Paul and Michelle
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Posts posted by Paul and Michelle
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Only 1 candle burning.
Lets light them up folks!!!
20 now burning!!
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Good news!! I reached out to Chloe's birthmom again and she sent me an e-mail...Yeah!!
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My advice...
1) Trust your instincts If something doesn't feel right, ask questions If it does feel right, don't fight it!!
2) Be honest to others. Tell people how you are feeling. The general public does not understand open adoption fully so don't second guess your commitment to open adoption based upon advice from others.
3) Believe...don't compare yourself to others. Your child will find you in his/her due time...
4) Have fun with your spouse!
Good luck and God bless!!
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Lighting a candle today for Chloe's birthmom...it has been quite some time since we heard from her - the longest since Chloe was born. Please please please contact us soon...we miss you!! Lighting a candle today for Carter's birthmom...wishing you peace and love and if you ever want to meet us, we would love to!!
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I look in the gallery and still get "choked up" with the miracles that happen every single day! Congratulations to the newest families!
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lovefaithhope,
Welcome to the Abrazo forum. We chose Abrazo because they gave us hope...We worked with another agency and the second time, they gave us faith in the adoption process. We worked with another agency and there is no comparison. What is different? They aren't placing children...they are building families. What this means to me is that they really look for the best overall match between birthfamily and adoptive family, a child to his/her forever family. This is their highest priority is making sure to watch out for the best interest of everyone in a Christian and loving way!
That is the difference...(In my mind).
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I have been waiting anxiously for the first baby of the new year! Congrats!!
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My prayers go out for this little boy!!
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I would like to put up a praise to our daughter, Alana / 3 1/2 years. Saturday, she had over 10 inches of hair cut and donated to locks of love. She was so very proud of being able to help another little girl who does not have hair. It brought tears to our eyes to see her beautiful, below her bottom length hair cut to shoulder length, but so worth it and proud of her when she turned to the hairdresser and said. . ."I am beautiful. Thank you!!! And this hair to for another little girl to be beautiful too!!!!!"
God bless our beautiful angel!
Rhonda
How fabulous - you should be so proud of her!
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I'm so happy to hear his Abrazo Aunties are going to visit. My heart just breaks thinking of him alone there in the nursery. When Aiden was in the NICU, there were babies in there with no families, don't know the situations. There were volunteers that would come in and hold them, rock them, feed them, touch and talk with them. The smallest of angels with the greatest of needs.
Give him a big hug from us!
When we found out that we had a son, Carter had been in the hospital for 5 days...Thanks to the Abrazo angels and the very loving hospital staff, I knew he was loved. I wish I lived in San Antonio so I could go rock this little boy and tell him there is a whole community who loves him and his mommy and daddy will be there soon.
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Christmas miracles...Congratulations on your bundles of joy!!
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Prayers for this baby...
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<!--quoteo(post=120666:date=Dec 15 2007, 05:30 PM:name=sugarfamily)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(sugarfamily @ Dec 15 2007, 05:30 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=120666"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=120647:date=Dec 15 2007, 11:38 AM:name=Paul and Michelle)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Paul and Michelle @ Dec 15 2007, 11:38 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=120647"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Last night I was thinking about these posts while I was watching my daughter and her school perform the play "The Drowsy Shepherd". The overall message of this play is "all is possible with Christ". Anyway, I was sitting next to my husband and I started thinking about our daughter. She was singing her little lungs out loving to perform in front of the entire audience.
I started thinking about what was God's will - I see it so clearly now but I wonder why...and here is what I thought about...Maybe God wanted me to cherish moments like these in a different way than others...maybe he wanted me to share with others the joy of open adoption...maybe he wanted us to appreciate different cultures...maybe I am thinking too hard about this...=)
God's will was for me to be a mom to 2 wonderful and amazing children...and to help others understand and appreciate the joys of open adoption...<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I agree. The Bible clearly states that God allows us to go through trials so that after we have endured them in faith, we are then able to help others going through similar trials of their own. I know that I could not have made it through our adoption process without the love and support of my friends here on the Abrazo forum who shared their own strength, hope and experiences with me. I have also in turn been given the opportunity to educate several preschool teaching staffs about adoption and how to be more supportive of adoptive families. Every day I look at Jenna, she is so beautiful, and I am amazed that God chose me to be her mother. I am SO blessed to be right where I'm at, no matter what pain it took to get me here!
You said it so perfectly!
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Last night I was thinking about these posts while I was watching my daughter and her school perform the play "The Drowsy Shepherd". The overall message of this play is "all is possible with Christ". Anyway, I was sitting next to my husband and I started thinking about our daughter. She was singing her little lungs out loving to perform in front of the entire audience.
I started thinking about what was God's will - I see it so clearly now but I wonder why...and here is what I thought about...Maybe God wanted me to cherish moments like these in a different way than others...maybe he wanted me to share with others the joy of open adoption...maybe he wanted us to appreciate different cultures...maybe I am thinking too hard about this...=)
God's will was for me to be a mom to 2 wonderful and amazing children...and to help others understand and appreciate the joys of open adoption...
