Referral Rumors ("it's that time again...")

To give you a sense of what the past 12-16 months have been like for us, waiting-wise, the next round of referrals, which are due the first week of November, are already generating rumors about the cut off date. (That's the last log in date included in the particular batch of referrals, posted by the China Center of Adoption Affairs every month. Last set went through November 30, 2005; our LID is December 12, 2005.) Once again, it appears that we're very close to actually seeing a referral!

However, a little over a year ago, I was fairly certain we would receive a referral in December (that's December 06, friends). In April, Dave and I were expecting a referral by July, maybe June if we were lucky, or August at the latest. It's October. No referral. You get the idea. (Think of Lucy pulling the football away from Charlie Brown just as he runs up to kick it with all his might).

So, let me share the latest rumor headlines, because in addition to giving you a sense of our exquisite angst at this point, we may also be sharing a picture of our daughter with you all soon. Because hey, you've been waiting a long time too!

These are comments from other waiting families on my December LID listserv....

First rumor's are appearing....Check out the queens site

Re: Take a look at this!!! I got it off the "Spanish Rumor Queen" si...Its answer has been very positive and the truth that did not expect that a so optimistic version gave us. It has said us that he believes that the cut of the allocations can go beyond the I gave 10 of December! (translated from Spanish)

Hi everyone!! With a 12/7/05 LID, I am trying SO hard
not to get my hopes up...but then I keep thinking, "If
the early rumors are saying the 10th, then have HAVE
to be able to get through atleast the 7th, right"??
LOL

Trying so hard to stay calm....

yes i saw it too on a french forum !!!
i hope it is true :!!!!!go go go december !!!!!!

Now she's saying the cut off is 12/12.

This is exciting. I will be beyond ecstatic if the cutoff is the 10th-- if they go beyond the 10th I may pass out!!

Rumors are the cut-off is the 12th!!

That would be so cool, but I too am trying not to get my hopes up in the event that they only get through a few days as usual.

She is saying referrals will go through the 12th with a very slim chance they will go to the 13th. She's rating it a '9'.

I can hardly believe that in a weeks time I will be able to see a picture of my baby girl!!!! Come on with those referrals!!

this one sent me over the edge, as did the one several months ago that was an R3 claiming that there was going to be a "big" batch based on people at the CCAA being in a good mood and seeing lots of baby files or something. After the latter example, I pretty much write all the rumors off.

The Spanish site is now confirming that the 12th is definitely in, and saying there is a slim possibility for the 13th (although the site does say that's a *very* slim possibility and not likely).

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT'S FINALLY OUR MONTH!!! :)
I still can't believe this is happening. Let's all start getting prepared! It's never to early to start packing.

Re: Rumors are the cut-off is the 12th!! - Charlie Brown Syndrome...
When we started this adoption, we expected a 6 to 8 month wait because that's what it had been and our second referral was only a six-month wait. We were excited when our documents were sent and when we found out when they were logged in, but then knew there wasn't too much to do for the next several months.

When the referral rates started to drop off I was still optimistic
for a few months but then it began to become obvious the wait was
going to be a much longer than we first expected. After over a year
of disappointing monthly reports, it has done something to me as
well. I think it's the Charlie Brown syndrome. "Lucy" has pulled
the football out from under me one too many times, yet I still try
to kick it each month.

How do you know?
How do you know if your referral is on the way? I've seen pictures of people sitting in lawn chairs in their driveway waiting for the FedEx guy. How do they know that the delivery will be that day? Who tells them? For us, it cannot be our agency b/c our program coordinator has asked us to let her know when we get our referral. So who would tell us?

And from the Rumor Queen...
I’ve had a few people ask to see the projections again. Here they are:


And, one other point to make. It has been noted that when the CCAA did a very small month earlier this year, the month right after it was bigger, so that the two months together averaged out to about the norm. If the CCAA follows that pattern then this month might be a little bigger than normal. But that’s just speculation, not a rumor.

So how do we feel? All of the above. Our referral could come in a week, or maybe a month, or maybe some time later than that. You can see what a roller coaster ride we are on, along with hundreds of other families around the world. So as the days actually, really, start to wind down, we'd appreciate hearing your good wishes and words of encouragement. Please use the Comments below to help get us through these last tough months.