Patti and Steve

Welcome Melanie & Joe, So glad to hear about your journey and finding Abrazo. We joined the Abrazo family last fall and have found everyone to be incredibly warm, caring, supportive and welcoming. We have a little boy 6 years old too and hoping to expand our family in 2008, so perhaps we can compare pareting a 6 year old experiences along the way. We look forward to reading your posts and being part of your adoption journey. Welcome!!! Patti, Steve and Jack

HOORAY - OH HAPPY DAY - A BABY BOY --- much congrats to Paul and Fabi!! We can't wait to see the photos of the happy new family and hear what the little angel's name is - sending big hugs to all of you!!! Patti and Steve

For all of us working with local state agencies for home studies....this is the type of plea we can do our help to spread through them. I just sent an email off to ours in hopes she can locate someone and\or help spread the word through her adoption agency network in WI. Hope that special childless couple can be found soon - a little one needs you!!!

You must click on the wick at the end...did you do that?? Other than that I am not sure why they aren't showing up. Good Luck!!!

Adding our prayers as well Amen!

Just checked and there is only 3 currently burning -- I am sure their are many out there that could use our blessings and prayers -- Our candles could use a little attention.

I agree - I love it to and it does provide some good talking points I think to help us help others become more comfortable -thanks for sharing it

Wanted to share something related to this that happened to me just this week. When speaking with a family member who told me she wanted to get the name of the agency we were working with in Texas -- don't worry Elizabeth I had told her prior, she just couldn't remember the name as catchy as Abrazo is....so, the reason she wanted it was that she was at a dinner with a woman who shared that her daughter had been waiting for a child from China for many years without anything happening, and now was going to look at agencies in Texas. I immediately shared that I could send her the website and name of the agency but she needed to be committed to an open adoption....if she was doing international to avoid openness this was not going to work ....I went on to reinforce that only those who embrace openness would be even considered as that is what is best for the child and they needed to give that very serious thought. The calls I am sure will keep pouring into your office I am sure -- hopefully amongst them you can find some new AP couples who maybe were a bit nervous about it all and uneducated or maybe just haven't found you yet. We have some very good friends who have an open adoption with their first child, and they just adopted from Guatemela after waiting for 5 years for another domestic open adoption with no luck they were told was primarily due to not being a childless couple (we all know there are no guarantees and there could have been lots of other reasons). They weren't as lucky as we were to find you. So I will do all I can to educate others about openness and only refer those to Abrazo that are committed to it. Thanks for ALL you do at Abrazo for the children, the birthfamilies and for us as adoptive families.... Patti

I love the name "Henry" -congratulations and enjoy every wonderful minute as a family

So happy to hear the news of the 2008 first baby - CONGRATS and welcome precious little one!!

I definitely want to see this movie. My sister called me today and told me that she saw the movie last night and absolutely loved it and so wished that she was watching it with me, as she thought I would love it too. Guess that means I need to find a sitter or hope it comes out on DVD soon!!!

Bumping this up for the 3x5s and others to locate -- 12 candles burning this AM -- now GOOD NEWS - current candles burning is 40+

Quick Question on this -- if the birthfather is known and signs termination paperwork, would that still be at legal risk?? I realize those situations can be few and far between....still wanted to ask to build greater understanding. Thanks Elizabeth.

The next hopeful will be #3 and they say that number 3 is the charm....so sending lots of hopes, thoughts and prayers with him and with you Angela, as you continue to work for a happy ending --

May the Lord cradle Jason in his love. Bless him and comfort the hearts of his parents.

Horrible and unbelievable-- may this family receive God's healing!!

Keeping fingers crossed and positive thoughts for this little guy - I so love happy endings so maybe one is soon to come!!

I couldn't agree more than with Carine --our thoughts and wishes for speedy paperwork process and a happy ending for this little boy -- Patti and Steve That is great news! "New Forum Member", I wish you the best of luck in getting your papers together. - Carine

Congratulations to all - an incredibly wonderful Christmas miracle moment and a future together tobuild many happy moments together each year. Enjoy!!!

Definitely a story to get you thinking.....and reinforce the troubles that can occur with closed adoptions. I am glad she has been reunited with her daughter... her choice and her right.

WELCOME Elaina Marie and Skylar Patrick --- You will surely continue to grow strong surrounded by the love of many --- and we just know that you will have wonderful lives ahead of you as your parents are fantastic people .......Congrats again Jon\Julie -- thank you for sharing this with all of us, it truly reinforces our belief in God's miracles. Double blessings!! Patti, Steve and Jack

HOORAY!!! So happy to hear it is official. Now we just can't wait to find out what their "official" names will be-- our prayers and support are being sent across the miles to you Julie and Jon, and to your new extended family of birthparents and their family. Peace and joy to all of you!!! Patt, Steve and Jack

Michelle - I think your response is awesome.....I am going to keep that in mind to respond back to people with....I also have gotten the question ....isn't that so much harder on the child, won't they get confused?? I have done my best to educate those who do say things like this in an attempt for them to understand ("get it")....that it is harder for a child to not have any answers to basic questions.....and that it isn't confusing, when that is what they know their life story to be from the day we became a family .....I also remind myself that those with no awareness or real life experience, need guidance to "get it" - to gain perspective. Patti