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melissamerritt

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Posts posted by melissamerritt

  8. The Welcome Wagon!

    in Looking to Adopt

    Posted

    Welcmome Melanie!!

    We love Abrazo and can't say enough good about them. We adopted our daughter 5 years ago through Abrazo and returned last Nov. to start the process of bringing home a sibling for our daughter.

    One of the best things about Abrazo other than the great job they do, is the friendships I have because of the forum. :)

    Good luck, I can't wait to follow your journey!

  11. What made you pick Abrazo?

    in Looking to Adopt

    Posted

    Welcome!!!

    We picked Abrazo after trying to work with a local agency years ago. That agency didn't know us or care to get to know us. Abrazo took the time to know us on a personal level, it didn't feel ike we were just clients, but family.

    We also chose Abrazo because they truly care about the birthparents that they are working with. It sadden me to see how some of the other agancies treated birthfamilies.

    One more reason we chose Abrazo was because they do open adoptions. My husband and I worked many long hours trying to get an adoption agency up and running in our area a few years ago. After doing all the work I realized that they didn't do open adoptions the way Abrazo does open adoption. I can't imagine not having the contact with Grace Ann's birthfamily and now with our new birthmother.

    There are so many more reasons that we chose Abrazo, but those three are the tops in my book!

  21. Open Adoption

    in Looking to Adopt

    Posted

    I know what you mean Heidi. When we first came to Abrazo, I thought that I would just tell them that we are wanting to do an open adoption. Like you said, I thought that would help our "chances" but once we heard Elizabeth and the birthparents on the panel speak, we knew we couldn't do it any other way.

    I am so thankful that the ladies at Abrazo ask all of us to go beyond our comfort zone.

  23. Open Adoption

    in Looking to Adopt

    Posted

    This is part of the email that I just sent my friend:

    "Let me start at the beginning of our open adoption story.

    The agency we worked with contacted me at school and told me that they had a family that wanted to talk to us about possible placement of their baby. I called them from school and talked to both mom and dad. That night Chris talked to them both also. They asked us some questions, we asked them some. It was a getting to know you call. The next day the agency called to tell us that they chose us to be the parents of their unborn baby. That was Aug.27th. We talked to each other, normally me and the birth mom sometimes Chris joined in, about once a week. During those calls we talked about her kids, her day to day life, sometimes more in depth things but we never really talked about the growing baby. We were building our relationship with each phone call.

    We visited in Oct. for a weekend. We got to meet her kids, his kids and her mom and sister. We had a wonderful weekend. They took us sight-seeing etc.

    We came home feeling closer to them then before we left. They were and are a awesome family.

    Grace Ann was born the 19th of Nov. but the doctors thought she was coming early so we got to TX on the 2nd of Nov. We would go and visit them almost every day leading up to the birth. At the hospital the nurses couldn't figure out who we were. They said the way we all acted we had to be family and they were right, we were family.

    They signed away their rights two days later while we stood outside crying. I knew I was going home happy and she was going home unhappy. It didn't seem fair to me that one mother had to do so much just to make my dreams come true. I struggled and still do with that fact. I am not worthy for someone to go through such grieve to make me a mother.

    After we were released, we were still in TX waiting to here the news that we could go home. We were there until the 10th of Dec. During our days there, my parents and his parents came down to meet Grace Ann and to meet Monica and Ronnie. Chris, Grace Ann and I spent our first Thanksgiving with them. The memories I have from that time spent with them are so sweet.

    Once we got home until now, we still try to talk once a week.

    When Grace Ann does something new, they are the first people I tell. They are so proud of her and love her so. Now that she is getting older, it is so sweet to hear her talk to them on the phone, to hear her tell them that she loves them.

    People ask me all the time do I get jealous when she tells them she loves them and I always answer no. She has room in her heart for so many people. She does love them dearly. They gave her life when it could have been so easy to do something else.

    People also ask me if I am afraid of her "real"parents. I always answer how could I? They did something for me that no matter how hard I tried I couldn't do. They searched in their hearts and made an agonizing decision

    I am so thankful that not only did Monica and Ronnie help make us a family, I am thankful that they are our part of that family. I can't imagine doing an adoption any other way."

    I am hoping she can overcome her fears and realize what a blessing she might miss.

  24. Open Adoption

    in Looking to Adopt

    Posted

    I need help. I have been talking to a friend about open adoption. Her husaband and her have been waiting with another agency for over three years. They had a failed placement in April. Before that time they were very afraid of open adoption. The match that there were a part of was a open relationship, now they are very afaid. She has asked me to email her explaining how open adoption really works.

    I know how ours goes, but I thought I could give her words from others. She has asked for the best books to read about open adoption.

    Anyone willing to give me words to give her to help educate her.

  25. Open Adoption

    in Looking to Adopt

    Posted

    Way to go Tina!!!

    Everytime you speak out about open adoption it might change someone's thoughts about adoption.They say that it takes 21 times to do or say something before it sinks into some people's heads, Tina today was the first only 20 more times.

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