New & Improved Waiting to Adopt Check-in

jillianmb · August 2012

I thought the check-in questions were getting a little old/long so I edited the questions a bit- hopefully it's an improvement!

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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? Ages?

2) In what phase of the process are you?

3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate?

4) How are you feeling this week?

5) QOTW: For those adopting or FTA, do you plan to celebrate a "gotcha" day? And if so, how?

For those fostering w/out intent to adopt, will you commemorate the children who spent time with you in some way? IE) keep their pictures up on your fridge or make a scrapbook with their pictures and stories etc?

jillianmb · August 2012

1) What kind of adoption/fostering are you doing? Ages?

International adoption / Russia / 2 yo boy

2) In what phase of the process are you?

Waiting to get a court date and make our second of three trips to Russia.

3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate?

Got my visa application for our next trip in the mail. Other than that just more waiting; hoping to hear good news about a court date this week.

4) How are you feeling this week?

Impatient! I just want to get our court date so I can feel like we are moving forward again.

5) QOTW: For those adopting or FTA, do you plan to celebrate a "gotcha" day? And if so, how?

We are big celebrators around our house, so I'm sure we will do something, but I am not sure what exactly. I want to make a "life book" for our little man and I am thinking that we will read him his life book around the table and cook his favorite meal or something like that. Not something too big, but a way to celebrate his official entrance into our family and honor his past.

missred75 · August 2012

1) What kind of adoption/fostering are you doing? Ages?

Domestic infant adoption

2) In what phase of the process are you?

Waiting for a match

3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate?

My sisters took me to register at Babies R Us a few weeks ago! And, we're going to get the crib tonight! Eek!

4) How are you feeling this week?

Excited. Nervous that we will be matched before we finish coming up with the money, but I know we would manage to scrape it together somehow if we had to.

5) QOTW: For those adopting or FTA, do you plan to celebrate a "gotcha" day? And if so, how?

I'm sure we will do something. Probably just low-key with our immediate family, though. I'm also a big crafter/scrapbooker, so I know I will be putting a book together.

ellekae · August 2012

1) What kind of adoption/fostering are you doing? Ages?
Domestic infant / transracial / At least 18m younger than DD

2) In what phase of the process are you?
Documentation (pre-home study)

3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate?
DH finally filled out some paperwork this weekend! Yay! I mailed all of our background check stuff and registered for fingerprinting. I'm celebrating teeny tiny baby steps this week. Ha!

4) How are you feeling this week?
Nervous about finances, but excited to be moving forward slowly.

5) QOTW: For those adopting or FTA, do you plan to celebrate a "gotcha" day? And if so, how?
We'll probably do "Family Day" celebrations, rather than "gotcha day" ? focus on the whole family to create a special day for all of us each year. Cake, games, maybe a little day trip or something once the kids are older.

crene84 · August 2012

1) What kind of adoption/fostering are you doing? Ages? Domestic Newborn

2) In what phase of the process are you? Waiting to be matched.

3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate? It's been a crazy week since activating our profile, but I'm still very happy how quickly we got our HS completed and that we are getting hits, even if none of them are "the" match yet.

4) How are you feeling this week? It's been a rough week. Like I said, I'm very happy that we're getting hits. In one week, we were contacted by 3 BMs, but I only think one of them is a real possibility and I'm very excited at the idea of it working out, but the BM hasn't contacted us since Wed night so we are in limbo.

5) QOTW: For those adopting or FTA, do you plan to celebrate a "gotcha" day? And if so, how? I dream about the day that we bring our baby home, but not sure what exactly we plan to do to celebrate. There will definitely be celebrating though!

DaisyZH · August 2012

1) What kind of adoption/fostering are you doing? Ages?

Foster-to-Adopt 0-3

2) In what phase of the process are you?

Research, plan to officially begin in 2013
3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate?

I finished "Dani's Story" and am now reading "One Small Boat" - both excellent foster adoption books

4) How are you feeling this week?

Pretty good : )

5) QOTW: For those adopting or FTA, do you plan to celebrate a "gotcha" day? And if so, how?

I'm not sure, it will probably depend on the kids' ages and/or emotions regarding being adopted. I don't want to celebrate if it makes them feel bad about their birth parents. I guess I'll have to see, I know we will be over the moon and will want to celebrate but I just want to make sure the kids would want to as well.

srmmm09 · August 2012

1) What kind of adoption/fostering are you doing? Ages?

IA from Uganda; younger than DS

2) In what phase of the process are you?

Waiting for our I-171H. Of course, I hope it comes today! But that's unlikely.

3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate?

I applied for another grant on Friday - I was proud of myself for getting ALL the docs together and sent in. There were so many times I just had to say, "I don't want to do this" out loud and move on to the next thing.

4) How are you feeling this week?

We're in the busiest two weeks of the year right now, so I'm lucky to be kind of occupied mentally. The sooner our 171 gets back, the better though! It'll be nice to get on the waiting list and see "our number." It's hard that we could be waiting for this document for a week or two more months.

5) QOTW: For those adopting or FTA, do you plan to celebrate a "gotcha" day? And if so, how?

We'll probably celebrate the first "gotcha" day (or baby's next birthday, if it's not too soon after coming home) with a big party. After that, I'm not sure how much we'll celebrate it other than maybe cooking some Ugandan food or something along those lines. I know some IA kids can grow up resenting their "special" status among the family, or that it can exacerbate feelings of loss of their birth culture. We'll play it by ear. I think reading baby's life book at least every year is a good way to bring it up again, too, to check on how LO is feeling about adoption. Weeeee'll see!

