LeslieR

I guess it is funny to me that people make assumptions at all. Why not just politely ask. I love sharing our experiences of adoption because thankfully they have been so positive. I feel a lot of times like a cheerleader for adoptive parents, birth parents and adoption in general. I guess I can thank Abrazo for educating us and helping make this such a wonderful experience. I hope all works out well for Sandra and her little boy.

That's exciting Melissa. Boy do I remember the excitment of each step in this process.

Tears of joy for all involved.

I read The Open Adoption Experience by Lois Ruskai Melina. I haven't actually finished it because it broken in to stages of the process. It first talks in general about open adoption but then gets in to specifics about building your relationship after a match, birth and placement. I took a lot of the advice to heart and used what I learned in building our relationship with Andrea and how to handle things at the birth. It was so important for us to treat Andrea with respect as an individual not just as the potential birth mother of our son. I found the advice to be invaluable. You have reminded me that I need to read part 4 which starts with the first year after placement.

We actually have a cat that I've had for almost 16 years and 3 other female cats that we claim as ours even though they are always outside and come and go as they please. All of these have their rabies shots as required. We also have a male cat or two that stop by for a bite to eat occasionally. They are very friendly but we don't claim them. When you have cat food outside you just don't know who you will find lurking sometimes.

I love all this talk about pets. My husband and I have 4 large dogs ranging in age from 2 to 13 years old. They are all very sweet but are very overwhelming when someone comes to the door. We just keep the 2 younger ones outside and that helps. It that wasn't enough, my cousin passed away last night and we took in his beagle. Our home just wouldn't be the same without all our dogs.

I think the whole site was strange. That was a lot of personal information and disgusting. She seems to be treating these babies as commodities. The facilitator doesn't seem to care about these birth mothers as people who will grieve the lose of their children.

I love that....the "Chosen Child". I feel like we were chosen by 'A' and she was chosen by us. 'A' along with her baby will be part of our family and we will be part of hers. I think taking adoption out of the "closet" and making it postive rather than negative effects adoptive families, first families and adopted children in a positive way. It is not that dirty little secret that everybody knows but nobody talks about. We are very open about our plans to adopt and that we are expecting to be parents in December. So far, most people are truely happy for us and are supporting our decision to live the open adoption experience. I hope over time people won't see adopted kids as the ones that run over the cat with the lawnmower. We have cats and and a lawnmower. I just recalled while typing this that my bestfriend in junior high was adopted and didn't look like his parents. At the time I don't remember thinking twice about it. He was my friend and they were his parents. Maybe I just wasn't a deep thinker at thirteen.

I was asked about Leakey, Texas. My husband was born and raised here but I was very lucky to move here 4 years ago. We are in the beautiful Texas hill country about 100 miles North West of San Antonio. It is a small tourist town of about 400 but most people live in the county (like us) not within the city limits. The Frio River runs through here and we are about 10 miles north of Garner State Park.

We received our letter to either attend the June or August orientation. I returned the letter and payment the next day, so hopefully we will be attending June orientation. We are childless and ready to get started in our journey to parenthood.

My husband and I sent our initial application in on March 23. We are excited about our new journey and are ready to get the process going. We are childless and ready to be parents. Looking forward to meeting others going through the same feelings that we are. It is hard to stay patient.