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Guest Julie&Rick

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Guest bmom2nickngrace

Welcome to the Abrazo family :)

My birthson and his adoptive parents live in Fayetteville NC. When they adopted Nicholas 8 years ago they lived in Shelby.

They are not active on the forum but they do check to see what I am writing frequently.

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Welcome to the Abrazo family :)

My birthson and his adoptive parents live in Fayetteville NC. When they adopted Nicholas 8 years ago they lived in Shelby.

They are not active on the forum but they do check to see what I am writing frequently.

WOW, small world!! I live in a suburb to fayetteville, basically have to go to fayetteville for everything. I am from TN here by way of military. We have been here for 5 years now!!

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Hello,

I am new to the forum. We submitted our inquiry a few weeks ago and waiting to here if we are accepted. We have a son, Robert, who is now 3. He was adopted but not through Abrazo. I have enjoyed reading the forum and decided it was time for me to post an introduction.

Shelly

Ingleside, TX

mommy to Robert Michael

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Welcome to the forum Shelly. I'm sure that you will find this site to be a wealth of support, friendship and knowledge as I have. We have our son, Gabe, who was born to us seven years ago and have adopted our daughter, Leyna, who was born just a year ago. Leyna was a B.O.G. (Baby on the Ground) and we took placement of her when she was six days old. We love everyone at Abrazo and admire their dedication to their work in adoption. You have chosen a wonderful agency to help you find your next son or daughter.

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Hi, Shelly! Glad to see you on the forum. My name is Elaine. My husband and I live in TN. with our two beautiful daughters.

Best wishes with baby #2. We look forward to following your story! We adopted our first daughter through Abrazo in the Spring of 2005. We just adopted our second daughter last Friday. She had been in foster care in San Antonio.

We have been doubly blessed! Having two is a lot of work but more importantly it is a lot of fun!

Again, welcome!!! We are glad you have joined us!

Elaine

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Welcome to the forum Shelly!

My husband and I adopted our little girl through Abrazo almost 4 years ago, hard to believe!

You will find Abrazo to be a very caring adoption agency. We love them!!!

Edited by melissamerritt
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GENERAL REMINDERS: FOR ALL PROSPECTIVE INQUIREES

1) Abrazo is an agency that advocates for OPEN adoption. This means our cases generally DO require direct and ongoing contact between adoptive families and birthparents before and after placement and adoption. Please do not seek to acquire a child through this agency if you are unable to commit to this concept and/or unwilling to learn to do so.

2) Abrazo is located in South Texas. The majority of our placements do entail children of part or full Hispanic descent. If you are unable or unwilling to accept children of varying ethnic backgrounds, Abrazo may not be the best choice of agency for you.

3) Abrazo's processing fees for inquiries and applications are just that; fees rendered for our professionals' time in reviewing paperwork and analyzing potential fit of your needs and our services. Payment of fees does not constitute grounds for admission, and all fees paid are nonrefundable upon receipt.

4) Inquiries sent without the required attachments (photos and fees) cannot be processed. Sorry, photos cannot be returned.

5) Please allow 2-4 weeks from receipt for processing of applications and agency response.

Any questions regarding the inquiry procedures should be directed to Angela Martinez, M.S.W., Family Services Coordinator. Thank you.

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Guest andrea hatch

Shelly-

Welcome to the forum. I'm warning you, it can be addictive :) We are at the same stage of the process that you guys are. We also have a three yr old son that was adopted through another agency. I look forward to following your journey to #2!

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Thanks for the Welcome Andrea. We were not accepted at this time because we already have a child and becuase we really want a girl. So we are going to continue to try and match on our own.

Good luck in getting accepted.

Shelly

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Guest andrea hatch

Thanks for the Welcome Andrea. We were not accepted at this time because we already have a child and becuase we really want a girl. So we are going to continue to try and match on our own.

Good luck in getting accepted.

Shelly

I'm sorry to here that you won't be using Abrazo. I guess I don't know that I will be either. We already have a son as well and haven't been accepted or declined yet :unsure: I'm sure the child that is meant for your family will end up there one way or another. Keep the faith.

