We got a call from our adoption agency, Children's Bridge, this afternoon to say that our application is on its way to China! This is a big milestone in China adoptions that they call DTC (Dossier To China).

To review the adoption timeline so far, this is how far we've come:
- first homestudy interview: January 10 2006
- last homestudy interview: February 7 2006
- homestudy document completed: April 13 2006
- homestudy forwarded to Ontario ministry: April 24 2006
- Ontario ministry approval received: June 16 2006
- Dossier To China (DTC): June 26 2006!!!!

What happens next, is that we will get a "Log In Date" (LID) in China anywhere up to 6 weeks from today (although we may not find out that LID for several months), and based on that date files all get processed in order. We can watch the progress on the processing of files on the China Centre for Adoption Affairs (CCAA) website (on the right-hand side, midway down the page where it says "Documents Processing") to see how far along they are. There are two steps in China which are known as the "Review Room" and the "Matching Room". When our file is in the "Review Room" they are making sure we have all necessary documentation and all that. When it is in the "Matching Room" they are matching us with an available baby.

Currently, it is taking about a year from LID to get a referral (the picture and info of the child we have been matched with). So, if timelines stay as they are in China, we will be getting our referral sometime next summer, and then travelling to China to meet our baby in late summer/early fall (6-8 weeks after receiving the referral). However, timelines have been lengthening lately, and it is rumoured that the wait may get longer, so we can't depend on that estimate, but I am really hoping it doesn't take much longer than that!

So that's our exciting news for today! The only other thing to report on the adoption front is that I have heard of families receiving boys from China lately. Although they do have mostly girls available, there are a few boys apparently. Most people specifically state in their application that they wish to adopt a girl, but we left it open. (Since joining the "adoption community" I have learned that most people actually wish to adopt girls - not only from China, I mean, but in adoption in general. I am surprised as I thought it would probably be 50/50 or close - curious.) Anyway, my point is just that although somewhat unlikely, it is possible that we may end up with a son at the end of this process. We are totally fine with that. Since learning that it is more of a possibility than we thought, though, we are being careful to keep that possibility in our minds and in our language when we talk. I think it is particularly important when Peyton is around. Although she is too young to understand yet, she is the one who might be disappointed if we have been talking about her "little sister" all along and then she ends up with a brother!!!