Stork Central
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Once upon a time, a lovely Midwestern couple came to Abrazo to adopt and found the baby girl of their dreams. They lived happily after that and became loyal Forum fans, sharing their expertise with others and honoring their birthmother by raising their daughter to love and respect her for her courageous life choices. Life was good. Yet they got the feeling that their family was not yet complete. Somewhere out there, they knew, there was another little person just meant to join their home.
They searched far and wide; still, nothing seemed to be happening for them. But it wasn't that they weren't meant to grow their family or that the garden was bare; it just wasn't yet their season... until this week, when Abrazo called to tell them their future son was here. Born. Ready. Waiting. For them.
So it was that this eager duo dropped everything to fly to San Antonio, and thus begins a beautiful new chapter in the tale of their family! (With an exciting footnote to be written in July, when they'll be joining us for Camp Abrazo, in lieu of orientation.) So come meet our latest success story then and there! and witness firsthand the miracle heaven launched this week.
Texas ain't quite paradise, but it's jest a stone's throw a way.
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Three times is a charm, they say! and just three weeks after officially signing on with Abrazo, a third couple from the Dandy Dozen Storkjackers, 1/05 made the trip back to Texas (leaving their three daughters eagerly waiting back home) to embrace their new baby boy (the third little fella in three weeks, for this proud orientation group, nearly a third of the way to completion!) Three cheers, also, for his courageous birthmom, who felt a special connection with this, her thirdborn child.
May this dear trio of parents build a friendship for the future that's thrice as nice as any of them expected it to be when they first began this journey!!
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It was a match made in heaven, and as a result, the Dandy Dozen Storkjackers of 1/05 are thanking God for the placement of another simply divine baby boy, joyfully headed home with one of their own! Last night, his new mommy and daddy celebrated Valentine's Day by going out for a romantic dinner with his loving birthparents (and rumor has it that massive servings of cheesecake were involved.) To see them together leaves no doubt that these folks were always meant to be kin! and we thank them both for letting us take part in the first chapter of their new family legend. May each passing page be better than the last! and may they all live happily ever after.
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It's a new year, and Abrazo is off and running! but with nearly half of our newest orientation group well on their way to matching, we need more families!! Particularly needed are (1) childless couples, (2) Texans, and (3) families for children of full Hispanic or biracial (African American + Hispanic or Anglo) descent!! Our next scheduled orientation is in early March; if you fit the bill, let us hear from you, pronto.
"Operators are standing by to take your call!!..."
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Their first and second miracles began in Russia, but for Number #3, this winsome couple from our Sweetest Daze (10/04) decided to adopt somewhere that was half as cold and twice as easy to get to! They took the first plane to Texas yesterday morning, got to the hospital before noon, met their new birthcouple and fell in love, met their new daughter and fell in love, and by today, paperwork was done, the baby was discharged and her excited new parents were calling a zillion relatives and friends back home with the good news! (And they said nothing big ever happens in February...!) Here's to new friendships, growing families, and (as one very wise birthgrandmother put it yesterday) a miracle event that was truly the result of "a God thing."
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Is it? Wuzzit it? Could it be...?!
The final Fab 9's are no longer three.
Their new daughter's here, they wait no more!
For our Texans are now a Family of Four!!
(Good things come to those who wait. Congratulations, all!)
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To elaborate (and to pacify the agency's legal eagle!): be assured that Abrazo does not invite prospective parents to orientation until/unless it appears certain from the submitted paperwork that the family fits the agency's stated admissions requirements. Abrazo recognizes that coming to orientation requires no small level of investment on the applicants' part, and the agency is appreciative of this fact.
Orientation enables both parties (applicants and agency) to better assess the potential "fit" between the prospective parents' needs and the agency's services. It allows both parties to share information and explore rapport. In most cases, at the close of orientation, the agency issues a written admissions decision, which is either a conditional acceptance letter, or a deferral for specific reasons stated therein.