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Michelle - I think your response is awesome.....I am going to keep that in mind to respond back to people with....I also have gotten the question ....isn't that so much harder on the child, won't they get confused?? I have done my best to educate those who do say things like this in an attempt for them to understand ("get it")....that it is harder for a child to not have any answers to basic questions.....and that it isn't confusing, when that is what they know their life story to be from the day we became a family .....I also remind myself that those with no awareness or real life experience, need guidance to "get it" - to gain perspective.
Patti
Paul and I frequently talk to people who are struggling with infertility and are contemplating adoption. This weekend, we met a wonderful young lady and she asked me, "Is open adoption really that popular? Aren't you afraid of what could happen?" My response was, "Yes, we were afraid of what could happen and that is why we chose open adoption. We were afraid our children were going to ask, "Where did I get my eyes from? What did my birthmother like to do? Why did she/they make the choice they did?" And I knew that if I chose closed adoption, I could never answer those questions."Well said girls! I realize people are afraid for us more than anything else. Our loved ones have struggled with/for us for many years during our family building. I guess we just feel that it has become our duty to raise awareness about the many benefits of open adoption. We so want our children to know ALL of the people who love them dearly and to have every single one of their questions be answered as they grow. As our families and friends see that we are very comfortable with open adoption, they have come a long way in their thinking as well.
So true...
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Paul and I frequently talk to people who are struggling with infertility and are contemplating adoption. This weekend, we met a wonderful young lady and she asked me, "Is open adoption really that popular? Aren't you afraid of what could happen?" My response was, "Yes, we were afraid of what could happen and that is why we chose open adoption. We were afraid our children were going to ask, "Where did I get my eyes from? What did my birthmother like to do? Why did she/they make the choice they did?" And I knew that if I chose closed adoption, I could never answer those questions."
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Also a candle for Benji and Caroline...May God help you through this difficult time and bring your precious son or daughter home to you quickly! Another candle for fellow Wisconsinite Patti and Steve, may God bring your little blessing home to you quickly. God Bless everyone with a heavy heart during this holiday season.23 candles...
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That remark sounds familiar... =) Prayers to this beautiful baby girl.... "With6yougetchikn"...congratulations on your bigger family...I wish upon you God's blessings!!
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Our prayers for this brave person and those beautiful children who have been in our hearts...God Bless!!
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What a day! Congratulations!!
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A few ways to finance adoption..
1) Tax credits will really help to alleviate some issues.
2) Home equity loans may be an option...
3) There are places you can go on-line to apply for an adoption loan or receive a grant.
4) Cut things out of your budget...
5) If need be, utilize checks attached to your credit card - sometimes they offer 0% or a very low rate loan.
6) If all else fails, ask your family for some support - they are also very excited to add children to the family as well.
7) Check into an adoption benefit at your company - this came in handy for us.
8) Check to see if driving is cheaper than flying.
God Bless the family in this situation...
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There are now 15... =)
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Thank you all so very much. We are truly head over heels in love with this amazing gift from God. We are just as much in love with her incredible birthmother and feel so lucky to have her in Delaney's life. We are going through a roller coaster of emotions these past 5 days...joyful, sad, endearing and inspiring.
We thank Abrazo for making this possible for us and we'd also like to thank our Abrazo friends who have become like family to us as well. The journey is just beginning now!!
Take care everyone...gotta go change a diaper now.
Love, Nichole & Joe
Yeah Yeah Yeah - Another WI Abrazobabe!! Congrats!!
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To those who are disappointed by this news...we received the same news when we were ready to add to our family...So we went elsewhere - and then we came home to Abrazo and have the boy of our dreams. (Trust me...all agencies are not created equal and we are so grateful to have been welcomed back with open arms!) Good luck and God Bless!
INQUIRY
in Looking to Adopt
Posted
I have to respond...
Background...Paul and I have one child who is(was at the time) an Abrazo-babe. Paul and I decided to expand our family. I called Abrazo and they were not ready for us.
We decided to adopt through another agency in San Antonio...and they were NOT Abrazo! One day, our angel...Angela...called to tell us that Abrazo was ready and we left the other agency behind and tearfully hugged Elizabeth while she welcomed us home...
If I had to do it all over, I would have worked harder, been more patient...and worked only with Abrazo. There are no other people like the women at Abrazo and I am proud and can yell from the roof-tops, my babes are Abrazo-babes.
My point? Really evaluate what your family looks like in the future! Be honest with your expectations regarding open adoptions, scenarios you would be willing to consider, and the people who you would work with. Being honest doesn't mean trying to meet others' needs, it is how you vision your family! Can you live with a lifelong commitment to your child(ren)'s birthfamilies? Do you really believe that openness is for your child, not to have a child in your home? Can you comment appropriately when people ask you, "Where is he/she from?" Do you really believe that God really has a master plan?
If you are accepted into Abrazo, congratulations. If not, take the time to understand the issue and check to see if they really do fit into your expectations and vice versa.
Good luck all and God Bless!!