Inching closer to DTC

We've now got our Notary appointment for a week on Monday, I would have preferred it to be sooner but that's the first date we can all fit it in! Once we've done whatever it is we have to do with the Notary (no idea what we do actually!?!?) then we've instructed him to send the papers to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, so they can legalise the papers. They will then be returned to the Notary, who will send them to the DfES, who in turn will send them to the Chinese Embassy. They are then once again sent back to the DfES, and their next trip is to China :-) People have been getting their LID (Logged In Date - the date which indicates your place in the queue) very quickly after DTC, in a matter of days mostly, so at least that part of the process could move quickly!! The wait after LID is the depressing bit - I had myself psyched up for 18 months, then I thought I could handle 2 years, probably can stick it out for 3 years - but FOUR YEARS??? I don't know, I really don't know :-( I keep holding onto a glimmer of hope (not based on any facts whatsoever!) that somehow the wait will start to speed up. I'm not bothered about superfast, racing speed (5-6 months it was at one point!!) just a reasonable 18 months ish would be so nice. It would also be great to have some idea of 'when' so that we can plan our lives!!! The lack of information, or even a slight clue to what might happen is so disturbing - how on earth can we plan our futures if the timings are all so up in the air???

I should be feeling really good about getting to this stage in the process, but I just feel numb and wonder if we are doing the right thing?? No answers, just more and more questions unfortunately.