update from CHINA! we're in the REVIEW ROOM!

Vince & I were both surprised to hear from our China family coordinator this week! She had been notified by the CCAA that they are in the process of reviewing our file (submitted to them 7.31.07), and they needed some additional information regarding our case. Thankfully, it was a very minor request so we were able to provide the info quickly.

(Don't get excited -- being in the Review Room means we are about half-way there...21 months down, at least 20-30 more to go)

Vince (who took the call) also had the opportunity to talk with our coordinator about our China adoption options...basically we have two, here they are:

1- remain on the healthy infant girl list (= wait another 2-3 years)
2- switch to the Waiting Child list, and pursue an infant with minor/repairable special needs (possible to complete by end of 2010)

I remember mentioning in a previous post that we were strongly considering switching to the Waiting Child list -- and, we still are. Our coordinator actually shared with Vince that many of the boys that are assigned to AWAA who are on the Waiting Child list are often passed onto other agencies because there are no families willing to adopt them...it seems families are set on healthy girls, or if they do transition to the Waiting Child list, they still request a girl...not a boy.

Of course, you know this BROKE MY HEART!!

The thought of these little boy's files being passed from agency to agency is almost more that I can stand!! I realize some of them probably have serious/chronic medical conditions which many families simply cannot manage (including us), BUT, this is not the case for all of them.

Through out this process we have discovered much about ourselves, about God, and about orphans. We have come to terms with the reality that there may never be a Mayah Martin...maybe there will, but maybe not...and we are completely at peace with this!! We may very well have a quiver full of boys instead -- I would hardly consider that a curse!

So...we will take the next few months and prayerfully wait for God to reveal our next steps. We have a minimum of six months before we can actively pursue our second adoption anyway -- so we don't feel the pressure for answers just yet. We do feel certain that if we allow our China adoption to run it's course as-is, we will pursue another adoption with Ethiopia. Either way, Ethiopia or China Waiting Child, we hope to have the ball rolling by the end of this year.