Hurry up and Wait!

During an adoption, there is a lot of things to do.  That list has grown since our first adoptions.  The Hague has created additional hurdles to jump through.  It is all there to protect the children.  Everyday I have Angie telling about some form or other that needs to be filled out, notarized, sent off, etc.  It is an ongoing process. 

I would just be happy to fill out one application, pick out or be matched with a child and go get them.  It's not that easy.  It is sort of like pregnancy.  We have nine months of paperwork and waiting.  A lot of times, I get the hurry from my wife and I comply.  Then I ask frantically, What's next?  She says, "I send it off and we wait".  In our first adoption, we were waiting for a healthy child.  There are many steps after your paperwork is sent off to China.  The final stage is the matching stage.  I remember getting our child's picture.  We rushed our response to the adoption agency that we wanted her.  This was in August, I believe.  I thought by the next month we would be on a plane.  I was wrong.  We had to wait on other families and things to be set up.  As the holidays approached, I was wondering if we would have to wait until the new year. 

I was wrong.  I was thinking in terms of American holidays, not Chinese.  Thanksgiving and Christmas are either not celebrated, since one is an American holiday, or not celebrated by all.  We got our word of when we would travel.  It was to be the day after Thanksgiving.  The only time we seem to avoid in travelling was the Chinese holidays, like new year or moon festival. 

After researching, I found out why.  During these holidays, all of China goes home to celebrate with their families.  They take any form of transportation that they can either afford or get on.  I have heard people wait up to a week in line to get on a train.  If they miss out, it may be many months before they see their family again.    So, travel would be impossible and highly expensive. 

After all is said and done, in the end we have a beautiful child.  My wife seems to enjoy the paperwork and stress of it all.  For me, it gets me depressed.  I just want all of it filled out and am ready to travel to bring this child home.  But, I know I will have to wait, while I rush to fill out my assigned paperwork.