HJBurken
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Posts posted by HJBurken
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Blessings to the newest Rat Family and their new birthfamily! We've all been waiting to see this board hopping! Hopefully, it's just the start of a busy week!
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Our thoughts are with you this week, Jenny. Hang in there.
Thanks for sharing your story as well, Teena. Our lives just unfold before us. Even with all of the heartache, I know I will look back later in life and see the purpose in all of it...I know I already have begun too.
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HHMMM...most of the preemies I took care of in NICU were prescribed caffeine! Maybe this couple is truly misinformed and making terrible assumptions?! I'm hoping they don't have a medical background.
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We had our homestudy updated once a quarter (I think that is right). I think (I could so be wrong, I am all the time, ask my 13 year old)
Is this what I have to look forward to in....6 yrs old now + 7 = 13....7 years?
You're a riot!
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And, we all know how long criminal checks can take. We just decided to update now so it won't be as involved when it comes to an update within 30 days of placement.
This is interesting because our criminal background check with our last update came back in less than 7 days so it seemed to move VERY fast.
I see your point though that with that kind of distance between you and your social worker, it would make spur of the moment appointments very difficult.
-A
I'm certain our state ones are back but I will let you know how long our FBI checks take. Wouldn't it be great if our case worker tells us on her visit tomorrow that they are back!
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Just adding our situation here...
We are currently doing our annual update including criminal checks. In trying to chat with the agency doing our homestudy about an immediate update (for an imminent placement scenario), they kept asking us, "how are other people able to get an update done so quickly." This always bothered us a bit. We happen to live 100+ miles from our case worker, so that is not an easy one to schedule. And, we all know how long criminal checks can take. We just decided to update now so it won't be as involved when it comes to an update within 30 days of placement.
It is all worth it in the end, but the distance from our case worker is a major factor to consider since the new TX rule states an in-home visit is necessary and a phone update or meeting somewhere else is no longer an option for that 30 day placement rule.
I guess what I'm saying too is to check with your case worker as well about doing urgent updates to get a feel for how they would respond to such a request.
Much more at ease now that we are updating everything even though we will still need to meet the 30 day placement requirement...
Hope
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Boy, you guys are really pulling on the Iowa trivia with the Music Man! Good one again!
CONGRATS BRIAN, NICOLE, ISABELLA, AND GABRIELLA!
Much love from some fellow Eastern Iowans!
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"Do all the good you can, by all the means you can,
In all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can,
To all the people you can, as long as ever you can."
--John Wesley
(1703 - 1791)
Abrazo was blessed to have been commissioned to help, today, as the Maker of John Wesley made new parents of one very deserving couple, who surely live by the creed above, and will raise their precious newborn son to do the same.
Before coming to Abrazo, these graduates of our Happy Holiday Hopefuls weekend of 12/06 had already survived a failed private placement that might have shaken the faith of weaker mortals. But supported by the love of family and friends, they found the courage to reapproach the adoption process by way of Texas (where this daddy-to-be soon distinguished himself as the most prolific male poster in the history of Abrazo's Forum.) They weathered an unsuccessful match that invariably readied them for the right one, even if they couldn't see it at the time! and the rest of their tale is one great answered prayer, bound to forever enrich the lives of caring teen birthparents, a proud new Mom and Dad, and one very beloved baby boy. May God's love shine upon each of them as he grows, and may this dear child's life be a blessing to them all.
Gosh, I just get so excited and can't help but wonder what the write-up will be for us someday! I love reading these!
Congrats once again to N. Joel's new family!
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Free waffle fries for everyone!!! Compliments of our favorite fast food magnate and his wife, graduates of our Shooting Blanks at the Alamo orientation weekend. They placed their order in March, 2007 and after several drive-through trips to visit their birthmom (a Texas waitress and her family), they supersized their family of three today, with the addition of a precious little chicken nugget. They may have thought, having an older daughter, that they were beyond the days of the diaper deck and free kids meals, but now, they'll be spilling milkshakes on restaurant floors with the best of us for some time to come. Congratulations to our newest success story, and blessings on the loving birthmom and her husband, who made this combo possible.
Sweet Tea for everyone...right David!!!
This match was truly written in the stars (and appropriately written up by Abrazo) 
!!!Blessings (and we want a picture
)From the Burken Shooters in MO
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I'll give Elizabeth a chance to answer and will call soon if she doesn't. We're also just trying to keep expenses at a minimum too.
