What I think
As I’ve said before, I view my role here as reporting any rumor that seems to be legitimately “out there”. That means I’d rather have more than one agency saying something before I report it, but if I have multiple people reporting something from a single agency that I respect then I’ll report something from only one agency.
It does not mean I get to decide not to report something just because I have my doubts about whether it will come to pass or not. It means I report everything as best I can without harming sources, and then let you decide what to do with it.
That’s part of the reason for the rumor ratings, so you can get an idea of how much weight I think a rumor deserves. Yesterday’s rumor was given an R2, which means I think we should keep an eye on it but I don’t think we should give it a whole lot of weight.
I’ve said before that something feels different with the latest round of “speed up sometime in the future but probably not this month” rumors. But that doesn’t mean the rumors are (or are not) going to come true this time, it just means it feels different.
I think that families need to be prepared for all of the possibilities. While a slight speed up may not feel very likely, I think families should look at their finances and make sure they are okay should it work out that way. If I were 60 or so log in days away from the current cut off date then my personal earliest and latest would probably be based on dividing by 14 and then dividing by 3. I think the 14 date would be a very (very) long shot, but I would want to be okay financially should it work out that way.
If I were 20 or 30 days away from the current cut off then at this point I’d probably divide by 2 and by 8 for my two outside dates. Again, this would be for a window to use for financial reasons, when planning where I needed to have funds and when they needed to be there. Dates to use for budgeting, not dates to hang your heart on.
I wholeheartedly agree with the whole “fool me once” thing that was posted in the comments over the weekend. Still, I think it might be wise to let the analytical part of your brain look at the rumor for budgeting purposes while you do everything you can to keep your heart protected.
March 16th, 2009 at 9:43 am
i agree with the “fool me once” about a speed up.
BUT, this rumor (started in january?) has been that it won’t happen for a few months. the implication meaning that we won’t see anything until april at the earliest and most likely not until june or the summer.
so i’ve been duped in the past about other rumors, but we can’t say this particular rumor hasn’t come to fruition yet since from the beginning it wasn’t supposed to happen for a few months.
March 16th, 2009 at 9:53 am
Very practical advice and very helpful. Thanks, RQ!
March 16th, 2009 at 10:00 am
Goodness it’s a rumor. That means it could be true or not true. We all know there is criteria for putting out a rumor, even a rating system.
March 16th, 2009 at 10:16 am
How I wish that were true KMS. The part about “we all know….” Unfortunately, not everyone gets that.
———–
And, Noendinsight, the way the rumors are worded, it could be late fall before we see this rumor come to fruition. Which makes it all the more cruel if it turns out to not be true, as it will be October or November before we can “for sure” put it behind us.
March 16th, 2009 at 10:21 am
f I were 60 or so log in days away from the current cut off date…
If I were 20 or 30 days away from the current cut off then at this point…
and if we are more than a year away from the current cut off date? i guess we should just brace ourselves for the long haul and figure that a lot of stuff can happen between now and then.
(LID 4/20/07)
March 16th, 2009 at 10:42 am
I think the main point is being lost in translation. With our first daughter, we took $7,000 with us. This time around, it’s gonna be more like $10,000. With the recession, and all the waiting that has taken place since 2006, if you are at all close, let’s hope you have money saved up, or at least have a means to get it.
March 16th, 2009 at 10:43 am
Thank you for the practical advice, RQ. With a LID of 4.5.06.we’ve “banked” so much on a January ‘10 or so referral that our financail plans reflect this. And though we’d prefer a speed-up, prefer that our daughter (and others!) not spend one more day away from her forever family, it’s working to our advantage – from just a financial perspective – to travel next fall or early spring. But it’s a good reminder that we’d better be ready if things change!
March 16th, 2009 at 10:55 am
we didn’t start until we had enough money banked for the entire adoption….so it’s been sitting in a savings account now for over three years. i am soooooooo ready to spend it!
March 16th, 2009 at 12:19 pm
……Well…I said it before…with only “9″ log in days to go….we are pretty sure we can say we are “in” for 2009….Our agency has told us a while ago to “have things” ready…..just in case kind of thinking…so, we tranfered a truck load of money..in preparation (in case) we get twins earlier this year…So, short of us packing a duffle bag with essentials, diapers and baby stuff and travel “meds”…we are ready to go…..We’d be ready to go tomorrow am..
March 16th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
Thanks RQ for the numbers, I think I have figured it out.
Murmarlene
Just wanted to know what is the requirements for Twins? Does it go by your income or how many children you have at home?
March 16th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
Interesting…..That makes sense.
If the speedup may not happen until Fall then I’m wondering if that is a clue as to when they will complete March. From Sept ‘05-March of ‘06 the CCAA was inundated with dossiers. For whatever reason there was a huge spike in dossiers during that time. In April there is a natural drop off and then even more so in consecutive months after April. This combined with attrition, all points to a speed up happening after they refer March. So perhaps, March is the end of the bubble. With a prediction of a speed up coming in late summer/fall then that may suggest they plan on having March done by the Fall.
I hope, I hope, I hope.
March 16th, 2009 at 1:29 pm
Jaclyn,
That seems logical to me. I guess all we can do is sit back and wait and see.
The rumors these past few weeks have motivated me to get back to working on some of my “nesting” projects. I commissioned a friend, who is an artist, to do the drawing for the mural in Ash’s room. Then I plan on painting it. I’m expecting some gift certificates for my b-day and I’m going to use them to buy some of the parenting and attachment books.
