Hello Katie and Matt,
I know how agonizing it can be to make such a major leap of faith. It feels strange to step out of one line, not sure if the next one is any faster, better, etc. We are from Chicago and researched local agencies, but the fit was just not right for us. I am a person who asks a lot of questions and we were afraid in a larger agency, we would be a number on a sheet. We heard about Abrazo through our doctor, as she had a patient with two placements through Abrazo. We began to research Abrazo and went into orientation unsure of the decision to fly all the way to Texas. But we knew we were in the right place by the end of the weekend. The other couples were awesome and supportive and we just knew it was right. We hadn't completed our homestudy when we attended orientation February 2010, and it took seemingly forever. May 18th we got our homestudy approval and spoke to our first 2 expectant mothers. We matched the following week. This match did not result in placement, however, we still remain in contact with this family. Three weeks later, we talked to a lovely woman and a week later we were signing entrustment papers. Our wait time from orientation was less than 5 months.
We came back to Abrazo for orientation in February 2013 to expand our family. We literally finished our homestudy today!
We have such a sense of peace about working with Abrazo. This is a group that cares about all aspects of the adoption triad. This is one of the most emotionally charged experiences of my life and it was paramount in my mind to have someone with experience, with compassion, and with a sense of humor. Because it is a roller coaster!!!
We wish you the best in your journey and look forward to cheering you on from the sidelines!