Thanks for chiming in guys!
Hope
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Welcome, Victoria! How pretty you are with your new mom and dad! (Do we know who they are, Victoria?)
Hope
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This is a homestudy "what if" question...
We are homestudy approved for an international adoption and have been advised to wait to update and change it to domestic until closer to placement. What happens if we are chosen for an immediate placement? Our homestudy certainly does not meet TX requirements now and I believe they require 5 visits? We had 2 visits for our original international homestudy. Just wondering if we should be working on it sooner?
Hope
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Here's one that drives me a little crazy & proves that others have no idea what infertility is like ..... "Keep trying, that's the fun part!"
They clearly don't realize that "the fun part" after a while is not so much fun given that the spontaneity & romance
quickly gives way to "it's that time, let's go." As my husband says, "it's like being a trained seal"
I think infertility sex in attempt to conceive is about as bad as it can get for a married couple!!! Whoever said that definitely has no idea. It is amazing the release and fun that comes back to the bedroom when you do give up on trying.
Jenny
So true, so true!
Hope
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I am pretty sure I called and talked to (Renee?) a good six months ago, but I just can't seem to find my notes. Yes, I will be sure to talk to someone at Abrazo again and get my specific questions answered. I was just curious if there were some "three timers" here on the forum, and if the wait is longer/more difficult than previous ( I assume that it is, but if you are anything like me, you are busy busy busy....)
Cameon in NC
Welcome, Cameon! Gee, I can't imagine you would be turned away for being too large a family. I have been on a few forums and have met more than a few families much larger than yours! I guess that would depend on an approved homestudy. We are waiting to be matched for our #3. The birthmoms we have spoken too felt strongly that they wanted their baby to have siblings already in the household. And some want their baby to be the first-born. I know Abrazo accepts applications for orientations based on such needs including gender and racial preference as well. I have confidence we are well on our way to meeting our third child!
All our best to you,
Hope in MO
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Well that explains why we have booze at orientation weekend
Are there any statistics on that one?!
How about this one.....
"Well at least you don't have to experience all the pains of pregnancy" And in our case of surrogacy... "someone else will have too"
UGH!
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Great idea, Andrea!
Mine was "Just relax and it will happen"
Another one..."Now that you've had one baby, it should be easy to have another one" I even had it described to me and the body being flushed clean!
Hope
PS...I've heard that one too, Jenny..."Just wait, you'll adopt and then get pregnant" My response was usually, "Bring it on!"
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So excited to read about new families being formed! Congrats to all!!!!!
Hope
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What a wonderful announcement! Blessings to all...can't wait to hear more!
Hope
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Very cool! How about that for an extra special Mother's Day! Congrats Joe & Kim!
Hope in MO
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If I had nothing else to do, I could entertain myself searching in the Forum alone
Cathy
I've been registered for 2 months and I'm still discovering new things all the time! Just discovered where to look for older topics.
Welcome, Cathy
Hope in MO
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Thank you, Elizabeth!
I use a tracking number as well but it was due to arrive on a Saturday so thought I'd better check.Hope
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Welcome Cathy! Exciting times for you. The Forum is a nice place to be while waiting patiently.
I'm reminded though that I should try calling again to see if our profile arrived. I did try calling a week ago but it seems it was an unbelievably busy time for the Abrazo gals. (Way to go girls!) Perhaps if Elizabeth is reading this, she might know if it was received?!
Hope in MO
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Wow, our heartfelt congrats to the newly formed families! So thrilled for you all!
Blessings to all,
Hope in MO
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It may take time to decide whether toddler/older child adoption is for you. I know for us, it didn't come overnight. We have been a huge work in progress. For those of you that feel it isn't for you, that's alright too. We need all types of families in this world, but I just hope that some sole searching can be done before a decision is/was made. That is also where we have been a work in progress.
Claudia
Thank you so much for those words, Claudia. I know we have contemplated such a decision as this for some time now and continue with our soul searching right now. For us, it's not a question of whether we can love a toddler /older child or missing out on some of those firsts, but we carefully consider the dynamics of our family which includes two girls already.
Hope in MO
Baby Announcements 2007
in New Arrivals
Posted
What another wonderful and amazing story! Blessings to all!