Elaine

Welcome Jenn and Dave! I have such respect and love for you already. We adopted our first daughter through Abrazo in the Spring of 2005. Now we are in the middle of a CPS adoption to adopt our daughter's bio sister. We have gotten to know Angel's (our new daughter) foster mom and dad very well. They are wonderful people! Needless to say this CPS adoption has been much rockier than I had hoped for. Knowing that Angel's foster mom and dad truly love her and take great care of her keeps me sane!!! I don't know what I would do if I suspected she was not in a good foster home. I am excited to see you all are beginning a new journey with Abrazo. We had a wonderful experience with them! I look forward to following your story. Keep us posted on how things are going. Later on you will be glad you kept this "online journal". I have fun reading my old posts and seeing how much things have changed. Your Friend, Elaine

Pesky is putting it mildly..but we love her!

Oh, Amanda...he is adorable!!! I know all three of you are so proud of him. What a lucky little fella!!!

I am ashamed to say that I didn't even know "open adoption" existed until Mel and Chris adopted Grace Ann. I have lots and lots of adopted cousins, but they were all adopted in the 60's and 70's. Every one of them had "closed adoptions". Mickey and I strongly considered international adoption. It wasn't to avoid "open adoption" as some might think, because at the time we had never heard of "open adoption". We both felt international adoption more of a calling, plus we were under the impression that the wait for a baby in the U.S. could take years. Thankfully, Mel never gave up talking to us about Abrazo. During Christmas Dinner 2004 she asked me one last time to check out Abrazo's website/forum. I told her I had in the past and she begged me to look just one more time. She said if I would she would never mention it again. I promised her I would look when I got home that evening. I did, something clicked, my eyes were opened, and my heart ached! All of the sudden I knew this was the path God wanted us to take. It took a little convincing (and crying)...got Mickey on board...and the rest is history!!!! Thank goodness for happy endings (and beginnings)!

Beachmama, Desires to move south, huh? Well, come on down and join us. There is plenty of heat and humidy, sweet tea and smiles, and loads of southern hospitality to go around. Personally, I love to lie on the lawn sipping mint juleps under the great magnolia trees...just call me Scarlett.....NOT!!!

Hi, Amanda. It is nice to meet you. The forum is such a great place!!! It sounds like Baby Cliff is lucky to have you, Alison, and Cliff as his loving family. Sounds like he is one lucky little boy!!! Don't be a stranger! Your first post was amazing. Welcome!!! Elaine

Amen, Betsy! Your post was written so beautifully...and it is so true. So many things in my life (actually starting in childhood) have led me to this blessed place. Often times I foolishly thought I knew what was best for my life. It was "my life...my plan". Later, I realized the Creator held the "blueprint" for my life. Hind sight is definately 20/20! I see the intricate work of God's "Golden Thread" woven throughout the fabric of my life... Elaine

Congratulations on your sweet boy!!! We are so happy for you!

One thing that I have gotten over and over again is people that seem to pity us for adopting! They say things like how blessed we will be for our good deed...like we took in a leper or something! They also say what a lucky little girl Makayla is. I tell them very quickly that we are lucky! Lucky to be a family, lucky to have our health, etc. I have also had several people tell me they admire me because they could not do it (raise someone else's children)!!! When we first applied for adoption my grandmother was trying to "teach" me about adoption... . Her best friend, Martha, adopted two boys back in the 1950's. Grams said that Martha always introduced her boys as her "adopted children". Since Martha did it...then it must be the best way, right? Grrr... Grams asked me if that is how I plan on introducing my children to people. I said NO! When she asked why not...I asked Grammie what Martha would have thought if everytime Mark and Greg had introduced her they called her their "adoptive Mother". Grammie got the point..case closed!!!! So many people have said so many out-of-the-way things... I have just lost track! Mostly it has been strangers or acquaintances but occassionally it has unfortunately been family. We try to take it in stride. Some comments we laugh off after the fact...others make my blood boil! Elaine

The pic of little Matthew is just precious! Congratulations Erika, Dan, and big brother Danny!!! I can only imagine how pleasantly surprised and tired ( ) Mom and Dad are!!! We look forward to becoming a family of four as well. Best wishes!!! Elaine

How wonderful! Congratulations to the new family!!! May God bless the tiny baby boy, his courageous birthmom, and the excited new mom and dad!!! Elaine

It is exciting, isn't it Donna???!!! With every hurdle you clear you're one step closer to finding the little person you are meant to parent. Try to enjoy the ride...there is so much fun and anticipation to be had along the way. Best wishes!!!

