Re-Cap

Ok so what has happened so far:

May 1, 2005 - we finalized our decision to adopt from China - told at this time 6 month wait once our paperchase is finished
May 26, 2005 - signed our agreement with our agency Great Wall of China Adoption (GWCA)
May 26 thru September 15, 2005-" The Paperchase"
Ok this was a sucky part.... the paperchase includes but is not limited to:

Original Birth Certificates
Original Marriage License
Criminal Record Clearance
Child Abuse Clearance
Medical Exams- Blood tests (not covered by INS)
Letters of Employment
Bank Statements- letters from Bank
Certificate of Financial Status
Autobiography's for each of us (Kelley loathed this part)
Guardianship agreement

Homestudy 4 visits by licensed Social Worker (she was wonderful)
6 Letters of personal reference from friends and family (thank you so much to those of you who did this)
Fingerprint clearance by FBI
Application of I600A- through the office of Homeland security- this is the petition to the US for us to adopt an orphan. This was filed August 9, 2005

Date of completion and processing of this was August 23,2005- the date we were approved by the US for adoption of an orphan (the first time) this document is the I171h.

The Dossier- We then very, very methodically and carefully had every single one of these documents notarized, then certified by the Secratary of State of their origin (MO and KS). We then had them hand delivered to the Chinese Consulate in Chicago to be authenticated. This is after making a bizillion copies and packaging together the originals and 8 duplicates- some to go to our Social Worker some to go to our Agency and some to go to China and some for ourselves. This beautiful body of work (blood, sweat and tears- quite literally) is referred to as our Dossier.

DTC--On September 16, 2005 our Dossier was sent to China this is referred to as the date we are DTC.

LID-- On October 24, 2005 our Dossier was officially received by the China Center for Adoption Affairs and was Logged in. This is referred to as our Log in Date. At this time we are still being told that we will wait roughly six months from this date to receive our Referral (the referral is the match of a child- with the referral we will finally know who are daughter is- we will receive photos and some limited medical and personality information). Once the referral is received we can expect to travel within 4-8 weeks to meet Zoey and bring her home!!

If you notice there is quite a large time span between the DTC date and LID. That is because as they received the Dossiers at the CCAA they put the first ones received on the bottom of the pile, the ones received after were put on the top of the pile. They Logged them in from top to bottom. This should have been our first clue of what was to come.

November, 2005- We are still positive for a 6 month referral. We can't wait to become parents and start working on the nursery. I already feel an immense connection to China know that this is where my daughter has always been.

There are rumblings of extended waits but our agency assures us this applies to those families who are still in the paperwork "paperchase" phase. Not those of us who are already logged in. Meanwhile our paperwork sits in the translation room at the CCAA waiting to be translated from English to Chinese.

December, 2005- February, 2006- During this time frame we were to begin to understand what complete limbo would become. It is not fun. We also began to understand that no one would EVER give a straight answer from here on out and that we truly have no power over this process. This is not in our hands.

During this time frame it becomes clear that we will not be receiving our referral in April, 2006 and certainly not traveling to China in June, 2006. The holidays were pretty painful. Thankfully our family and friends really helped ease the hurt with some wonderful Christmas presents for Zoey. It really meant alot to us to have Zoey rembered at Christmas... even though she wasn't home yet.... she was definitely in our hearts!