Dale and Amanda

Any news on this little one?

Paul and Fabi, that is amazing news! Congratulations and enjoy your bundle of blue!!!

Are there any PIWs that could open their hearts to a beautiful baby?

Amen!

I understand that there needs to be a plan for children born to incarcerated women, and they may not have family to lean on. Elizabeth, do you see an alternative to basically forcing women that don't have family to help them to place their babies with adoptive families?

We, too were referred by a friend, but when I came to the forum, it was obvious that we hoped to adopt the "Abrazo" way! Our first was not through Abrazo, and we were less than thrilled with that agency. Even though we didn't take our first placement through Abrazo, we were embraced on the forum...and that has been such a blessing to us (in more ways than one). We stayed active and through that found our second daughter...so now we are officially an Abrazo family! CHeck out the forum topics and you will see the kind of support and encouragement that is typical here. We are not perfect here, but we are a loving and supportive bunch!!

Yay! The first baby of 2008! Congratulations to the newest family!!

Tina, so glad you are all ok. I thought of you and Traci and Brett and Maralou as I watched it from my back door.

I am all for going to the movies if someone needs a buddy! I just need advanced notice to make sure I have someone to watch the girls. Maybe we can plan one in the near future for those of us that live in/around Memphis.

Didn't read that one, Kay, but it is common for the adoptive father to desire leaving the adoptive mother to be with the birth mother??? That blows my mind, and I guess it would be one of those things people don't talk about.

I think the movie was okay, but I was really upset with the apparent "feelings" that Mark seemed to have developed for Juno. When she went by with the sonogram and they were in the basement he told her that he was leaving Vanessa and he thought that she would be happy about that. Hello! He is 30ish and she is 16!!! That was a bit sick in my book. There were moments for me to connect, though. I thought of Elizabeth's things not to say to birth parents when Vanessa asked how sure Juno was that she was going to place. I also thought it tacky to ask if she expected other compensation. I cried when Vanessa held her for the first time, as well as with Juno lying in the bed crying. I couldn't help but think of our birth moms being in that place...and I cried for all of us. I think I like the movie more than I first thought I did...but the Juno/Mark think really bothered me.

Jean, way to go! Hard work does pay off!

Too sweet!

We really struggled with this one, as there are many families desiring children. We brought Arianna home, and we were fine with having just one child (we didn't want to be greedy). One Halloween we started talking about a second child, and when there was a BOG that Abrazo didn't have PIW for, I instantly knew that we should pursue her. I called Dale and he agreed. We were blessed to be chosen and have had her home for nearly two months. We are content with the two, and we aren't thinking of a third at this time. I am so happy that our girls are so close in age and that they can hopefully have a wonderful relationship in life. Just because we are adopting, I don't think that we shouldn't expect to fill our homes with children. God has children planned for families, and different numbers for each family. If God is laying it on your heart, then go for it because He has a plan for you!

Jeremy and Jessica, you have found an incredible resource! First...the application. Then get on the forum and look around. I have found that most questions I have had are addressed here somewhere! The forumites are happy to share experiences and journeys and that is an incredible thing in adoption!Welcome and I look forward to following your journey!

Well bless their hearts!

I can see the point of view where people want a "custom ordered" child. There were times past that it was touted that way, and I think it has been hard to move beyond people thinking of it that way, or in doing such a great thing for a child "in need." We struggled early on, but decided that we would let God handle that part of things and we became very open to the different possibilities with a placement. I think that it was Monday or Tuesday before we left on Tuesday afternoon before I ever thought to ask if Nichole was healthy or if there was anything we needed to prepare for. I am sure had there been anything major the ladies at Abrazo would have let us know, but we knew that Nichole was meant to be ours and therefore we were busting to get to her. I have said it elsewhere and several times before, but we couldn't have guaranteed health in our biological child, nor could we have requested a certain gender. Seeing God's miracle is amazing and we are so fortunate to be a part of it in some way. I hope that those coming in and those waiting search their hearts for an openness that they haven't known before. We did, and I am so thankful for it.

Still praying for a loving forever family for this baby boy!

Melissa, what an amazing testament to open adoption! I hope that your friend will be able to see the positive side of open adoption. You are a great spokesperson.

Praying that this family is able to work everything out and welcome a new member to their family!

Still praying for this special boy and his forever family to be!!!

Tina, just let me know if you ever need backup! I am sure I could make an appearance...and I am not good at keeping my mouth shut, either! I really wish we could have contact with D for Arianna's sake. In this last letter I sent, I asked her to at least have the agency help her call me. When I talked to her last year, she had mentioned an annual visit, but she hasn't contacted the agency about it. I relish my conversations with Nichole's birthmom, even though I can tell that they still pain her. I figure she wants to know, and if it isn't a good day for her to talk to me, she keeps it quite short. I try to follow her lead. Sometimes the calls are better than others. We can't make everyone see our point of view, we can only explain to them what we do and why. Hopefully this adoptive family will get a clue and will open their minds. Tina, you are welcome at my church anytime!

Absolutely! We went to the mall today as a family and pretty much made a day of it. It was great! We saw someone we went to church with 15 years ago, and she was thrilled to see that we had become parents!

Amen!!! Praying for open doors for his forever family...wherever they are!

You know, adventure is a very appropriate word for a second child. It was more of a journey for us with Arianna, but with Nichole, it has been quite the adventure, but not in bad way. We are so enjoying both girls...and a little more sleep every week!