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Stork Central

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  1. Crack the cascarones and dance for joy! It's Fiesta time in San Antonio, and a couple hundred thousand tourists are crowding our fair city to celebrate the Battle of San Jacinto-- and the entrustment of our latest B.O.G., a baby girl born last weekend, to two of our beloved Forrestears of 3/04 (who also happen to be active Forumites!) As they know all too well, everything happens for a reason, and we're so glad they found good reason to join us for orientation when they did... because who could've ever guessed that just 6 weeks later, they'd be watching parades with a new daughter of their own? Viva Fiesta! Viva su Forrestears!! Vivas las familias!
  2. Just one month ago today, The Forrestears (3/04) witnessed their group's first placement on the last day of orientation... and now, they get to celebrate a new addition of a baby girl to their ranks, as another childless couple from that weekend become parents of a B.O.G., just born Sunday! Hurrah for this motivated couple, who got their homestudy done early so as to be ready for placement right away, and hurrah for the conscientious birthcouple, who wanted nothing but the best for their precious little daughter. "When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are... when you wish upon a star, your dreams come true!"
  3. "A" is for AGAINERS!! What is it that makes our AGAINERS so AWESOME to work with? AYE, it's because they're so ABSOLUTELY ABRAZO-READY, we know they're prepared for ANOTHER, ANYTIME it happens!!! So that's why we ANNOUNCE with ABJECT joy the ARRIVAL of A second ANGEL for one of our grade-A families, AS they ADD to their happy ABODE the newborn bio-brother of AN ADORABLE and ACTIVE little daughter they ACTUALLY ADOPTED just last year!! With AFFECTION and ADULATION, we AFFIRM these latest ALUMNI who've come back for seconds, AND we ASK the ALMIGHTY who ANSWERED their APPEAL so AMAZINGLY to ALWAYS AID them AS they ADVANCE through life together. (AND please, God, ASSIST us in ABRUPTLY ending this ALLEGORICAL ARTICLE before we ALTER its AMBIANCE by ANNOYINGLY ADDING the words ARMADILLO or AARDVARK!!!) AMEN!
  4. A special Wisconsin couple whose agency just forwarded their homestudy for consideration is thanking the galaxy that their family constellation now includes a one-week-old, 7 lb., 7 oz. star!! They moved heaven and earth to rocket down to Texas with just 4 days notice (and no local hotel "space" available, due to the Final Four) to meet their new son (while their small daughter waits to welcome her little brother home.) May they enjoy this zenith of family life and be blessed with meteor showers of love and joy, to infinity and beyond!!!!
  5. Stork Central takes special pleasure in bringing new baby news to the Forum when one of your own become parents (since we think our Forum folks belong in a class all their own!) so it is with particular delight that we announce our latest placement. It happened for a Midwestern couple from The Fab Nine (1/04), who'd demonstrated the true pioneer spirit when it came to facing loss and "gettin' right back on that hoss" in full pursuit of their destiny! Despite their prior loss of their firstborn (and then last week having the courage to walk away from a match that just wasn't working), they never gave up, and today this happy couple flew to Texas (with just one day's notice) to meet the newborn boy of their dreams. We don't know who shed more tears today; this elated mom and dad, or the Abrazo staff! but we send up prayers of thanks tonight for the loving birthmom who made it all happen and these proud new parents who always kept the faith.
  6. Hi, Kim! Abrazo's orientations are fillled on the basis of agency resource needs, meaning that the space for each weekend is assigned according to projected placement availabilities. This is generally reviewed about 4-6 weeks prior to each scheduled event. (At present, May orientation is open to a very limited number of againers, so space is filling fast.) Priority is given to those againers who are accepting of racial diversity, have demonstrated commitment to fully open adoption terms, willingness to consider special needs children or noninfants, etc. Againers from within Abrazo's program are not required to submit the inquiry (or "preapplication") again but must have a new application on file with the agency before being eligible for consideration for re-entry into orientation. For answers to more specific questions, feel free to call our fabulous Family Services Coordinator, Angela Martinez, M.S.W. at 210/342-LOVE.
