We're logged in!

Originally written May 20, 2006

We have received our logged in date of April 24, 2006. Great news!

This means that we should receive our referral/match in 10 to 12 months from that date provided the rumor mill isn't true. We've heard two rumors... it will take 18 months OR it will take 36 months. Who knows what's true. We stay out of the chat rooms as there's typically no basis for those comments.

If you've seen the latest reports on Dateline or Primetime Live or any of those shows, you know there is not enough supply to meet the demand. While we hate putting it that way, it's the truth. The Chinese Government is just now realizing that their population is uneven... there are more men than women. So, they feel as though they needed to do something. They're now offering to families a retirement bonus if they keep a girl. This bonus is usually more than what they make in a year and will help them live during their golden years. Other reasons include an increase of applicants and babies being stolen from their birth families and given/sold to new families so they have a wife for their sons.

You won't hear from us much over the summer as now it's all a waiting game. Our next update will be in July after our "parent training." This is not what you think. The purpose of this is to help us transition our child to her new life. Topics include: not letting anyone hold, feed or change her for the first two months, how to deal with "raging," among other things.

The purpose of not letting anyone hold, feed or change her is because she needs to develop a bond with her parents. While in an orphanage, there are many hands that change, feed and hold her. It is extremely imperative that she knows who takes care of her.

Raging: because her routine/life is changing 180 degrees, there are times when the child could "rage." This is due to overstimulation, different language, and just not understanding what is happening. Our friends child went through this stage, but it lasted for, maybe, two weeks after coming home. Now she's doing tremendous.

That's about it from beautiful Rockford, IL.

Have a great summer!