Can we do an update on everyone?

[holliam]

This board has been far too quiet! :) One of my goals is to reconnect with my adoption support groups, and today marks the day that Mari has officially been home longer than she lived in Guatemala! I cannot believe I have this walking, talking 16-month old kissing me and handing me books and chanting "mamamamma"!

We had a rough start. I changed jobs and had some post-adoption depression but Mari and Daddy bonded immediately. Mari and I finally figured each other out finally several months ago, and it's been wonderful.

We are amazingly blessed with such an intelligent, kind, and happy girlie. She was worth the long wait and losses. As I watch her develop her own personality and take on many of our habits and interests too, there is no doubt that she was meant to be our daughter.

Holli + Liam + Mari = Holliamari :)

Next!
Holli

[Lucia]

Hi Holli,
Thanks for starting this thread and glad to hear that Mari is doing well. I haven't been to the adoption part of the BBB board in awhile. Our big news is that we received our referral today!!!! Our daughter will be two months old tomorrow and we are thrilled! I was starting to become very impatient and wondering if it would ever happen...but it did.

I can't think of a better way to start our new year. We are hoping to bring her home from Taiwan in the next two to four months (depending on the court proceedings). Our son is very excited about being a big brother and he wanted to get on a plane today to get her. We are still waiting to see a photograph of her but we love her already and can't wait to hold her in our arms.

I look forward to reading others' updates. And for those waiting for referalls...hang in there! It will happen!

[crayonblue]

We are in the very, very beginnings. I called a big list of agencies today and asked for info. We are thinking a girl from Guatemala. I am so excited I can hardly stand it! :)

[MelissaTC]

WOO HOO LANA!!!!!! I am so excited for you!!!!

[MelissaTC]

I know you know Holli ;) but to give a quick update for everyone else- we are paperchasing and compiling our dossier! We got our first document in the mail yesterday! We hope to do our homestudy in Feb. :)

[crayonblue]

Thanks! We are excited too! I can't believe we are actually starting the adoption process.

[JustMe]

Although I post on other BBB topics, I actually never posted on this one! I am pretty busy on Guatemala and single parent adoption listserves. DD will be 3 in February and came home from Guatemala at 11 mos of age. She is doing great, but I have continued job stress issues (unrelated to adoption or dd). Dd is taking her first class...gymnastics and it is great fun!

Robyn
single mom to my almost 3 year old from Guatemala

[rmrlmw]

Hello,

I have not posted here before, but a fried recently gave us the Bargain Baby Book as a gift for finally being in "the book" for domestic adoption. We know we might have a long wait, but are excited to finally see a light at the end of the tunnel after a number of losses.

Thank you to everyone else here who posted their "updates." Hopefully we will have good news before too long! In the meantime, we are learning as much as we can.

Take care,
Lisa

[BillK]

Our adoption was finalized in October - Zach was born in February - so we just hit his one year birthday last week. It's been a great year - lots of ups, a few downs - and definately a TON of "wow I never realized's..." Neither of us were prepared for what a huge change having a child would be - but now we can't imagine life without him.

We're currently talking about adopting again and researching Guatemala, Korea, China and another domestic - just waiting on some kinda sign on what direction to go. :)

[BarbieSmith]

Hi, I am new here, I loved the BBB and so looked for the forums. I cannot believe there is an adoption forum here!

Our little Ava is 11 months old. We are in PA, she was born in LA. She was 3 months preemie, so I spent over 2 months in LA taking care of her while she was in the NICU. I breastfed with a Lact-Aid, and received donor breast milk from three lovely generous friends, and Ava's birth mom too. We have an open adoption with Ava's birth mommy - it is going so fabulously that we drove all the way to see her for Thanksgiving!

Anyway, it is nice to meet other adoptive (and hopefuls) here!

Hugs,
Barbie

[rmrlmw]

Hi Barbie,

We live in PA, too. Can I ask what agency you used - or did you go through a lawyer?

We are currently working with Adoptions from the Heart and Catholic Social Services.

Take care,
Lisa

[BarbieSmith]

Hi Lisa, we did a private adoption through attorney Erin Miller at www.StockAndLeader.com - we enjoyed the whole process. And it was only a few thousand dollars, much cheaper than with an agency.

We had started our journey with Bethany Christian Services in Lancaster, but the process was too long, and there were too many couples waiting.

So we built the website and the birth mommy found us within 2 weeks! Our precious Ava is now 11 months old, and her adoption was finalized a month ago.

Hope this helps,
Barbie

[rmrlmw]

Hi Barbie,

Thank you so much for sharing the information!

I am so happy for you that things worked out so smoothly!

Take care,
Lisa

[BillK]

We are also in PA and went through A Labor of Love Adoptions for the facilitation (based in California) - Bethany Christian Services (in California for that end of things) - The Adoption Connection (for the PA end of things - home study etc) and Attorney Nita Fandray-Modaro (in Pittsburgh) for all the lawyer related things. We were very happy with all the links in a rather long chain. ;)

[rmrlmw]

Thank you for all of the good information! It is good to know of these other resources. While we are "waiting" on the list we can pursue some of the other avenues perhaps. It is so nice to see you all happy in the end!