China Girl

Some have asked, and we are suspecting that others are wondering but are not sure how to ask - now that Lydia is here, does that alter our plans to adopt a little girl from China?  Without hesitation, our plan to expand our family with the addition of "China girl" has absolutely not changed, this is something that God has placed on our hearts.

We are still in the "waiting" phase of the adoption process.  The current wait time for a healthy little girl under the age of two is 44 months and increasing.  We are hoping that the wait time will actually start decreasing once the China Center of Adoption Affairs gets to the applications logged in starting in mid-2007.  This is when the requirements for China adoption changed (became more strict) and it is suspected that the number of applications is lower than in previous years.  The following are the things that impact the wait time: 

• the number of infants/children that will be available for adoption and paper ready
• the number of domestic adoptions that will occur within China
• the number of families from around the world who have login dates
• the number of families who will withdraw from the China adoption process due to the increased wait time
• the number of families who will adopt through the Waiting Children program and will no longer have their dossier waiting in the non-special needs line
• the number of families who will switch programs during their process and no longer adopt from China

Before we found out we were expecting, we were in the China Waiting Child program as well.  This is the program to adopt a child with special needs.  While we are waiting on a "healthy" referral, we also have the option to review referrals for children with special needs.  The special needs range from emotional to physical, minor to major.  We could not continue in this program while expecting another child, but we can re-enter into this program, to review waiting child referrals, anytime after Liddybug is 6 months old.  

This year we will also need to update our home study (to include Lydia) and we will need to update our fingerprints (you know, just in case our ones from last year changed - ha ha - there are a "few" things about this process that it's best to just accept and not question).  

While we still affectionately refer to our daughter as China Girl, we are thinking that China Girl will be Sophia Jane, but this will be confirmed once we meet her. 

So, here we are, waiting on God's perfect timing to further expand our family.