The primary reasons an applicant might not be accepted into Abrazo's program may include: falsification or misrepresentation of information, ongoing fertility treatment efforts, domestic or personal instability (of a medical, financial, marital or psychological nature), criminal history, inadequate life expectancy due to current illness, lack of integrity, history of child abuse or neglect, incompatibility with agency policies/staff/placement modalities, etc. Abrazo's purpose in assessing applicants is not to judge their worthiness as parents but to honestly convey our program's limitations and dedicate our efforts and resources to those we are best qualified to help. (Admission into the agency's program is in no way a guarantee of placement.)
In certain instances, in which qualified families have already secured homestudy approval and met agency standards, the agency reserves the right to offer program approval enabling specific applicants to officially become clients and therefore match before orientation, when this is necessary to provide for a child already in need. However, all agency clients are expected to participate in orientation and/or reunion, in order for the agency to verify for its Licensing authority that quality pre- and/or post-placement education and support have been directly provided by Abrazo to all families adopting from within its program.
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After a bevy of infant girls, we've placed our first boy baby of the year, with the first of our Dandy Dozen Storkjackers of 1/05, and we couldn't be happier for them! Although they'd only been home from orientation a couple of days before their new son was born, they were more than gracious about turning around and coming back to Texas to become parents right away... much to the delight of their dear birthmom and her supportive mother, who'd been hoping and praying to find the perfect parents for this little guy whom they loved so, but could not take home, themselves. Our new mom and dad are pinching themselves, to be sure it's for real, as we work on getting them home, soon as possible, so they can introduce their son to excited relatives and begin life as the "forever family" they were always-- surely-- meant to be. Blessings, all!
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Being from our nation's capitol, we can only guess that our newest parents were more than happy to have a reason to leave town right in time for the inauguration! And today, in a town on the southernmost border of Texas, one couple from our Sweetest Daze of 10/04 found the nicest excuse of all for missing the official festivities in D.C., as they officially became a family in TX!! And that was an event worthy of its own ticker tape parade, because life is surely going to be a ball with their precious new baby. Congratulations, all.
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Fertile Hearts (11/04) were lit afire today with the news that one of their own have joined the ranks of happy parents, with the arrival of their first baby, a 7 lb., 11 oz. little girl born over the weekend! Even a blitz of bad weather out East couldn't keep this excited new mom and dad away, and their brave birthmom weathered a rough delivery even without anesthesia. We know the darling daughter they share is destined to be a young woman of charm, grit and determination, given her stock, and we wish them a "purr"fectly wonderful future together!!
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The road to parenting is washed with tears of sorrow and joy, and today, the last of our ForresTears (3/04) can attest to this, as they proudly walk out of a west Texas hospital with their new baby girl and her dear birthparents. It was only months ago that they left another hospital empty-handed and struggling to understand why that dream had not come true, yet they kept the faith, and they know now why they just had to wait for the "right" one, because at last they've found their answer: all 7 lbs., 9 oz. of her! Congratulations to our latest mommy and daddy, to their darling daughter, and her birthfamily, who made it all possible.
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Sometimes, in all the excitement of how quickly some placements can happen, we can forget that the most important thing isn't when the baby comes home, but how they get there, and our first homecoming of the New Year is a beautiful reminder that the best things in life truly are worth waiting for!
Today, a special Tennessee couple became a mommy and daddy here in Texas. It was a long journey, one that they started with Bruce's Great Eight Posse in April, 2003. Midway through, however, the adoptive mom's beloved father became ill, and the couple decided to put their file on hold, to focus on supporting their family in the midst of this crisis. The would-be grandpa's condition, unfortunately, worsened over time, and when he died, the couple kept their file on hold while they grieved their loss. It wasn't until last summer that they decided to relaunch their dream of adopting in earnest.
About that time, a birthcouple in North Texas was thinking about adoption. They had several children already and knew they weren't ready to start over. They received our TN couple's profile and saw amongst those pages the mom and dad they wanted for their next baby. Although the due date seemed soooo far away back then, the Tennesseeans said "yes!" and the rest is now part of their shared family history...
