There have been lots and lots of questions about "what happens next." It has been easiest to just say "we're waiting to travel." However, there are several small steps that must be taken before this can happen. It is a much busier wait than between referral and LOA. That was treacherous. Just sit and wait. This is a little more exciting because there is so much going on. There are several little waits (although they don't always feel little) instead of one big wait. Here is what is happening...in my very best understanding, which is still a little shakey.
LOA - letter of acceptance occurs. This was China telling us that they formally approve of us persuing the adoption of Sophie.
1-800 then gets sent out. The 1-800 is our formal request to USCIS to adopt Sophie. We had to do the 1-800A before our dossier was sent to China. That was to get permission to bring a child into the states. This is now permission to bring home Sophie specifically. It is a necessary step to protect adoptive children from being taken to families who can't care for them. Her special needs will be compared to the needs we felt comfortable with in our homestudy. They will also make sure her age matches what we requested. If everything is great they issue our approval. Here is the tricky part of this process. Our application was sent to a lockbox (which happens to everyone). From there (Chicago) the application is sent to Missouri, the USCIS's NBC (National Benefits Center) where it is processed. Before we get our approval letter, we get a letter notifying us that they've received our application. I'm assuming they do this when it's reached the lockbox, not the NBC because I called NBC today and they had no record of us. Later on today we had our receipt letter in the mail box. Once the letter makes it from the lockbox, it is assigned to our officer and they will process and send our approval letter (should be about 2 weeks from now). The average wait for the approval letter is 20 days...looks like we'll surpass that be a couple of weeks.
After our 1-800 approval, it get's overnighted to the NVC (National Visa Center) in New Hampshire. (((I'm getting tired just THINKING about all of the paperwork traveling!))) This step is necessary to generate our visas (and not the type you shop with!). Once NVC has processed the info it's off to the next step.
NVC will "CABLE" our file to the consulate in Guangzhou China. This means electronically sending it...sounds like email if you ask me! It is taking an average of 7 days to be "cabled."
However, we have to wait for our official NVC letter before the next step can happen. NVC will be emailing and mailing a copy of their letter to us. It is taking an average of 4 days from cable to NVC letter.
This NVC letter as well as copies of our LOA, DS-230 application, and passport photos will be delivered to the consulate to produce our visas. The consulate suppossedly acccepts these deliveries on Monday's and Thursday's only. They must have this letter and the cable complete to move forward.
Once our file has been cabled and the consulate receives our delivery they can issue our article 5. I'm not terribly clear on what the article 5 does. It sounds like this is an official "US has jumped through a million and one hoops to approve this family" letter. ???? I'll get back to you on this! It is taking an average of 20 days from NVC letter to Article 5.
After article 5 is issued it is delivered to Beijing to the CCAA (Chinese Center for Adoption Affairs) where they'll see all of the ducks are in a row, US has said it's okay for us to bring Sophie into the United States, and will then issue our Travel Approval (TA). It is taking ANOTHER...grrrr...20 days average from Article 5 to TA. Boo! Throwing tomatoes!!!
In case anyone is counting or wants to check my math, that's a total of 78 days average wait time from LOA to TA. Today is day 17 for us...only 61 more to go!!!!
Oh, here is the crummy part. You obviously don't jump on a plane the very next day after receiving TA. You have to have a consulate appointment in Guangzhou first. The rest of the travel arrangements are then made around that appointment, with you spending the week prior to your appointment in your child's province (Inner Mongolia for us). The average timeline from TA to CA (consulate) appointment is 37 days. That means we can plan to travel around 30 days after TA...maybe less if we're lucky!
Which brings our estimated travel time to 91 days from now! Without counting days exactly, that brings us to China on OCTOBER 29, 2010!!! Estimated "Gotcha Day" Halloween!!!
Wow, I'm thinking I should have done this sooner! So much for my thoughts of a September trip!
Here are a couple of links from the China Adopt Talk website you might find helpful.
http://chinaadopttalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=52826.0
If you look at this one...it's updated weekly. This shows all of the families waiting to travel (on this one discussion group). We are pish16.
http://chinaadopttalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=53722.0
Finally, the topic that helped me unravel the process and shows my utter confusion.
http://chinaadopttalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=53786.msg798718#msg798718
Let me know what questions you have. I'll be amazed if I can answer them!!!
Here are the pictures of Sophie's room that we included in her photo album. The room looks complete but we still have a few details to attend to. I'd like to find some other sort of curtain (likely make one) because the one that came with the bedding set is very plain. We also have a new set of closet doors to paint and install. I have a plan for the toy box. I'm going to take off the old flower print and paint that part pink. I have green magnetic/chalk board paint to decorate the front. Finally...I think...I have some more cherry blossoms to add to the tree. I want to include some smaller and lighter blossoms to add variation. It was so much fun to work on a little girls room. Boy have I been waiting for that! I'm sure I'll have tons more to add later. Oh, and the picture with the Chinese characters is the gift Jason made me for Christmas. It says mother and daughter. I also realized I don't have a picture of the cute "S O P H I E" hanging above the closet door. I'll have to add that one later.
Finally, it's here! I am SOOOOOO relieved. Today I was watching the China Adopt Talk chart as the LOA's started to roll. First there were a couple of families who were ahead of me that got their letters. That was a great sign. Then I became a little frustrated as families at day 19 started to get letters. No offense to them, super exciting for them. However, that wasn't so very reassuring to ME.