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NOTE: Due to a recent influx of racially-restrictive families with children who have inflexible gender preferences; please note that Abrazo can currently offer only designated program admission to "againers" who are seeking to adopt only Anglo-Saxon newborns of a specific gender. For those who wish to wait, inquiries and applications are kept on file for a year. (Other pending "againer" applications will, however, still be eligible for consideration for full-service program admissions and next year's orientation classes as space and program needs allow.) We regret any inconvenience this may cause, but the strong birthparent preference for childless couples and the program's inability to guarantee gender selection necessitate such admissions decisions on our part for the time being.
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I know some of you may find this last message disheartening, but please don't.

Abrazo is an awesome agency, as the many testimonials on this Forum continue to extole (sp?). However, it isn't the only agency and it isn't the best agency for every family, birth or adoptive. We all come into this process with specific needs and expectations. Abrazo tries to clearly state its needs and expectations so that those interested can choose wisely. And hopefully, you state yours clearly to them in your communications and paperwork so that the two sides can get an honest picture and judge whether the respective goals and intentions align.

But, many people start here with our beloved Forum instead of with direct agency contact. With so much information on the Forum, though, it may take a little while for prospective adoptive families to get a good feel for it all and so they may not recognize a good or ill fit until later. That is why I continue to urge "newbies" to contact the agency directly. Truly talk to and really listen to Angela, or Elizabeth if she's fielding calls that day. How comfortable you feel in that/those conversation(s) will be a good gauge for the "fit" of this agency to your family. And yes, waiting for phone calls may seem like it takes forever, after all, you want to get started NOW, but knowing for certain that you've found the right agency for you (whether you're an adoptive family or an expectant mother considering placement of your child) will make all the difference in the world.

And know, adoptive family, that reaching the point of sending in your inquiry or application does not mark the end of the growth you're going to experience. It's no time for "Whew. Now we're ready!"

Adoption is going to stretch you and your heart in ways you cannot fathom. It's good, but the stretching can hurt. And if Abrazo needs you to grow to be really ready for your child, don't you think the pain is worth it? And if Abrazo is not suited to provide the services you need, don't you want to find that out up front and not way down the line?

This process is profoundly personal (inspecting my septic tank? :o ), so you're going to be vulnerable and feelings can get hurt. Remember, that Abrazo is focused on the needs of the child, maybe your child, and keep that at the forefront of your mind and heart as you deal with the trials and tribulations of growing your family.

Oh, how I remember the nervous days of waiting to see if we would be "accepted". I empathize with you and revel in the joy that is yours to come. You can see my family and the hundreds of other families on here at the end of the tunnel and know that this journey (taken with Abrazo or another agency) does work and it is worth it.

Blessings as you wait! It won't be the last time!

Christina

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Guest andrea hatch

I know some of you may find this last message disheartening, but please don't.

Abrazo is an awesome agency, as the many testimonials on this Forum continue to extole (sp?). However, it isn't the only agency and it isn't the best agency for every family, birth or adoptive. We all come into this process with specific needs and expectations. Abrazo tries to clearly state its needs and expectations so that those interested can choose wisely. And hopefully, you state yours clearly to them in your communications and paperwork so that the two sides can get an honest picture and judge whether the respective goals and intentions align.

But, many people start here with our beloved Forum instead of with direct agency contact. With so much information on the Forum, though, it may take a little while for prospective adoptive families to get a good feel for it all and so they may not recognize a good or ill fit until later. That is why I continue to urge "newbies" to contact the agency directly. Truly talk to and really listen to Angela, or Elizabeth if she's fielding calls that day. How comfortable you feel in that/those conversation(s) will be a good gauge for the "fit" of this agency to your family. And yes, waiting for phone calls may seem like it takes forever, after all, you want to get started NOW, but knowing for certain that you've found the right agency for you (whether you're an adoptive family or an expectant mother considering placement of your child) will make all the difference in the world.

And know, adoptive family, that reaching the point of sending in your inquiry or application does not mark the end of the growth you're going to experience. It's no time for "Whew. Now we're ready!"

