Confusion
Are they on the way? One agency says they are on the way, several agencies say they will be here before the weekend, and yet another agency says the CCAA told them that they have not been mailed yet. Will we see them tomorrow? I certainly hope so. The CCAA has lied before and told an agency they have not been mailed only to have them show up the next day. I’m not sure what they hope to gain by doing that, because when the referrals show up we know that a lie was told and they lose credibility. We don’t know for sure what’s going on this time, but since they’ve lied about it before it puts what they are saying into question now. If they even said it. I guess we’ll know for sure tomorrow.
What is the cut off? I don’t know. We’ve heard that it’s the 7th, we’ve heard that the 12th isn’t included. And yet there are several agencies who are still saying it’s going to be a very big month (or we’re going to get a big surprise, or that this is the biggest month they have done in a long time).
Why has the site not been updated if they have been mailed? I wish I knew. It seems that they are now waiting for the last possible moment to change the site. And I don’t understand that. It seemed that they used to change it as soon as they had the for sure cut-off. We know that they want everyone to know the cut-off at the same time, and it just seems to me that posting the information on their web page as soon as the information becomes available would be the way to make sure that happens. That way we would all know it at the same time, and if it’s posted there as soon as the information is available then it would be impossible for anyone to know it sooner. For some reason they don’t seem to want us to know the information until the very last possible moment, and I truly don’t understand why that might be.
But, back to this batch of referrals: What do I think? I think they will arrive tomorrow and the cut off date will be the 7th or 8th. But that’s not a sure thing. It’s part analysis, part rumors, a lot of convoluted logic, and a little teeny bit WAG. I really hope I’m wrong and that they’ve gotten farther, but I’m not counting on it.
But as TG said, the proverbial extra rotund female operatic singer hasn’t started belting out another tune yet.
November 29th, 2006 at 7:28 am
RQ, what the heck is up with all the secrets and not wanting adopting families to know what’s going on? I would think that they are just as happy as we are since the children finally have homes. Is it a cultural difference? Have the agencies blown their minds with questions? Any way I hope for everyone sake we get AOS….and a little October would be great! Heck there’s no reason to lose hope and not be optimistic what can we lose?
November 29th, 2006 at 7:31 am
I think they’ll arrive tomorrow or Friday (no particular knowledge, just my guess, my agency predicted early next week but said it was just a guess). I’m sticking with the 8th (which was my guess I put on the Bright Outlooks site right after the last batch of referrals). The 7th is probably most accurate, I’d like to hope for more, but I’ve stayed off the rollarcoaster this time.
November 29th, 2006 at 7:32 am
For all the BTDTs in the group, (and especially those of you from the large China-only agency whose HQs is in a high, often snowy city…hint, hint TG) how long between when the referrals “arrive” and we actually get “THE CALL”?
If they really do arrive tomorrow (Thursday), will we (insert the pronoun “I” here) have to wait until the weekend or Monday to see her face? I work a second job at nights on the weekends and don’t know if I should realistically expect to see her face before Friday night. Any info would be helpful,
Thanks,
Laureen
November 29th, 2006 at 7:35 am
Hi RQ … i can’t work…. I have my mind in the CCAA….
I was was longing for you RQ …. here in Mallorca it’s 13.35 h. some agency are waiting the referrals before the weekend and some agency after…. ahhhhh ….. “Confusion” is the perfect word…
We have LID 09.07. ….. i want that that they’ve gotten farther in days of September… please, please, please… let it be true !!! C’mon CCAA !!!
LID 09.07. http://www.mallorcaweb.net/esquiterell
November 29th, 2006 at 7:37 am
RQ- Did you ever find out what the LID’s were of those agency’s giving cut-off rumors? Does their LID’s match their rumor?
