Step 3 - The Wait

Then the waiting begins.

The main thing to be done during this period is to make preparations for when we get our referral package. This includes things such as getting the appropriate immunizations, contacting doctors and the adoption practitioner who will be required later in the process, and of course preparing the baby's room.

So, what's happening in China at this time? The first step is a detailed review of the dossier by the Foreign Affairs Department. This is where all the time spent earlier with the adoption practitioner and the adoption agency pays off. If everyone has done a thorough job of preparing the information, there should be no problems. Hopefully the worst thing that happens at this time is that you may be contacted by China to provide additional information or clarification, after which time your application is approved. Our team must of done everything right since we didn’t’ receive any calls.

Once the approval is obtained, the file is forwarded to the “matching room”. There are many views of what the matching room is, but consider it as a group of women who review the information in your dossier and compare that to available children. One of the amazing things that we have seen from people who have already adopted is how well suited their children are for them. There’s got to be some magic going on in the matching room because, outside of the difference in race, it’s hard to believe that they’re not biological children to the adoptive parents.