Adoption is going to stretch you and your heart in ways you cannot fathom. It's good, but the stretching can hurt. And if Abrazo needs you to grow to be really ready for your child, don't you think the pain is worth it? And if Abrazo is not suited to provide the services you need, don't you want to find that out up front and not way down the line?

This process is profoundly personal (inspecting my septic tank? :o ), so you're going to be vulnerable and feelings can get hurt. Remember, that Abrazo is focused on the needs of the child, maybe your child, and keep that at the forefront of your mind and heart as you deal with the trials and tribulations of growing your family.

Oh, how I remember the nervous days of waiting to see if we would be "accepted". I empathize with you and revel in the joy that is yours to come. You can see my family and the hundreds of other families on here at the end of the tunnel and know that this journey (taken with Abrazo or another agency) does work and it is worth it.

Blessings as you wait! It won't be the last time!

Christina

Christina-

Thanks for the words of wisdom. It means a lot to see that you take the time to share honestly with those of us who haven't been there and done that yet (at least not with Abrazo).

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I know some of you may find this last message disheartening, but please don't.

Abrazo is an awesome agency, as the many testimonials on this Forum continue to extole (sp?). However, it isn't the only agency and it isn't the best agency for every family, birth or adoptive. We all come into this process with specific needs and expectations. Abrazo tries to clearly state its needs and expectations so that those interested can choose wisely. And hopefully, you state yours clearly to them in your communications and paperwork so that the two sides can get an honest picture and judge whether the respective goals and intentions align.

But, many people start here with our beloved Forum instead of with direct agency contact. With so much information on the Forum, though, it may take a little while for prospective adoptive families to get a good feel for it all and so they may not recognize a good or ill fit until later. That is why I continue to urge "newbies" to contact the agency directly. Truly talk to and really listen to Angela, or Elizabeth if she's fielding calls that day. How comfortable you feel in that/those conversation(s) will be a good gauge for the "fit" of this agency to your family. And yes, waiting for phone calls may seem like it takes forever, after all, you want to get started NOW, but knowing for certain that you've found the right agency for you (whether you're an adoptive family or an expectant mother considering placement of your child) will make all the difference in the world.

And know, adoptive family, that reaching the point of sending in your inquiry or application does not mark the end of the growth you're going to experience. It's no time for "Whew. Now we're ready!"

Adoption is going to stretch you and your heart in ways you cannot fathom. It's good, but the stretching can hurt. And if Abrazo needs you to grow to be really ready for your child, don't you think the pain is worth it? And if Abrazo is not suited to provide the services you need, don't you want to find that out up front and not way down the line?

This process is profoundly personal (inspecting my septic tank? :o ), so you're going to be vulnerable and feelings can get hurt. Remember, that Abrazo is focused on the needs of the child, maybe your child, and keep that at the forefront of your mind and heart as you deal with the trials and tribulations of growing your family.

Oh, how I remember the nervous days of waiting to see if we would be "accepted". I empathize with you and revel in the joy that is yours to come. You can see my family and the hundreds of other families on here at the end of the tunnel and know that this journey (taken with Abrazo or another agency) does work and it is worth it.

Blessings as you wait! It won't be the last time!

Christina

Very well said, Christina!

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Hi Everyone! I am Amanda and my husband is Chris. We just submitted our inquiry and are waiting to hear if we will be accepted into the Abrazo family. We are also in the middle of our homestudy. This is so exciting! I see that many of you have already adopted from Abrazo and it makes me feel so good that everyone seems to be so helpful and comforting. As you all know, it is very scary getting started into this process knowing nothing and I think it's great that these forums are here to help make everyone comfortable with the process. I hope with all my heart that we are accepted. We've had a heartbreaking time with infertility and miscarriage and have come to realize that God just wanted us to have our child a different way :)

Anyway...this is my first post ever, and in all of my research in this process, I'm sure I'll be posting often. Just wanted to introduce myself and it never hurts to get more fingers crossed for us, too!

