Friday, December 10, 2004
We got "the call"
Today our social worked at Sunny Ridge left a message at the house. Stacy called her back, and heard the news that our referral paperwork has arrived. Our little girl's name is Qiansang. She is 16 months old and is currently in the Social Welfare Institute of Shangrao, which is a city in Jiangxi province. This map shows where Jiangxi province is in China (north of Hong Kong, south-west of Shanghai). Stacy called me in the car to tell me the news. I had just returned from a business trip and was driving out of the airport when the phone rang, so she asked me to pull over before giving me the news.
We're both thrilled of course, but we now have to wait about 10 days for the paperwork to be translated before we learn any more. Once this is complete we will see whatever information is available about her, and we will also see a photograph. This should happen on December 20th or shortly thereafter. I think that's when it will really sink in.
Usually the trip to China takes place four to six weeks after the referral. In our case this would be right in the middle of Chinese New Year when everything shuts down for a couple of weeks, so we're hoping to travel in mid-January if everything moves quickly. Otherwise it will probably be mid-February.
We've heard that several other members of our dossier group also received word today, and others will probably hear on Monday.
The first thing the social worker asked us was to promise we won't *really* call her Smirnoff. Fair enough. We're considering a number of names, including Skye. Or possibly Skyy. :-)
We're both thrilled of course, but we now have to wait about 10 days for the paperwork to be translated before we learn any more. Once this is complete we will see whatever information is available about her, and we will also see a photograph. This should happen on December 20th or shortly thereafter. I think that's when it will really sink in.
Usually the trip to China takes place four to six weeks after the referral. In our case this would be right in the middle of Chinese New Year when everything shuts down for a couple of weeks, so we're hoping to travel in mid-January if everything moves quickly. Otherwise it will probably be mid-February.
We've heard that several other members of our dossier group also received word today, and others will probably hear on Monday.
The first thing the social worker asked us was to promise we won't *really* call her Smirnoff. Fair enough. We're considering a number of names, including Skye. Or possibly Skyy. :-)
