Community› The Bump Message Boards› Adoption
Adoption
New Discussion

LOTS of updates (including the baby in foster care)

Go_DawgsGo_Dawgs member
in Adoption

I have several adoption updates that I'd like to share.

1)  The baby in foster care that we hoped to adopt WENT HOME!!  This is a case where they have terminated their rights to SIX previous children, and DFCS planned to fast track this one to TPR.  The parents didn't show up to their first court date, and it was continued to yesterday.  The parents didn't show up again, so I stopped by the trailer and talked the mom into letting me give her a ride.  Since I was a potential witness after meeting both parents and seeing the trailer twice, I wasn't allowed to sit in on the hearing.  However, at the end, the mother's lawyer told me the baby was going back to the parents.  I took the mother to Target and bought her formula and diapers, because she wasn't even planning to come to court, much less was she prepared to take her baby home.

I think that everyone assumed that the past history would be enough to take this baby away, and DFCS didn't gather enough proof of current issues in the home.  The trailer is clean, I guess there is no current proof of drug use, and the parents both get disability payments.

Strangly, I wasn't terribly upset.  Earlier that day, I prayed that God would let the family that is best to parent this baby be the ones to end up with custody of her.  I had no idea that might be her bio parents, though!  The mother is intellectually disabled, and a very sweet woman.  She was so happy about getting to take her baby home, that I was actually happy for her.  Hopefully the baby will be OK.  She's at home under a protective order, so DFCS will still be monitoring things in the home.

2)  We decided to sign with an agency!  I was pretty set on an independent adoption and networking to find a birth mother on our own.  However, we decided to go to an information session with Lutheran Services of Georgia.  We really liked everything we heard.  Plus, the only fees up front are $300 for a training and then $1,500 for the home study.  No other fees are due until after the baby is placed (and after the revocation period is up, so there is no risk in losing all that money).  The fees are EXTREMELY reasonable, and it's one flat fee.  They won't ask for any additional money for birth mother expenses or anything else.  Even if we sign up with them, we can continue to network and try to find a birth mother on our own, so we figure it can't hurt to do both and see what happens.  We're very excited!!  The training session is this Saturday, and then we start our homestudy.

3)  We got our profile books yesterday and LOVE them.  We used artscow.com, which I found much easier to use than scrapblog and other similar programs.  The book looks awesome.

4)  Our networking keeps continuning to pay off.  Yesterday a lawyer called me and said she was contacted by a potential birth mom and will show her our profile.  She knows me personally, so she'll tell the birth mother that she knows me and we are a great family.  I don't know any of the details about when she's due, what she is like, how committed she is to adoption, etc.  So we're keeping our fingers crossed!

Report Reply to Post

Re: LOTS of updates (including the baby in foster care)

  • gstf344gstf344
    You have had so much going on!  I am glad that everything is working out and I hope if the birthmom doesn't pick you that your wait with the agency is short! :-)
    Lilypie First Birthday tickers
    Report Reply
  • Loading the player...
  • jewele803jewele803
    Wow, it's great to see that you are moving forward and taking advantage of so many avenues.  I hope you get exciting news soon:)
    Report Reply
  • amberfernandezamberfernandez member
    What a great update!  Congratulations on signing with an agency!
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
    Report Reply
  • Jessie*JJessie*J

    Congrats on all the developments!

    We are with Lutheran in Missouri. I agree, the fees are really reasonable. And I like that it's one flat fee. Plus, you're guaranteed a baby with that one flat fee. In our state if a match falls through you don't pay any more to get back on the waiting list -- is that how your state does it as well? We like the agency as a whole but our region's office was a nightmare. So many troubles with them.

    But we are next on the list to move up on their waiting list, if that makes sense!! Our region is only allowed 4 people to be waiting actively at a time, once one of them gets placement, we move up to being active.

    Anyways!! GL and I hope something pans out for you!

    Report Reply
  • kmkaullkmkaull
    imageGo_Dawgs:

    h Lutheran Services of Georgia.  We really liked everything we heard.  Plus, the only fees up front are $300 for a training and then $1,500 for the home study.  No other fees are due until after the baby is placed (and after the revocation period is up, so there is no risk in losing all that money).  The fees are EXTREMELY reasonable, and it's one flat fee.  They won't ask for any additional money for birth mother expenses or anything else.  similar programs.  The book looks awesome.


    I'm glad to hear your update.  You know we were very happy with LSS--hope you have an equally good experience!

    Report Reply
  • WinWedWinWed
    Wow. really meant lots of updates. Keeping my finers crossed.
    Report Reply
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"