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Welcome to Abrazo!! Starting out can be daunting, scary, as well as exciting! You will love the Abrazo team!! A few words of advice...If that call doesn't come as quickly as you had hoped and you seem to talk to a lot of birthmom's and nothing seems to click...It is because YOUR baby has not found you yet. Have faith, do fun things as a couple, and your baby will find you!!

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I know some of you may find this last message disheartening, but please don't.

Abrazo is an awesome agency, as the many testimonials on this Forum continue to extole (sp?). However, it isn't the only agency and it isn't the best agency for every family, birth or adoptive. We all come into this process with specific needs and expectations. Abrazo tries to clearly state its needs and expectations so that those interested can choose wisely. And hopefully, you state yours clearly to them in your communications and paperwork so that the two sides can get an honest picture and judge whether the respective goals and intentions align.

But, many people start here with our beloved Forum instead of with direct agency contact. With so much information on the Forum, though, it may take a little while for prospective adoptive families to get a good feel for it all and so they may not recognize a good or ill fit until later. That is why I continue to urge "newbies" to contact the agency directly. Truly talk to and really listen to Angela, or Elizabeth if she's fielding calls that day. How comfortable you feel in that/those conversation(s) will be a good gauge for the "fit" of this agency to your family. And yes, waiting for phone calls may seem like it takes forever, after all, you want to get started NOW, but knowing for certain that you've found the right agency for you (whether you're an adoptive family or an expectant mother considering placement of your child) will make all the difference in the world.

And know, adoptive family, that reaching the point of sending in your inquiry or application does not mark the end of the growth you're going to experience. It's no time for "Whew. Now we're ready!"

Adoption is going to stretch you and your heart in ways you cannot fathom. It's good, but the stretching can hurt. And if Abrazo needs you to grow to be really ready for your child, don't you think the pain is worth it? And if Abrazo is not suited to provide the services you need, don't you want to find that out up front and not way down the line?

This process is profoundly personal (inspecting my septic tank? :o ), so you're going to be vulnerable and feelings can get hurt. Remember, that Abrazo is focused on the needs of the child, maybe your child, and keep that at the forefront of your mind and heart as you deal with the trials and tribulations of growing your family.

Oh, how I remember the nervous days of waiting to see if we would be "accepted". I empathize with you and revel in the joy that is yours to come. You can see my family and the hundreds of other families on here at the end of the tunnel and know that this journey (taken with Abrazo or another agency) does work and it is worth it.

Blessings as you wait! It won't be the last time!

Christina

A message similar to Elizabeth's previous post came out when we were hoping to grow our family. We decided to work with another agency instead of waiting. A few months after this, I stated to a dear friend of mine,"This is not how we were supposed to grow our family! We are not on the right path, but how can we make it right?" A year and a half later, our son found us and no other place but going home to Abrazo could make that dream come true. Moral of the Story: If you are committed to Abrazo and feel in your heart that Abrazo is the right place, but it just isn't the right time. Do some extra soul searching...The wait could pay off in a big way!!

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Hi Everyone! I am Amanda and my husband is Chris. We just submitted our inquiry and are waiting to hear if we will be accepted into the Abrazo family. We are also in the middle of our homestudy. This is so exciting! I see that many of you have already adopted from Abrazo and it makes me feel so good that everyone seems to be so helpful and comforting. As you all know, it is very scary getting started into this process knowing nothing and I think it's great that these forums are here to help make everyone comfortable with the process. I hope with all my heart that we are accepted. We've had a heartbreaking time with infertility and miscarriage and have come to realize that God just wanted us to have our child a different way :)

Anyway...this is my first post ever, and in all of my research in this process, I'm sure I'll be posting often. Just wanted to introduce myself and it never hurts to get more fingers crossed for us, too!

Amanda Welcome to the forum! We started looking into Abrazo in April and sent in our inquiry in May. This is our third adoption and first through Abrazo. I remember when we realized that adoption was the path for us. It was such a relief that I knew what I needed to do. There was a long road ahead but so worth the wait. I was just glad to be on the path that would lead us to our child. We will keep our fingers crossed for you!

