What's happening with the adoption?

Well, now that I have 'mastered', and I say that with the utmost limited confidence, the basics of this blogging business, I can get down to the heart of the matter ... 'the adoption'.
What is happening with the adoption you ask ... NOTHING!!!! At the moment absolutely nothing is happening, with the exception of a great deal of frustration! Things have certainly not played out the way we hoped or planned, but, what else is new?!
For those of you unfamiliar with the process of international adoption, allow me...

Step 1 - Homestudy and Dossier (our adoption package)
Step 2 - Ministry Approval
Step 3 - Translation of Dossier into mandarin
Step 4 - DTC (Dossier sent to CCAA - China Centre of Adoption Affairs)
Step 5 - LID (Log in date - the date the CCAA logs in our dossier)
Step 6 - Dossier is reviewed by CCAA
Step 7 - CCAA matches child with family
Step 8 - Referral sent out - photo and information about the child being offered
Step 9 - Travel to China for child

We have been through the first 6 steps and are now anxiously waiting to be matched with Cadence!

Of course, if things had unfolded as originally expected, Cadence would be here already!

Our LID was Nov. 10, 2005. At that time, we were to expect a referral within 6-7 months (May or June) and travel about 10 weeks later (July or August). By January, we were told timelines had increased - referrals would take 8-9 months. A couple of months later, our agency sent out more disappointing news - timelines to referrals were going to take 10-12 months. Well, we hoped at the very least, to have a photo of Cadence by Christmas ... oh what a Christmas this would have been!
Unfortunately, by late August the timeline was 12-14 months and currently it is at 15 months ... this means we MIGHT
have a referral sometime in February! That my friends is the BEST case scenario! From the rumours, timelines are likely to
increase even more ... in fact some say it could take up to 2 years for a referral (from LID). We won't likely have to wait that
long, but an 18 month wait is certainly possible. Given that, the worst case scenario is to receive a referral in May and travel in the summer. On the positive side, at least Sean will have paid time off to travel and time to bond with 'the baby'. What can we do ... things are beyond our control ... what will be, will be ... BUT... it WILL be ... won't it?!