Stork Central
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It took a nationwide search, dozens of phone calls and countless prayers, but Abrazo has found a wonderful family for our very special baby boy, and today, they flew from California to complete all the documents necessary to make him their son.
Abrazo thanks the many agencies and professionals across the country who assisted us in our search for such a special family.
We thank the courageous birthmother who didn't lose faith in the process as we searched, and we thank the loving couple who have stepped out in faith on behalf of this precious child.
Blessings, all!
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Abrazo is seeking a very special family for a very special baby...
He is 9 days old, of African-American descent and has hydranencephaly. He had a shunt operation yesterday morning, and may be ready for hospital discharge as early as next week.
This is a special needs placement, and any interested families should be aware of the challenges this condition may present: http://www.hydranencephalyfoundation.org/about.html. (See also: http://braydenalexanderfoundation.blogspot.com/ and http://www.hydranencephaly.jigsy.com/.)
Please contact Stacy Levinson at 210-342-5683 for more information.
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When they attended Abrazo's BGE&s orientation in April 2012, these faithful againers thought they knew what to expect... probably. After all, they had a precious, Texas-born son at home already, and although a mother asked to match with them early in the second go-round, they opted to wait for an opportunity that would just seem to fit better, as was their right.
They spoke with a great many expectant parents in the months that were to follow, and even matched with a few, yet the "right" circumstances seemed all-too-elusive, through no fault of their own. So they continued to wait. And wait. (Ever so patiently.)
There were surely times they wondered if their prayers were being heard, if their quest should be forgotten? Still, they waited with extraordinary grace, continuing their unwavering support of our community and bravely waiting on.
They could not have known that a tiny wisp of a girl was slowly coming to be, one who would truly need them just as much as they needed her. And they never gave up, which is the important part! For this weekend, without warning, the angels conspired to bring a miracle to pass. Only this couple could be the parents this sweet baby needed most, so when The Call came for them in the wee hours of this morning, they were ready, in every way. Their long advent is over, and we revel with them and their family in full certainty that their new daughter is-- in every way-- well worth the wait! Blessings, all!-
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Once, there were two couples
who grew to love each other...Both moms can still be "mother,"
both dads can still be "father."
They joined their hearts in hopes that she--
the babe they love-- can always beprecious to each family.
-- By Abrazo, 2013
We join our beloved friends from Abrazo's Who Dis, Partyface? orientation group of March 2013 and their new daughter's first family, in celebrating the birth of a beautiful baby girl who is (and shall always be) so very dear to all of them.(And cheers for her new big brother and her proud birth siblings, as well.)
Blessings, all!
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When is the October, 2013 orientation weekend scheduled for?
October 11th-12th.
That is, of course, pending paperwork from all the lollygaggers who say they're sending it in and don't, LOL!
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Abrazo was in touch with Jose's mom this evening. She is very proud of Jose's decision to place when he and his then-girlfriend did, and she hopes to hear from her birthgrandson's adoptive parents soon. We relayed assurance that her family is in our community's prayers in this time of great loss and she expressed her appreciation.
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Wonder if he ever told his family about the baby?
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Five months after attending Abrazo's April 2013 orientation weekend, Fiesta Under The Bus, a grateful Connecticut couple returned to Texas for the birth of a precious baby girl and the beautiful birthmom who made her life possible. Together, they have planned a future for her that includes them all, and so much more! So crack open those cascarones, let the confetti fly, and start the fiesta. Because truly, what better reason to celebrate, than a baby?
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The Abrazo staff is saddened to learn of the tragic death of another of our birthfathers this week.
Jose Ruiz III, the first father of a baby boy placed through Abrazo in 2010, died from a fall on Tuesday. He was just 23 years old.
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/state&id=9252500
We lift Jose's birthson William, the birthmom Felicia, the adoptive couple and Jose's family in our thoughts and prayers.
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Who knew that rock legend Rod Stewart is a birth father?
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/real-life-stories/rod-stewarts-joy-over-adopted-1775792.
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The Abrazo community was saddened today to learn of the passing of another of our adoptive daddies:
http://www.legacy.co...332#fbLoggedOut
Greg White, husband of Jill and father of Nick & Katie, died last week, following a stroke. He was 57 years young at the time of his death. Greg was a beloved husband and a doting father, and he was a great man who will be greatly missed.
Greg and Jill were graduates of two Abrazo orientation weekends, Diabri's Darlings (September 1999) and Los Misionarios (February 2003). Their children are 13 and 9, and just started back to school this week.
We lift Jill, Nick and Katie in our thoughts and prayers, as they grieve this tremendous loss, and we thank God for the good life Greg led and for the difference he made in the world of those around him.
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"Every long lost dream led me to where you are.
Others who broke my heart, they were like northern stars
pointing me on my way into your loving arms. This much I know is true:
that God blessed the broken road that led me straight to you."
--Rascal Flatts
Today we celebrate the union of two very special families, each of whom has endured great hardship to become the precious extended family that they are today.
