Time to check RQ's
Babies!! post. They got to April 3rd, and we are April 6th.
Finally, it includes a few families from our April 2006 LID Yahoo group!
(If none of this makes sense, see
FAQs on right.)
Here's how it happens:
- The CCAA sends referral packages to your adoption agency.
- The agency promptly opens them and reviews all the info.
- The agency calls families with basic information about the child (gender, age, orphanage & province, type of care - orphanage or foster care, weight and some measurements.) We told our family coordinator to call us without worrying about the time zone difference. So if you call us while we're asleep, we'll assume you are Leah calling with our referral.
- The agency continues to translate all the info.
- After a while, they email you photo(s) of your child that came in the package. For some important reason, you don't get the photos right away - maybe the next day. But that's okay. Not to be a party pooper, but we may not post the referral photos on this blog. One thing I read over and over is "don't get too attached to a picture," and I'll let you imagine the reasons why.
- The agency Fed-Exes the original referral package and translation to you.
- You check it all over, and if you accept the referral (ha!), you sign the CCAA's "Letter of Seeking Confirmation from Adopter" and send it to your agency pronto.
- While waiting for "TA" (Travel Approval) from China, you can have Ann at Red Thread send a care package to your child. We've heard great things about Ann. She is Chinese and we think she lives in Guangzhou. She is well-connected, and can get updated photos, measurements, and info about your child. She can include a photo album of your family to give the child before you arrive. Anything to help smooth the transition for the unsuspecting little people!
And what happens after that is for a later post. But basically, after about 2 months, you travel to China. However, there can be delays with travel, too.
Congrats to the families who are getting referrals right now!