November 29th, 2006 at 7:37 am
I think each month is bringing less and less information. I feel like we are all still in the dark. We went from at least having some credible rumors a few months back, to this month, which has been the quietest month ever!! What is going on. Boy, China sure fixed all their leaks in the ship!! I am still holding out hope for a really big month! Hey, why not? The way I see it we have just as much a chance at that as we do of the 7th! CCAA has to start picking up the pace! Don’t they? :(
November 29th, 2006 at 7:37 am
It seems that CCAA doesn’t like the rumors and leaks that gets out. So…. why don’t they just hurry up and post the cut-off date as soon as they know it so that there won’t be any more rumors or leaks- the truth would be out?
Still pulling for AOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
His,
Mrs. U
LID 9-12-05
http://www.makingahouseahome.blogspot.com
November 29th, 2006 at 7:53 am
I’m still holding on to the AOS or AAOS rumor!! I believe in miracles and this is the time of year for miracles, so why not us and why not NOW??????
Antoher 9/12er
November 29th, 2006 at 7:53 am
It’s possible the CCAA has some other motivation besides not wanting us to know what’s going on.
If they are run anything like my office, there’s only one guy who can change the website, and if he’s lazy, or sick, then it just doesn’t get done.
Perhaps its simply good old inefficiency?
:P
November 29th, 2006 at 7:56 am
I’ve been up since 4:45. First thing I did was check out RQ. I’ve since checked at least 3 times, and the the CCAA site. Nothing :( I pray today is a good day for rumors. I’m still holding out that the “big month” rumor is true! Come on CCAA, those babies need their mama’s and daddys!!
LID 9/27/05
November 29th, 2006 at 7:57 am
about on my way to work here…where, I’ll be not focused on work, but on seeing if we got our CA this morning….among other things. go figure. LOL
M2I- (looks like a Tom Cruise movie title)
ummm the way the particular agency works is that if referrals arrive to them today…you’d get the call tomorrow. if they arrive Friday, then yes you’ll have to wait until Monday for ‘the call’. Simply because (as I found out) they contact the orphanage directors to verify all the information the night (next day in China) of when the referrals arrive. In our case, the referrals arrived to them on 11/2 and we got our call just after 10am 11/3.
We can’t wait to hear and see about your little one! As well as all the others that will be in this next group.
well, off to work (it snowed quite a bit last night and more today supposedly) in the winter wonderland. :)
p.s. I’m honoured to have had something I said referenced last night and this morning. Although it’s like totally cracking me up that you guys did! LOL XieXie!!!!
November 29th, 2006 at 7:58 am
Here is my take on the secrets and lies…
I have been studying Chinese culture so I can better educate our daughter and one of the themes in most of the literature points to something referred to as Little Emporer syndrome when it comes to Chinese people that work for state agencies. They have a little power and use it to lord over their own countrymen, but especially foreignors. They will take their time performing services while making the recipient feel like they are receiving some huge thing. In the case of adopting parents, we are receiving a huge thing. In many of our cases, the “hugest” of our lives. It is not seen as a bad thing, only a cultural difference. In other areas, Chinese people that work in a free-market type of business are all about customer service, while those that work for state-run businesses don’t really care about customer service. So, we may be caught up in this whole power struggle and beings that we are foreignors, only makes it more so. Again, this is not my opinion and I may be way off base here, but thought it seemed worth mentioning as I have read it so many times. Oh, the other reference to Little Emporer has been about the single child whose parents dote on and spoil “him” with great gusto because they only have the one child.
November 29th, 2006 at 8:03 am
Bliss - thanks for the encouragement - I did indeed mean that our agency said they didn’t think Sept 13 (us) would be in THIS batch. Heck, we BETTER be in the NEXT one !!!!!
I’m so eager to get a nice surprise this week - it doesn’t seem realistic though - DH is telling me all the good things about travel in early March, assuming we only hear in a month. Less air traffic as the holiday there is over, great way to start a new Chinese year, it will be warmer so less bulky clothing to pack thus more space in the luggage to bring things back…..
ya ya ya, BRING ON THE REFERRAL !!! Hee hee hee !!!
I insist on holding out for AOS !!!!
