HeidiK

what a beautiful beginning!

Boy oh Boy oh Boy - When those BLUE BONNETS blossom...they really blossom! Congradulations on the 1st to pitch their tent in parenthood!

Welcome little bluebonnet - may you always know love

Three cheers for a Daddy post BEFORE orientation - the ladies at Abrazo LOVE it when the men-folk post! Welcome Erin and Mark - you have made it to a wonderful place. may your journey be blessed

and BTW- there was a huge fire and 1000's of pcs of mail headed to San Antonio were lost...I might call Angela to verify that they received the application. Good luck

Welcoem sweet little girl..Aloha

I have been reading on another forum the past few days - don't be shocked But I wanted to pass on a term that I found to my liking. ON that board they refer to preganent woman as EMOM's or expentant mom OR Efamilies, again expentant families before they give birth. That reserves the term birth mother for a woman who has been thru the relishuishment process. Does that make sense? What do you think? I know many of us struggle with what to call people but I thout emom was kinder that potential birthmom

Hey Renee-- Let her know who to look for....or if I can be of any help let me know

Interesting conversation----you made some great points Elizabeth and Sabrina - I wonder if the American ideas about marriage and its role/function in our society are changing too?

Yipppee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Welcome to the family!

Thanks for the update Colleen - we love you Grama Sharon - hope you feel better soon -

How is Liza - our newest Godmother these days?

Welcome little Ava - may you always know the love of many

May the sweetness of today carry you all far into the future.

Welcome litte girl- hope all is well in Perris, Tx from Perris Califronia

Welcome to the family - Congradulations on your new addition

Another incentivized choice in adoption is the AAP ( adoption assistance program) - This program was created to encourage the adoption of foster kids. And while we're on the subject, what about that $10,500 adoption tax credit that adoptive families in America can get, just for adopting a healthy newborn of any race? The funny thing us, if firstmothers were offered an equivalent tax credit for placing, we'd call it "inducement" and that would be considered a bad thing, wouldn't it?? (But when the shoe is on the other foot, well, ...?) good point!

Another incentivized choice in adoption is the AAP ( adoption assistance program) - This program was created to encourage the adoption of foster kids. In some settings, foster parents counld not "afford" to loose the state support they recieved. The funding would be cut off if the families completed an adoption - so it made better finacial sense for the children to remian foster kids The program allowed kids to "belong" and for their AP to continue to receive the benefits

WOW I feel so special-but how did I get my own blog-what is a blog anyway?? I'm just doing what I do best-talk about my sweet Abby and Shaun. How totally cool is this!!!!! Hi Sharron - How are you?

The votes have been counted and Micheal is the winner................welcome little one!

I didn't pick Abrazo- BUT I wouldn't change a thing. I sent out a bunch of emails looking for an adoption situations...Abrazo answered and 7 days later I was in Texas being introduced to my 3 day old son!

Grandma Sharron - keep posting - Now you have your very own spot on the forum...love to hear more of your thoughts about being a grandmom to a beautiful African American child

Elizabeth- Pardon my thinking out loud..BUT does or has Abrazo ever decided NOT to work with a birth family not open to the idea of an OPEN relationship and on going contact ? And how do you help birth families "open up"? I know that life situations sometimes get in the way - but ....how do you help people in this type of stressful situation change what might be a set of "fixed ideas"...just wondering heidi

Seems like its MY job to nuture and grow Gabe and Parker's relationships with their birth families.........and I hope that they will always be connected and know that they are loved ...and that's an everyday part our world ...and would be a healthy part of all families created thru adoption. Even if the birth famliles choose not to particiate at any point in time, it s the job of the adoptive families to share and nuture what they do know with their children, AND keep the door open for birth families should they later make a different choice. its just MOP