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Wow Renee, I can just imagine the hand of God protecting you and your car...so glad you are safe. CRAZY drivers...ugh!

Great news Andrea!

I have an amazing praise to share with my forum family. Many of you are aware that we have been active with a local agency for about a year now. We were hoping to head to San Antonio in August to go through orientation with Abrazo again. Well, it looks like we won't be making that trip because yesterday we were matched with a woman who is making an adoption plan for her baby due in July!! The gender is unknown so we are excited about the possibility of another son or a daughter joining our family!! We definitely would appreciate your prayers during this time, especially for the woman we are matched with.

Congrats on the addition to your wonderful family!!! Nita, did Tina's post scream loud enough for you!

We are looking forward to that!!

(((Cathy))) I think your fears are normal...infertility takes away almost all perception that you have any control over your life, and then the adoption process takes care of the rest!! What I finally had to realize is that I am not in control...but God is. He has wonderful plans for you and Brian, and most likely that includes parenting! As everyone else has said, just be honest and open. I'm sure Abrazo will talk to you if there are any concerns. You do want to find the agency that's right for you so that you will get the child that is meant for you I do know that Abrazo is not looking for perfect people, otherwise none of us would have qualified. So just be yourself!

This is definitely a joyous moment and long anticipated announcement...not just the birth and placement of this precious boy, but the joining of two families. It's the fulfillment of a Lisa's dream for many years...to have an open and ongoing relationship with the first mothers of her children (something denied to her in the placement of her own precious daughter almost 18 years ago). Lisa, you've shared your heart and soul with us, and because of that we feel so much a part of your life and your joy. My heart is overflowing (and my eyes too!). Congratulations and many blessings to you and Lance, your beautiful daughter, and your precious SON!! Meg, I know without a doubt this is the absolute most difficult thing you will ever do in your life. You are a strong woman, and I know your son will grow up knowing and loving you. May God's ever present and overflowing grace comfort you and give you peace in the days ahead.

I hate to jump off the subject right off the bat... (but I'll do it anyway) ) Both of my parents and in-laws are still living, but these are great suggestions for future reference. The thing that caught my attention is that some of the tips can be helpful for families in talking with their child about the adoption story/birthparents. Of course the HUGE difference is that hopefully the birthparents are still very much alive and a tangible part of their lives, but these tips can bring them closer in your day-to-day life. For example, I do #1 and #2 a lot with Joshua. When he eats Tootsie Rolls, I remind him that Nichole loves Tootsie Rolls. I tell him he gets his curly hair from Jeff, and when we went bowling for the first time I told him how we took Nichole bowling when he was just a few days old. And that he slept through the entire time (noise and all). Just a thought...back to the original question...

I read this and rushed to the gallery to see the picture...but it's not there. Am I missing something?!?!

Has anyone read Without a Map by Meredith Hall...I just ordered it from Amazon. This is the synopsis on Amazon site... From Publishers Weekly It was 1965 when Hall was expelled from her New Hampshire high school, shunned by all her friends, made to leave her mother's home, and kept hidden from sight in her father's house—all because she was a sexually naïve 16-year-old, pregnant by a college boy who wasn't all that interested in her anyway. And in this memoir, chapters of which have been published in magazines, Hall narrates this bittersweet tale of loss. After childbirth her baby was put up for adoption so fast, she never had even a glimpse of him. She finished high school at a nearby boarding school, then soon wandered to Europe and eventually found herself just walking, alone, from country to country. Somewhere in the Middle East she scraped bottom and repatriated herself. She accumulated another lover and had two children, before her first son, the one she was forced to abandon, made contact. Making peace with him was deeply healing. This painful memoir builds to a quiet resolution, as Hall comes to grips with her own aging, the complexities of forgiveness and the continuity of life. I'll let you know what I think after I get it and read it! The customer reviews on Amazon were all favorable.

troglodytes = A person considered to be reclusive, reactionary, out of date, or brutish. Now that I looked that up, GREAT WORD!!! I will have to remember it for further use! Tina, Too funny...I was thinking of doing the exact same thing! Then I got distracted (or lazy). Thanks for doing the work for me. I'll have to see if I can work that into future conversations!

I posted this elsewhere, but thought it would be appropriate here as well. A book I am reading that might also be helpful for Birthgrandparents is "In Every Pew Sits a Broken Heart," by Ruth Graham (the daughter of Billy Graham). It is her personal story and includes her grief as she walked with her 17-year-old daughter Windsor through the pregnancy, birth, and placement of her first grandchild for adoption. Here are two excerpts...

I'm not sure this is the best place for this, but I wanted to highlight some excerpts from her book, "In Every Pew Sits a Broken Heart," by Ruth Graham (the daughter of Billy Graham). She is writing about her 17-year-old daughter Windsor who placed her little girl for adoption.

Thank you for sharing these articles Elizabeth...I love reading stories in the media about open adoption. Hopefully more people are starting to "get it." As a side note, I noticed the information at the end of the article for "The Birth Mothers Mass" to honor women who have placed children for adoption. This particular one was last night in Tulsa I presume, but I wondered if other places had one, particularly Memphis area. I am not Catholic, but I would love to go to something like this to honor our son's birthmom and all these strong women. I called my neighbor who is Catholic and asked her if she knew of a Birthmother mass. She did not, but it got me thinking. Does anyone go to a place of worship that offers recognition for birthmothers either on Mother's Day or other days? I think I need to talk to one of our church staff about this...

They really should do an update on you guys!!

A Big Congratulations to the Burns family!! How exciting to go from a family of four to a family of six!! Wow! Loving thoughts and prayers for your birthfamily during this time of transition.

Amen and Hallelujah!! Congratulations to the newest family and loving prayers for the birthfamily of this special little guy!

Congratulations!!!! Love the picture of your new family in the gallery. Jessica, you are beaming (as proud new moms should be!) Your birthmom is precious and will be in my prayers. Can't wait to meet Memphis' newest beauty!!

Because they are wonderful people Because they had strength and courage to make a painful, life-altering decision Because they had faith in us--and took a chance that we would be the parents they wanted for their son Because they continue to stay a part of our lives Because from them came the most wonderful, smart, funny, caring, kind, and handsome little boy who has made our lives richer and sweeter than we ever thought possible The list could go on and on...Like Andrea said, I'm sure I'll keep coming back to this topic!

You girls got my heart pumping when I saw a post here! You shouldn't tease like that! I'm waiting with you!!

Well said, Jada. I wish I knew how to move this to the thread about when a birthparent doesn't pick you. It is helpful to remember that just because a phone call with a possible birthparent doesn't result in a match, doesn't mean that the next one won't! Different bps are looking for different things, and only they can determine what is best for them and their child. Sorry for getting off the subject here! I just thought this was such a great point (along with everything else you said!)

Wow!! Great news...congratulations Denny and Cameo!! Can't wait to see pictures of you new son!

I've read this again and again, and it just warms my heart more each time. Congratulations to the newest mom and dad, and prayers and loving thoughts for the wonderful birthmother. The picture of you all with your son is amazing. What an incredible story of love and courage.

This just proves my theory that you never go to bed without checking the forum!! If you do, you sometimes miss wonderful news such as this! Congratulations to the two families joined together by their love for one precious little boy!