Chris
November 29th, 2006 at 8:09 am
Thanks TG!
M2I (Love the Tom Cruise reference) I was actually in Prague with my students ont he bridge where one of the MI scenes was filmed.
Well, I have my annual observation and evaluation by the principal in less then 2 hours. Hmm..I wonder if it will count against me that I should be at school in 3 minutes but am, instead, still in my robe sitting at a computer at home.
TTFN!
Laureen
8/30/05 for Miss Isabel Grace
http://www.babysites.com/sites.laureenmary
November 29th, 2006 at 8:10 am
RQ, have the agencies that said all or most of August repeated that lately, or just not retracted what they said last week? Do we have any indication that they still think that’s true? As a 9/29 LID, I would so love for them to get far enough into September that we could feel fairly confident of being next!
November 29th, 2006 at 8:11 am
Our small agency e-mailed us yesterday afternoon and said that BLAS had contacted them and said that the referrals had been sent and that they had very good reason to believe that there were referrals for our agency included. Our LID is Sept. 5th, 2005. Our agency director seemed to think they should have them in hand on Thursday. From the e-mail we received, it sounded as if our agency felt very confident about the referrals being sent. Our agency does not tell us ANYTHING unless it is pretty much a “for sure”. They never want to get their family’s hopes up, then have them crushed by reporting something that ends up not being true.
November 29th, 2006 at 8:13 am
I’ve been up since 4:45, and of course the first thing I did was check our RQ, and then the CCAA site. I’m still praying for the ” big month” rumor. Come on CCAA! those babies need their mama’s and daddy’s!!
LID 9/27/05
November 29th, 2006 at 8:13 am
Mom4Tori-
Thanks for the info.The reference to the Little Emperor sounds like my former spouse.
I’ll “clothes” for now!
:-)
Laureen
[I know, I know...these puns are becoming un"bare"able. Tee hee.]
November 29th, 2006 at 8:14 am
Had a very wierd dream last night that we got to China and everyone else received their babies, except me. It was very wierd-so wierd I won’t go into too many details- but maybe it is a reflection of the way we feel (or at least, I feel) about referrals never coming….waiting, waiting, waiting for CCAA to finally let us know we’ve been matched. I woke up cranky as the dream, although extremely unrealistic, seemed so real. Okay, by so wierd I mean I was asking visiting American Idol stars to help me get my baby by using their “star” status :) I think I have finally gone off the deep end…..
Meg
LID 9/29
November 29th, 2006 at 8:17 am
Meg,
When we were waiting for our first, I used to have similar dreams. We’d get to China, and we’d be given a 25 year old, or a puppy, or once even a cricket.
Now, I love puppies, but who wants to parent a stupid CRICKET????
November 29th, 2006 at 8:19 am
Meg: thanks for the smile. I love the American Idol connection - too funny!! I am a “freak” when it comes to that show so its something like would happen to me. I haven’t had any baby dreams yet. I guess my mind is in “frozen” mode.
This is all too strange this month.
Deb
LID: Sep 7
http://www.bringinghomeolivia.blogspot.com
November 29th, 2006 at 8:22 am
After I wrote the previous message, I went to take a shower to get ready for my job, but since this more important, I decided to take a minute to write what I was just thinking about. I do my best thinking in the shower. Think about how state and federal agencies in this country work. It takes some states months to get an I171H form out. If you go to the license branch, plan on spending at least 2 hours. We have all read about the frustrating times parents have when trying to obtain social security numbers for adopted children because the person behind the counter either didn’t want to deal with them or didn’t know what they were doing. Remember the House Bill submitted by Ms. Wilson in N Mexico about extending the I171H length? We all wrote our letters, but nothing ever happened. In many cases, I was contacted by one of the offices saying they would take it under advisement. Well, in all these cases government workers oftentimes just don’t care or have a power trip going on. Sadly many of these people are elected by us. And certainly our government is no better at telling the truth or giving information.
