How Long Do You Have to Wait?

How long do you have to wait before she can come home?  That's the question of the hour right there.  Here's my brief answer to that, in as simple of a way as I can say...

South Korea has a plan to kick their domestic adoption program into full gear.  If you think about what adoption was like here ages ago - more of a hush, hush, last option sort of a thing - that's, from what I understand, where Korea is today.  But the good news is that, just as it did here, adoption is starting to be more of a popular idea and the number of children getting adopted into Korean families is growing.

The goal is to eliminate international adoption completely.  There have been years thrown around - 2012 was one of them.  Now we're hearing 2016 might be the year.  Adoption is in the front of Korean headlines lately with a new bill passed making it obvious they really do mean business.  And, if the children can be adopted into Korean homes, I absolutely believe that this is best for the children.  I pray that that happens.

(Wait, did I say this was going to be simple?!)

So, in order to eliminate international adoptions, they are reducing the number of children each year that are allowed to be adopted out of the country.  I believe I read that this year had a full 10% reduction from last year.  Once they hit that magic number of children, that's it.  Children will still be referred to families, but the families will know they have to wait until the next year to travel and bring them home because they missed the cut off date.

If you remember, I talked about Agency A and Agency B - hoping we'd be matched with a child in Agency A because travel would be FAST!  Well, guess where Seung Joo is? Agency A.  Guess who is out of 'tickets' already...Agency A.  (Well, agency A, B and the other big agency in Korea, too, I think...)  So, that lightening fast travel...not gonna happen.

It WOULD have happened if we would have requested Seung Joo's file right away and started our process with her right away, but you can't rewind life.  God's time, I try and remind myself.

And I try not to think of the, "What could have been's" and try to focus on what's ahead...and what's ahead is likely a 9 month wait.  That's what we've been told from our agency.  The 1-2 month wait has turned to a 9-10 month wait. (*Sniff sniff*)

But, I'm not completely certain, and neither is our agency. Our case worker said it didn't APPEAR that she'd travel this year, but because she's older, she can't make any promises one way or another.  To me, that's hope.  Something small to grab on to.

And of course, with her age, it would only make it easier to have her home sooner rather than later with school forthcoming.  Would we start her a year late? On time?  If she came home as she could have come home a couple of months ago, she'd have an entire school year of  time to learn the language, bond with us and learn about life in America and STILL start school on time as a typical Kindergartener, but now...who knows what we'll do. 

She's in school in Korea. In fact, their "3K" is 5 1/2 hrs long each day!  My kids went for 2 hours, 2 times a week! I don't know what her "4K" will be like this year, but the reality is that she's learning a lot already.

But, we can't control the timing and just need to pray that God will bring her home at the perfect time, whether that be soon, or right before she turns 5.  No matter what, it will be an amazing time!

Until then, we prepare! :)  She loves (and more importantly, is very familiar with) Hello Kitty so thank you Target for bringing it home! :)  I picked up a new bedspread and sheet set for her bed.  They have a little lamp, clock and wall stickys to match...so, for her own comfort level, we thought we'd bring a little Korea favorite to her very own room.

And we sent out the message to our local friends and neighbors that if they have any clothes/toys their kids outgrew, we'd be happy to "shop" from them.  Because really, I'm a little overwhelmed at what is all involved with welcoming a 4 year old.  I know there is a LOT of things to buy when you are welcoming home a baby, but when we're talking a 4 year old, I'm not sure I'm going know what I all need.  There aren't any "lists" like there are for bringing home a newborn. ;)  So if you have a daughter, fill me in on what they play with when they are 4!