Questions & Answers

I saw this great Q&A on another blog and thought it would be perfect for you guys, too. So, here are some questions you may have -- and my attempt to answer them.


Why are you adopting? We wanted to start a family, and the typical means by which to do so just didn't work out. We always said we wanted our first child to be a girl, and China has lots of them waiting for mommies and daddies.


Why China? It is quite overwhelming to choose from where to adopt. If you've never been in this situation, you really can't fathom the enormity of it. First, you must decide between domestic and international. If you choose international, you must then choose from the countries currently participating in international adoption with the United States. There are only a handful to choose from. Each country's program has its own variables: health of the babies, cost, number of trips to the country required of the adoptive parents, the length of stay required, length of wait for a child, predictability and accountability of its program, etc. To us, China seemed to be the best choice, and it was also our gut choice. Factor in the likelihood to receive a baby girl, and it was a done deal.


What is DTC, LID, Referral, TA, and what's with all the ladybugs???? Welcome to the Chinese Adoption Community. You'll need to know these words and phrases if you want to keep up, especially in the blogosphere.

DTC -- Dossier to China. This is the date that our massive pile o'paperwork was mailed to our adoption agency's office in China. For us, this date was September 14, 2007. A happy day indeed.

LID -- Log in Date. This is the date that the government agency in China overseeing international adoption (CCAA) formally confirmed receipt of our massive pile o'paperwork. It is the official start date of our long wait for referral. Other waiting families will share our same LID, and it is very likely that we will all travel to China round about the same time. Our LID was September 28, 2007. A VERY happy day indeed.

Referral -- The date (about two years from now) when we receive word from the CCAA on which little girl they have chosen for us. We will get a few photographs, some basic info such as her weight, her personality, how many teeth she has, etc.

TA -- Travel Approval. This happens about one month after referral. This is when you receive the green light to make your travel arrangements. The actual travel occurs about eight weeks after referral. We will spend 10-14 days in China. Our daughter will be given to us on day two, and from then on we are a FOREVER FAMILY.

Ladybugs -- Ladybugs are a symbol of good luck in many countries including China. In more recent years, they have also become a symbol for adoption from China. Superstition says that a ladybug sighting means that the referral is arriving soon.


Why are most of the waiting babies in China girls? This is sometimes hard to explain, so I'm sure I'll post on it again in the future, but here is a simplified explanation. In an effort to control a very real population crisis, the Chinese government limits most couples from having more than one child. It is the tradition in China that sons will care for their elderly parents. (There is no Social Security, 401K, or pension plan for most Chinese citizens.) The son takes care of his parents, and the daughter takes care of her husband's parents. As a result, there is a strong preference among Chinese couples to give birth to a boy. Although it is illegal to do so, many couples opt for abortion when they learn that their baby is a girl. It is also illegal to place a child for adoption, so there is simply no way to "choose" adoption. Of course it is also illegal to abandon a baby in China, but this happens to thousands of baby girls every year. Many of them do not survive. Some of them are found and placed in orphanages, and some of these are adopted. There are boys in the orphanages, too, but they are very outnumbered.