Stork Central

Last month, they were patiently waiting for some sign that their match was headed in the right direction, although it didn’t look promising. They couldn’t know then that fate was, in fact, leading them towards the child of their dreams, just in the opposite direction. By finding tbe courage to let that match go just when tbey did, this couple from our KEEP IT QUIET (Tried Twice in the Morning) orientation weekend of August, 2017 made themselves available right in time for a newly-delivered mom looking for a Texas couple who just matched their description. Tonight, she made her newborn son theirs, too, and we are so happy tbey are all now family... all’s well that ends well. Blessings, all!

Thanks for asking! San Antonio is a bit "light" on adoptive family support groups, but there's a great group out of Austin called Adoption Knowledge Affiliates, which puts on a really good conference every November. Some of Abrazo's families in SA tried to launch a local support group for adoptive parents some time ago but it never really got off the ground.

“There may be pain in the night, but joy comes in the morning.” ~ Psalms 30:5 We know the entire Abrazo family will join us in celebrating the wonderful news that a Louisiana family near and dear to all our hearts have become the proud parents and big brother of a beautiful newborn boy— thanks to a loving birthmom who made the “right” choice in the end. Praise God, from whom all blessings flow (for this adoption story is truly filled with God’s mercy and grace, from beginning to end!)

A childless couple from the Austin area came to our February 2018 orientation weekend, This Is Me Excited, having no idea how swiftly their lives were about to change. They were, however, ready and willing to jump in with both feet after that weekend, and it was surely a good thing! Because their finished profile got sent in the week an expectant mom came in with a specific wish for a childless Texas couple to raise her baby. Their homestudy was completed just in time for the case assessment to go out, about two weeks ago. And the baby was born ahead of schedule, exactly six weeks after their orientation weekend. Today, these Austinites moved from the ranks of hopeful parents-in-waiting to for-real adopting parents of a beautiful baby girl, thanks to the difficult and conscientious sacrifice of a loving birthcouple. We wish all four of them a beautiful and lasting family relationship, and we hope this precious child always knows how adored she is by each one of them. Blessings, all!

Lavender Luz has a few thoughts on Does Open Adoption Work?

We were ever so sorry to hear from another Abrazo family that AbrazoDad Joe Gomez had another stroke last week and passed away in Kentucky. Joe was a great dad with a bad heart, who became a single dad after he and his wife divorced. He had a debilitating hemorrhagic stroke in December at the age of 49 and although this former Eagle Scout struggled valiantly to recover, another stroke this month felled him. We lift Joe, his family (including former wife Teena) and their son in our thoughts and prayers. He was a good man, and will be greatly missed. Rest in peace, Joe!

If you've never seen Abrazo's video channel, here's one of our little videos about open adoption... enjoy! Open Adoption Means "You're Invited!"

Abrazo's next orientation weekend is coming up in May, and we have a large demand right now for childless couples and for Texans, so if you're either (or both) and you have concluded fertility treatment and you're ready to devote all your efforts to adoption instead, please apply now! Contact Martha at Abrazo (210-342-5683) if you need additional information or have specific questions after reviewing our website.

"So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you." -- John 16:22 Somehow, after all the darkness and cold of winter, it seems only appropriate to mark the first day of Spring with the placement of a(nother) beautiful baby girl! She was born a month ago, but her proud new parents didn't even know it, at the time. These Abrazo againers had just rejoined our program a month before, after suffering the loss of a daughter to cancer last year, and they surely weren't expecting their nursery to be filled by Easter. But this being the season of resurrection and rebirth, the Good Lord surely heard their prayers, and answered them bigger and better, as only He can. God sent them a child already-born, and ready to join their loving family without delay-- thanks to the courage of a birthmother who put her child's needs even before her own, and even without her own parents' support. We celebrate with (and for) this beloved Abrazo family, and we wish them a long and happy life together as a family of four, once again. Happy Spring-- and a very joyous Easter to all!

