No News

Well the first question on everyone's lips when they see or talk to me is "Any news?" so I'll answer that one first. No. I do not expect to hear any news until our agency either receives our Letter of Acceptance, is notified of its being sent, or is asked for more information from our family. Hopefully, one of the first two. I do not expect to get the LOA until the end of July, possibly the end of June. But, this is anyone's guess. The only predictable thing in international adoption is that it is unpredictable!
I have been reading the blog of a woman sharing an absolutely horifying adoption experience. I know some would say, "Well, don't read it." But, I believe it is important to learn from other's experiences. This blog is heartbreaking to read. My heart goes out to this woman and her family, who are deep in grief for the child they were unable to bring home. What a nightmare! She raises some important issues, and this is also why I read. So that I can do my own research into these areas.
One is post-institutionalized behavior. I know a bit about this. Enough to know that Zeke's behavior with us the first two or three days( or perhaps a bit longer) will not necessarily be indicative of his true personality. But, I also realize I need to know more about this issue. What are "normal" behaviors of post-institutionalized children. What are behaviors that may exist that indicate a larger problem? How to tell the difference?? This is A Big Deal. And I realize that my education in this area is woefully lacking. So, I'm thankful that this woman is sharing her story, because I believe it will cause others like me to do more reading and researching that we may be prepared for what awaits us on the other side of the world.
Another area that is quite muddled for me is the leagalities of what happens in China. I know that we will be jet-lagged, culture shocked people following around a guide and signing where he says sign on papers possibly written in another language. DOn't get me worng. I trust our agency and have no reason to expect them to act in any way other than in our best interests. But, still, haven't we heard all our lives ,"Don't sign anything unless you know what you're signing." It's important to uinderstand this process before the trip, while my mind is relatively clear and not encumbered by the factors mentioned above.
That's it for today. I'm also doing some reading about attachment issues, but that has been ongoing and not as a result of reading the blog I mentioned.