tropicalsmootie

Congratulations! So happy for you Justin and Helen!

Congratulations Ben and Lena! We are so happy for you and we can't wait to hear all about it. God is so good!!

I work for FedEx and they do not offer maternity leave either. Those giving birth must take sick leave. We saved as well so I could take 3 months of FMLA.

Congratulations to the newest family!

We are so excited for a very special family!!

Congratulations, we are so happy for you!

We are so happy for you! Congratulations!

We echo everyone else, been watching the forum closely. So happy for you and we will continue to pray for sweet girls birthfamily.

Thanks! Glad to get in front of an audience willing to listen to our story. I know orientation jusssst ended, but has a date been confirmed or considered (that I can tell the audience about) for when the next orientation weekend might be held? If not, no biggie. I can just tell them they should start on paperwork right away, so they could be sitting in San Antonio soon after the first of the year.

Christ United Methodist Church, located at 4488 Poplar Avenue, is hosting the “Hearts For Adoption” series each Wednesday evening at 6:30 p.m. through November 20th. It is a FREE series and the public is invited to come to any and all nights of interest. Although I am not a member of this particular church, I've spoken there before. Nice folks & won't try to guilt you into coming back...very welcoming environment. Leslie & I will be sharing our story on Wednesday the 16th...the journey, the process, and probably a few words about an agency we're kind of partial to. Among the featured speakers throughout the series are an adoption attorney and a licensed clinical social worker. Discussions will also cover domestic & international adoptions. Here's the link to more info: http://www.cumcmemphis.org/adoption We've also got details and a flyer on our website as well. Events like these help answer some general questions to help you make some informed decisions, but it is by no means a substitute for what you'll learn at Orientation Weekend. -Tim

Woop woop!

All of us here on the forum are blessed to know a secret that most of the world does not: You don't need to visit a pageant or a modeling/acting website to see beautiful babies. They're already here filling up the Abrazo gallery. Whether times are good or are bad, we are always a click away from seeing God's glory through these little angels. Thank you to everyone who shares their photos. -Tim

Congratulations to everyone who loves this precious angel!

Congratulations! Very happy for you. Sending prayers for all of you! Leslie

Thanks for sharing this, I have sent this to my family. After our infertility diagnosis, I couldn't understand why my parents were crying and so depressed. It wasn't like they had lost anything. As I began to move past all that we would miss out on, i realized a lot of it included them and perhaps thats why they were so sad. I guess neither of us did a good job of communicating in the beginning. I have found, through trial and error, that open communication with them during the adoption process is best, even if I know they will not understand or will question our decisions. I made the mistake, in December, of trying to protect them from potential pain which totally backfired. Whoops! I think in somes ways adoption (on the adoptive family side) is harder on extended family. They are disconnected from everything and all they know is what information we tell them; my parents don't have a face to put with Ellen and Sergio. It would be easy enough to show them a picture, but in a way I want to protect them and I want to protect E&S. We are now to a point where they can share their fears of open adoption with me, which clearly stem from the little they heard about adoption growing up. I try to enlighten them on some proper adoption language and what we hope for in a future relationship with E&S. We now operate with the understanding that we may not say everything just right, but what we do say comes from a place of love not hate. It is deffinitely a learning process, in EVERY relationship. I have messed up and probably will again, but I can learn from these articles & this forum! Thank you! Leslie