JOURNEY TO SARA LIN.... our adoption journey to China

2008-05-17T21:22:00.001-05:00

China has 107 days of dossiers to be processed before they get to our dossier. China currently processes about 5.7 days of dossiers each month. The best guess for us to get a referral is 11/17/2009.

2008-05-04T19:26:00.000-05:00

China has referred 3 days for the month. The current prediction would be that we would receive a referarl 11/09. We are still logged in, however, most of our paperwork will expire in October. We have not made a decision as to what we will do at that time...

2007-11-04T19:56:00.001-05:00

Another disappointing batch of referrals. The CCAA has referred through 12/8/05 which still puts us receiving a referral closer to 2009. On a good note, they have clarified the issue regarding concurrent adoptions - they are now officially allowed.

2007-10-21T20:18:00.000-05:00

We completed our domestic home study Friday (Yeahh)! We still have the fire and health inspections but hopefully they will be in the next week or so. No issues at all. The investigator (CI) was very nice and very compassionate about our situation. She really seemed to want to help.

2007-10-14T20:09:00.000-05:00

Wow, I can't believe it has been so long since my last post. Nothing much to report on the adoption. China referrals continue to come in at a very slow pace, slowing the timelines further and further with each passing month. At least November 2005 is finally finished... Some speculate that referrals will speed up but most predict a continued pattern of slow down and that the worst is yet to come. With that said, we really don't know what to expect anymore. Our agency has suggested that we consider switching to Vietnam. We are also going through the process for domestic adoption. We can only pray for God's continued guidance.

2007-07-20T11:52:00.000-05:00

2007-07-19T20:52:00.000-05:00

Happy 41 Birthday to me! Ok, it was actually a few days ago (7/17) but I'm still celebrating! I certainly don't feel 41, except maybe in my choice of gifts. I wanted new Sketchers and a new food processor. Exciting, right? I had a relaxing day in downtown Greenville. I took Puzzle and a good book with me (it's such a pet friendly city). We sat by the falls and had a peaceful afternoon. The weather was perfect. That evening, hubby and I went to a nice dinner and spent the evening talking about how much our lives have changed in the past year. This time last year, we were getting ready to sell the house in Lakeland and hubby was making plans to move into his temporary apartment. We were so nervous about the transition, but it all came together perfectly. I couldn't have asked for a better birthday.

2007-07-10T20:33:00.000-05:00

I'm a little late posting the newest batch of referrals because it's nothing to write home about. The CCAA has completed referrals through 11/14/05. Another small batch. These referrals came in at nearly 19 months and the wait continues to get longer each month.

2007-07-02T19:19:00.000-05:00

We are all anxiously waiting for the next batch of referrals to arrive. They are rumored to arrive this week or next. Another small batch is anticipated (possibly through 11/14). On another note, we missed the June DSS (Dept. of Social Services) orientation so we are now registered for the end of July. We are still considering IVF but haven't made any decisions about India. The US travel notices for India made us nervous. We will keep everyone informed.

2007-06-14T10:10:00.000-05:00

Still no update from the CCAA on the Review Room. The next batch of referrals is expected to be another small batch. We anticipate the next referrals to be out sometime after 6/29/07. We are still planning to attend the foster orientation program next week. It won't hurt to consider other options. We have also looked into IVF programs in India. http://www.drmalpani.com/index.html

The facilities are state of the art and only cost about $2800 a cycle. Of course, you also have flight expenses (approx $1500) and hotel stay ($80-$110/night for 18 days). Most other costs are included. It is interesting that your spouse doesn't have to travel... you can just carry the "sample" in dry ice! Not sure if we are really going to consider this yet. It's just another option to explore while we wait. Here are pics of Sara's room so far..

2007-06-06T15:10:00.000-05:00

Well, the bad news has been confirmed. November 7th is the cutoff. I have e-mailed our agency today to see if there is any news on the review room. CCAA has not updated their site so we are all still in the dark. There are some rumors that May '06 is being questioned. We are LID 4/29/06 and have not heard a thing.

2007-06-01T15:41:00.000-05:00

Everyone is anxiously awaiting the next batch of referrals. It is looking like a cut-off of 11/7/06. Not good. Can't confirm anything until referrals are actually received. Harrah's agency in TX is expecting a visit from the CCAA on 6/17/07. We are all hoping that some pointed questions will be asked about the wait and that we will get some answers..... The CCAA is typically tight lipped, giving vague answers. With that said, we don't expect a whole lot. Any news would be appreciated since we are all just waiting in the dark.

2007-05-22T08:23:00.000-05:00

No new news from our agency. Rumors are all over the board about the wait. Could be 18 months to 3 years. Our group (4/29/06) is still waiting to hear if we have made it out of the review room. That is a big milestone for most of us. We are working on Sara's bedroom and have just about finished. I'll be posting some pictures shortly.

2007-05-04T21:09:00.000-05:00

These are some pictures of our furry babies!