Today’s placement was actually foretold by the adoptive mother’s recent dream, yet nothing could possibly have prepared these Happy Endings (2/17) graduates for all the twists and turns in their latest adoption quest. They may undoubtedly have gotten discouraged at times, but they never (ever) gave up hope, and we’re so grateful for the trust they invested in the process, for it ultimately led them to the precious baby girl who became theirs tonight. We wish this newly-expanded family every joy in their life together... blessings, all!

Just over nine months ago, an excited and artistic couple who had survived years of infertility and still longed to become parents joined us for our May 2017 orientation weekend, 15 Seconds in Partick, Arkansas. They couldn't have known all the hills and valleys their journey would entail, but they knew in their hearts they were meant to be somebody's mom and dad. So they did all the necessary paperwork and jumped through all the required hoops and entered into a match that sadly was destined to end in disappointment. They could've given up then, of course. But they didn't. (And that has made all the difference.) For just miles and months away was a young couple who would need someone just like them; approachable, caring, open-minded, and longing to parent. The birthcouple would have dearly loved to raise their baby girl themselves, but they knew they were not able to do so. Still, they wanted the best for her. They knew their child's future could best be shaped by an adoptive family, and they realized the best family for their child was this one remarkable couple-- whose adoption journey, ironically, spanned the entire duration of this pregnancy. (They couldn't be happier about that, now.) Today, the placement paperwork is official, and they now share a beautiful baby girl, as a result. We wish our newest forever family every joy in their lives together, and we hope their darling daughter always knows how very loved she is-- by all of them.

Our beloved friend and AbrazoMom Susan M. (wife of Bill and mother of Tasia and Electra) needs our fervent prayers, as does her family, as her ovarian cancer has returned, just about the time that her dear mother passed away. Bill, Susan, Tasia and Electra, please know that the Abrazo community stands behind you and sending our condolences and our healing wishes your way, and we continue to lift each of you in our prayers.

Abrazo is saddened to learn of the death of adoptive mother Theresa Meuer, who died of heart problems at the young age of 49. Theresa and her husband Mark were members of our Parents-R-Us orientation class of April 1996. We wish her family peace, comfort and healing as they mourn the loss of their beloved Terry...

The best possible reason to miss out on Abrazo’s Parents of Tomorrow weekend is because your prayers were already answered, meaning the baby of your dreams found you before you could find yourself at orientation... and so it is for a San Antonio couple! They were to have attended orientation later this month, but being proactive, they’d expedited their admission already by having Abrazo do their homestudy and background checks in advance. So when a mom who’d long considered this option for her son decided she was ready and that only a Texas couple would do, they were ready, as well. We wish them all peace and comfort as they adapt, and may the Super Bowl always remind them of this precious boy, undoubtedly the champion of all their hearts!

She knew what she wanted for her baby’s future. Yet a hurricane interrupted her plans, and then there was family opposition to contend with, and host of other complications to overcome. Many states away, unbeknownst to each other, there was a couple who knew what they wanted for their family’s future. Yet the abrupt closure of their national adoption agency interrupted their plans, and then there were financial ramifications to overcome, and a couple of other failed opportunities along the way. What is mean to be, however, has a way of coming together, however. And today, by the grace of God, both families’ dreams came together, for the love of one adorable four-month-old boy. May he grow up strong and sure, and be forever blessed by their shared commitment to his future.

He wasn't a staff member, exactly, but somebody who had been a "behind-the-scenes" support to the Abrazo staff passed away this past week, and we want to honor him by remembering him here. Guillermo ("Willie") Arellano was the building engineer here at Abrazo's office building, and had been for many years. He was a magnificent human being; someone who lived his faith daily and who went out of his way to help others, but especially, the AbrazoChicks. It didn't matter to Willie if it "was his job" or not; if the Abrazo staff needed his assistance, Willie always found time to be here for us, and time and time again, he went above and beyond the call of duty to support Abrazo in its mission. Willie, who was a beloved father and grandfather, went home to Mexico over the New Year's holiday to see his relatives, and on the evening of January 2, Willie was unexpectedly felled by a stroke at the young age of 52. Our hearts hurt for his widow and his family, because we know how very much he will be missed. May you rest in eternal peace, Willie, knowing that your work is done at last, and may we all follow the extraordinary example of selfless service which you so clearly set for us. Vaya con Dios, amigo.