Stork Central

Our next orientation weekend is October 21-22 and WE NEED CHILDLESS COUPLES so if you are looking to adopt and you're done with infertility treatments and you're good with the concept of open adoption, contact Samantha at Abrazo (210-342-5683) and let's get you on your way to parenthood through adoption!

Fran is correct-- letters of reference can be written by any non-relative who can speak to your readiness to parent as a couple.

Happened across this remarkable program, which offers interest-free adoption loans! Check it out, if you could use some help: http://www.pathwaysforlittlefeet.org/get-involved/apply/

She came to Abrazo knowing plenty about adoption-- but little of it had been a good experience, unfortunately. She didn't know the kind of adoptive families we do. She hadn't ever had a truly open adoption, in which she was considered a treasured family member, rather than a means to somebody else's end. She didn't plan on ever going through this again, but when she found herself in the same situation, she knew things had to be different this time. So she found her way to Abrazo, and she found a couple who were completely different than what she'd experienced in the past. She found a friendship and a mutual respect she didn't know before. She found her child a home, and she found herself new hope for the future, too. And the couple, graduates of our G.P. Explosion orientation of February 2016, found themselves adding not just one precious new little family member, but his birthmom and birthgrandmother, as well. We are overjoyed that their lives' paths have intersected as they did, and we wish them all every blessing in their continued journey together!

As this weekend began, one couple from our Chavon is the New Black orientation of September, 2015 woke up and prepared for work, having no idea how quickly their lives were about to change forever. They had just weathered a match that went south last month, so they were trying to keep their hopes up (but their expectations in check.) Then they got The Call, and they faithfully dropped everything to fly back to Texas-- the ultimate leap of faith, on behalf of a newborn son they couldn't love more, and his beautiful birthmom, who loves him just as much. Sometimes, the broken road truly does lead to the best view of all! Blessings on each of them, this day and everyday to come.

For several years, he volunteered his time and skills to serve as our photographer at Camp Abrazo. He tirelessly snapped pictures of our beautiful forever families summer after summer, and few realized that he and his wife were working their way through an infertility journey of their own. In time, he and his wife joined us for our Jankedudles orientation weekend of November, 2015. They were hopeful but nervous, excited but scared. There were so many details to be worked out! So many unknowns to be addressed. The process surely seemed overwhelming at times. Yet being people of faith, they ventured forth; "walking by faith and not by sight," as the Bible would say. And as they did, the path became clearer before them. They found an expectant mother who truly needed them. That led them to the precious, new baby boy whom, as of today, they are grateful to call their son. He is truly an answer to their prayers, and so is his birthmama, and they are undoubtedly the answer to her prayers, as well. We celebrate the miracle that faith and open adoption have wrought, and we wish these three parents and their beloved boy every joy in their continued journeys together. Blessings, all!

Some orientation attendees are truly in "a class all their own," and this was certainly true of the couple from our Let's Make a Dill orientation of May 2016! They came into the program excited and nervous, and less than 12 weeks later, they're graduating as the proud parents of a beautiful, newborn baby boy-- thanks to his loving birthmother, who was so intent on doing right by her child (and his late birthdad who is surely watching over him proudly from above.) None of them have had long to prepare for this huge life change, of course, but each of them has assured us they are more than ready for it, and we wish all of them every happiness together. Blessings, all!

It may look like monsoon season in San Antonio, but we're overjoyed that the inclement weather lately seems to have blown in a precious new arrival! The expectant mama who contacted us a few weeks ago wasn't really sure of her due date, but her sweet baby boy seemed to know that this week was to be his big debut, when he made his surprise appearance on Sunday morning. Fortunately, the AbrazoChicks were more than ready for him, and so was the adoptive couple of his mom's choosing, a childless couple from our February 2016 orientation weekend, G.P. Explosion. They happily jumped a flight and traveled southwards with just a few hours' notice, and they got to San Antonio to meet their new son and his first mother on his very first day of life. They've been spending quality time together ever since, and we hope this is just the beginning of a beautiful, lifelong friendship to follow... come rain or shine. Blessings, all!

