Adoption Lifebooks

A few weeks ago I special ordered two books on Adoption Lifebooks. I originally thought they were just fancy words for baby books, but instead I found they are much more. Lifebooks serve as a way to document for our children what happened in their lives before joining our family. Apparently they started in the foster care system as a way to document important events for children moving from one state home to another. Today they have morphed into complex and challenge tools to share some painful and poignant information with our children. These books help address abandonment as well as provide a connection to geography and social roots. I am learning more and more that clues to her past not matter how small will be appreciated by my little girl.

Adoption Lifebook: A Bridge to Your Child's Beginnings by Cindy Probst, MEd, MSW, LCSW
Lifebooks: Creating a Treasure for the Adopted Child by Beth O'Malley, MEd

Referrals Trickle in from China

Referrals are completely out of whack, or so says our SW Jennifer. The once tidy system in China that was so appealing has cracked. Previously, the China Center for Adoption Affairs (CCAA) would send referrals monthly and the referrals would be for a months worth of LIDs. Now, they are coming sporatically and with only a week or two worth of LIDs. Currently, CCAA has sent referrals to families with LID dates before May 30, 2005. Doing the math....that's 10 months from LID to referral. We could be looking at a November referral date. The only good thing about that is I don't have to worry about missing my brother's wedding.

Happy Anniversary - Two Months since LID

I got a friendly email from Anita in my travel group this morning reminding me that we are having our two month LID anniversary (LID on 1/24/06). I had just been thinking that those two months flew by. My strategy of pacing myself with preparation is helping. This morning our closet guy finished the baby's closet. We now have an area for hanging clothes, five drawers, plenty of shelving and a changing table all in the little closet.

I've also decided to repaint the room. During the Olympics, I painted the whole room a very light pink, but then went crazy and made a HUGE pattern on one wall to match her bedding. Yikes! I think its overkill. The pattern is great in small amounts (Glenna Jean - Scribbles).

Keeping myself busy with little tasks, I hope will help time progress quickly. Another travel group buddy, Melissa and I are going to start learning about Lifebooks. We both share a simple and understated approach to our adoption process, so it should be a good project for us.

Also, for anyone who didn't see the NY Times article link, click here http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/23/national/23adopt.html?ex=1143781200&en=41ff24fd481bcffb&ei=5070&emc=eta1

APC Forum

I joined an email group yesterday and received a funny email I wanted to share...its basically directions to Chinese adoption jargon. My favorite part is the end where they talk about ladybugs.

Some shorthand commonly found on APC:

DTC = Dossier to China
LID = Log In Date
ACR = Age of Child Requested
DOR = Date of Referral
DOT = Date of Travel
TA = Travel Approval
PA = Pre Approval (for a waiting child)
SN = Special Needs
NSN = Non Special Needs
SWI = Social Welfare Institution
SW = Social Worker
DH = Dear Husband
DW = Dear Wife
OT = Off Topic
INS = Immigration & Naturalization Service
BCIS = Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services
CCAA = China Center for Adoption Affairs (not to be confused with CCAI)

Some common adoption agency abbreviations:
HFS = Harrah's Family Services
CCAI = Chinese Children Adoption International (not to be confused with
CCAA)
GWCA = Great Wall China Adoption
FTIA - Families Thru International Adoption
AIAA - Americans for International Aid and Adoption
CHI - Childrens Hope International
JOH - Journeys Of the Heart
MAPS - Maine Adoption Placement Service
WACAP - World Association for Children And Parents

Also important to know:
Ladybug sightings are lucky. There is no real significance to ladybugs
in
Chinese culture, it's just something that has become entertaining
legend in
the China Adoption community.