When are you going to China??

A common question is “When will you go get your kiddos?”  I wish I had a crystal ball!  I will keep track of important dates here and I’ll try and update predictions as we go.

Adoption #5 Timeline

LOI (Letter of Interest to China requesting to adopt our son) – 7/16/14

PA (Pre-Approval from China agreeing to let us pursue our son) – 7/24/14

Homestudy complete – 9/29/14
i800a (US approval) application sent - 10/7/14

LOI (Letter of Interest to China requesting to adopt our daughter) – 10/24/14

PA (Pre-Approval from China agreeing to let us pursue our daughter) – 11/6/14 
Approved i800a - 11/11/14 
DTC (Dossier To China, official paperwork sent to China) - 12/18/14 
LID (Logged In Date, China officially recorded receiving our paperwork, we're "in line") - 1/12/15 
LOA (Letter of Acceptance, China approves us to adopt our children) - 2/15/15 
I800 approved (US approves us to bring our kiddos home) - 3/16/15

NVC (Visa center sends the US Consulate notice that we will be bringing home another citizen) – 3/25/15
Art 5 (US Consulate in China informs Chinese government that they will issue visas for our newest kiddos) – 4/13/15 
TA (Travel Approval, China says we can come and get our kiddos!!!) – 4/27/15
CA (Consulate Appointment, all travel revolves around this date which is set after TA and determines the end of your stay everything else is scheduled backwards from this appointment, your child becomes a US citizen and you get to travel home)- 5/26/15

So, will this timeline occur??  There are so many steps that can vary by weeks or even months!  I used averages from a main site where data has been stored for years from many families adopting from China in order to predict trends and changes.  We have always been able to “beat the odds”, speeding through this process in only 9 months the last two times.  I am praying that we “make up some time” somewhere through this process.  We have been in China during the fall (with Kaitlyn in late September), winter (with Meilynn in late December and early January), and the summer (with Ryan and Addisyn in July).  I would love to experience spring in China.  If we stuck with our 9 month usual paperwork stint, we would end up traveling in April.  However, having seen God’s hand over and over during this journey, I trust He has it under control.

We did make up time!  Praise God!  The LOA process went MUCH quicker than expected!  Looks like we will experience China in the Spring!! :)