperwork-ready babies. This, combined with an increase in China domestic adoptions, has caused the slow down apparently.

So most likely no baby by Christmas, but maybe, hopefully, a picture by then.

Are we getting closer?

Okay, I'm hyperventilating! As many of you know, waiting adoptive parents are constantly grasping for any rumor that might indicate when they will be receiving their referral. According to the Rumor Queen today, she's optimistic that November referrals will be completed by September -- again this is based on stats and the CCAA can slow or speed the process however they want, but it's at least a glimmer of hope which is much needed these days. One reputable agency even thinks by August, but I'm not holding my breath for that one. The next batch of referrals is expected around July 7 and there is a rumor that the batch doesn't include November 18 LID. If this optimistic speculation is accurate, we might see an October/November referral.

We'll just have to sit tight and see. Our friends are in China now and will be bringing their baby home the first week of July.

I'd like to say a special thanks to the many of you who have emailed and called recently to let us know that you are praying for us. It means a lot, and we are deeply touched by your kindness.

A baby for Christmas...now that would be something!