Trying to be Patient..............

We are quickly approaching our 8 month anniversary for our Log-In to China to bring home our amazing daughter Lauren (yes, she is amazing even though we've never met) I fluctuate between thinking "wow, 8 months has really flown by" and "hmmm...I wonder how many months are left." People are asking us whether we are still adopting? Are we getting the baby soon? And even, "oh, are you still waiting?" For those "in tune" with the international adoption scene 8 months is really only a drop in the bucket for what the end wait will be. Families who received their babies this month waited on average of 2.5 years. For families just beginning the process the wait could stretch to 7 years! The "expedited line" (the one we are in) is said to be processing Dossiers 40% faster than the regular line. If this is the case then we could expect our Referral sometime in late 2010 or early 2011 (based on an approximated wait of 2.5-3 years). For those interested in learning about the wait times in China, the social and political issues surrounding the international adoption of children from that country, and the families all over the world who wait to bring home their "forever children" then I encourage you to check out the website chinaadopttalk.com . This website, presided over by the "Rumour Queen" helps to make sense of the current wait times, and the possible future of the China Adoption Program. I guess to some extent I'm getting tired of the comment: "wow, there are so many babies over there why is it taking so long?" If only it were are simple as "supply and demand." Yes, there are many abandonned children in China. No they are not all girls. Yes, many have special needs. The percentage of orphanages that participate in the International Program is incredibly small. That means that the majority of children will never qualify to be adopted internationally. From a political perspective, China has an image they want to protray to the world. Once proud of running the most successful and non-corrupt adoption program in the world they have now shifted to not wanting to be seen as a country that "exports it's children." In the face of the recent Olympics in Bejiing, China is attempting to portray to image of cherishing it's children and caring for "their own." Will things change in the future? That is definately the "million dollar question." Personally I think not. Prospective parents are left to generate their own opinions and ideas in regards to the direction the Chinese governement will take. I feel the move will be towards a Special Needs Program only with the eventual disintergration of the Non Special Needs Program. My hope though is that the families who are currently Logged-In will eventually receive their children; and those children will receive the love of a family that has persevered and struggled to bring their child home. And that will make the wait worthwhile!