Garden of Hope

Christina, I'm so glad you decided to send in your inquiry. You will be amazed at how quickly you can get things together when you are motivated to do so. I made a phone call to Abrazo in June of 2002, had my application in the end of July and brought my son home before my scheduled orientation weekend in October! (Nathan was born 9/9 and I brought him home 10/2 after learning about him 9/26) Start taking pictures......even if they are "staged". You can do lots of them in the same day if you go different places and change your clothes a lot. Shhhhhhh, that's a secret! Most childlesss couples face that--no pictures of them together. Lots of their pets, each other alone--which you can use some of those. Gather financial records so you are ready to whip out the application form. (tax return) Check with your insurance carrier to make sure that your adopted child will be covered at birth and get documentation stating that. Check into beginning your home study. Get your finances in order so that you have access to the funds you will need on a moment's notice. (It happens that way sometimes) Start writing your Dear Birthmother letter--rough draft. Ask people to write letters of reference for you. Have your doctor write you a letter stating that you have a diagnois of infertility. Make an appointment for your physicals. Keep posting and reading on the forum! It's not if it's when and it IS possible to be at the June orientation. Abrazo really needs childless couples right now. We're all pulling for you. Jean

I have to tell ya'll, I've had the priviledge of meeting Matthew Christian and he is beautiful. The most uncanny thing is that he looks just like his big brother, Jacob did at that age. Jacob is so sweet with his new baby. He holds him, hugs him, kisses him and calls him "my baby". Dana and Glenn are amazing parents that will give their two sons a life of opportunities and love. I am blessed to know them.

Half of April's orientation group placed or matched? That's awesome!! Way to go Stork Central!

Congratulations! Definitely record time. Just in time for Mother's Day, too. WOWEEEE!

Welcome Michelle and Jose! My name is Jean and I am a 43 year old single mother to the most precious 7 month old boy you would ever want to meet. I became a parent through the diligent, competant, professional work of Abrazo Adoption Associates. The time frame was nothing short of amazing (4 months from the first phone call to bringing my 3 week old son home). The cost was in line with most other agencies in Texas. (I don't know if we can post about the money here) And I cannot say enough good things about the agency, the miracle of adoption, and the wonderful adoption community that Abrazo has fostered here and at their various functions. You say that you would like more information about the process of domestic adoption. With Abrazo, there are basically three steps. The first would be to call Abrazo and have them send you an inquiry packet. After you have completed that, then you complete an application. After that, you attend an awesome, information packed, fun filled orientation weekend. At that point you would need to create a profile for birthmothers to use to get to know you, complete a homestudy, and a few other paperwork type things. Then you sit back and let God and the Abrazo Angels do their work. It really is a labor of love that is engineered completely by the All Mighty. If you really are interested in learning more about domestic adoption through Abrazo, give Angela a call at 210- 348-5683 and get started! Good luck to you and like Jennifer said, if you have any other questions, just post and someone/everyone will be happy to give you their experience and ideas on the subject! Now, go make that call!!

WOW Stork Central has been flying around assisting in creating lots of new families!! Congratulations to all the new mommies and daddies. Pleas post as soon as possible so we can send the congratulations in a more personal way! Jean

A plan that was authored in heaven.

Congratulations to fellow Bambinofest friends! Nathan and I are so excited for you and can't wait to see the pictures of your precious Madelyn Christine! I bet you're just over the moon with her. Enjoy every second. They grow and change So quickly! Hugs, Jean and Nathan

What a mind and heart wrenching situation. I am speechless.