I hope what I have written this morning is not offensive to anyone on the site as I dread being flamed, I only offer it as a way of understanding what MIGHT be going on with getting conflicting information from CCAA and although I am dying along with the rest of you to get my referral, we just cannot lose hope and maybe, just maybe try to understand the thought process of a government agency in a foreign country that has the paperwork that we so much desire that will lead to the child that will fulfill our dreams.
November 29th, 2006 at 8:24 am
I really thought our referral was coming b/c a few nights ago I had my first baby dream. When we went to China and met our baby, she was HUGE, like bigger than my 6 year old. We could not figure out how we were going to carry her. With both my bio kiddos I had a crazy baby dream right before I went into labor. With my son, I kept dreaming that I gave birth to a chicken! I felt the same way as DragonMom, who wants to parent a chicken?
November 29th, 2006 at 8:38 am
mom4tori,
I don’t find what you wrote offensive in the least. Thank you for taking the time to explain this. It makes a lot of sense. Now, I wish that extra round female operatic singer would start belting out her tune…..Good or bad, I just want to know the cut off!
November 29th, 2006 at 8:38 am
So, in a round about way are we saying that last month they did 16 days and this month they are doing 10. So basically a DECREASE in referrals?
November 29th, 2006 at 8:43 am
Sorry for the double post :)
November 29th, 2006 at 8:47 am
Has this not been the longest week ever? Sophia is tugging on her thread, and I need to see her.
LID 8-30-05
November 29th, 2006 at 8:57 am
Ok - I am suited up for you September LID’s! The Lucky Mommy shirt is on! Praying/Hoping for the good rumors to hold true for a change! Good luck out there!
Blessings, DJR (10/24)
November 29th, 2006 at 8:57 am
Kennyt -I agree! This week seems soooo long while waiting! I can’t pry myself away from the computer. My stomach is doing flops! I’m afraid when the call finally does come- I’m going to get sick. No coffee for me today! J-
November 29th, 2006 at 9:07 am
hopefull - thought so ;-). Cause I’m going to be in the NEXT one as well!
November 29th, 2006 at 9:11 am
Mom4tori, please don’t think you have to agonize over every word or you might be attacked. One of the nice things about this site is that folks seem to generally be able to exercise some kindness and give others the benefit of the doubt. In any case, you didn’t say anything offensive as far as I’m concerned, surely there are cultural differences that make the CCAA’s actions inexplicable to us sometimes, and it’s helpful to gain perspective as to what those might be. I can’t figure out whether it’s power tripping, some kind of “face” issue I don’t fully understand, or as DragonMom said, just plain inefficiency that causes the CCAA to sit on noncontroversial info. the way they do. Maybe some combination of the above. It occurs to me to wonder whether it’s simply a case that some staffers there are in the loop and others aren’t, hence the misinformation.
Just waiting for that horizontally challenged opera singer to start warbling.
November 29th, 2006 at 9:24 am
Ok, here’s my guess on why the CCAA doesn’t want to post. Maybe someone above thought of this, and I am apologize for repeating if someone else did.
Our agencies throughout the world have asked the CCAA not to update the site until the last possible second when they have the referrals in hand at their office and they are ready to make the “calls.”
Here’s what may have happened in the past. CCAA updates the website. Agencies don’t have the packets yet. Parents to be call, flock, camp out, accost agencies to get their pictures/files of their babies. I mean if CCAA updates their website in 2 years. And my small agency doesn’t have the packet. That’s what I am doing. I want to be there the minute my agency is ready to give it to me. And I”ll be calling to say when can I drive by to get it.
Thus if website is not updated. The agencies have a degree more control over the whole situation.
Hann23
LID 9/13/06
November 29th, 2006 at 9:26 am
T & G -
Thought of you guys last night as I was watching Charlie Brown’s Christmas…. the Snoopy Dance took on a whole new meaning!! I was studying Snoopy’s “moves” very closely to make sure I have my dance all mapped out for when we get our referral. What a great Christmas special - it warms my heart every year!! Hope that your planning for your trip is going well - take care!!