  7. March is shaping up to be a "boy-babe-ilicious" kinda month, what with our latest, greatest arrivals being all decked in blue! A benevolent Utah couple (Abrazo againers, at that) signed up with The Peterectors of 11/01, thinking they might take home a baby girl at the close of orientation weekend, only to find their hopes dashed at the last moment... but they kept the faith and found themselves doubly blessed this week, with the placement of their newborn twin sons!... and with the opportunity to spend plenty of quality time with their boys' birthmom, birthgrandmomma and birthsib. (Here's to the sort of miracles that only patience and providence can bring.) And for a lucky Minnesota family whose Texas-born baby came along before our next scheduled orientation weekend did, we send our congratulations on the arrival of their handsome little fella, and their building of another wonderful friendship with his birthmother, birthsister and birthgrandmother. Adoption make relatives of the nicest people, after all! These folks are all living proof of that.
  8. Ask the adopting parents of Abrazo's newest girl baby if placement is truly as thrilling the second time, and these delighted againers would tell you "oh, heavens to Betsey, yeaaaasss!!" in the sweetest Southern twang-- assuming, of course, that you could distract them from their tiny royal bundle long enough pose the question. We just couldn't be happier for them and their darlin' little boy, at home with his doting grandmamas as they patiently await the family's homecoming. Genteel salutations are in order for this, the latest of The Peterectors of 11/03, on their pretty, pink dream-come-true; one determined birthmom and her boyfriend; and this precious 'lil belle, who's sure to find a U-Haul full of frilly party dresses awaiting her arrival back home!! (All hail the Queen!)
  9. The best possible birthday present came early for one lucky new daddy and his wife: after completing our Parents of Tomorrow orientation weekend just this afternoon, this overjoyed Idaho couple became the proud parents of a beautiful baby boy born earlier this week. May the three of them roll through life together without a care--and may the rest of their orientation buddies, The Forresteers of 3/04, likewise find miraculous changes occurring in their lives in record time. (And may they make extra good use of this special feature on Abrazo's website that we call "The Forum!" ...inside joke, there. ) Many thanks, also to Forumites linlacor, kmiles and schervinski, who spoke on today's orientation panel and made such a big impression on our newest parents-to-be! We love you all!
  10. Just for you, our parents of parents-to-be: a corner for folks to share great thoughts, pointers, questions and ideas on good grandparenting... getting ready for grandkids... adjusting to your new role... and learning how to best build generational memories to last another lifetime! (Let us be the first to congratulate you, and to say you look much too young to be anybody's grandmother, yet! ) Becoming someone's Grandparent is a major milestone, after all, and one to be celebrated. It is a position of honor, and an opportunity for rejuvenation. What are your favorite recollections of time spent with your own grandparents? How will you want to be remembered? What do you want to be called? What pearls of wisdom will you want to pass along to your family's newest generation? What kind of grandparent do you hope to be, and why?
  11. From the cold of winter come the fresh green shoots of spring... from the greys of storm come the effervesence of rainbow... from the shards of loss come the flames of victory... and from the pangs of childbirth come the promise of future! Yes, out of life's most complex instances come some of its most awesome miracles! And today, one very grateful (and gracefilled) couple from The Peterectors of 11/03 offer up prayers of thanks for the newborn miracle who just joined their loving home, as well as his birthparents, and the family members who all love them so. We lift our hearts with theirs, and ask continued blessings upon all those who wait... who hope... who dream... and who believe!
  12. We're happy to report that our search for a Church of Christ couple led to a lovely match between the birthfamily mentioned above and a TN family who were present for the birth, just today. Thank you to all who assisted in spreading the word, enabling the proud new parents to find their way to Abrazo. Now, we are in need of three special families, for three precious, biracial (Hispanic + African-American) infants due between March and June! All three birthmoms are lovely young women of Hispanic descent, each of whom is receiving prenatal care and has an identified birthfather aware of the pregnancy/adoption plan. If you know of potential parents for these coming children, please have them contact our Family Services Coordinator, Angela Martinez, at 210/342-5683. Your assistance is much appreciated.
  13. Hurrah, hurrah! The first of The Fab Nine, our 1/04 orientation group, are now the proud parents of a fabulous new baby girl, born just days ago. They didn't have long to prepare, but the truth is, they'd already readied their hearts and their home long before coming to Abrazo. And that is the most important part of it all--not how long or short the road to parenthood is-- but rather, the faith, hope and love that enables two loving families to be in the "right" place, at the "right" time for all the "right" reasons. Here's to the start of a long love affair, between one newborn daughter and the three parents who have joined their lives to ensure hers is happy-ever-after!