Because two days ago, one year to the day that her grandpa went to heaven, a new little angel entered the world. We know that upstairs, he's surely celebrating in spirit with his new granddaughter and his daughter and her husband, here on earth, as they marvel at the miracle that adoption has wrought and thank God for the family that faith built.
May it be so for all our new Abrazo families throughout the year ahead!!
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MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OUR LITTLEST ANGELS, celebrating their first-ever Christmas in grateful new homes this year! Bless our babies and all those who love them!
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Many thanks to our families out there whose generosity and Christmas spirit enabled the little elves who work at Abrazo to spend much of this past work week mailing out more than (drum roll, please) 80 Christmas stockings and goodybags to those birthsibs and birthfamilies whose holidays most needed some brightening this year!! With contributions pouring in from Washington to Rhode Island (including more than 50 stockings from 4 Pennsylvania families who get together annually to help us out, phone cards from Tennessee and 7 loaded yuletide totes from a Forum friend with a soft spot for lonely birthmoms!) as well as kind cash donations from Missouri to North Carolina to Texas and plenty of places in between to offset postage and delivery costs, Santa's sleigh made some much-needed extra stops, impressing even his reindeer with your kindness, y'all... muchas gracias, amigos!
"...And I heard, o'er the rooftops, as Santa rode thru the night,
'Abrazo families ROCK! May their New Year shine bright!'"
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These awesome againers had just begun their search for the baby girl they would've willingly swum the length of the ocean to find... when we posted a "home needed" note on the Forum, and just like beachcombers who come upon great treasure, they found a precious little starfish of their very own! Congratulations to our newest family of four, who plan to join us at Camp Abrazo in lieu of having returned to orientation (since the baby came before the next scheduled orientation weekend!), to the loving birthmom who diligently sought the family of her dreams for the daughter growing under her heart, to the birthfather who faithfully returned not just a signed waiver but a letter of blessing, and to the little girl who is going to grow up privileged to love them all!
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Nearly a month ago, she'd called the office, due soon but entirely uncertain that adoption was, in fact, the "right" plan for her child's future. She'd already met with several adoption agencies but did not feel at ease with them, and somehow, as a result, she struck up a "phone friendship" with one member of the Abrazo staff who made her feel at home.
Then, suddenly, she disappeared. Weeks went by without word from her, until this week, when she called to apologize. She went into the hospital ahead of schedule, and asked her Abrazo friend to come and visit, a visit which confirmed her sense that adoption was, truly, the best choice, and Abrazo, the right agency.
Another phone call later, she found the perfect parents for her newborn baby, and this weekend, she, her baby's birthdad and one very blessed couple from the Sweetest Daze, 10/04 celebrated the grafting of a new family tree, one which is sure to provide shelter, shade and yes, good climbing branches for their most blessed baby boy. Vaya con Dios, amigos!
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Here's a great article on Preparing the Relatives to accept the newest addition to the family, whatever that child looks like and however that blessing comes into your home. Read it now and share your thoughts!
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Chant with us, now: Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo!
In exactly four months, all the members of our Woo Woo Parenthood Club (8/04) have become mommies and daddies, with the final family meeting their precious baby boy at Abrazo this morning, then enjoying a celebratory lunch with the birthmom, who is planning to also send his soon-to-be-born brother home with them in a couple of months. We don't know who we're happier for, the adoptive parents, who were so ready for this day; their beautiful birthmom, who was so eager to find just the perfect home for her children; or the beloved son they now share... but we do know this was a match made in heaven and we're just so tickled that God chose to let it happen here! (Thanks, Big Guy!) And congratulations, all.
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Just a question for those of you who placed your babies for adoption some time ago: how have your priorities about how you wanted your child's family to be changed--or remained the same--in the years since you made your choice?
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Just in time for Thanksgiving (gobble! gobble!), another little blessing for which to be grateful, as yet another of our couples from the Woo Woo Parenthood Club, 8/04 celebrates the arrival of their newborn daughter! They'll be sitting down to this year's holiday feast (gobble!) as a family of not just two but three!, along with the gracious new kinfolk who made it all happen; their baby girl's darling birthparents, busy birthbros and one very proud birthgrandmama! Happy Turkey Day (gobble, gobble!)... may this be just the first of many happy family memories you can all enjoy together!