KeithandErika, What a beautiful story! Thanks for sharing it!!!

Oh, he is a cutie! What a beautiful family!!!

That is right, hkingkong. If it is meant to be, then it will happen! I really believe that!!! Who knows...some b-moms that come from larger families may want their child to grow up with lots of siblings. Their child being placed in a large family might be a top priority. I am not a birthmom, but I always wished I had grown up with lots of brothers and sisters (I only have 1 sister). My Mom is an only child as is my husband. Both still wish they had siblings. I know everyone is different...some are glad they were an only child, some wished for siblings, some grew up in big families and loved it, some grew up in big families and hated it, etc. I think just like we all have our own opinions on this subject, so do birthmoms. I imagine what appeals to one may not necessarily appeal to another. There is a right match out there for everybody. Follow your heart!!! If it says your family is not complete...then it probably isn't. If you had let fear or doubts rule your life up until this point, then you probably would have never become a parent to begin with. Just my two cents...

Faith has played a big part in my life. Several cousins in my family (both maternal and paternal) are adopted. I can't remember a time in my life when I didn't know what adoption meant. Since several family members were adopted it was just as "normal" in our family as that of a biological blessing. Mickey and I assumed we would have at least one biological child and adopt at least one child as well. I never questioned my fertility (which is pretty silly considering infertility runs on both sides of the fam). Eventually, having lots of health complications I was diagnosed with PCOS (poly cystic ovarian syndrome). This is one of the leading causes of infertility. Something that is very important for me to keep my hormones balanced is to take The Pill. Without it my hormone levels are so out of whack. That being said...I never have been off birthcontrol. In my case, birthcontrol is not to control births but instead it is to help control my health. At the time of my diagnosis, Mickey and I decided that God had other plans for us...that may never include biological children. We have embraced what is and decided then and there that infertility was not going to define us. Adoption is the beautiful way that we have decided to expand our family. We embrace it with heart and soul. The choices we have made are not "second best". We truly believe we have followed the path that we were meant to take. God planted those "adoption seeds" in my heart while I was still a teenager (I knew even then we would adopt at least one child). Through faith and prayer those little "seeds" did not lie dormant, but instead have grown and flourished. The Planter knew what seeds to plant and where to plant them. Because of His goodness our family is now in bloom like a lovely garden.

Congratulations to the new Mama and Papa! Welcome to the world little "Pink Tot". Your Mama and Papa have been waiting for you...

Boy, she is just a doll. I just checked out the happy family's pic in the gallery. What a blessing!!! Elaine

Oh, my goodness! This just gives me chills!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so so very happy for all involved. Congratulations on not one but two beautiful little girls!!! God is so good!!! Love, Elaine

Isn't he just beautiful? All of little Ethan's parents look like guardian angels surrounding him. It is a beautiful picture! Elaine

Congratulations on your new little man! How wonderful!!! Elaine

I would ask Abrazo if they knew of anyone in your area. Also, do you know anyone in your area that has adopted? You might could get a good idea of a great social worker in your area by asking around. Word of mouth is great for leading you to a great social worker or keeping you from hiring a sorry one. I would make sure that you know what Abrazo's standards are concerning soc. workers before hiring one. Hope this helps. Keep us posted on your journey! Elaine

All of the people who did letters of recommendation for us were very close to us and either told us it had been sent or sent us a copy of it. Elaine

Ok, here is a joke: One Sunday morning just before church little Johnny (all cleaned up in his Sunday best) slipped in a huge mud puddle. His Mama and Grannie were horrified to see his best clothes soaked with mud and water! Johnny's mother threw her hands in the air and shouted," Johnny, every time you pull a stunt like this you give me another gray hair!!!" Johnny slowly looked at his gray haired Grannie and said, "Well, if that is the case, Mama, then you must have been an awful kid..." Elaine

Well, this sounds very judgemental, but I think that it is selfish. I don't think it is fair to the child. Just my opinion! Elaine