WE ARE OUT OF THE REVIEW ROOM!!!!!

Check this out - we finally moved a huge step. Our file has been checked and we passed!!!! Now I can breath a little easier. We were only in the review room for 3 weeks - exactly 3 weeks.

Matches through November 14th

The CCAA undated their site that matches/referrals are complete through November 14th, 2005.

Another baby step closer to being a mom.

July might just turn out to be a great month.

Who knows what August might bring!!!!

WE ARE IN THE REVIEW ROOM!!!!!!

Finally. I checked the CCAA website this morning when I got up - as I do every morning - and it said that they were through reviewing up to May 31, 2006. So that means June 2006 is in the review room - or we are IN the review room. Ok - I know it will be better when we are OUT of the review room -- but just to have moved into the review room is great!!!! Especially since April 2006 was in the review room for 106 days - the longest in the past year. And May 2006 was only in the there for 13 days!!!!!! That's the record.

It's just exciting to have finally 'moved' in the process. July could be a very exciting month - maybe we'll also get through the review room too. A girl can dream......right?

One baby step closer....

Before I went to bed last night I checked the CCAA's (China Center of Adoption Affairs) website - which I do first thing every morning and last thing every night before bed - and the review room information finally changed. It hasn't changed for months and months - those poor March 2006 people have been 'sitting' there forever. Just wondering and praying that they 'passed'.

So now it's official - they have reviewed all the dossiers through April 30, 2006. We are June 2006 - so we are almost there. Once we get through the review room we'll be able to breath a little bit easier.

FYI - we really don't think there is going to be a problem with our dossier being reviewed - but it will just be a nice knowing we made it through this step. There were some rule changes that went into effect on May 1st, 2007 - which weren't suppose to affect anyone already logged in - but you never know. Anyways, even if they reviewed us with the new rules we'd still pass all those rules too.

So you'd think that with this 'good' news I'd be able to sleep well tonight.....nope......It's 1:56am and I've been up since 1am. After going to bed at 12:00am. I think my body is just practicing for having the babies home.

1 Year Anniversary - a little bittersweet

Well today is our one year LID anniversary. What does that mean.....nothing. When we started this journey we assumed -- you know what assuming does -- that by this point we'd have our referral......maybe even our daughter home with us. But, now with the current referral wait time at 19 months and rumors floating around that the wait could go to 36 months.....12 months really means nothing......very sad. Plus, our dossier hasn't even been reviewed by China yet. So even though this should be a huge milestone in the process --- at this point it isn't.

All we can say today - is that we have been logged in for 1 year. Referrals could be 7 months away or 24 months away. We have no good information to point either way. All our agency can do at this point is guess and hope --- the same things that we do.

The funny thing is I bought a wipe off magnetic calender for the frig back in November. When I got it the first thing I did was mark the 19th of each month with how many months we have been logged in. This month the square for the 19th reads 'LID - 1 year!!'. The funny thing is that's where I stopped - at June. I didn't think last November that it would really get to this long of a wait. Now, I need to fill in the 19th for July through December. Well, maybe not. If I don't do it - maybe it won't be a constant reminder to me every time I look at the calendar and my eyes automatically are drawn to the 19th. I used to smile at the monthly milestones. Now, it's just another appointment on the calendar. I'm totally numb most days lately about the wait. The only thing that makes me 'feel' that it's real still is shopping.

Retail therapy......my saving grace in the wait. At least that still works. I now have about 10 storage boxes of clothes, a closet shelve full of blankets, a storage box of books, 4 diaper bags, and a whole closet full of misc items and toys.....lots of toys. I guess this means I won't be having a baby shower. By the time our daughter does get here she won't need anything but hugs and kisses from mommy and daddy.

Hold on baby girl.......mommy and daddy will be there as soon as humanly possible. Mommy might get down about the wait but never about having you home. That is the only thing that keeps me going when the wait seems never ending. I KNOW that you will be home when GOD thinks the time is right. HE just hasn't let us in on the plan yet. Mommy will keep praying for signs.

Referrals come out June 5th, 2007

Well - with a LID of 6/19/06 we still aren't even in the review room yet.........

And the CCAA sent out only 6 days of referrals this month. The wait is now 19 months for a referral.........and growing every month.

Still - all we can do is wait and pray.

My GW SP gift & Mother's Day present

My GWSP is the most incredible, amazing, wonderful, and generous Secret Pal!!!!

I can't believe the absolutely wonderful gift she sent me for Mother's Day.

Let's back up a couple of days.

On Tuesday the 8th I got an email from my SP saying that she mailed my May gift and I would be receiving it in a couple of days but not to open it until Sunday. (she has a secret email address that she used to send me messages some times)

On Thursday I received a package in the mail. Now, it was from 'Red Envelope' - so I knew I would love it. But, I couldn't open it. And I really wanted to. But, I had promised I wouldn't. So I was good.

Friday came - I checked out the box again. I moved it from the snack bar to the kitchen table. Sitting there all alone - just waiting for me to open it.

Saturday came - I moved the box to dust under it and placed it back in the same spot. So tempting. I then thought - just open it - she'll never know. Very tempting. But, I was good and didn't open it. Only a few more hours.

Sunday morning - Ok - now I can open it!!!!!
And look what's inside.

Ok - Since my picture taking skills aren't the best - here's what that picture from the Red Envelope website looks like:

So thank you SP from the bottom - top and middle of my heart. You have made this Mother's Day truly amazing. This is a day I won't soon forget. And your generosity is amazing too.
Word can not express how much I love this and you.

You are a wonderful kind person.
Love,
Sherry