CA

CA .... the final final final final final approval one needs before you can call Continental and book that flight to Beijing. The precious Consulate Appointment. 

Some of you know the lingo.

CA comes after the TA which is after the LOSC, or LOA, which is after the PA, but you might not get the PA, which comes before or after the LID, and the LOI - though the LOI could be before or after the LID - and most of this is after the DTC, though sometimes not.

Then you go on RQ forums and check which LID rec'd their LOSC or their LOA and then which LOA rec'd their TA. And then you start to guestimate. And you're always wrong. Because there is no pattern. And just when you think you've figured out a pattern - that TAs come three weeks after LOSCs, for example - the pattern changes and it changes when it's your turn up. But you watch as LIDs slip off the forum and yours gets closer.

At some point you email your agency's director - any updates? You tell her what you're hearing from RQ. She gives you a little perspective but can't make any guesses. It's not up to her, it's not up to anyone but China Center. 

The online lingo of parents waiting to adopt their children - each represents various approvals, stages, one's dossier goes through once it gets to China. 

At 11:00pm Monday evening I heard my cell phone ring. I knew it had to be news. We (us and the two other families traveling with us) had hoped we'd get it on Sunday night. We share a message board and I had just signed off my resignation that nothing was coming in that night, gone to bed, and then the phone rang. 

It was G, one of the moms traveling with us. I knew it had to be good news and sure enough as I called her back I saw the email from our agency: verbal confirmation for CA. 

That was Monday night. Yesterday we booked. Friday we're off. 

We meet Lila on Monday.