Everyone Needs an Optimist

There is so much uncertainty withing the VN adoption world right now. The 1-600 approval process is taking much longer than it is supposed to and the referrals have all but come to a screeching halt. For awhile we were seeing our agency place at least a few children a month and now there has been no activity since last summer/fall. We used to wonder when, now we wonder if.

From the United States Government:
"Discussions about revision and renewal of the Agreement are a priority for both governments, but there is no certainty a new Agreement will be in place on September 1. In view of the processing time required in Vietnam from placement to the Giving and Receiving Ceremony, an adoption process begun now cannot be completed before the current Agreement expires. We do not know whether the Government of Vietnam will continue to process pending cases if the current Agreement expires before a new Agreement takes effect. Moreover, given concerns about the existing level of protection for children in Vietnam, it is unlikely that the Agreement can be renewed in its current form.


I try to hold on to any small piece of information that could be positive. We learned today that VN may not honor all of us that have dossiers in Vietnam if the agreement between VN and the US expires. I am forever grateful that I married an optimist. Dana is an optimist to the core and I have never appreciated that as much as I do lately. Still the constant unknowns are heart wrenching. The only way that I can explain this situatino to those that aren't in the adoption circle is that I would guess this is like being permanently in your first trimester of a pregnancy....walking that fine line between being so excited and being terrified that something could go wrong.

So for now, we have no idea how this journey is going to end. I can only be thankful that I have Dana's optimism to feed off of. But I know it wouldn't hurt for everyone to keep all of us that are in this crazy world of unknowns in your thoughts!

Yes We Can

Watch this video by Will I. Am from the Black Eyed Peas

WE GOT OUR NUMBER!!!!

February 27th was an exciting day for Kara and I. We received word from Orphans Overseas that our dossier was out of translation and we got our official wait list number. I guess this would mean a lot more if we knew there were placements being made, but for now we are excited. It is any one's guess when we will actually get a referral. I am holding out for this year.