[Saying Grace (Prayers & Thanks Givings)]

Please pray for our birthmother's brother. He was hit by a car last night while he was walking home. He is doing better than the doctors expected, but he and the family still need lots of prayers.

Thanks,

Melissa

[Profiles: Presenting... YOU!]

Veronica,

My husband and I felt the same way you do during the Summer of 2002. We had been with Abrazo for a few months and had not spoken to any birthmoms. We thought no bithmom was going to ever pick us, but come to find out our daughter's birthparents already had our profile they just had not called Abrazo yet. So for three months we felt rejected, but all along we were kinda picked by our wonderful birthparents and just didn't know it!!

It will happen for you also!!

[Baby Announcements 2003]

Congratulations cgrace on your new little one! I'm sure he is a cutie!!!

Warmest Wishes,

Melissa

P.S. The cats will learn to love your new little guy, ours did!

[Baby Announcements 2003]

Congratulations to the happy Mommy and Daddy!!! Enjoy every minute they grow way too fast!!!!

[The Welcome Wagon!]

Zinnia,

Welcome! You have found the right place to vent and share your thoughts! I too am a teacher and I received the cruelest comments about adoption from my fellow teachers. Some of them still say things, but you know what, I don't really care anymore because at the end of the day I can look at my beautiful baby girl and know that adoption does work.

Best of luck on your journey,

Melissa

[Baby Step: Start-Up Advice for Newbies]

I'm so glad you sent your inquiry in to Abrazo. They are the best!!! We began our home study the month before we went to orientation that way all we had to do after it was our profile and doctor visits. As soon as you get all of that done, you get to start speaking to birthfamilies. We went to orientation last May and we spoke to our birthfamily in Aug.

By the way we sent in our inquiry about 2-3 weeks before orientation. Hopefully I'll see you in June, I along with my husband and daughter will get the chance to speak at that orientation. Now get busy taking pictures of you and your husband!!!!!!!

Best of Luck

Melissa Merritt

[Age of adoptive parents]

We kinda had a reverse. Our birthmom is close to my age late 20's, but our birthdad is very close to my parents age. I was worried at first that we would have nothing in common with the birthdad, but it does help that he does not act his age. He is so much fun to be around that I forget that he is almost the same age as my Dad. It is nice to talk with him  when we are not joking around because he has "been there and done that." On a side note, when my parents came to Texas after Grace Ann was born, we went to birthparents house for dinner and my Dad and birthdad got along wonderfully.

[Baby Announcements 2003]

YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!        I've been waiting alllllllll day for this post!!!!!!!I'm so thrilled for my fellow Dream Team 2002 families. A year ago I never would have thought that it would be possible for all of us to be parents by now,but a very wise lady told us not if but when. I'm so excited for this newest member of our group and can't wait to visit with him and his PROUD family in June!!!!Give him a hug and a kiss from his Tennessee friends!!!!

Love,

Melissa & Grace Ann

[Baby Announcements 2003]

Congrats to our fellow Dream Team!!!!!! Can't wait to hear who it is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Enjoy every moment!

Love,

Melissa

[What made you pick Abrazo?]

My husband and I had heard about Abrazo for a year before we finally decided to take the plunge and it was the best thing that we ever did!!!

We sent papers(& money) to another agency in our state, but somehow they informed us five months later that they lost our paperwork, but somehow they did not lose our money.(I'm not bitter or anything)

We knew a girl in our city who adopted a baby from Abrazo within 3 months of orientation. I just refused to believe that it could happen that quick for us, so we kept putting it off until this past May. We went to the May 2002 orientation and heard about how fast it took some couples to place with a baby. I, of course, still refuse to believe that I would have a baby within a year of that first meeting. As I am writing this I'm looking a beatiful picture of my little peanut princess, counting the minutes until I get off of work!!

Had it not been for the WONDERFUL staff at Abrazo and the reputation that follows them, it would just be an ordinary Friday night at the Merritt household!