Going to Hell, Join Me Won't You? [*updated]

About every 6 months or so I like to torture myself and call The Agency so I can feel really bad for the rest of the day. I crave veiled information like a crack addict. Not that I blame them, I truly don't think they know anything more than we do. Still, I equate the experience somewhat to the way I feel about a pap smear, a necessary and somewhat uncomfortable evil.

So I very politely laid it out, a "let's hear the truth because if I've got another decade to wait I'm going to Vietnam Dudes". Which is a total lie because really? They're 21 days away from my LID and even I'm not that irrational. But I wanted answers - enough with the steaming coils of rumors! There's like three big agencies and they are so varied with what they tell their clients I'm not even sure sometimes we're all dealing with the same country.

Have you noticed I've been complain-y and whine-y lately. That's just super duper annoying even to me. I apologize to my 25 readers, no one should have to listen to this. You should just move on now before I suck your intelligence right through the screen.

So here's the skinny according to The Agency (paraphrased by me):

That little morsel I took so much comfort in? You know the one? It said the orphanage directors were freaked to send paperwork in. Nope, that's a rumor. According to The Agency, the CCAA's priorities have changed and their focus is no longer on IA but is now focused in keeping the children in China through domestic adoption. Hence, theretofore the DELAYS. My interjection on this would be bullshit. Not that their emphasis has turned towards domestic adoption, no that I buy. What I don't buy is all those children are being adopted domestically. No, I don't think so. All of a sudden decades of ingrained thought on girls has just disappeared? And even if they are my first thought is terrible; people are adopting these girls to be brides for their icky sons. See, I told you it was terrible. I am the spreader of light, no?

Are they going to shut the program down? Not technically but they think there's a possibility more emphasis will be put on SN children for IA. No? Really? Man I would have never gotten that.

My referral? Well they seem to think it'll happen in the next two months, either in May or June. They're "almost" positive it won't be any longer than June. Mmmmm hmmmmm. Where's my xanax?

So there you have it. Don't you feel better now? Yeah I know, I don't either. I still feel like we're missing a piece of the puzzle, information that's not being released and that feeling of the program teetering? I still can't shake it.

* There is one thing I forgot to mention. When I asked about the 18 months to referral rumor, they flat out told me that was for people just starting out, the quote was "for those people who have say March LIDs". I know this isn't good to hear, but at least someone is dealing the truth for a change. If that's a truth? Who knows now, right? Next month an entire month of referrals could come in. We're mushrooms folks.

Comments

[Perrin]

Hmmm...interesting. Ironically enough, I decided to email my program coordinator for the 3rd time on 10 months and ask if very small groups of people will travel to China or will they wait and group 2 months together since that would be about the equivalent to one month being referred a few months ago. Thus delaying us even longer if we have to wait for the next group of hoohahs to get their referral. As usual with this new chick, no repsonse at all. If it's anything enlightening I will be sure to report. I'm not holding my breath though.

[shelly]

OK, Steph. I'm one of your 25, plus I never bookmark or do bloglines, so your blog and Shelba's I come back to several times a day to link to others - I'm super lazy. Not like this stuff from your agency is news..I mean it's obvious what's going on here, but it's nice to see this re-capped by you rather than some ANON poster on RQ. You know I'm clinging to every piece of info. I can come by, so did your agency emphasize that the new "focus" on SN adoptions for the IA program is for newer LID folks too..in keeping with the 18 month comment? Or do you suspect they'll make waiting for the NSN referrals so effing painful and long for those of us "waiting" that we'll have no sane choice but to switch out or opt for SN?

[Brooklyn Mama]

Okay, a couple things here. When we were starting the process for our daughter, the quota system was just being implemented. At that point, the wait from LID to Referral was 14 months. The year of quotas was responsible for shortening the wait considerably (9 months for us, and 6 months at the fastest). So, I'm not freaking out about the wait times increasing at this point - it seems like it is inevitable without the quota system in place. (But I have tremendous sympathy for all of you guys who are going through this wait, believe me!)

The other thing is, I feel like there's some amount of "spin" happening from China. I also don't really believe that domestic adoption is taking off to the extent that we are led to believe. But who knows? That's the tough thing - we just don't know.

[Lisa & Jeff]

I'm one of the one's just starting out with that March LID......GREAT! This just SUCK'S!
Believe me, I have heard the rumor before. I just know we have the same agency and hearing them say it suddenly make's it real!

[Jacquie]

I'm with you. Bullshit on the hundreds of years of ingrained thoughts on girls going out the window because suddenly they're encouraging domestic adoption. Not gonna happen that fast dudes. Try again.

[Kimmy]

After all this, my new focus is that maybe, just maybe our trips will overlap and we'll meet in GZ, babies strapped on like kangaroos, and have a nice, ice cold TsingTao in hand toasting, at long last, motherhood.

You'll have to meet us poolside or in the pool as that's where we plan on spending every non-scheduled moment!

Cheers to us......never too late to celebrate & I say we start right now! To hell with this purgatory-like wait, the limbo we're caught up in. To hell with the speculations, the rumors, the fracking 2 LID dates that our agency "gets" this month. To hell with it all. Celebrate now, tomorrow and the next however long we have. I'm living for today (that's how I feel right now).

Mimosa anyone ?

[Johnny]

Hmmmm.

[Journeywoman]

I'm looking at a July/August LID.

I'm terrifed that the program will close down.

[Shelli]

I have actually started researching the Vietnam program. Seriously. I have a February LID. I have no doubt that we will be waiting close to 2 years. That is a long wait...

[Jenny]

I am with Shelli. With my March LID, which now annoys me even more because All my paperwork was ready 3rd week in January, I just don't know what to do.

I really do believe it will be 18 months. When my agency director (tiny tiny agency) sends out an email telling us to be prepared to renew our I-600, that isn't anything good.

We too are looking into Vietnam but I am sure there is already a line forming and they will be up to 12 months in now time.

What the f*ck am I going to do now.