When...

When seems to be the big question. Friends are family keep asking, and is we wish we knew. The pace of adoptions from China has come to a crawl. In 3 months they have only made their way thru only about 2 weeks worth of logged in families. They are currently up to November 7, 2005...YES 2005! At that rate with a LID of April 9, 2007...we are looking at over 3 years waiting (possibly more, or worst case the program could close down). The CCAA (China Center of Adoption Affairs) is stating that there are more domestic adoption in China and less available children. I don't know of anyone in the adoption community that truly believe that is the cause.

Since we have sent our dossier to China, I've been a number of chat board and realized there were SN kids (special needs). I didn't realize there were different paths that could be taken to adoption and I didn't know what China considered a "special need." Well turns out it can be something as simple as a birthmark. Seems that in China children with minor correctable conditions are not 'desirable,' and a lot of families can't afford even minor surgery, so they wind up as SN kids in the orphanage. 90% of the kids apparently have a cleft lip or cleft palate, which is easily corrected.

Well with this knowledge, we contacted our adoption agency and our China facilitator, and we are now on the wait list for a SN child. There are about 25 families in front of us, but this path should have us at a 15 month wait for our mei mei. When our turn comes to look at the list we will be able to review the medical records with our pediatrician and make a determination from there as to whether or not we think we can handle the need. I personally think this process may go faster since most folks want a baby AYAP (as you as possible) and we are looking for a toddler or pre-schooler.

Stay tuned....