March 16th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
I’d be happy to be done wiith March by Sept!!!!
LID 3/27/06
March 16th, 2009 at 2:50 pm
Hi Shamrock,
Let’s see if I can give you a synopsis to qualify for twins:
- Must be childless
- Assets > 1,000,000.00 (Canadian Qualifications)
- Income > 300,000.00 annually
- We had to produce registered documents to support such as deeds, acct’s etc..
- MLOA of one year
- Make a committment/plan of care such as day care, governess.
Hope this answers your question in brief. We actually were logged in x1 and when we had to redo our home study …it was then our SW said “Do you know you qualify for twins”..so our ministry approval form states we are qualified for a single or twins under the age of 12 months…so we said “why not”…now I’m thinking “oh boy..life is going to get busy”. Just qualifying for twins does not mean you GET them…because depends who/what is aval at matching and how the CCAA sees the match…
March 16th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
Murmarlene
Thank you so much for the information. We are in the US and are waiting waiting waiting!!!
I just don’t know what MLOA means?
Hope it all speeds up for you.
Louise
LID 06/02/2006
March 16th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
Dear Shamrock..
…ooppps..it must be a Canadian thing.. Maternal Leave of Absence (MLOA) for those having their own children or PLOA ( Paternal Leave of Absence) for those who have adopted……these acronmys are used commonly…In Canada everyone is entitled to a one year paid maternity leave. If you work your employment benifit is based on your pay. Your position is secure and they must save your job so you can return or one of equal value. In addition, if you are a RN, teacher etc our union “tops” up our leave up to 86% of our wages for six months. Now, the PLOA , is the same with one year off, but we get 9 months of employment benifits instead of 12 months. My place of employment will top up my wage for three months…So, to the answer the “twin” question, we committed to one year off as a PLOA. ( i think i said MLOA but they are used synomously)
March 16th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
…and yes….I know what your thinking paid MLOA/PLOA. ???? …….yes everyone can actually take two years off with the second not paid…and still have to guarented your job…under our Human Rights Code….Of course this costs the government ++++$$$$$ so, we inadvertantly pay HUGE taxes 30-50%… but that allows us for free health care too…wait times are an issue but it is still free..
March 16th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
upyernoz, I think what RQ means is that if you don’t have an unlimited supply of income, that it’s a good idea to do the math to find a rough proximity to referral as you calculate your budget. For example, we just bought a new car. We needed one, it was a great deal, and we had the money onhand to work it out. However, if we had been within 9 months or a year to referral, we would have made do with our old car and put that money into a safe savings account. With a 3/07 LID, I get a shiny new car for a couple of years and feel confident that when we get our referral, we won’t be financially strapped and wishing we hadn’t bought the car after all.
With a 4/07 LID, you should probably buckle in for the long haul regardless of your financial situation, as should we with a 3/07 LID *sigh*.
March 16th, 2009 at 6:30 pm
Also, Upyernoz, I just realized your username is “up yer nose.” That’s hilarious!! Thanks for the laugh!
March 16th, 2009 at 6:56 pm
Hey hey RQ, what do you mean when you say “It feels different?”
Thanks~
wBw
March 16th, 2009 at 11:25 pm
I know people who have recieved twins who do not make $300,000 and do not have $1,000,000 in assets. We “qualfied” and were approved for twins aswell. At the time twins were not available but two months later from the same orphanage friends of ours (above) recieved their twin girls .They did not even ask for twins…so ..China is what China does, they do what they feel what is right for the children…and yes this was in Canada.
March 16th, 2009 at 11:31 pm
Murmarlene
Thanks for the information. Thats great for you to be able to take the time off work to spend with your children.
Fingers crossed for lots of referrals!!!!!!
Louise
March 17th, 2009 at 12:01 am
mumarlene, not “everyone” in Canada gets maternal or parental leave – you have to be an arm’s-length employee. So I am self-employed, DH is my employee, and we don’t get any mat/parental leave (of course we don’t pay into EI, but then we aren’t allowed to). I took a grand total of 3 weeks off when we adopted the first time – hope I can stretch it to 4 or 5 this second time….Enjoy your benefits!
cangirl in the BC Rockies – LID 15/06/2006
March 17th, 2009 at 8:34 am
I live in Canada and can only have 35 weeks of Maternal leave and I work for the public school board. I pay high deductions but still only get that amoount. I still have not figured out why we get less. I really want to stay home for 1 year to help her adjust to life here in Canada.
March 17th, 2009 at 8:58 am
CanGirl,
My comments about the MLOA/PLOA were generated surrounding a questions about twins…and as far as the qualifications thats what was explained to us…. no offense to the leave in which I am entitled as I do work and own a private businness in farming…I would still take one year off working or private business owner………
March 17th, 2009 at 9:43 am
MOST people in the US only get up to 12 weeks when they give birth with only 4-6 of them paid.
For adoption, most people can take up to 12 weeks off unpaid as part of the family medical leave act. Some people aren’t able to get any time off other than vacation if they work for small companies. Some companies offer some paid adoption leave, but that’s their choice, there is no law or anything…
March 17th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
mumarlene:
Fair enough – I wasn’t trying to offend either. I was just wanting to point out to the US readers that not “every” Canadian gets mat/pat leave – and with more and more of us self-employed and with unions’ influence seeming to diminish (remember all those strikes in the ’70’s & ’80’s? I can’t even remember the last time Canada Post went on strike, & they seemed to go on strike all the time when I was a kid!), there are more of us who don’t have those types of benefits…