The IA Experts

Since I've been back at school I've had to endure the questions about when Elena is arriving. Many of you know this drill. Most of my colleagues have been very sympathetic and supportive. However, there are two people which purport to have more knowledge and insight about adoption from China than I do. Obviously the hours I spend online reading and searching out information and talking to my agency and people that have BTDT count for nothing! Can I just tell you how infuriating it was to listen to these fools? One lady knows somebody who got their child "about 5 months ago" and "didn't have to wait so long" and it's probably because I don't live in a big metropolitan area. Ok. That must be it. Trying to explain LID and the recent slowdown of referrals (7 days last time!) has absolutely no impact on her. Then again, this is my second run in with this woman who had previously given me an article stating that by adopting internationally, I was perpetuating the cycle that "we Americans" had put into motion, keeping other nations in poverty and unable to keep their children. Yeah, well, "my fellow American" Chairman Mao contributed a bit. Of course when I asked her if she had read the article she gave me and did she know it was anti International Adoption, she didn't want to talk about it. Convenient. This time I also got, "wasn't my wait already extended?" Well, yeah, because every other week you ask it is still delayed and we have no freakin' idea when things will speed up! As if I don't constantly think about how horrible this wait is and how all of us are pretty much in the dark as to the CCAA's plans. Oh, and another person kept insisting that they also knew someone who adopted from China and it didn't take this long so I should confront my agency and make sure my paperwork is really being processed or maybe I should have researched my Chinese agency more. Yeah, my Chinese agency, uh, like I had a choice?! You're really in the know, bud. So anyways, I'm avoiding these idiots as much as possible.
I know this is rambling, but I am still ticked off with their comments. Plus it's pouring rain here and I'm kind of melancholy because originally I was supposed to be getting to see my daughters picture around this time! Same ol' sob story.

I am reading "My Half of the Sky" and although it's a novel, the cultural bits are both inspiring and confusing and frustrating at times to my Western mind.

I'm going to end with a quote from the main characters Grandma which I'm trying to keep in mind as I find my possible referral date on the RQ's latest chart.

As Waipo always said, "Good fortune turns to disaster,
disaster to good fortune. The cycle has no end, nor
can the mystery of it be explained."