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Needed: a loving and financially-secure home for a newborn due in 3/05 to an Anglo birthcouple; the birthmother had hepatitis C prior to the delivery of her last child, who is in good health. Birthmom is in need of maternity support; birthdad is in full agreement with the adoption plan. If you meet our agency's stated admissions criteria, have a completed homestudy and wish to be considered for this case, please contact Abrazo's family services department. Thank you!
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Well, they didn't have many weeks to prepare, but in their hearts, they'd already waited all their lives to become parents, and yesterday was one of the Sweetest Daze of their lives as another formerly-childless couple from our 10/04 orientation weekend took home the newborn son they already knew they'd love 'til the end of time! May every minute of their lives together be precious and sacred in its own right (and may there be countless blessings in store for their dear birthparents, as well).
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And now, the Word, from Our Sponsor...
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What image best describes your heart? A water-drenched kid in front of an open fire hydrant? Or a bristled, desert tumbleweed?
You're acquainted with physical thirst. Stop drinking and see what happens. Coherent thoughts vanish, skin grows clammy, and vital organs shut down. Deprive your body of necessary fluid, and it will tell you.
Deprive your soul of spiritual water, and it will tell you. Dehydrated hearts send desperate messages. Snarling tempers. Waves of worry. Growing guilt and fear. Hopelessness. Resentment. Loneliness. Insecurity.
But you don't have to live with a dehydrated heart. God invites you to treat your thirsty soul as you would treat your physical thirst. Just visit the WELL and drink deeply.
He does the hard part. All you do is ask. There is no spiritual "to do" list for you to tackle, no inventory of rules and regulations. Just drink. Let Christ be the water for your soul. Come thirsty, and drink the water of life.
Receive Christ's Work on the cross,
The Energy of His Spirit,
His Lordship over your life,
And His unending, unfailing Love.
(Max Lucado)
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From the stork's nest, we can see a number of coming placement opportunities for which good families are needed, from beyond the agency's current roster of parents-in-waiting:
...a birthmom is seeking an interracial (Anglo/African-American) couple for her biracial baby girl due 12/04...
...a secure, tolerant couple prepared for a challenging match with a drug-using mom lacking prenatal care and Medicaid/insurance coverage, who is expecting full Anglo twins (boy & girl) likely to be born prematurely in Dec/Jan...
...a birthmom getting Medicaid-covered prenatal care is longing to talk with families interested in her Hispanic/African-American baby girl due in January...
...a financially-stable couple willing to match with a birthmom expecting a Hispanic baby boy in March, who is in need of full maternity support for housing for herself and the severely-disabled child she is already parenting...
...childless parents-to-be ready for full Hispanic newborns due between December 2004 and March 2005...
...two loving Texas families open to legal-risk sibling placements (one male twin toddler case, and one toddler-and-baby case), with ongoing birthfamily contact to follow...
Abrazo's family services department is welcoming qualified and homestudied applicants for these case opportunities between now and 12/1/04. Please fax valid, U.S. homestudies to Angela at 210/342-6547 with a letter of interest in order to receive a callback with further information. (For further information on Abrazo's admissions criteria, please refer to the agency website.)
Baby Announcements 2005
in New Arrivals
Posted
"With songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." Isaiah 35:10
One newly-expanded Texas family will surely be up singing songs of joy well into the wee hours this morning, as they enjoy that special serenade of a newborn daughter who understandably still has her days and nights mixed up! They weren't expecting her, when they got up for their Saturday morning breakfast, but they soon won't be able to imagine their lives without this blessing, made possible by a birthmom whose courage was fueled by dreams of a better life for her baby.
Hugs and kisses to this, the first baby girl for the Dandy Dozen Storkjackers of 1/05! May her life be filled with song, abounding in joy, and abloom with white roses, in tribute to the gracious mother who gave her life, to the gracefilled mother who'll now teach her to live it, and to that Holy Mother, full of grace, who watches over them all.