I'M SORRY!!! :-) Wating to Adopt Check-in 08/15

jillianmb · August 2012

My brother got married out of state this weekend and I am so behind on life because of it!! It was awesome and worth every bit of effort, but I did forget to post the check-in. Humblest apologies! Hope you will forgive me! Looking forward to catching up!

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This is a place for anyone in the waiting-to-adopt phase to check in. Lurkers welcome! Whether you're still checking out different agencies and programs or you're bringing your child home tomorrow, this is for you!

1) What kind of adoption/fostering are you doing? And what age(s)?

2) Where in the process are you?

3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate?

4) Most encouraging moment last week?

5) Biggest challenge of this week?

6) Anything else you want to share?

7) QOTW: How are you going to honor your LO's background, be it birth-parents, cultural heritage, country of origin or the like?

crene84 · August 2012

1) What kind of adoption/fostering are you doing? And what age(s)? Domestic Infant

2) Where in the process are you? Home Study finalized yesterday! Waiting on the attorney to send the adoption letter so I can activate my profile.

3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate? Home Study being completed!

4) Most encouraging moment last week? So excited to be done with the home study. I thought it was going to take so much longer than it did.

5) Biggest challenge of this week? Being patient while I wait for my attorney to send the letter, which is the only thing holding us back from being able to activate our profile.

7) QOTW: How are you going to honor your LO's background, be it birth-parents, cultural heritage, country of origin or the like? I guess we'll have to wait and see when our child comes along, but we do love to travel and plan to continue that with our children.

kacelle · August 2012

1) What kind of adoption/fostering are you doing? And what age(s)? International, ages 0-6 considered. 2) Where in the process are you?Researching. We're hoping to apply early next year. 3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate?I registered for Created for Care last night, so that's exciting! 4) Most encouraging moment last week? A case worker for one of the agencies we're considering had told us we wouldn't be eligible for a specific program based on age. I asked her to verify (because I didn't think the country had a minimum age) and she excitedly responded that their Eastern European contact gave us the go-ahead!5) Biggest challenge of this week? DH and I have been seriously discussing adopting a child with special needs versus adopting a healthy child. It's a tough decision. 6) Anything else you want to share?I AM SO EXCITED FOR C4C.

7) QOTW: How are you going to honor your LO's background, be it birth-parents, cultural heritage, country of origin or the like?

I'd like to observe holidays from the country of origin with foods, dress, music, etc. from that culture. I'd also like to learn some of the language, whatever it may be.

raecheleblue1 · August 2012

Congrats to your brother, Jillianmb!

1) What kind of adoption/fostering are you doing? And what age(s)? Domestic newborn

2) Where in the process are you? Home study approved and recently matched

3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate? We got matched over the weekend!

4) Most encouraging moment last week? Finding out the BM wanted to see our profile again!

5) Biggest challenge of this week? My MIL's reaction to us being matched and dealing with our bank for funding.

6) Anything else you want to share? We are so excited to be matched, but now a whole new level of anxiety and nervousness has sunk in...we want it so much more now, but know in the end if it's truly meant to be it will be.

7) QOTW: How are you going to honor your LO's background, be it birth-parents, cultural heritage, country of origin or the like? We plan on honoring their heritage for sure, not 100% sure how though.

ellekae · August 2012

What kind of adoption/fostering are you doing? And what age(s)?
Domestic infant adoption
Where in the process are you?
Documentation
Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate?
Mailed off the first of our background check requests this week
Most encouraging moment last week?
Finding out my sister and her husband are beginning the process of becoming foster parents. So excited for them!
Biggest challenge of this week?
Dealing with the emotional aftermath of my MIL's anti-adoption comments. I feel frustrated that she is so negative, angry that I can't change her mind, and sad that DH doesn't have his mom's support.
Anything else you want to share?
Nope
QOTW: How are you going to honor your LO's background, be it birth-parents, cultural heritage, country of origin or the like?
We'll be doing everything we can to make sure that LO has regular interaction with people of his/her own race, whether that means attending a more diverse church, joining a diverse play group, enrolling him/her in a school where he/she will not be the minority, etc. Plus maintaining contact with bio parents as much as is possible and helpful.

srmmm09 · August 2012

what age(s)?

