I haven't posted anything about our quest for DotterSecunda because...well...there hasn't been anything to post. I will not grumble/bitch/moan/complain about OmegaDad sitting on his butt about a particular document we need before we really rev up. (YES! "BEFORE we really rev up"!) I will not grumble/bitch/moan/complain about how our lovely social worker, a wonderful, thoughtful, empathetic, fun woman who we have been working with for OMG six years now deciding to up and move to the East Coast to be with her family, specifically her elderly, ailing mother. How dare she?!?! Doesn't she know the world revolves around us?? I will, however, grumble/bitch/moan/complain about how the wait between dossier log-in date in China and referral is stretching out...and stretching out...and stretching out. When we happily told all & sundry in our family that we were going back for dotter number two, that wait was six months. Nowadays, agencies are telling their new clients to expect a wait of 18 months. EIGHTEEN MONTHS?!?! In the meantime, there are a whole slew of people who happily marched into the China adoption process fully expecting a wait of six months, who are now going on their 12th month. This metaphorical slamming-on of the brakes is just killing them. People like Karen, and Mary Mia, American Family, Johnny, The Rumor Queen, and many more who are posting sadly on The Big List and other lists, just wishing for some idea of when they'll get to meet their babies. There are others, like Chew, who have already switched to other countries as a result, and now have their referrals. Today, the Chinese Center for Adoption Affairs noted on their website that they've spent three/four weeks putting together referrals for 10 days of dossiers, through those logged in on June 15, 2005. Congrats on all the new referrals! But, still...those people who were expecting referrals for last Christmas are waiting... As for us, our update is a big, fat, nothing.