WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN I AM EXPECTING

I have always wanted to say that!!! Just a glimpse of what you should expect as we get our referral. The referral is when the agency calls us (called "THE CALL"), and tells us we have a baby. The agency will have the info translated and then Fed -Ex ed to us. The Fed Ex man will be our Stork, and yes, I plan on taking a picture and scrap booking the moment!! The package will contain pictures, age, any known information including medical history, likes and dislikes, schedule.... We will then be given as much as 7 days to review the info and accept or not accept the referral. And which do you think we will do??? From then, the agency begins working on getting our consulate appointment. This is with the US Embassy in China, where the adoption will be finalized. Once they have the consulate appointment, they count backwards two weeks, and that is our travel time. Then the agency works on getting our Visas, and making our travel arrangements. It usually takes about 4 - 6 weeks to get Travel Approval (called TA), and travel is usually 2 - 4 weeks after that. And while the agency is busy getting our appointments made, we will be completing things here, and be over the moon with excitement. I have been dividing the 36 days in my mind a million different ways to try to figure out when we will get our referral, and the verdict always comes out the same: I don't know!!!!! If I divide it by 2 that gives us 18 days for the next two batches. I can see them doing 18 for the next batch, and 17 the next!!!!! If I divide it by 3 that is 12 days per batch. I see 2 12 batches and 1 11 batch!!!! UGH!! Really, I am not a pessimist, I really think no matter when we get the referral I am going to be surprised....there is just no "science" to figuring out what the Chinese people are going to do. I would call them and ask them, but there are two barriers: 13 hour time difference, and I don't speak the language, HA HA. OK, enough for now....can you tell I am getting just a little excited!!!! Stay tuned, as time is getting shorter, you may see more posts, one never knows. Thanks for following my Blog!!! A special hello to Mary in New York, thanks for following, you have been a tremendous encouragement to me!!!