November 29th, 2006 at 9:30 am
RQ, I wonder if the agencies that are saying it will be the biggest month they have had in a while is just an indication that they had more DTC batches going out. My agency sends DTC batches less frequently in the summer months; the number of DTC batches goes up significantly once Sept rolls around. We have had months of no referrals b/c there were no LIDs for the referral time frame, but could have as many as 3 LID groups getting referrals this month even if CCAA only goes through 9/12.
November 29th, 2006 at 9:33 am
Hello All-
I am a 1st time poster but have been reading/lurking for a few weeks. We are not even DTC yet…and I am already addicted! I am not an eternal optimist, however, I refuse to believe the wait can keep going up….and up and up. Denial? Maybe. I think the delay in getting the referrals out are just because the CCAA is working on a TON! AOS! That’s my story….and I’m sticking to it!
Keeping all of you and our babies in constant prayers!
M
November 29th, 2006 at 9:35 am
waitingforOliviaFL -
thank you so much for your thoughts! we unfortunately missed that last night (okay, I forgot it was on) and instead watched the Avalanche get spanked by Calgary. (ugh)
I’ve always loved watching both the Charlie Brown Christmas and the Halloween show (I got a rock…)
Keep up the practice on that Snoopy Dance! It’ll be an awesome moment!
November 29th, 2006 at 9:35 am
I am wearing my ladybug earrings today, using my ladybug pen, and both my DH and I have beannie ladybugs riding in our vehicles, so bring on those referrals already!
Oh yeah, and I am looking at the funny roller coaster picture from mom2isabel’s site that I have sitting on my desk. My stomach is so nervous I feel like I am on that roller coaster with those guys!
November 29th, 2006 at 9:37 am
oh, forgot…and our packing and planning is going well. We’re hoping hoping hoping that we get our CA today and know at least for sure when we’re leaving and returning….
then the fun begins… :)
November 29th, 2006 at 9:39 am
OK -
Sorry everyone that my post was sooo “off topic”. Hoping that September LIDs can do their “Snoopy Dance” really soon!!
November 29th, 2006 at 9:42 am
Dragonmom,
OMG…I had a dream that we got to China and were given a 5 month old baby boy…..spider! And we weren’t shocked that it was a spider…We were shocked it was a boy!
Then there was the one were we got the three girls, ranging in age from 18 months to 9 years old…at least now that we have our referral, we know she isn’t a boy spider…there aren’t three of her…
Here’s to CCAA suprising everyone this month! Last month the rumors pointed to the 23rd, and they got through the 25th.
November 29th, 2006 at 9:45 am
hann23 — good point/guess as to why the CCAA might not post the “referrals through” date until most agencies would have the packet. I don’t like it, but it does make sense. :-)
Pam C
LID 9/9/05 and giving up hope (almost!) for this round
November 29th, 2006 at 9:45 am
Its been 27 days since the last batch of referrals, according to data posted elsewhere on this site. The referrals come about monthly, but eight of the last nine batches have been more than 27 days after the previous batch. So maybe we are jumping the gun expecting a batch of referrals so soon after the last batch.
November 29th, 2006 at 9:45 am
it’s never off topic to discuss the Snoopy Dance. :)
November 29th, 2006 at 9:47 am
SPIDER??
Oh, I’m seriously creeped out now. The only thing worse than spiders…..
is clowns.
Iksnay on the ownclays.
November 29th, 2006 at 9:48 am
referrals were reported as being completed alittle over a week before agencies actually received them. so I think it’s technically been at least 34 days since the CCAA did the last batch. just my thoughts. no offense to you Number Cruncher. Especially since I suck at figuring out statistics. :)
November 29th, 2006 at 9:48 am
T & G -
Hope that your CA comes soon - I can’t even imagine how excited you guys must be… I would be loosing my mind right about now. I finally saw your page over the weekend with your adorable baby - her expressions are so cute!
