Stork Central

It's been said that "the Lord works in mysterious ways" -- and we're pretty sure the Good Lord had a mother in Heaven who was dropping a few hints on her son and daughter-in-law's behalf, and a grandpa doing the same for his granddaughter and her husband. After all, this couple from our Jankedudles orientation of November, 2015 had just barely finished their home study, and they were still struggling through the grief of recent family losses while managing job changes, as well. So the timing might have seemed less than ideal, but God knew better, and when a newly-delivered mother called from a local hospital this week, with an urgent need to find her infant daughter a home, they suddenly felt more ready to become parents than ever before. And with a hope chest of baby gifts gathered by that loving grandma-to-be who knew just what would be needed, even though she wouldn't be here around to celebrate the new arrival, we know this sweet baby girl is already being welcomed with love. Blessings, all!

One young couple came to Abrazo before Thanksgiving, having already adopted one child but very sure they were ready for another. Another young couple came to Abrazo before Christmas, very late in pregnancy but very sure they weren't ready to parent. That their paths might ever have crossed may have seemed wildly unlikely, yet we have no doubt it was "meant to be." Today, these two couples met at Abrazo for the very first time, to celebrate the daughter they now share and to discuss their hopes and dreams for the sweet baby girl who could never be more adored by anybody else in the entire world. Congratulations to our Jankedudles orientation group of 11/15 on their group's first placement, and blessings on this precious babe and her newly expanded forever family!

Alright, y'all-- what are YOU doing to prepare your relatives for your new adoption addition????

If you've been thinking about placing and wondering how someone goes about choosing adoptive parents for their child, we've been thinking about that, too! so check out the Abrazo blog entry this week: http://abrazo.org/picking-adoptive-parents/ Then come back and share your thoughts about what's important to you in an adoptive family, and what you're looking for?

Our 2016 Orientation Weekend dates are tentatively set, so if you know of a childless couple or lovable againers with documented infertility who are seeking to adopt Anglo and/or Hispanic and/or African-American infants and toddlers, and who are the kind of great folks we want for Abrazo's nationally-renowned open adoption program, please encourage them to send in their inquiry form now, or refer them to Stacy at Abrazo for more information: 210-342-5683. Abrazo's average wait time for childless couples is still running 6-12 months or less (couples with kids who have no gender restrictions are usually waiting 12 months or so), and our case costs and fees are still averaging $24-27k (assuming Medicaid/insurance coverage), well under the national average for private agency domestic adoptions. Pay it forward-- help the adopting couples you care about find their way to the agency that cares about you!

Some adoptions seem to come together in record time, while others seem to become a far more complex route, for reasons that don't always make sense. Yet time and time again, we've seen that what matters most is not how quickly or slowly it takes for a match to come to fruition, but that the "right" children and the "right" birthparents find their way to the hearts and/or homes of the "right" adoptive parents. For the only family in Abrazo's history (to date) to come back four times, their final adoption effort (to date) must have seemed particularly arduous. Having already adopted three beautiful daughters, they felt certain their fourth child was surely meant to be a boy. So they returned for our Two Men Down orientation weekend of April, 2014 and prepared for a longer-than-usual wait, given their firm gender preference. However, two failed matches and almost two years later, they must have begun to wonder if they were ever really meant to adopt again, at all? Being the good-hearted and faithful folks that they are, though, they held fast to their dream... and today, by the grace of God and the selflessness of one beautiful birthmother, they have added the newborn baby boy of their dreams to their family (and we just couldn't be happier for them.) May he always know how very wanted he was, and how totally beloved he is! Blessings, all!

Abrazo asks you to lift in your prayers one of our adoptive moms from years ago who was recently diagnosed with cancer, and her worried family, as well! She is a beloved, longtime member of our community and while she is not yet ready to "go public" with her identity, we ask you to keep her and her family in your thoughts.

In the news this week: the Robertsons (of Duck Dynasty fame) are adopting a thirteen-year-old boy! http://www.people.com/article/duck-dynasty-korie-robertson-family-process-adopting-new-son And in more sad news, an adoptee who successfully reunited with her birthmom has become a widow, when the country-music-star she was married to died in a hunting mishap over the holidays: http://heavy.com/entertainment/2016/01/helen-strickland-craig-wife-married-funeral-who-instagram-dead-death-photos-pics/.