  14. Just in time for Valentine's Day, another couple from The Peterectors, our 11/03 orientation weekend, have found themselves leaving a Texas hospital with the newest love of their lives: a bouncing baby boy! He is adored by many, including a proud "big" sister (herself an Abrazobabe) as well as a sweetheart of a birthmom, who wanted nothing but the best for her son! Cupid himself couldn't have brought nicer people together, so here's sending lots of little hugs and kisses for this lucky little guy and all the kinfolk who love him so! (And here's wishing a romantic weekend for each of our sleep-deprived sets of new parents out there--as well as all our want-to-bes, because your turn is coming!)
  15. In November 2003, this exemplary young couple found themselves in a Texas hotel on a Friday night, contemplating adoption and sharing their hopes and fears. Just three months later, these same folks again found themselves in a Texas hotel on a Friday, sharing hopes and fears but this time, as the new parents of a big, beautiful baby boy, just born this week. It was surely a match made in heaven! So here's wishing continued blessings upon this proud Mom and Dad, their courageous and committed birthmom, her adorable daughter and the 9 lb., 12 oz. son they brought into the world... together. Go, Peterectors!!!
  16. Thank you, Feeling Blessed, for bringing this to our attention. Extra points for you!! Want to join us for this weekend? We've long suspected a little blue bundle was still in your future--or should be!!
  17. As busy doctors who'd already waited on adoption agencies in their home state for two years before coming to Abrazo in 8/02, they were ready to get on the fast track-- and their prayers were answered just four months later, with the homecoming of their first Texas-born daughter. They finalized that adoption in 7/03, and joined us for Camp Abrazo, where they mentioned their dream of adopting again, stat! As per physicians' orders, they came back for orientation in 10/03, and this weekend, these Againers (from our Croptoberfest Crew), returned once more, this time to "consult" with their second beautiful baby girl and her oh-so-darling birthparents. For the four parents involved, we prescribe a lifelong friendship, filled with much pride and joy, and for these two new sisters, the closest of bonding (and the best of treatment! ) Congratulations, all!
  18. How about a two-for-one? Here's a new topic, helpfully suggested by one of our newer Forumites: a site for general posting of innovative, useful or unique baby gift ideas, as well as Parents-In-Waitings' wish lists, so that friends and family have a hint as to what to buy for baby showers and welcome-home presents... so here 'tis! Enjoy!
  19. Not to be outnumbered by all the girls arriving recently, today a precious preemie bound in blue joined the latest of our Croptoberfest Crew (10/03), making their home of three now a family of four!! He's small but mighty, tipping the scales just under a whopping four lbs. Congrats to all three proud parents (birthmom, and mom and dad by adoption) as well as to two little birthbrothers and one new "big" sister! Given that these folks matched only days ago, they truly did find each other in the nick of time, and we're so happy for them all. A hearty welcome, also, to the newest members of our latest orientation weekend, who "graduated" just last night and headed home today. The Fab Nine (1/04) are Abrazo's first families of the new year, and we're expecting great things of them--and for them! (Last but not least, three cheers for the valiant Abrazo chicks who worked the weekend and who gave up yet another Sunday off to make our latest family happen. You rock, girls. Gracias!)
  20. Not all placements happen quickly. Some take time to grow, and such was the case for the last of our Los Missionarios (2/03). They were "againers"-- proud parents of a handsome son previously adopted at birth through Abrazo, and they had their hearts set on a baby girl this time. It took some time, but today, they came to meet the daughter of their dreams (just one month shy of one year later.) What took "so long?" Why, she'd only been conceived after their February orientation weekend, so in fact, she arrived right on time... in God's sweet time. Best wishes to this happy family, with loving thanks to the beautiful birthmom who made it all possible!!
  21. All hail the Forum folk! You launched our newest family's miracle last February, when a military couple posted their first question here, and got a host of friendly responses. With your encouragement, they attended orientation two months ago, and today, the first of The Peterectors (11/03) became a forever family, with the placement of their new baby girl!! And the timing could not have been more precious, given that the adoptive daddy has been called up and leaves for Iraq this month. The majority of our Peterectors are already matched, as well, and waiting on their new sons and daughters... what a way to start the new year. Congratulations, all!! and to those who are still-in-waiting, keep the faith, because your turn, too, shall come.
