IMPORTANT TRADITIONS AND TERMS FOUND IN THE CHINESE ADOPTION COMMUNITY:

· The Red Thread - " An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance. the thread may stretch or tangle, but will never break." - An ancient Chinese belief.

· Ladybugs - Believed to be good luck in the adoption community. One spring while everyone waited for their referrals, there was a huge infiltration of ladybugs across the nation and immediately following these sightings a flood of referrals came. Or so the story goes... We personally do not really feel that there is such a thing as "luck", but only what God provides for our lives.

· 100 Good Wishes Quilt - To welcome and celebrate a new life, there is a tradition in the northern part of China to make a Bai Jia Bei, or "100 Good Wishes Quilt." It is a custom to invite 100 people to contribute a single square patch of cloth. The 100 patches are sewn together into a quilt that contains the luck, energy, and good wishes from all the families and friends who contributed a piece if fabric. The quilt is then passed down from generation to generation. ( waiting families often collect the wishes along with a sample of each fabric square into a scrapbook for their new child.)

· Dossier - The set of documents that represents the adopted family. It includes the medical reports, birth certificates, employment verification letters, police clearances, financial statements, home study, ect.

· DTC - Dossier to China.

· LID - Log in date. This is the milestone day when the Chinese government logs in the receipt of a dossier to adopt a child. This represents the end of the "paper chase" and they beginning of 'the wait" for a referral of a child by th Chinese government.

· CCAA - China Center if Adoption Affairs. That's where the dossiers are processed and the children, who live in China's SWI's (Social Welfare Institutions) and/or foster care, are matched with families.

· Referral - Notification from the CCAA that they have matched a family with a child. Referral information usually includes the child's Chinese name, date of birth, height/weight, a medical report, one or more photographs, and a few notes about the child's nature.

· LOI - Letter of Intent. This is a letter that the adoptive family writes to China stating their intent to adopt a child on the waiting Child list.

· PA - Pre-Approval. This is what the family receives from China after they have reviewed the LOI from the adoptive family. It means they give the family pre-approval to adopt the child.

· TA - Travel Approval. This is received when China gives the family travel approval to come to China to bring home their child.

· WC - Waiting Child. A child is put on a WC list because of a medical condition or age.

· HS - Home Study. A home study is done by a licensed social worker who says whether a family is capable of adopting a child.