Your physicals and homestudy need to be current within a year, so you should have plenty of time before you need to worry about that, but do be sure to stay on top of your quarterly homework obligation, and keep active on the Forum (or regularly attend a local adoptive parents' support group meetings.) Oh-- and DATE NIGHT! Don't forget to keep up with that, too, every week!

We're so grateful that you all have such a special relationship, because we know a lot of love and a lot of effort has gone into making it work. It fills our hearts with joy for all y'all!

Eleven months ago, a childless Houston couple joined us for our Cabarets-R-Us orientation of April, 2015. They were lovely people, known for careful and methodical decision-making skills, having dated for many years before they married. They had every reason to think they could approach the adoption process in an equally-measured fashion, except that as is prone to happen, life had other lessons in store for them. An unanticipated surgery postponed their progress. An unsuccessful match further dashed their hopes. They even began to question whether adoption was truly the right pursuit anymore? But then, when things looked most bleak, a young mom who was down on herself for some faulty decisions in her life made one that would make everything right for them; she made an adoption plan for her newborn son, and she felt certain who his parents were meant to be. And on a Sunday known throughout the ages for celebratory parades, on the first day of Spring, that childless Houston couple, who had less than 36 hours to make a major life decision, became proud parents at long last. We wish their son a lifetime of love from both his birthmother and the parents in whom she has placed so much faith! Blessings, all.

Welcome, anmeri. We're glad you found your way to Abrazo's site, however, our agency does only domestic (American) adoptions. You might contact Holt International or Gladney, if you're interested in international adoption? Good luck to you!

Could there be any sweeter way to celebrate Valentine's Day than with a teeny tiny baby? And especially one so very loved by so many? A mama down on her luck had contacted Abrazo several months ago, hoping to find the right home for her coming child. She reviewed profiles and spoke with prospective families, and was grateful to match with a caring couple from our Chavon Is the New Black orientation weekend of August, 2015. They spent the last few months getting to know each other, and now the sweet son they share will have a lifetime to love them all. We wish them a very memorable first Valentine's Day together and we celebrate an adoption that truly has been built of nothing but love!

There's a great new feature article in Cosmopolitan magazine this month, all about birthmothers: http://www.cosmopolitan.com/sex-love/news/a52816/adoption-what-its-really-like/ (Text appears below, in case the link goes bad.)

"To everything (turn, turn, turn) There is a season (turn, turn, turn)... And a time for every purpose Under Heaven." --Pete Seeger For adopting parents, it's surely hard to hear that "everything happens when it should," when so many feel so ready to become parents long before they do. Yet there is something to be said for divine destiny, and how it manifests itself in the process of adoption. For one West Texas woman working hard to support her family, an unplanned pregnancy was the farthest thing from her mind when she went to the hospital with unexplained abdominal pains over the holidays. For one South Texas couple who'd been waiting for years to build their family and only came to Abrazo's August 2015 orientation (Chavon Is the New Black) because their church-affiliated adoption agency had shut down, a placement just four months after their profile was ready would seem to be a miracle far too great to be expected. For one precious, premature baby boy in need of loving parents, though, God surely saw in all these imperfect details a perfect plan in the making. Angels were dispatched to whisper in the baby's mother's ear. A hospital social worker made a referral to an adoption agency she knew she could trust. A diaper bag company delivered the adoptive parents' ordered merchandise just one day before they got The Call. And within a matter of days, a new forever family was born... all in God's perfect timing. May this child and all his parents' lives be blessed, always, and may the unexpected continue to lead them to every purpose under Heaven.

A fascinating look at Hollywood adoptions: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/heartbreak-hope-as-adoption-squeeze-831656. We're not surprised to learn that adoption attorney David Ellis was involved in the "cash & carry" adoption involving the San Antonio mother, but we're guessing any Texas judge would think $20k for three months of "birthmother support" would be excessive-- as would we!?!