Close, but no cigar....

Well, once again we received info that we were super close to only hear yesterday, "Oops!".  We were under the impression we had been matched with a particular child.  Every time we've told family and friends we're close, we're then told otherwise.

As a review:

• We had a good shot of a referral in March, but didn't make the cut off by two days.  We were a little disappointed, but we were assured we'd be next, because they had a pattern of referring several days at a time.  And they've never just missed a month. 
• In April, they only referred 1 day, making us 1 day short of the cut off.  That was a pretty big, unexpected blow, but we KNEW we'd be next.  They've referred every month without fail, so May it would be.
• In May, we received an even bigger blow.  They were closing down at the end of May to re-do their computer system, but were told by our agency referrals would probably come out the first week of June.
• In the first week of June, the computer system bugs had not been quite worked out.
• Second week of June: Dragon Boat National Holiday in China so all offices were closed.
• Third week of June: Agency said it was probably coming last week.  We were under the impressions matches were made for our date - the paperwork (with the child's picture and info) just needed to reach our agency in the mail.   "Fill out your forms and get ready!"  No call.
• This week.  We have had pretty much daily updates and have been waiting with baited breath to see if this would be the day that the package from China made it to our agency's office. Monday - nope, not yet.  Tuesday - morning:  nope, not yet.  Tuesday afternoon: "Oh, wait a minute, actually matches haven't been made.  THE COMPUTER SYSTEM STILL ISN'T WORKING RIGHT".  

Let me tell you this process is not for the faint of heart.  I am so thankful I did not know it would be this hard when we started.  We wouldn't have applied I'm sure.  We are absolutely at the mercy of the Chinese government.  However, we also know that (Prov 21:1), "The king's heart is in God's hand; He directs it like a water course wherever He pleases".  So, God is ultimately in control of who our child is and when we hear about our child.  We just have to continue to wait and trust in His timing.  

We will update if we hear any news.  Although, I have to admit I feel like that lady with a pillow in her shirt that hasn't had her baby and people are noticing she's looked pregnant for 13 months now.  :)  We aren't deceitful or delusional.  We have been on an incredible roller coaster of good news and let downs that hopefully will end very, very soon.

In the meantime, we will wait for you! 

  

Referral should be any day now!

Our agency says that matches have been made.  So we have a child assigned to our family!!   We just don't know who she is yet.  Our best guess is that maybe we'll get a call on Tuesday or Wednesday telling us the sex of our child, name, age, location (which province she lives in), if she's in an orphanage or foster home, etc.  We're super excited and can't wait to find out the news!   

Let's hear it from the boys!

On Sunday, June 2nd, I recorded the boys' thoughts on a possible upcoming referral this week.  Unfortunately, the referral hasn't happened yet.   China's new computer system is having glitches, and now next week China has a national holiday (Dragon Boat Festival) from June 10th-12th.   We're probably looking at the third or fourth week of June for a referral.

So, here are the videos (minus Tru's reaction since he had a 2 year old non cooperative moment when we decided to film him):

(As an aside, I don't normally think I sound THAT Southern until I hear myself on video.  My goodness!)

It will be quite interesting is if we get our referral the third week of June (the week starting Father's Day).  All of the boys and I will be at camp and will be separated from Matt for that week.  It definitely will not be ideal as far as celebrating a referral because Daddy wouldn't be with us.  Additionally, I volunteer as camp "nurse" (whose not a nurse:) ) so I'll be pretty busy that week and won't have a lot of time to do the necessary things required with processing a referral.  Jacob and Aidan will be busy with all of their activities as well.  So, it seems sort of odd that after 7 years of waiting, there's a pretty good chance our referral may fall on a rare occasion when our family isn't together.  I'm thinking if it happens, we'll ask our agency to do a 3 way call so we can at least hear all of the info at the same time. But, in another way, it would be kind of full circle.  Matt and I met at this same camp, and we would have never imagined many years later being there with our 3 boys ready to accept an adoption referral from China.  I don't think we would have believed it if someone had told us the future.  The good thing if it happens the week of camp is that both of Matt's parents and my Mom will also be at camp that week and so I'll get to personally show them the referral pics.  So, we'll see!  Another week or so of waiting.