WAITING

Sigh.  Due to the government shutdown, we are still waiting to get our FBI background check processed.  Apparently they are quite backlogged.  A check that used to take only days, is now taking months.  It's frustrating because, until we get that background check completed, Jia's adoption is at a complete standstill.  We had been getting things done at record speed, hoping that if we hurry, we could possibly get him home before the MAGIC Convention this summer so we could take him to see Dr. H, or at least before the next school year starts so Ryan, who is a teacher won't have to take time off when we go to China... but the longer we wait, the less likely either of those scenarios will be.  Waiting is hard when you know there is a cute little guy who really needs to be home, seeing doctors, getting the love and attention he deserves and attaching with his family. 

In general, the amount of information and communication about adoptees is amazingly scarce.  I feel extremely lucky to have the pictures and information we do have.  But we're not allowed to contact Jia's caregivers to get updates, we just have to wait for any information that is given to us.  We knew that Jia had spent most of his life in the care of a great foster care organization, but that in preparation to be adopted, they sent him to his home province.  Where exactly?  We weren't told.  All we had to go off of was that the address we were given to send packages to was for the orphanage he was first taken to, so we assumed that he was back at that orphanage.  That weighed on me.  I had no idea what kind of care he would receive in an orphanage, and if they were aware of his increased risk of hypoglycemia or how often they should be feeding Jia to avoid hypoglycemic episodes.  But, I received an email the other day letting me know that he is now at another foster care organization in Henan.  I researched it like crazy, and as far as I can tell, Jia is in good hands until we bring him home.  They even mentioned that they are feeding him every two hours.  Whew!  That was such a huge relief to hear.  If we have to wait, it's easier to do knowing Jia will be well cared for.