2007-05-04T20:59:00.000-05:00

2007-05-04T20:50:00.000-05:00

2007-05-04T13:20:00.000-05:00

This is just a brief update on our referral. Looks like it is going to be another year or two. When we started this process, our friend had just adopted her daughter Olivia. She waited 6 months. Our wait has unfortunately turned into a very long process. It is difficult at times to accept the wait. We, like many other families, have considered changing programs. By the time we started a completely new process, submitted our dossier, waited for a referral and then waited for travel, we would still be looking at approximately 10-12 months total. Not to mention we would lose all the money we have invested with China. Our agency has offered their clients a 50% refund on their agency fees towards another IA adoption, but that doesn't amount to very much.
With that in mind, we decided to sit tight and consider another option. We will be attending a foster orientation at the end of June. If an opportunity arises, we may consider a domestic interim adoption of a boy.

2007-02-26T13:12:00.000-05:00

These are pictures of our snowfall a few weeks ago. The first picture was taken from our front door. It was beautiful. It melted within a day or so. The dogs didn't know what to think. Once they got used to it, they had a blast.

2007-01-03T20:23:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year! We are waiting for clarification from the CCAA regarding the recent changes made to the adoption requirements. They are narrowing the pool of candidates to reduce the wait time for adoption. At the current rate, we do not expect a referral for approximately 16 more months...

2006-11-22T22:25:00.000-05:00

It has been a while since our last post. To our amazement, our home in Florida was purchased by the County and we are now in the home of our dreams in SC. We have been so blessed and are have so much to be thankful for on this Thanksgiving.

2006-08-30T16:49:00.000-05:00

Our offer came through from the County.. yeah! We have the contract and need to get through a soil sample process. If the testing is favorable, we should close within 2-3 weeks. We made an offer on the aforementioned home but have not come to terms. It is interesting to know that when my husband returned to the home for a second look at the home, the prayer of Jabez was no longer there.

2006-08-13T21:07:00.000-05:00

Well, my husband left Friday for Greenville. The house was very quiet and empty. I said a prayer asking for the right buyer to come along. Around 5:30 pm, the County called and said they wanted to put in an offer on the entire 18 acres! They also said since they are a cash buyer the closing could be as soon as 2 1/2 weeks and they would pay all closing costs! Wow, I couldn't believe it. What are the chances? I know some people may be skeptical, but I believe in miracles.

2006-08-03T17:16:00.000-05:00

In January, our church asked everyone to read the Prayer of Jabez for 30 days. We had never heard this prayer but it sounded great so we prayed it for 30 days. Well, after 30 days things seemed to take a downward turn. My husband was told that his department was being eliminated and the adoption timelines increased to 12 months. Why was this happening? My husband immediately began searching for a new job. He applied for one position in South Carolina. When he was called back for a 2nd interview, I went with him to look at a few homes. The realtor showed us several home but nothing really moved us. While my husband interviewed, I drove around the area in search of a potential home. I came across a home in our price range that really drew me in. We arranged to see the home just an hour before our return flight. When we walked inside, the prayer of Jabez was hanging on the wall. Ok, this must be why things are happening. This was that "do something so big in my life" part of the prayer.

About a week later and on my 40th birthday, my husband was offered the job. Who knows if we will end up in this particular house, but we are definitely moving to Greenville. As we reflected on the past several months, we realized that our daughter's middle name LIN means Jade or Green. Could this also have some association to Greenville? Are these signs or just coincidences? We think it is obviously from God. If someone had told us in January that my husband would lose his job of 13 years, we would sell our house and move to South Carolina and that I wouldn't have to work, we would have burst out into laughter.

PRAYER OF JABEZ
Lord, Bless Me Indeed
Do something so big in my life that it is obviously from you
Increase my influence and opportunity for you
Give me the sense of your continual presence and direction
Protect me and keep me from falling into Satan's traps
In Jesus Name, Amen

2006-07-27T19:54:00.000-05:00

HOW DID WE COME UP WITH THE NAME SARA LIN? We both like simple names. Sara sounded like a good old fashioned name. We dropped the "H" to give it a more modern spelling. My best friend from Georgia's name is Lynn. We thought Sara Lynn sounded nice. We wanted to give the name a Chinese spelling so we changed it to Lin. This means jade or green forest. Since we both love the outdoors, that was perfect. Sara Lin Caton was created...

2006-07-27T19:31:00.000-05:00

We have finally shared our adoption plans with our friends and family. We were also excited to share the news that we are moving to South Carolina. With my husband's new job and the sale of our Florida home, this will allow me to be a stay at home mom. I officially resigned my position today. I still can't believe it. We will be very busy over the next few months which will make the time fly. We are so thankfull and very blessed for these surprising changes in our lives.

