Random Ramblings

Woke up this morning and my thoughts are in an agitated jumble....

1. After a nice lunch this weekend with friends Donna and Joe, and Nancy, Brian and their daughter Lily, we all went to a seminar on how to incorporate Chinese culture into our children's lives. It was an interesting discussion about the Chinese calendar, traditions, language, and education. It was also a lot of fun to see all of the beautiful Chinese children in tow - they are a tangible reminder of what we're waiting for. That said, I never feel so far away from becoming a parent as when I'm in a room full of families with kids.



2. Our dossier is in the review room. We know this because other folks with our agency who share our LID date have been asked for additional information. Unfortunately, they were questioned about items falling under the new rules, which we were led to believe wouldn't happen for dossiers logged in prior to May 1, 2007. Needless to say, we'll be very relieved when we make it past review, and are sending our positive energy to those folks who are scrambling to supply even more documentation that they are fit to parents.



3. We heard from our "partner in waiting" last week. Our agency assigns each family a staff member who checks in every so often to see how we're doing. Ours was candid enough to say that although the current wait for those just matched was 24 months - the wait would continue to grow and that she didn't know to how long. I was grateful for her honesty. I think if one more agency says that the wait is two years, I'm going to scream. That's like standing in front of a factory that has just burned down, then answering "We made $1 billion in profit last year" when asked for sales projections.



4. We're about to have to renew our paperwork. I've been putting it off. The mere thought of it makes me annoyed. Not only did we have to prove that we're suitable parent material once, but now we have to do it again. And all signs point to the fact that we'll have to do it a third time before all is said and done. It makes me crazy to know that all this time we're waiting, children who've been left behind are waiting, too.

Sometimes it just helps to write it all down. Sometimes I wish my heart wasn't in China, so we could move on to another program. Application forms have been on my desk for months. I just can't bring myself to sign them...