MarceloandClaudia
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Posts posted by MarceloandClaudia
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Happy Birthday, Camille! Congratulations Nita and Walker.
Your friend,
Marcelo and Claudia
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I called different agencies that were listed in the yellow pages. When I spoke with a friend that was a Social Worker, she highly recommended Abrazo. We couldn't be any happier with the Abrazo chicks!
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Jen and Kyle,
Welcome to Abrazo Land. I replied to your message. Hope the info helps. Let me know if there is anything else I can help you with.
Until next time,
Claudia
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Marcelo said it so well yesterday. He shared with my sister that if everything had not occured just as it had, Dante would most likely not be in our lives. He said it would only take one minor change in the course of our lives to have changed the present. We too are so happy things turned out the way they did. It sounds kind of strange to be happy about losses, but that is the only way we grow as people.
Claudia
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Windycity,
We are so happy for you. We look forward to meeting you and your children at Camp Abrazo. Can't wait to see your darling little girl.
Enjoy your addition to the family!
Claudia
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Hi Pam,
Our prayers our with you in your decisions about your carreer. I know it's not always easy, but I think we know what is best for us and our family! Go with your heart everything will fall into place.
Your friend,
Claudia
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Hi Cloud Nine,
We are sooooooooooooooooooooooooo... happy! Congrats. Your story brought tears to my eyes. God bless you on your new journey. Your baby needed you just as much as you have waited for them!
Love Your Friends,
Marcelo and Claudia
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Marjory and Bob,
Congratulations! Best wishes to you and your family. It makes us so happy to hear about other families being completed.
God Bless,
Marcelo and Claudia
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Thanks everyone! We feel so at peace and so blessed to be part of Abrazo and part of our BP's life. Little Dante is truly is blessing! God is good no matter what and we are honored that he chose Dante to be part of our family! We look forward to many happy moments together.
Love,
Claudia
P.S. I'll get Marcelo to post pictures soon.
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I found Abrazo through the yellow pages. Since I worked as a nurse at one time in a Hospital, I knew the Social Worker's pretty well. Along with contacting Abrazo through the phone book, one of my Social Worker friends highly recommended their services. So here we are!
Claudia
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Sherrrie,
I just read the awesome news! Congratulation and best wishes. Enjoy you summer!
Claudia
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Elaine,
Sorry, I just realized that I was mispelling Makayla's name.
Claudia
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Elaine,
I am sorry that you have had to endure all of this hurt regarding your family. When Marcelo and I first started talking about adoption very seriously, we felt like our families may not be so supportive especially about the openess. At first my mom said that we should not adopt out of our own ethnicity for the well being of the child. Even Marcelo was a bit uncomfortable with the situation. As time went by and we all together realized that it is about starting a family and loving eachother no matter what. Everything just seemed to fall into place. I remember telling Marcelo and our family that how could we ask God to bless us with a child and then be so picky about it. I felt like it was so ungrateful. The feelings of uncertainty on my mother's behalf just faded as her love for the idea of a new grand-child grew. I don't want to live on guard about who approves and who doesn't. I just want for people to respect that we are responsible adults living our lives as we feel God planned. That is what you are doing. Time heals all wounds which I have discovered. Don't get me wrong, I carry resentment about certain issues in my life, but I don't let it run my life and stop me from doing the things I have been called to do. I ask God for peace, that is all! We are human with many blessings of emotions and they are real... nice or not. Elaine, I will pray that God will bring you peace about this whole situation and HE WILL pour his peace and guidance over your family. Mikayla will bring your family much love and joy and maybe just maybe she was meant to be the healing bond.
Love,
Claudia
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Marcelo and I did not go the IVF route. I have learned to "never say never" though. At this time in our lives, adoption feels right! I don't disagree with IVF, but I just feel like you can't push something on yourself that just doesn't quite fit at the moment. Adoption is something that we feel very strong about and we want to do this before anything else. Who is to say that we may feel differently in a year or two about going through IVF, but for now, we look forward to gazing upon the precious baby that will be with us very soon!
Thanks for asking,
Claudia
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Congratulations to The Tremdous Ten on their new arrival.
Claudia
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My plan for when the baby arrives is to take 4 weeks off of work. My younger sister who turned 24 yrs. today will be the Godmother. She has offerred to help Marcelo and I out during the summer months once I return to work. Since, she is attending school in Austin and will be gone through out most of the year, she really loves the idea of bonding with her God child! I'm still going to compensate her since this will be her summer job.