Younger than DS (hopefully by at least 6 months) from Uganda.

2) Where in the process are you?

Waiting on our biometrics appointment (getting US approval).

3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate?

We have all our funding for the next fee! We also just finished our "desired child checklist" to be matched. I hate that name! I feel like it should more be the "what can the parents handle checklist"! There is nothing wrong with you, sweetie! There are just some things we can't afford or aren't mature enough to handle yet!

4) Most encouraging moment last week?

Receiving a necklace from a friend that was made by Ugandan widows. So special to have a piece of our child's birth country while we wait!

5) Biggest challenge of this week?

Our personal finances have taken several major blows lately, and it's been a challenge to figure out how we are going to make it through the next two months, as we have more unforeseen expenses (a root canal; DH's car's horn just stopped working, my glasses were shattered by an angry toddler). God is in control, but it's still pretty tiring to have to lay down our finances before him all-the-time-every-day. And to have to pick and choose what we can afford this month and will have to wait.

6) Anything else you want to share?

7) QOTW: How are you going to honor your LO's background, be it birth-parents, cultural heritage, country of origin or the like?

Such a good question! I'm hoping to get more ideas from the fb group of Ugandan families that I just joined. We have a 50/50 chance of having to go back every 5 years, so that's definitely a possibility! We certainly cheered Uganda in the Olympics - some of you may have seen that a Ugandan won the marathon! Big Smile

Blsd4given · August 2012

1) What kind of adoption/fostering are you doing? And what age(s)?

Foster-to-Adopt or Adoption from Foster Care... 0 - 6, but we're flexible for a few years older..

2) Where in the process are you?

Scheduling the HS

3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate?

We were assigned a CW... and she called on Tuesday to setup our HS.

4) Most encouraging moment last week?

See above.. It's particularly exciting because we already know her from class - and are comfortable with her (and vice versa).

5) Biggest challenge of this week?

This whole week has been one big emotional challenge for multiple reasons... most of it not related to the actual Adoption/Fostering process.

6) Anything else you want to share?

I'm never sure what extra to share here.... Smile

7) QOTW: How are you going to honor your LO's background, be it birth-parents, cultural heritage, country of origin or the like?

I plan to do a LifeBook for them... including pictures of their BPs, if possible. I suppose it will depend on the LO and their BPs.

DaisyZH · August 2012

Congratulations to your brother!! I love weddings, so much fun : )

1) What kind of adoption/fostering are you doing? And what age(s)?
Foster-to-adopt, younger than our son (by the time we are approved probably under 2 or 3)

2) Where in the process are you? Way in the beginning - reading, reading, reading

3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate? I finished another book on foster care/adoption, "Another Place at the Table" which was awesome.

4) Most encouraging moment last week? I mentioned that we are looking into adoption to my MIL and she seemed okay with it - she didn't say anything negative!!

5) Biggest challenge of this week? Nothing related to adoption

6) Anything else you want to share? Hmmm, none I can think of

7) QOTW: How are you going to honor your LO's background, be it birth-parents, cultural heritage, country of origin or the like? We will definately be respectful to the birth family and honor any openness arrangements if appropriate. A life book, definately.

Rachel Sonnier · August 2012

1) What kind of adoption/fostering are you doing? And what age(s)? Agency Assisted Domestic Infant Adoption 2) Where in the process are you?Home Study! 3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate?We had our home visit on Monday 4) Most encouraging moment last week? Home visit!!! :-D 5) Biggest challenge of this week? My SIL lost her baby Tuesday night, and we have all been so sad for them. They need lots of prayers right now. 6) Anything else you want to share?Interviews next Thursday!!

7) QOTW: How are you going to honor your LO's background, be it birth-parents, cultural heritage, country of origin or the like?

I would like to be as close to our child's birth parents as our situation allows us to be. I would really like to honor them and our child by having them always know one another. I would also like to get us each the same moms necklace with DS or DD's name on it. I read about someone doing that somewhere, and I thought it was a really really, sweet idea.

silliestbunny · August 2012

jillianmb:

1) What kind of adoption/fostering are you doing? And what age(s)?