Rachel Sonnier · August 2012

1) What kind of adoption/fostering are you doing? Ages? DIA 0-6 months or if a sibling group just younger than 3 years 2) In what phase of the process are you? Waiting for our HS to be approved! 3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate?We did our interviews Thursday and I sent in our profile for review on Friday! 4) How are you feeling this week?Great! I am so excited!! 5) QOTW: For those adopting or FTA, do you plan to celebrate a "gotcha" day? And if so, how?I guess it depends on how close to our LO's bbday and "Gotcha" day will be. We might just celebrate those two together if we get to take the baby home from the hospital, or something like that. However, we def intend to celebrate our finalization day. We will finalize in a different state, so I am not sure how who will be able to be with us then, but we plan to have a special party with our close friends and relatives when we get home. Then I guess we will celebrate that day annually by doing something special just as we do for our anniversary, or any other family holiday.

HopingforChange · August 2012

1) What kind of adoption/fostering are you doing? Ages? Foster to adopt, kids up to six

2) In what phase of the process are you?

Still waiting on our training/certification, but with our initial paperwork completed.

3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate?

Nope.

4) How are you feeling this week?

Annoyed. Our classes were to be this weekend and next weekend and got canceled, with no notice. This happened with our orientation as well (we just got to sit in the lobby waiting on an SW who never came). I only found out about the cancelation this time by calling multiple times and bugging the peeps down there. There is no rescheduled date. The SW just went on vacay and didn't notify people. This happened last time, only then it was a training instead of a vacation that caused the SW to be gone. Just frustrated as we have been trying to get certified for months with no progress.

JellyTwoPointO · August 2012

This is my first time participating! I'm so excited!

1) What kind of adoption/fostering are you doing? Ages?

Currently, we're planning on doing F2A and we're considering ages ranging from infancy to about 6ish.

2) In what phase of the process are you?

We haven't even filled out the initial paperwork yet, but we're hoping to in the next week or so. Still gathering info, reading articles, and talking to others who've gone before us to gain wisdom and insight.

3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate?

I talked with my friend from DCS today and she said she's working in our county's office tomorrow (she covers several) and will get some more info for us then.

4) How are you feeling this week?

SO EXCITED. I'm in the newbie phase before the hurdles set in. I've created several Pinterest accounts with articles on F2A, parenting with behavioral emotional difficulties, children's books on being adopted, and the "fun stuff" like kids activities, games, and room decor.

5) QOTW: For those adopting or FTA, do you plan to celebrate a "gotcha" day? And if so, how?

Oh, I so desperately hope so. I don't want to call it a "gotcha" day, but I'd definitely like an adoption celebration party and I've even seen some cool adoption photo shoots that mimic maternity shoots but are styled for waiting to adopt.

For those fostering w/out intent to adopt, will you commemorate the children who spent time with you in some way? IE) keep their pictures up on your fridge or make a scrapbook with their pictures and stories etc?

IRR · August 2012

1) What kind of adoption/fostering are you doing? Ages? Newborn domestic infant adoption

2) In what phase of the process are you? Waiting for BM to give birth sometime in mid-december

3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate? Received U/S reports and baby's growth is looking good. Still one number is causing a little concern but overall pleased with the results

4) How are you feeling this week? Happy work is taking my mind off of over analyzing stuff, but haven't heard from our BM in a month and I tried to call yesterday and couldn't even leave her a message because her VM has not been set up.

5) QOTW: For those adopting or FTA, do you plan to celebrate a "gotcha" day? And if so, how? Won't have a gotcha day but will most likely celebrate finalization in some way.

silliestbunny · August 2012

1) What kind of adoption/fostering are you doing? Ages?

Mom to two through domestic adoption--DD1 is 20 months and DD2 is 12 months.

Just starting adoption process again via domestic infant adoption

2) In what phase of the process are you?

We are just ready to be ready to be shown... wrapping up HS, etc.

3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate?

Our profile is complete and at the print shop! Yea!

4) How are you feeling this week?

Life in general- overwhelmed. DD2s birthday was last weekend, DH just started back to school (teacher) and will be taking a Masters class this semester. I don't do well with changes and we are in the season of change. The upside is I now know it about me. The downside is I still struggle with changes in schedule which means I get cranky.

5) QOTW: For those adopting or FTA, do you plan to celebrate a "gotcha" day? And if so, how? When I think of Gotcha Day, I think of IA. Finalization Day is the equivalent I'd associate w/DA. We have finalized twice but have yet had an anniversary of finalization. For me, finalization was sort of mellow... brunch w/family and a few close friends. Not sure how we'll commemorate. I think it's a great day to talk about family but I don't want to make it "the day" we discuss adoption. I guess early on we'll make sure to include pics of court and talk about what the day was like...

Chele · August 2012

1) What kind of adoption/fostering are you doing? Ages?

International adoption; up to age 5; considering a sibling pair

2) In what phase of the process are you?

Still narrowing down country, but am waiting to begin homestudy until after a home construction project is completed. We've been pushed back for months now.

3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate?

No

4) How are you feeling this week?

Somewhat hopeful that things on the homefront will get moving. Just got a card from the town saying our permit is complete, so that puts us a little closer.

5) QOTW: For those adopting or FTA, do you plan to celebrate a "gotcha" day? And if so, how?

I'm not sure what this even means, lol.

Mush-Tastic · August 2012

1) What kind of adoption/fostering are you doing? Ages? Domestic Infant

2) In what phase of the process are you? We started our home study process last Friday! We should be done sometime in October.

3) Any recent accomplishments or milestones to celebrate? See above! We LOOOOVE our SW and our agency. The whole experience has been wonderful thus far.

4) How are you feeling this week? Encouraged.

5) QOTW: For those adopting or FTA, do you plan to celebrate a "gotcha" day? And if so, how? I'm sure we will when the time comes. I am not that far in the process yet to research a way to celebrate, but I will always want to make a big deal of that day!

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