  22. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO A HAPPY NEW FAMILY!! Just six months after orientation, the last of our Abrazados (8/03) to take placement have become the first to become parents in 2004! (Meaning all our dear Abrazados saw their dreams come true in less than 180 days.) The adoptive couple was referred by alum who'd adopted with us twice before, while the birthmom was led here by a relative who'd placed with Abrazo several years back; many thanks to both! Here's wishing these fledgling parents, their newborn daughter and her loving birthfamily much peace and joy in the year that lies ahead... and best wishes, as well, to all our friends and families: past, present and future!
  23. Just wanted to launch a "getting acquainted" spot for any visiting parents of those who are placing children for adoption!! As you may have noted, you're known as "BirthGrandparents", because your sons or daughters are giving life to (or have already birthed) wonderful children extra-loved, not only by you and your family but also by very grateful adopting couples who couldn't otherwise be parents due to infertility. It's not an easy thing to go through, when your child makes the lifelong decision to place their baby for adoption. It hurts to see someone you love face such a painful choice. But this can become one of life's most beautiful experiences, also, if you have the opportunity to get to know your future grandchild's adoptive parents and build a kinship with them. And (depending on the circumstances) this can offer your precious grandbaby the best of both worlds: the security of a stable home with loving, fulltime parents as well as a special and ongoing connection with his or her relatives by blood. There's more than enough room for everyone to love that little one-- after all, who ever heard of children getting too much love?! So, welcome, friends! You're not alone. Need to share your story? Pour out your heart? Ask a question? You'll find lots of support within our Forum; this here's a warm and caring corner, just for you. Because open adoption is like the family dinner table--there's room for you, too, with plenty of elbow space, so come sit for a spell and speak your piece.
  24. Hi, Laura! Welcome to the Forum, where all questions are encouraged, even if not easy to answer...! Stork Central hopes you glean lots of helpful insight about financing from our "regular experts" and maybe even some lurkers, too. (You might also check out "Pink & Blue vs. Green" under the Looking to Adopt section.) You've raised some really important questions here, and we hope our friends out there can give you good feedback. You're right--adoption is very expensive. We, too, wish we lived in a utopian society where money played no part in making good placements happen. Adoption today truly is an investment of--and in!--a lifetime. In Texas, where the laws allow licensed in-state agencies to assist birthmoms with "maternity related expenses," adopting parents essentially bear the costs of helping support another household, with no guaranteed outcome. This is intended to facilitate a healthy pregnancy and to offer birthparents needed support while getting back on their feet (physically, emotionally, and vocationally) after such an enormous, personal sacrifice. However, the numbers add up fast. Rent prices have risen dramatically, along with groceries, utilities, transportation, legal costs and the like. Medical care has skyrocketed; private pay for a healthy labor & delivery plus 2 day mom & baby inpatient stay runs $7-10K and beyond (even in the smaller hospitals). Licensing standards require agency caseworkers to be degreed and experienced, making reasonable salaries a must, given the long hours and fulltime emotional duress of adoption careers. Office lease rates have more than doubled, while the cost of competitive Yellow Page advertising is a mounting operating expenditure each year. (And that doesn't begin to account for all of the out-of-pocket and baby-related expenses adoptors encounter as they become parents, either. Whew!) The good news is that it is still possible to do a successful domestic adoption for less than $20K, provided there is full Medicaid and/or insurance coverage for mother and baby. As some homestudy workers point out, though, the average family still spends more on their vehicles than their adoption, even though vehicles are traded in every few years and children are not!! It seems irreverent to view it that way, but perhaps it does reflect a certain truth about societal values... With regards to your comment about fee differentials for hard-to-place (or "special needs cases") this is a longstanding debate even among adoption professionals. The irony, as you noted, is that typically, such placements do require even more hours of professional labor to facilitate, yet the bulk of these costs are subsidized by "normal" placement fees and charitable contributions. This, hopefully, offsets the added expenses that special needs adoptors will likely incur after placement, obtaining services for special kids who may otherwise have languished in foster homes or institutional care. (Is this something you are open to, Laura? Because there are so many of these children in need of loving families like yours.) Now--who out there can lend some advice about financing and budgeting and tax credits and loans and the like?
  25. ShanOrba, what a beautiful post! Welcome--and thank you for sharing your thoughts. You obviously have a very blessed grandson, to have such a loving and wise grandfather in his life. We'd love to hear more from you. What are your best words of advice for other grandparents out there, or what are your top 10 favorite moments in grandparenting? Anyone?
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