Domestic Adoption

2) Where in the process are you?
We just made the decision to pursue a third domestic adoption. We'd planned on adopting from Ethiopia (approved application, etc) but after deep soul searching, we've changed our path. Our homestudy is being updated, our profile is being updated.... once that's done we'll start working with a small agency in Texas.

3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate?

Fingerprints done!

4) Most encouraging moment last week?

Well, being a mom of two already I don't think much about upcoming changes.   I am pretty focused on my girls. DD2 turns one on Monday so we are prepping for her first birthday party.

5) Biggest challenge of this week?

Non adoption related-- the park we were having DD2's birthday party is being remodeled. I just happened by yesterday to find all the gym equipment baracaded by a fence. As luck would have it, our house is out because we are in the midst of a front yard renovation and our driveway is ripped out so I am stuck trying to find a plan B!

6) Anything else you want to share?

7) QOTW: How are you going to honor your LO's background, be it birth-parents, cultural heritage, country of origin or the like?

DD1 is Korean-American and we celebrated her Dol (100th day) and incorporated a Korean game into her first birthday. We are doing the same game for DD2's birthday even though she's not Korean. As we see it, our family is not part Korean because of our daughter.... so we are embracing it more as a whole family rather than just DD1.

As simple as that sounds, it does create an interesting dichotomy when one child is transracial and the other isnt.... I see that we now blend all of heritage together for a family heritage.

jillianmb · August 2012

1) What kind of adoption/fostering are you doing? And what age(s)? International adoption / Russia / 2 yo boy

2) Where in the process are you? Waiting to get our court date!

3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate? Sent in our court dossier last week and began the visa application process this week.

4) Most encouraging moment last week? Getting out dossier in the mail a few days earlier than we thought we would.

5) Biggest challenge of this week? Being patient while we wait for our court date.

6) Anything else you want to share? Not this week!

7) QOTW: How are you going to honor your LO's background, be it birth-parents, cultural heritage, country of origin or the like? There is a yearly Russian festival about an hour from our house every summer; we hope to go! I also am going to start cooking more typical Russian cuisine once the weather cools down. I'm pretty excited about this! I discovered a children's bookstore online that is geared toward Russian adoptees so I will be making a few purchases from there.

Courtneyluff · August 2012

1) What kind of adoption/fostering are you doing? And what age(s)?

Fostering, any age.

2) Where in the process are you?

Classes start this month.

3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate?

No.

4) Most encouraging moment last week?

Husbands aunt agreeing to get licensed as our respite!

5) Biggest challenge of this week?

A very profitable transfer at work would have me working all the same days and times as our training classes. I don't know how to get around it.

6) Anything else you want to share?

7) QOTW: How are you going to honor your LO's background, be it birth-parents, cultural heritage, country of origin or the like?

I don't know how to answer this... We plan to make it a part of our family, but I think it will be so specific to each child that I can't give a good answer right now.

jmoka7 · August 2012

1) What kind of adoption/fostering are you doing? And what age(s)?

Foster to adopt ages 2 months to 9 yrs old

2) Where in the process are you?

My last home study was today!

3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate?

I'll be licensed by the end of next week!!!!!

4) Most encouraging moment last week?

I moved into my new home and decorated the kiddos room. See my blog for pictures. I LOVE it!

5) Biggest challenge of this week?

Worrying about when I'll get my fire inspection and if it would delay me getting my license.

6) Anything else you want to share?

I can't believe it's all about to happen! I'm so anxious!

7) QOTW: How are you going to honor your LO's background, be it birth-parents, cultural heritage, country of origin or the like?

I want to make sure that the kiddos I foster (or even when I'm able to adopt) will have access to their birth parents and immediate family like aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents. I want to make sure they always know what's going on with their family through emails, picture exchanges, and visits.

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I'M SORRY!!! :-) Wating to Adopt Check-in 08/15

Re: I'M SORRY!!! :-) Wating to Adopt Check-in 08/15

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