What a better way could there be for Abrazo to finish out this year than by placing a baby who needs a family with a family who needs a baby? (And by standing by a birthmother who needed everyone to be there for her and her child?) (And by moving our entire July 2014 orientation group thread here on the Forum to the ranks of Mi Amigos, our hallowed hall of successful adoption sojourners, since all have added precious sons or a daughter to their lives since that unforgettable late summer weekend we spent together in San Antonio?) Today, the AbrazoChicks were blessed to place a beautiful baby boy with the namesake of the Fifty Sheets of Faustino orientation group and his wife. It was not an easy decision for his birthmom, by any means, but her circumstances made it the right choice for him and for her, and we hope he always knows how very loved he is by everyone. We wish the elated adoptive parents, their new son and his birthparents a very meaningful Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Babies can't appreciate the holidays, but toddlers sure can, and one precious two-and-a-half year old lovingly placed by his hardworking single mom is sure to make this a Christmas to remember for his proud new parents! They're graduates of our Chavon Is The New Black orientation of August, 2015, so they've not had long to prepare, but they're more than ready to be great parents, and we wish them the happiest of holidays with their beautiful new son! Blessings, all!

Mari had a birthday?!?! (Is that even allowed to happen on Wednesdays, which are crazy around Suite 540?!) Hope it was happy, Mari... you are much loved here at Abrazo, ANY day of the week! (And we hope you know it.)

Our sympathies to whomever had to do this homestudy-- can you imagine?! Given that social workers have to interview (and get background checks) on "every household member," the Brown's homestudy worker surely had his or her work cut out for him/her!?! http://www.people.com/article/sister-wives-inside-adoption-validated-family

When she came to Abrazo in her third trimester, our newest birthmother was very certain that adoption was the only best plan she could make for her baby, for she'd thought of little else for months. Yet she knew time was running out, and she knew she needed a home for her child that would be ready in every way. She chose experienced parents from our Chavon is the New Black orientation of August, 2015, and being the compassionate againers and open adoption loyalists they are, they made immediate plans to come meet, rather than waiting two weeks for the due date. It was a providential choice, indeed, for this sweet baby girl came early, and everybody was able to be where they needed to be when they needed to be here! We wish each of them much pride in their precious daughter, and every joy in their lifelong relationship because of her. Blessings, all!

Sometimes, you just can't overestimate the importance of good timing. It was all about the timing when the mother of one of our adopting dads happened to call Abrazo for information on our program for her son, right before our last orientation weekend. It was all about the timing when her son and his wife made a quick decision to complete their paperwork to attend the Chavon is the New Black orientation of August, 2015. It was all about the timing when a returning birthmother who could not find a suitable childless Texas couple as she'd hoped agreed to consider other childless couples from out-of-state, instead. It came down to timing, too, when that mother welcomed her chosen couple to the hospital with her, but then gave them the time with her baby that she needed with him to be sure of her decision. Not all lifetime decisions can be made in the 40 weeks of pregnancy nor the swift 48 hours that follow for mothers considering adoption, after all. So she took the time she needed to carefully reconsider all her options, and to love on her newborn son, and today, when the timing felt right, she called Abrazo to complete her adoption as originally planned. We hope the sweet baby boy being placed tonight always knows how very loved he is-- and how much time went into making sure this decision was truly right-- all the way around! Blessings, all.

"The compatibility of a person’s temperament with their surrounding environment is referred to as “goodness of fit.” Some temperaments and environments seem to naturally fit together while others do not. One of the key components to helping children feel good about themselves and be successful throughout life is by creating environments that accommodate their temperaments. There are two types of “Goodness of Fit:” how that trait interacts with the environment and how it interacts with the people in that environment. Any trait in and of itself is not a problem; rather, it is the interaction that determines the ‘acceptability’ of that trait. The behavioral fit describes how well the behavior fits with the environment. When there is a match between the demands and expectations of the environment and the child’s temperament and abilities, that is a good fit." -- The Center for Parenting Education Once upon a time, there was a dear couple who dreamed of becoming parents. They'd been married many years, so they were more than ready to build a family, but due to infertility, they needed just a little help to fill their home with the sound of children's laughter. They attended Abrazo's Chavon Is the New Black orientation of August, 2015. They heard that weekend that some placements can take many months to come together, while others happen sooner, but they couldn't possibly have dreamed that they'd be coming back to Texas within weeks to change their lives in the very nicest of ways. Yet being the nicest of people, they were ready to open their home and their hearts to the sort of children who needed a loving family most. And tonight, they became the proud parents of a brother and sister, and treasured friends of their children's birthfamily. We wish them every joy in their lives together, and we thank God for sending a family who could fit just right-- and for whom these sweet children can hope to be just the right fit, as well. Blessings, all!

Our November orientation is November 13-14, so if you're up for it, call Stacy to say "hey, save us a spot!" and get your application in, pronto! P.S. Mrs. Walker, you KNOW we have no upper age limit, and you could sure use a little blue to balance out all that pink!?! (LOL!)