Heather :)

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Thanks Guys!! That's why I am stuck on this agency...everyone is so warm and informative. It's very comforting!

We just had our individual interviews for our homestudy and our 1st home visit is a week and a half away. I'm getting more and more nervous that we won't be accepted to Abrazo for some reason, although, considering our flexibility and circumstances, I think we have a good chance. This is the first time in my life I've let myself shop for baby stuff and I'm getting overwhelmed!! Did you guys start shopping this early???

We are working on the financial part....doing lots of extra work to put back for expenses and I'm researching loans with good interest rates. There is a myriad of them out there, most of which charge to apply for them, so I'm reluctant to right now. Any suggestions there would be appreciated, although I've already found out a lot reading in that forum.

I'm also beginning to look for some type of adoption group we can join. Guess you can never have too much information on this subject. These forums are great!

Look forward to talking with you all more in the months to come!!!

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Hi Amanda. My husband and I are also new to the forum. We will be attending the September orientation and are so excited! I know what a thrill it is to get started! David and I went shopping for just a few things immediately after we started our homestudy. By the time the homestudy was completed, we had the nursery almost completely done. And our homestudy was done fast!

Loans -- We found that our credit union had the best possible rates for a loan. If you're not already a member of a federal credit union, you can join one by being a family member of someone who is already a member. Some have even more lenient joining rules. Credit unions generally have better loan rates all around!

I can't wait to follow your story. You'll find that the forum folks have a TON of information to share. Read, read, read! It's not only valuable, it's highly entertaining. I'm afraid I've become addicted!

Good luck and God bless ... and do your best to avoid those giant buzzing horrors down there that y'all call mosquitos!

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Thanks Guys!! That's why I am stuck on this agency...everyone is so warm and informative. It's very comforting!

We just had our individual interviews for our homestudy and our 1st home visit is a week and a half away. I'm getting more and more nervous that we won't be accepted to Abrazo for some reason, although, considering our flexibility and circumstances, I think we have a good chance. This is the first time in my life I've let myself shop for baby stuff and I'm getting overwhelmed!! Did you guys start shopping this early???

We are working on the financial part....doing lots of extra work to put back for expenses and I'm researching loans with good interest rates. There is a myriad of them out there, most of which charge to apply for them, so I'm reluctant to right now. Any suggestions there would be appreciated, although I've already found out a lot reading in that forum.

I'm also beginning to look for some type of adoption group we can join. Guess you can never have too much information on this subject. These forums are great!

Look forward to talking with you all more in the months to come!!!

Hey guys! I'm going to but in...hope that's okay! :D

Amanda, there are three Abrazo families from Shreveport in the July orienation group And Then...There Were Ten. I have personal information that they are all REALLY great people! Between the four of you guys, you could have your own adoption support group!

There is a really neat lady around here somewhere named Gigi. She had and 'Adoption garage sale'. It was a HUGE and I mean a HUGE success! Family, friends, co-workers, friends of friends, people she didn't even know, donated items of all kinds, a massage therapist donated gift certificates to sell, they sold bottled water and hot dogs. The possibilities are endless! I thought it was a great idea, I just never had a chance to put that together!

Congrats on getting busy with the homestudy and let me tell you...it's never to early to shop! :)

Welcome to the forum!!!

(Hello Ellouise! ;) )

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I thought of a garage sale where friends and family can donate items to sell. Verdict is still out on that one, though.

Is it common for Abrazo to turn down applicants??? I'm so worried about that! I was referred by an agency here in shreveport and she said that she has heard RAVE reviews about Abrazo, so I figured she referred a lot of people!

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Amanda,

Abrazo only accepts as many families as they feel they have a legitimate ability to match and place within a given year. So, that's the numeric limitation. There are applicants they don't accept into the full-service program for reasons other than numbers, but as you say, you're flexible, etc. and so are less likely to be "rejected" on those grounds. The process probably feels long, waiting for replies to inquiry, then application, etc. It's a waiting game, but you must trust that you will find the right agency for you and your child will be in your arms when the time is right.

Keep the faith and good job getting busy on all the other parts of the process.

Christina

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