Nathan and I know! Congratulations to the newest addition to both of the Great Bambinofest families. I can't wait to see the latest pictures. I know you are in heaven. Your angel is coming home! Congratulations!! Love, Jean and Nathan

Hi Keri, I think the key is to realize that it could happen quickly or it could take a bit longer. As parents through adoption, I think we all have experienced that sometimes even the best laid plans do not come to pass and there is a higher power that is setting the time table for the addition to your family. It took me ten years to become a mommy. (Infertility, disrupted adoption plans, divorce, etc.) Dear friends of mine adopted almost 4 years ago and were in the May 2002 orientation. They are expecting in May. I was sort of in the Oct. orientation group. My son came about 10 days before orientation in the form of a beautiful, precious BOG. And yes two couples were matched VERY quickly and are expecting very soon. There really is no way to know for sure. Just decide if you would be okay if it happened very quickly and then if so, jump right in. I know Abrazo is actively searching for adoptive families. Good luck and let us know how it goes. By the way, I really like the name Colton. And really, could there ever be a wrong time to welcome a precious little child into your family!? Jean

What a wonderful story of faith and destiny. God truely does have a plan for each of us. Congratulations! I love the name you have chosen, Julia Grace. Patience is a virtue and good things come to those who wait! Congratulations again. Jean

Welcome Familylove! As you are already seeing, this is an excellent place to discuss issues and get opinions and information as almost certainly there is someone who is or has been just where you are. I have travelled the infertility road. My former husband and I tried for several years before seeking professional assistance. Due to my age at the time, all treatments were aggressive. I consented to the use of some new drugs that did not have long term study information. We tried IVF unsuccessfully. (Boy, I'd like to have your insurance/reimbursement) My insurance did not pay a single penny of our infertility treatments. After the IVF failed, the doctors were suggesting donor eggs. My partner was not willing to do the donor eggs. I decided that I was going to take a year off. I would not make any decisions related to it for a full year. I felt such relief. It was amazing how free I felt. I spent that time educating myself, journaling, and participating in individual counseling. I had to come to terms with the the realities of my situation. I had to cope with the grief. There were so many issues. I had to look at all the options and weigh the pros and cons. I had to heal. Finally, I realized that I had said goodbye to the biological baby that I had created in my mind's eye and that biology was not what mattered. I confirmed my desire to parent. I solidified my convictions that I did not want to live "childfree/childless". I put closure to my fertility issues and the idea of having a biological child. Then I began to research adoption and start talking with my ex about adoption. He was not nearly as confident about it as I. To make a long/complicated story short, we attended an orientation with another agency and decided to work with them. Within several months we were matched with a birthmom. She was five months pregnant and was expecting a girl. We committed to her and provided financial support. (she did not want a lot of contact) Thirteen days before her due date, she let the agency know that she had decided to parent. Of course, we were devastated. It drove a wedge between my ex and I. We spent some time recovering and decided to continue. Several months later, we were matched again. Again, to make a long story short, my ex and I had different ideas on the degree of openess and how to handle the relationship and the trust issues left from our first adoption plan that did not result in placement. I came to realize that just as we were having issues about the best way to work with our birthmom, we would certainly have large issues when it came to raising a child. I began to realize that my ex and I viewed adoption quite differently and definitely did not agree on the idea of openess with the birthmom and/or child. I came to the most difficult of decisions, which was that we would have a very hard time raising an adopted child together. For the third time, to make a long story short..................our marriage ended. We had to disrupt the adoption plan. Again, some time off to recover, educate, and regroup. There was never a doubt that I wanted to parent, but now, I'm a single woman in my early 40's. Can I adopt? Is it "fair" to "take" a child from a couple? Is it "fair" to adopt a child when you can't give them a daddy too? I decided to work with Child Protective Services. I thought, if I provide a home to a child that is in desperate need, then I'm not being selfish and taking a child away from a couple that could give him/her a mom and dad. After many months of training, spending time with Foster Parents and some foster children, I saw that this route would be extremely hard on my heart. Although I thought I was strong enough to do it, I chose not to put myself through that. Fast forward to May, 2002. Super friends of mine attend Abrazo Orientation as againers. They talk to Ruth, who just happened to do the homestudy for my ex and I. It is explained that the plan Ruth thought had come to pass, did not. She is informed that I am working with Child Protective to try and adopt. She tells my friend that I don't need to go that route and to call her. God puts those people in your path just when you need them. For those of you who do not know Ruth personally, take it from me, she is a one of a kind dynamo. She adopted as a single woman. I had doubts, and she encouraged me. I had questions she answered. June, 2002, I completed the inquiry. August 2002, I completed my application. September 2002, I was scheduled to attend the October orientation. September 27, 2002 I learned about my son. October 2, 2002, I went to the Abrazo office, signed papers and met my son for the first time. My life has had the glow of joy and blessed peace ever since. Dreams come true. You have to define exactly what your dreams are to acheive them. You have to have closure to one avenue before you can go on to another, I believe. So, familylove, what I'm trying to tell you in a round about way is.......in my experience I had to do everything I was willing to do in the fertility arena before I could move to another arena. I have no regrets there. I know I did all I was willing to do, and then I could move on with no regrets or what ifs. I hope this helps in some way. Good luck on your journey to parenthood. Take your time, learn about everything and remember "good things come to those who wait" and truely things happen "in HIS time" not ours. God Bless, Jean