We celebrate the young, courageous mom who wanted better for her children than she ever had, herself. She is beautiful inside and out, a woman of faith who braved the disapproval of her relatives to give her children the kind of stable home she'd always dreamed of providing them.
We celebrate the loving and seemingly-tireless couple who returned to Abrazo to become graduates of our U-Haul Soy Stabbers orientation of 12/12. They have truly exceeded Abrazo's expectations (and those of the beloved birthmom of their firstborn son), and will surely continue to do so. They set aside the pain of their own losses to welcome a new son and daughter into their lives with open arms and we have no doubt they will love and protect all of their children, every day of their lives.
We celebrate the three amazing children who officially became siblings today. They're too young to really comprehend all the changes taking place in their lives, but they are surrounded with love and we lift each of them (and all their parents) in our prayers as they adapt and grow.
(And last but not least, we celebrate the dedicated cousin who has helped wrangle busy toddlers all week and who is an invaluable part of this family story, as well.)
God bless the broken road, and the glorious destinations it can lead to, when we walk in faith and trust the path set before us!
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"Because of a great love, one is courageous." -- Lao Tzu
When they first started the adoption process with Abrazo last winter, they may have felt more hopeful than courageous, but these two graduates of our U-Haul Soy Stabbers (12/12) orientation weekend could not possibly have guessed all the tests of faith that lay ahead. They just knew that they wanted to be parents and they moved forward, bravely pursuing this particular dream of theirs. Involved for a couple of months in a match that did not result in placement, they could've allowed heartbreak to distract them from their quest, yet their great love for each other and for their future child led them onwards.
Meanwhile, unbeknownst to them and far from their home, a courageous young mother wise beyond her years was harboring a secret pregnancy while contemplating a decision that would likewise require great love and enormous sacrifice. She could've allowed the influence of others to distract her from her quest, yet her great love for the child she was parenting and the one she carried led her onwards. She and her family united in their dream for her baby's future, and through a hospital social worker, she found Abrazo. She was much impressed with Abrazo's families, yet upon speaking with this one particular couple, she knew she wanted to be the one to help them become parents at last-- and in doing so, she changed the course of their lives forever.
Today, they met for the first time, joining their hearts and their lives in a courageous circle of love around a tiny 4 lb. baby boy. May he grow big and strong, always knowing that this choice was made by them all with his very best interests at heart, and may he forever embody their shared love and their courage in all that he does.
Blessings, all!
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A mikil blessun fyrir mikla fjölskyldu!
Few of Abrazo's adoption stories can claim to have been launched in Iceland, but today marks the second, as the highly-accomplished and much-loved son of a fine Icelandic family and his lovely, equally inspiring American-born wife (graduates of Abrazo's Who Dis, Partyface orientation of February, 2013) returned to Texas to adopt another precious son!
They had no idea Friday, when they packed their car in Chicago to drive up to the regional Abrazo reunion in Wisconsin, that their trip would require a sudden detour through the Rio Grande Valley in Texas?! Yet being the gracious, generous people they are, they immediately changed course when needed, and in doing so, changed the course of a newborn baby's life (and that of his birthmom, as well.)
Many thanks to all who are a part of this latest miracle (including the hospital social worker who referred this birthmom to Abrazo, the Wisconsin reunion attendees who have been cheering from the sidelines all weekend long, and one very excited new little "big brother"!)
Til hamingju!
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One needs only to have finalized one adoption before starting another (unless the children are biologically related). The "Petition to Adopt" requires proof that the child being adopted has already resided in the home for at least 6 months (unless a judge waives that requirement.)
We would love to see Jordyn become a big sister one day! (Many birth parents, however, are reluctant to consider adoptive families with other young babies in the home, for fear that the parents' energies, attention and means may already be limited.)
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Very Special Request... Abrazo is in need of a qualified (and home-studied) couple for an African-American baby boy due this month; the prospective birthparents wish to only consider couples in San Antonio! Please contact Abrazo if you or some San Antonians you know could fit their request, and do some lifelong bonding in a matter of weeks, as the birth couple would very much like a very open adoption. Thank you!
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"The joy of the Lord is my strength." -- Nehemiah 8:10
The quote above was the mantra which sustained a loving mother of four as she brought her fifth child into the world, tenderly introduced him to her family and then selflessly entrusted him to new parents this weekend.
Those new parents, graduates of Abrazo's Who Dis, Partyface? orientation of February, 2013 may have likewise drawn inspiration from these words, as they surely couldn't have guessed their family would grow so swiftly, yet rose to the challenge with grace and aplomb.
These two families have laid the foundation for a strong and lasting friendship in record time, and the gorgeous son they now share will be forever surrounded by the love of three parents, one sister by adoption and four birthsiblings.
We wish them all joy and strength and peace in all the days ahead. Blessings, all!
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Those who are interested in learning more of Alethea's story can find her old posts in these locations:
http://abrazo.org/forum/index.php?app=core&module=search&do=user_activity&mid=331
(Sadly, Alethea and her parents were not on speaking terms at the time of her death, so they did not learn that their daughter had passed away for many months after the funeral. Say a little prayer for Alethea's parents, Denise & Jeff, too, if you will... and for Terry & Joanne, the adoptive couple of the daughter Alethea placed here, who surely miss her also.)