2006-07-17T20:25:00.000-05:00

Today is the big 40 for Sara's mom. That would be me. We hope to have her in our arms before my next birthday! Hubby gave me a beautiful Willow Tree collectible of a mother cradling a baby. It is called "Angel of Mine". He presented it saying that we were his angels. Gulp.. yes, I almost cried. His card was the most beautiful I have ever read. It quoted "...This is my beloved, and this is my friend..." I thank God everyday for bringing him into my life.

2006-07-04T21:06:00.000-05:00

This is Xena, our American Bull Dog. We adopted her from the SPCA a few months ago. Our previous American Bull Dog, Thor, was laid to rest last year. Thor could never be replaced, however, we missed having a bigger dog. I went to the SPCA to "look".... Right. There she was, a female Thor. She had the same sweet disposition. The paper hanging on her gate said her name was "Sarah". Of all the names for a dog, Sarah? According to the SPCA, she was found with the name Sarah sewn on her collar. A quick phone call to hubby and he came by to meet her. She laid her head against his chest... The rest is history. Sarah is now Xena, our wonderful worrier princess.

2006-07-04T20:54:00.000-05:00

This is me and hubby in front of our Church. We became members in January this year. My husband is excited that he has found his "ministry" for the church. He drives a golf cart to shuttle guests from the parking lot. He is the best golf cart driver ever!

2006-06-09T21:18:00.000-05:00

We just received an update from our agency. Looks like the rumors are true... timelines have increased 2 months.

As you are aware, the time frame for China referrals has lengthened. The CCAA is currently issuing referrals within one year of the log-in date. Some unconfirmed rumors indicate that this time may lengthen even more before it starts to decrease.

As a result, some adoptive families in the China program will have to update their Home Study and CIS approvals. Important note: your dossier documents (submitted to CCAA) do not expire.

However, it is extremely important that you keep your I-171H current. Expiration time frames for CIS documents are: Fingerprints – 15 months & Advance processing approval – 18 months

In some states, Florida for example, the Home Study must be updated after 12 months. Please contact your home study provider for an update on your home study prior to the 12-month expiration date.

Contact your local CIS office to arrange to have your fingerprints updated one month prior to the expiration date.

If your form I-171H will expire before you anticipate travel to China for the Embassy appointment, you must resubmit the I-600A with all related documents and fees. CIS will accept the original home study with an update but all new police/abuse clearances must be obtained.

Our facilitator, Adam Wang, met with government officials and orphanage directors during a recent trip to China. They contribute the slow down in referrals to several factors such as: (1) In November, China eased the penalty for a family with more than one child. (2) Economic factors in the cities allow women to earn as much as the men. (3) Cultural adjustments have been seen in the countryside regarding accepting their first-born whether male or female. (4) CCAA is preparing to move to a new and larger location. (5) CCAA reports that in one recent month they received 2,000 dossiers and in that same month assigned 500 referrals.

At times the wait and additional paperwork may seem overwhelming and frustrating, but please know, you will soon be bringing home your bundle of joy.

2006-06-04T11:27:00.000-05:00

Handsome Daddy! Isn't he glowing : )

2006-06-01T20:11:00.000-05:00

My husband and I began our journey to Sara Lin September, 2005. We chose to adopt from China for many reasons. A close friend adopted a beautiful daughter from China. With her guidance and encouragement, we began researching information about adoption in China. A recommended book, Lost Daughters of China, provided insightful information. Without haste or indecision we moved forward with what we now know as the "paper chase". It took six months to complete the paperwork and other requirements.

Our dossier was sent for translation on 4/12/06 and was shipped to China 4/21/06. This date is known as DTC or Date to China. To our surprise, we received an e-mail the following week congratulating us on our log in date (LID) of 4/29/06. Our dossier was officially acknowleged and received by China. We had read many stories where families had waited over a month from the time their dossier went to China to receive a log in date. The LID would have occurred weeks before your received the notice due to varying communication methods between China and the adoption agency. We are thankful that our agency, Florida Home Studies and Adoption, apparently has very good communications with China.

We are in the first trimester of our paper pregnancy. I think my husband is carrying our child :) He has food cravings and gets emotional when he talks about his little girl "Sara Lin". He is going to be a wonderful daddy. We debate over who will hold her first... it is said that she is likely to bond to someone that most resembles her. My husband having dark hair threatens to buy brown contacts to cover his light blue eyes. I have naturally brown eyes and remind him how easy it is to change my hair color, should drastic measures be needed. We'll see....

According to our agency, the current wait time for a referral from your LID is 10 months. It can be difficult to ignore rumors that say 12-14 + months. We find more credibility in the agency's timeline since they receive referrals from China monthly. Last month's referrals came in at exactly 10 months from LID. We understand that the timelines may change based on the number of dossiers submitted compared to the number of available children.

Amazingly, we feel patient. We believe that God will determine the perfect timing for us to be a family. We will use this time to prepare ourselves and our home for this life changing event. We have not yet shared our exciting news with everyone.