Hilarious… (I got a rock) LOL!!
November 29th, 2006 at 9:50 am
Good news or bad, I just really want to know before the weekend.
Every month, I would see the posts/blogs from families on the cusp who missed it by a day or two, and I somehow always felt that we would be in that boat as well. If it weren’t the holiday season, I don’t think it would be so hard, but not seeing her face before Christmas will really hurt. I can’t imagine writing our Christmas letter this year, so it may be a New Year’s letter this time…
Trying to stay hopeful!
Lee, 9-9-05 LID
November 29th, 2006 at 9:56 am
Yeah, this would really suck if we have to wait till Monday to hear anything. I am sorry folks. We need some drano to get a faucet to run a little more in the future.
November 29th, 2006 at 10:02 am
drano…LOL I like that!
roto-rooter would work…
or, dare I say….
colon-blow?
November 29th, 2006 at 10:16 am
The CCAA does appear to be suffering from a severe case of “information constipation”… but I think Hann23’s notion that the agencies may have requested the CCAA not update the web site until referrals are in hand makes sense. Not too sure the CCAA would pay attention to the agency requests, though.
November 29th, 2006 at 10:18 am
there is no way CCAA would pay attention to an agency’s request!
November 29th, 2006 at 10:26 am
I would tend to agree with GraciesMom in this case.
they might listen to a request…even say they’ll consider it…but I think the CCAA is in full control of what they do ..including the website administration.
well, there might be just a little input from the Ministry of Civil Affairs… lol
November 29th, 2006 at 10:30 am
Lee - We are also LID 9/9 and agree that extending the wait over the Christmas holiday just adds insult to injury. It seems so cruel that we were told a six month wait when we started, will probably not get a referral until almost month 16 — and then the real kicker is that travel will be delayed due to CNY! We always thought we’d go to China around March - we just had the YEAR wrong!
All the rumors of “at least through the 7th” and “not including the 12th” really leave us September 8th and 9th folks in the DARK!
November 29th, 2006 at 10:32 am
hann23 - I think you’ve got a good point. Even if the CCAA won’t consider the agencies request — what if the CCAA just doesn’t want to be bothered with a bunch of questions from agenices in the interim, between when the cut off is posted and the referrals arrive in the mail?
But, as a webmaster myself, I think it’s just as likely, as previously suggested, that the guy/gal who updates the website is just out sick or something. :)
wheresmygirl
November 29th, 2006 at 10:50 am
GleasonBaby -
Yeah, somehow the holidays are just making this worse. I had to laugh at your “China in March” comment, since we were just having that same conversation at our house. We went to our travel orientation meeting this past March. If you had told me then that we wouldn’t travel for another year, I would have needed heavy sedation. Heck, that doesn’t sound like a bad option right now!
November 29th, 2006 at 11:17 am
Does anyone know the dates of the beggining to end of CNY holiday’s?? Our agency emailed us and said we wouldn’t travel until after CNY and I thought it wasn’t until late Feb??
Thanks,
Deb
BTW: I’ll grab the email and post
November 29th, 2006 at 11:53 am
DragonMom -
Couldn’t agree with you more about those scary folks with the painted white faces. I was afraid of them as a kid and I still loathe them now! Just hoping my daughter won’t be a big fan of the circus!
Thinking of all you August and September folks and looking forward to all those beautiful referral pictures.
TJ
10.18.05
November 29th, 2006 at 12:00 pm
Not to get all technical or controlling about who said what, but I believe I posted the commment about the “extra rotund female operatic singer…” I only wish I had said it in as diplomatic a way as RQ. (I was a little worried about offending someone, but hoped peope would understand.) Regardless, it would be my honour to be confused with TG (except for the change in gender LOL).
PT
November 29th, 2006 at 12:20 pm
Dragonmom–crickets are good luck (ref. Jiminy Cricket–A dream is a wish your heart makes–is that the line??) Ladybugs don’t have it ALL goin’ on–