I am having "I want my baby" pangs. I want OUR baby, that is. More precisely, WE want OUR baby.
Our application was logged in at the China Center of Adoption Affairs (CCAA) nearly 17 months ago. At the time, the wait for a referral was expected to increase from a 12-month wait to perhaps a 14- or 15-month wait. Oh, the horrors, we thought. As time passed, the CCAA referred fewer and fewer children each month. Families who got their referrals this month waited 23 months.
The reasons for fewer children being available? As far as we know, the better economic situation allows more families to keep their children and more families to adopt domestically. Who can argue with that being a good thing for China's children? Not us.
And Chris and I have been grateful for "extra" time together as a couple, having the freedom to travel or sit on our tushies in front of the TV. We've even celebrated the anticipated arrival by buying a few baby gifts for our young 'en. (By the way, there have been quite a few boys referred lately.)
Every month we wait and hope that the CCAA will be able to match more applications than the last month. If the referral rate would be 1/3 month's worth of applications per month, and our application was received June 19, 2006 and they currently referred through December 8, 2005... that puts us at getting a referral in June 2009 - a three year wait. I keep re-doing the calculations in my head thinking there must have been a mistake. I keep hoping down in my heart that maybe some months will only have a few applications and possibly they'll refer an average of 1/2 month's worth of applications per month putting us at getting a referral in January or February 2009.
It just doesn't seem real (the wait, that is). Don't get me wrong, I don't hold the wait against China. I certainly don't feel entitled to have a child - much less from another country who has been so gracious to allow foreigners to take care of their own children. And we continue to be committed to adopting from China.
And then there always the possibility, as I said, of a speed-up in referrals.
If I asked you to be kind to us, that doesn't mean you would stop asking about our baby, does it?
1 comment:
You made me cry! I love you both and am behind you 100% while you wait for your precious baby. If you EVER need anything, Randy and I are here for you. And the offer of keeping Ronnie until your little bambino arrives is always on the table! HUGS AND KISSES!!!
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