Paul and Michelle

Congrats from another WI Abrazo-family!

Lighting a candle for Samantha. Round 4 with cancer and she is 35...May God watch over her, her husband, and their little boy who they love so dearly and continue to give her strength and hope.

My personal opinion... I agree that the first option would be to do a full orientation. We signed with another agency after Abrazo because we were too impatient to wait for the next orientation. Paul and I could not connect with the staff at the other agency and ended up being told the process as we went. (Every agency has a different process). With Abrazo, I greatly appreciate the person to person contact before the "roller coaster" ride really takes off. I knew very clearly what the core values of Abrazo were and felt confident that my hopes and expectations matched their expectations. That being said, we were a "tweener" with our second child, Carter. We went to Camp Abrazo because of being a tweener. We would have never experienced one of the greatest weekends of our lives without it. My advice... 1) Match up the tweeners. Do a Skype call to get these people to meet and talk. 2) Talk about the core values of Abrazo verbally to ensure that the hopes and expectations are clear. 3) Perhaps increase the "waiting reading" to enhance the information sharing. Perhaps, also match them with families who have been through the process to be a sounding board and review the reading homework. (We would be happy to be one of those families). That's it... Good luck and God Bless!! Michelle

I too hope that the orientation weekends do not change...I am not sure how we could have made it through the experience without the wonderful people we met at orientation!! Oh how I wish we had that money tree in our back yard...every penny of it would go to Abrazo.

Our angel is from El Paso too!! Congratulations!! Merry Christmas!!

I am curious if the need for foster parents has increased or decreased during this trying economic time?

I am here to sprinkle baby dust... Thinking off all of you who are "in waiting.." May God bless you during this, the month of giving thanks!!

I wish I could give our testimonial from afar...

God is good! Congrats to the new families...As a mom of a BOG, things get crazy but I learned from the darkness comes the dawn. God bless the new families and the birthfamilies who love these little people so very much!

I was thinking the same thing... I will light a candle tonight!!

Leap of faith...I always say that adoption is not the time to listen to reason...it is time to listen to your heart and what God is saying to you..When we "signed papers" for Carter, we had not yet met him and really wasn't sure what the future was going to bring...but now we have a healthy happy incredibly active 4 year old...and wouldn't have changed a thing. The way I look at it is love can't cure everything but it sure does help.

Hi, we are from Wisconsin. Are you also in the Midwest? Brandy Hi! We are from WI too - Green Bay! Welcome.

Both families beaming...God has blessed you and may he continue to all to all of the days of your lives!!

Sounds a lot like our story! Miracles do happen - you just have to open your eyes and your hearts! Congrats - may God bless you!!

For both Carter and Chloe, we were in Texas for exactly one week...With Chloe - it was not enough time. It was very hard to say good bye to her birthmother and it was so very nice to have Chloe all to ourselves!!!!!!!!!

Prayers for all!!

Elizabeth, Please know that you have a family in WI who is praying for you and your family. All our love, The Dahlke's The Klasen's (Michelle's parents)

Thank you - this means so much to me. He passed away 8 years ago today...I pray that he can see us from heaven - he would love Chloe!!

Thank you - that means so very much to me!

This time every year is met with joy and sadness... This memory goes to my uncle Arnold Marice. He was like a second father to me and taught me 3 life lessons...Think twice, never make the same mistake twice, and be yourself. Uncle Arnie and I have birthdays a day apart and on the following day, he passed away making it to his 98th birthday. Unk, I wish you could be here to meet your namesake, Chloe Marica. You would love her spirit and her wisdom beyond her years!!! Thank you for all you have done for all of us... All my love, Michelle

Thanks for sharing Elizabeth! This week was the kick off to "respect life" month. I was moved to tears by our priest who discussed life...I am thankful EACH and EVERY DAY that 2 amazing women were courageous enough to choose life!!!!!

Congratulations from a family who cherishes a woman who is wise beyond her years too!! God bless and prayers out to all of you!!

This would inspire me!!! My husband and I made "a game" of our homestudy - we treated it like a scavenger hunt. In fact, I had to buy him an expensive dinner because he was done with his list before I was!!

Yeah!! Another Wisconsin Abrazo-babe!!! Safe travels and if there is anything you need, please don't hesitate to call!!!