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We hate to sound like a broken record, but WE NEED CHILDLESS COUPLES, ESPECIALLY THOSE FROM TEXAS!
The majority of expectant parents contacting Abrazo these days are seeking to make a family of a childless couple, and most are hoping to find a couple from Texas, to ensure that they can see the child/ren they place throughout the years, across the years.
Our next orientation weekend is in July, so if you know some childless Texans (or childless couples from out of state who are racially-open and have the means to return to Texas for post-adoption visits), send 'em our way, please! Thank you kindly!
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So sad. Prayers for those she leaves behind.
Stork, was she ever on the forum? Her first name is unusual but sounds familiar.
Good memory, Suebee... she was, indeed:
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We were saddened tonight to hear from one of our birthdads from 18 years ago that his daughter's first mom, Alethea Pergament, died of pulmonary hypertension two years ago:
http://somd.com/announcements/obits/report.php?rec=4979.
Alethea was a faithful member of Abrazo's birthparent support group in 1996, until she moved back to NJ to live with her mom and go to school. She was lovely and cerebral and thoughtful... a joy to know, even amidst a time of great personal crisis.
The best of Alethea undoubtedly lives on in both Tori Jo, the daughter she placed and Brianna, the daughter she parented... Lifting them both in our thoughts and prayers as we remember Alethea this week.
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"Blue skies, smiling at me, nothing but blue skies do I see...
Blue days, all of them gone! Nothing but blue skies from now on."
Those beloved Iyrics by Irving Berlin surely must ring true for one well-known Mid-South meteorologist and his wife, graduates of Abrazo's Yukon If You Want To orientation class of August, 2012.
Having weathered one placement plan that wasn't meant to be, they are unspeakably thankful for the faith placed in them by another set of young parents, who saw them for the good people they are (and for the wonderful parents they surely will be.)
The four of them have spent the better part of four months getting to know each other and building the foundation of a lifetime friendship, and it is solely because of the strength of those promises that today's placement could become a reality.
Rainbows only ever follow storms. We wish the precious baby girl who has forever enjoined the lives of these parents plenty of blue skies and sunshine as she grows, and we raise a shimmering rainbow of prayers for her four parents, each of whom have each overcome great loss and persevered through huge tests of faith in order to become the family that they now are. Blessings, all!
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Once upon a time, there was a couple who came to Abrazo to talk about adoption. It may not have been their first choice, but they knew in their hearts it was the right choice. Still, things don't always work according to plan, and plans changed unexpectedly.
Once upon a time, a month ago, another couple came to Abrazo to talk about adoption. It may not have been their first choice, but they knew in their hearts it was the right choice. Still, things don't always work according to plan, and plans changed unexpectedly.
God watched over both these couples. (God knew the longings of their hearts, after all.) And today, of all days, God saw fit to bring them all together, for the love of a precious, beautiful three-and-a-half week old baby girl.
It was an unexpected change of plans for everyone today, yet what a blessing for this precious daughter they now each love so!
We celebrate this little girl, and her newly-expanded family. We thank God for the birthcouple who found the courage today to do what they knew needed to be done, hard as it was. We thank God for the perseverance and faith of the adopting couple, graduates of our Yukon If You Want To orientation of August 2012.
And we wish them Godspeed, as they grow and nurture a friendship that will be fit to last, that they might all live happily... ever... after!
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Who knew?! Jane Fonda is the adoptive mother of a now-grown woman who quietly joined her family as a disadvantaged teenager: http://www.oprah.com/spirit/Jane-Fondas-Daughter-Visits-Her-Biological-Family.
Baby Announcements 2013
in New Arrivals
Posted
They come from large families and they have a large family, and they're doting parents, but they know their limits, so when a South Texas couple found themselves delivering another baby unexpectedly, they knew which agency they could trust.
They called Abrazo, and within an hour of that call, Abrazo was there for them. The couple wanted the baby to go to a deserving couple who would truly appreciate her, who had been waiting the longest, but they didn't want to look over profiles nor choose the family themselves. And they chose a very special name for their little angel, the most beautiful one they could think of!
Abrazo has so many deserving couples, we knew this dear baby would be adored by any of them, but upon reviewing the birthparents' criteria, it seemed clear which family had waited the longest and was ready in every way, so twenty four hours ago, we called a faithful family from our Soiled Oats orientation of October 2012, who had endured several disappointments yet stayed loyal through it all.
They jumped on a plane today, finished placement paperwork an hour ago, and they are presently meeting their beautiful new baby girl at the hospital-- a child who would likely not have been theirs were it not for how patiently they have waited. Truly, everything does happen for a reason!
They have chosen to keep the name the birthparents chose for this sweet child, and they will likewise keep their promises to raise her to love and respect them, and to keep them informed of her welfare.
Why? Because they're just good people, and we couldn't be happier for them (and that goes for all of them!) Blessings, all!