Finally I emailed Yu Ping just to follow-up and ask if she knew anything else. I also asked if DHL had come by at all. A few moments later I popped open anther WACAP email just to familiarize myself with their area code. I told Alison the area code to be on the look out for. I'd also just turned in Sophie's O2B enrollment paperwork to Alison.
At this point I figured I had exerted enough energy on LOA speculation and began to finish a project I was working on. I walked to the back office where I'd be able to use our copier. Just then the phone rang. Alison was talking to a parent so I decided to answer. I looked down at the phone. It said 206. Yep, 206 is the area code I've been waiting for.
For a second I asked myself "would Yu Ping be calling me regarding my email?" Then I froze and stuttered to find my words. Shoot, I couldn't even remember how we answer the phone at work. Should I just say "hi Yu Ping?" No, that would be right. "We're having a great day at O2B Kids College. This is Stacy, how can I help you?" Yu Ping asked how I was. I reassured her I was having a good day but then asked "is it good, or great?" She replied "I have some exciting news for you." She went on to explain that not 5 minutes had passed since my email that the DHL truck showed up at WACAP. It felt like 7 minutes on my end...but sure, we'll go with 5. Hysterics, jumping, crying, screaming, and hugging. Simultaneously!!! I hope some day I can reenact the scene that took place for Sophie. It was quite a sight.
After hanging up with Yu Ping I called Jason. No answer. Every phone number, no answer. What was going on???? I then called my mom. She said that she knew it was good news because I was calling earlier than normal. My dad woke up from his "rest" to get on the phone and see what I had to say. It was so fun! As I was on the phone I saw an email from Patti so I immediately told her we received our LOA. I realized later I should have clarified what the heck an LOA was, but I think she got it later.
Once I left work I was able to finish all of my phone calls. I called Gram and Grandpa. I called Aunt Debbie. I called Aunt Muriel. So fun! I also made sure to post on the China Adopt Talk website so I'd GET OFF THE LIST! Of course that was immediately followed by a request to be added to the list of folks awaiting travel notices (TA's).
So, that's it for now. I'll post some more info tomorrow, specifically all of the coming steps. Right now we're just going to be waiting for our 1-800 approval. To be continued...
Today, 7/11/10, marks the 12 year anniversary of Jason and I being a couple. I actually didn't think of it until we were coming back from picking blueberries. Now that I have though, it has me thinking. First, it has me thinking how terribly happy I am to be married to Jason. He's such a caring person, even when he's trying to be "tough." It also has me thinking that maybe tomorrow really will be our lucky day. Wouldn't that be a great anniversary present? The part I wish I wasn't thinking about is that eleven years into our relationship and we are the only people in our immediate family. That part hurts a little. I just have to remind myself that it is only temporary. With each passing day a little bit of the pain goes away. We're making through. We're still together. Still strong. No matter what anyone thought would happen through the devastation that was our life, we've made it! We are SOOOO looking forward to being parents to Sophie.
My patience is DEFINITELY wearing thin, VERY thin! Currently there are 6 families ahead of us on the "waiting for LOA chart" on chinaadopttalk.com. There are also 5 other families with the same wait time. It really stinks to have to wait through the weekend for another chance at a phone call. However, the good news is that Yu Ping, will be back on Monday. Perhaps she's our lucky charm.
Today the rug we purchased for Sophie's room arrived. I already put it in the room to see how it looks. It's super cute! I'm going to expel energy (and anxiety) by working a little more on the room this weekend. Really it's almost done but I could be making more cherry blossoms.
I also brought home paperwork to fill out for Sophie to start school. It just dawned on me that we're enrolling families for the Fall and Sophie may be here in the Fall. Even if she is not going to start school right away, it will be nice to go over the Supercenter and allow her to play. I can't even believe that's something I'LL be able to do. So exciting!!!
Hope I stay sane through the weekend. Very low LOA week...must be a BIG Monday coming our way!!!
Really? Really?? Really??? Prove it! Goodness, let our LOA come tomorrow! 
Okay, I know! I'm just being a little dramatic. We are currently in limbo. We are waiting on our LOA (letter of acceptance) a.k.a. LSC (letter seeking confirmation). Let me tell you, the waiting reallllllly stinks! I think that the waiting is worse since WACAP said that they are seeing these come in more quickly than usual. We are currently at day 44. Typically Monday's are the busiest days for LOA's to arrive. However, since yesterday was the fourth, everyone is closed today! I'm praying that our letter is sitting in a DHL truck somewhere, just waiting to be delivered! I have been checking out the China Adopt Talk website and tracking everyone's LOA's there. That's added a whole new level of insanity. I've seen several families who have been waiting less time
get their LOA. Currently there are 8 families who have been waiting longer than us and 4 other families with the same wait. The good news is that last week (Friday) there were 11 LOA's. Hopefully if we can have a repeat of that I'll be off this list and on to the TA (travel approval) list. At least during the TA there are several small steps to look forward to...plus we'll be the HOOMMMEEE stretch! Well...let's see what happens tomorrow!
Yesterday was the Fourth of July. We didn't do anything special. We nested a little. Jason finished installing child safety locks around the house. I cleaned and organized. It seemed like your run of the mill Sunday at first thought. Then I realized something. Not only would this be our last Fourth of July by ourselves, but next year it will have a whole different meaning.
I love our country. We live in a special place. This is a country who will allow me to bring home our baby, Sophie, and give her citizenship. That is the best gift this country could give!
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