Welcome Travis and Jacquee! Abrazo is the BEST! They help dreams come true. Good luck on your journey to parenthood. Jean

YeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! I know who they are, too, Jennifer, and Nathan and I are doing the Mexican Hat dance to celebrate the beginning of their life together. CONGRATULATIONS and SHHAZAAAAAM!!!!!!!! Dreams really DO come true!! Can't wait to hear all details...... Hugs, Nathan and Jean

I cannot believe myself. I have worked and worked and worked to become a mom and with the placement of my precious Nathan Alexander that dream became a reality on October 2. I hadn't even been home with him a week and I started thinking about wanting another one!! Thinking about a brother or sister for Nathan. Of course, my rational mind knows that I am single, working full time, and there couldn't possibly be another child as perfectly wonderful and, dare I say it, shhhhhhhh, "easy" as Nathan! I can already see in just a few weeks how quickly they grow and change. I want to make time stand still and yet I am anxiously anticipating each new stage and step in development. SABRINA, if you are out there reading this......please send me a bit of your successful, single mom, multiple adoption thoughts! I ramble here. I guess I should mention that I think I would like Nathan to be older........four maybe, but then that would make me..........EEEK 46/47 Thanks for "listening". It sure does help to be able to think online. Am I nuts? Am I totally greedy? What do ya'll think?

I also believe in full disclosure. Treat others as you would want to be treated. I do not believe that it will hinder their chances, rather insure that they are chosen by the birthparents that want them as they are, "warts" and all. (We all have them, you know! ) I would advise them not to withold information that the agency and birthparents have a right to know. Jean

Hi Jenny, Thank you for responding to my post. I agree that Abrazo is a wonderful organization of angels. I have friends who adopted through Abrazo three years ago and have a fabulous son that amazes and blesses me each time I see him. I believe that open adoption is the best way and even though I have experienced two open birthparent relationships that did not culminate in my becoming a mom, I know that God placed those individuals in my path because we needed each other at that time. I believe that, as Ruth and Elizabeth say, it's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when. Thank you again for responding to my post! Jean

Hi, My name is Jean. I am a 42 year old divorced professional woman. I have been through ten years of trying to conceive and unsuccessful infertility treatments. My ex-husband and I made an adoption plan with two birthmothers that did not culminate in a successful placement (with another agency). A myriad of things lead me to become a single woman, but in all that time, the one thing that never wavered is my desire to parent. After much soul searching, prayer, and discussion with family and friends, I have decided to follow my dream of becoming a mom. I have submitted my inquiry, application, and preference for orientation weekend to Abrazo. I am gathering photographs and mentally planning my Dear Birthmother Profile. Yes, I am a miracle seeker and a believer that dreams do come true. I was wondering if there are any other singles who are working to build their families through adoption. I welcome any responses. (single or not) May God Bless you in your search, Jean