I also looked into several day cares and found one in the same business complex where I work and they have an opening for the end of the summer which will work out great.
Claudia
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Mac,
Have you already attended orientation? I was just wondering because they will give you a hand book which includes some positive adoption language. Marcelo and I had a hard time at first making sure we were using positive language. It was very important to us, so that our family would pick up on it. Whenever you are speaking of adoption just try to keep in mind how your BP would feel if she was listening and I think you'll be alright! Good luck and God bless you on your journey!
Claudia
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Congratulations Ben and Adina. Have a blast!!!
We'll be thinking of you.
Claudia
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Yeah for the Dandy Dozen Stork Jackers!!!
I just love to see NEW ARRIVALS knowing that all those babies have such loving homes and families!!
Claudia
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Hip Hip Hurray for Cloud Nine. Congratulations you lucky couple. Come out, come out wherever you are and let us know the details.
See, it's not if, but when!!!!!!
Claudia
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You know, I really did not answer Elizabeth's question directly. Sorry. Marcelo and I would love ongoing contact with our birthmother. Unfortunately, at this point it does not look like it would turn out that way. Who knows, maybe in the future things will change. My biggest concern is how this will affect the child. I want to be able to have some answers to those big questions I know he will have some day. Even if it's knowing those little things our birthmother loves most. Anything! I want him to know that her decision to place him was because that is what she felt was best for the situation and for his wellbeing. I hope that I will be able to give him some sense of peace about the whole thing. Yes, Marcelo and I would like contact forever and ever because it would help us, Dante and I know it would help our birthmother. I feel like if she never knows how he feels about adoption and her, she might feel enormous guilt. I don't know that I can spare her of that, but sure would like to do everything in my power to do so.
Claudia
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Alright, well I have not been there, done that, but since the beginning of this journey my feelings have changed and grown so much. When I first inquired about Abrazo, I wasn't so sure about open adoption. I was more open about it than Marcelo. He had all the "normal" fears. Also, he wasn't so sure about adopting out of the white/hispanic population either. As we both talked about how we felt and what brought us to this point in our lives, God definately worked through our hearts. After orientation, everything changed! We decided that if this was the route intended for us and our family, then we had to open our minds and hearts for whatever was to come our way. Boy, have we come a long way in such a short time. I believe in realism, but also that with the right frame of mind and an open heart, love can conquer our fears. Of course, we still have those little fears that creep up at the most inoportune times, but that's normal. We are human and embrace the fact that life is not perfect. If it were, it would be so boring. Learning new things and new ways to become a better person to others has been the best lesson life could offer.
Look at us now. We are adopting because it's what we feel is the right thing for us and for our family. Not because we cannot conceive "normally", but because we would like to have a family with meaning. We have come to this point in our lives after great hurt and we are still standing.
Marcelo was just saying last night that the minute we lay our eyes on Dante, we will just mealt. This won't happen just because he's a baby and part of our family, but because this is something we have waited for and prepared for in our hearts. I think looking at Dante that first time will be much like the minute I started to walk down the wedding aisle. So much had happened in life up to that point and I knew I had found my Prince Charming. It was a sigh of relief and excitement for what God had in store for us!
Can't wait.
Claudia
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One thing I will highly recommend is put a lot of time and effort into your profile. This is what the birhtparents will look at first! It's just like the importance of a first impression. Use things that represent you. We used bright colors with stickers and cute stuff. I purchased most of the supplies at Hobby Lobby using scrap book material. I will say... the supplies can get a bit expensive, but definately worth it. Also, include pictures that show your loving side with lots of smiles! If family and relationships are big, include pictures that convey that message to them. Remember, that this is the first thing they see and they use the profile to decide if they would like to proceed with a phone call.
Good luck,
Claudia
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Michelle and Dan,
Congratulations! Marcelo and I just love the name Bella. We have already chosen 2 baby names we really love. And, guess what... for a girl Isabella Sophia (for short Bella which means beautiful in Spanish). She would be named after a good friend of the Paredes family. The woman is Russian and named Bella. Sophia would be after Marcelo's late grand-mother. For a boy we like the name Dante Christian.
Again, we are so happy for all those new additions.
Claudia
Baby Announcements 2005
in New Arrivals
Posted
CONGRATS TO OUR FELLOW CLOUD NINE FAMILY ON THEIR NEW ARRIVAL. MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS YOU ON YOUR WAY!
WE LOVE YOU,
MARCELO AND CLAUDIA