So, what happens next?!

Sinces it's the middle of the month, and rumors about the next batch of referrals are nonexistent, I thought it would be a good time to address a question that I have been asked by many friends and family members lately....."What happens next?"

Here's my best answer:

• The CCAA will finish matching all of the children who are to be included in this batch to their "forever families". They will packaged the referrals and send them to the various adoption agencies that represent the famlies. Our's being, Children's Hope International.
• When Children's Hope (located in St. Louis) receives the package they will start calling the families who have been matched. It's "The Call" we've been waiting years to receive. At that time, we will be given basic information about our child (name, birthdate, height, weight, birth province, name of orphanage, ect.). They will also email her photo to us at that time!!!
• They will then express mail our referral announcement with photos, original medical report with translation and any other information provided by the orphanage to us. Included in this package will be documents that we will need to sign and return right away.
• Children's Hope will then send our signed documents to the CCAA for processing of our travel approval.
• Once they received the travel approval (which takes about 4 weeks, I believe), they will request appointments for us at the American Consultate in Guangzhou.
• When appointments with the Consulate have been confirmed, we can finalize our travel. In other words, we can book our flight. Most families travel about 8 weeks after receiving their referral.

That's the long and short of it. Any questions? Anyone? I love answering adoption related questions, so feel free to ask. We hope to receive our call around the first week in May. I'll be stalking the rumors boards like a crazy person (what else in new?!) on the days leading up to it. There are usually hints that "the call" may be coming on those boards, so hopefully I won't miss it. The call, I mean...not the hints. Could you imagine me missing the call???!!! As if!! I'll probably have my cell, my home phone, and Doug's cell phone strapped to my body at all times.

The photo above is of a precious Guizhou girl. My girlfriend Mardi's newly referred daughter, Lauren, is a Guizhou girl...so, I thought I'd represent!