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Monica281

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Posts posted by Monica281

  2. APPLICATION

    in Looking to Adopt

    Posted

    Great, thanks guys! Digging into the paperwork today. I'd forgotten how fun it is to divulge every personal detail! :P

    Yes, it's good times! The nice thing was that we referenced our old application a lot to help with some of the details. It was interesting to see how we answered the questions in what I'd call the essay portion of the app...and then to think of how our views had changed after going through the adoption process once. For instance, I vividly remember the question on what contact info we'd share with a birthfamily and the first time we answered it something like "we'd share our email address". I'm sure we were afraid of being bombarded via phone, mail, and a visit on our doorstep by a birthmom looking for her child back in a couple years...um silly us! We had a lot to learn but I can look back at some of those responses and worries and see how we've grown in the 3+ years since we first started looking into adoption. I didn't really enjoy filling out ALL the paperwork again but understood why we needed to and it was kinda fun to reflect on where we were in the past and where we've come to now.

    Jocelyn, you sound like us. It was pretty neat to see how much we had "grown" in our adoption views. We also had put something like we would give out our email. We have learned so much and why it is so important for Garrett to have the relationship that we are growing with his birthmom. I would never have guessed that she would have been to our home and that we would have the type of relationship that we have. We were silly weren't we!

    So here's to all of us who have grown and opened our minds and our hearts!!

    • Upvote 4

  4. Texas Reunion?

    in Looking to Adopt

    Posted

    We are in Houston but most of the time with advance notice we can be in San Antonio it's only 3 hour drive for us. We would love to get a group going in Texas! We have been trying to activate the Houston group but haven't been successful yet.

    We are actually going to San Antonio next week Thursday-Sunday for a mini-stacation. We plan on taking Garrett to Sea World and a few other things. I am ready for a little fun!!

    :D

  8. A Birth Grandmother's Role

    in BirthGrandparents & Important Others

    Posted

    This is my wish for you:

    Comfort on difficult days,

    Smiles when sadness intrudes,

    Rainbows to follow the clouds,

    Laughter to kiss your lips,

    Sunsets to warm your heart,

    Hugs when spirits sag,

    Beauty for your eyes to see,

    Friendships to brighten your being,

    Faith so that you can believe,

    Confidence for when you doubt,

    Courage to know yourself,

    Patience to accept the truth,

    Love to complete your life.

    - Anonymous

    Mari, you always seem to know just what to post when people need to hear it the most. Thanks!

    • Upvote 1

  10. A Birth Grandmother's Role

    in BirthGrandparents & Important Others

    Posted

    Yay…got my fourth JALAPENO…. Not sure exactly what that means but..I’ll take it!!!

    It means you keep paying it forward!! I have loved having you on the forum more frequently lately and am always feeling wiser because of what I learn from you. Congrats on the chili pepper!!

    I was about to say the same thing Melissa,! Mari you have such a wonderful way with words and are such a caring and kind person. We are all lucky to have you on the forum!! Congrats on your additional chili pepper, now keep posting!! :P

  11. A Birth Grandmother's Role

    in BirthGrandparents & Important Others

    Posted

    M

    “Melissa, it is so great that you have been able to spend this time with Steven's family. It makes all the difference in the world when you know that the people your child is surrounded by not only accept them but also love them unconditionally.”

    Monica, I hope you don’t mind that I copied your comment above to Melissa here. I really liked what you wrote. Your words are so true for first families also. Though there is a long list of worries and concerns for a first mom when she is considering placing, this I’m sure is one to the top major concern, for my daughter it was no different. One question she asked all the perspective parents in waiting that she talked to when she was going to place was in regards to their families, parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, anyone who would be around her child if they were the ones entrusted to parent. How extended family felt about adoption, would they embrace, accept and love her child as their own biological family. The last thing a first parent(s)/family(ies) would want is for their child to be in a family where they would be neglected, pushed away, not accepted, ignored or worse mistreated because the child is adopted. I know all first families appreciate their child’s entire family surrounding their child with acceptance and unconditional love, no matter how they came to be part of the family and no matter their ethnic origin. Heartfelt thanks to all families for this, I know we are very blessed that my beautiful grandbaby is surround by so much love within her family.

    Tomorrow is Grandparents Day, so I want to wish all grandparents (first family & adopted family) a Wonderful and Blessed Day..

    Mari I am sure that this would play a huge part in the decision when making a placement decision for your child. I know when we first started talking about adoption it was one of our concerns as well. We knew that in order for us to pursue adoption period that our family had to be on board and be accepting of our child and that they had to be able to love him/her just as if they were biologically related to them. I had some concerns but when we spoke to all of them they assured us it would make no difference but still you have to only hope at that point that it will be true. Well I can say for sure now that Garrett is loved by everyone! He is our child and their grandson and is treated no differently than the other grandchildren. My mom still cries when she talks about him and always tells him that he has her heart, and believe me he does!

    Happy Grandparents Day to you too!

    I took Garrett shopping to pick out a couple of things for his Grammie yesterday and told him not to tell her it was going to be a surprise on Sunday. Well as soon as we saw her yesterday he says "We have presents and a suprizzee" he couldn't wait :wub:

  14. A Birth Grandmother's Role

    in BirthGrandparents & Important Others

    Posted

    Thanks for one info Mari! I have a kindle and an iPad and am going to try it out. I don't get to read as much anymore but when I do I think it would be great to just loan a book from the library. I also am a collector of books that I haven't read but I can't stand the clutter and gave many away, but I am going to check into the organization you listed to see if there is something in my area.

  18. A Birth Grandmother's Role

    in BirthGrandparents & Important Others

    Posted

    Maybe one day Lauranda and Amber will meet, Lauranda's never attended group..mainly due to school/school work that she pushes herself on, and unfortunately she missed the first reunion..but I am hoping she will make it next year God willing. First moms are a group of courages women, that no matter how much others (me included) try to support and understand, we can never fully do so unless we’ve been there, (won't ever stop me from being there when she needs me though, even if it's just a shoulder I can provide) so it’s wonderful that they can share with each other and understand each other’s emotions (good and bad)..

    Have a blessed day

    That would be awesome if Lauranda could spend time with other birthmoms, but I totally understand how important keeping up with and finishing school is to her. Just one of the amazing things about Abrazo is how they support bringing birthparent/expectant parents together for support as well as adoptive parents together for support. You are so right that people who have been or are going through the same things that you are can be the best support out there.

    Wishing Lauranda another great year!!

    Glad to hear that your trip was great and that your boot didn't slow you down!!

    As always thanks for sharing with us!!

  25. APPLICATION

    in Looking to Adopt

    Posted

    Well, today was an exceptionally wonderful day. Tim and I got the call we were hoping for! We were invited to orientation in August and are booking our flight from Memphis now! This is such an exciting time and we feel so blessed. Now we will work to finish everything up with our home study before orientation! On a side note, the yellow turned out beautifully.

    That is awesome!!! Look forward to hearing all about your time in Tx and your orientation weekend!!

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