Can we do another update on everyone?

[AdoptChina]

I can't believe Makenna has been with us for 4 years now! The time has flown by! I've been after DH since I stepped off the plane to adopt another child. Lately I can't get it out of my head but Dh won't budge...so for now I have to live vicariously through all of you lol. But I would love to either go back to China and adopt a waiting child or maybe adopt a biracial child domestically. (Id be open to other foreign countries too, but if I were to pick one it would be China)

[em_jon98]

We have everything--adoption and another IVF try--on the back burner right now due to my health issues. Once we get that cleared up, we will see where we are at and whether any more infertility treatment is practical. If it is, we will probably try for one more biological child. I had a very easy pregnancy and loved being pregnant, but the IVF cycle was intense.

Either way, we are looking at a potential EE, probably Ukraine, adoption in a few years. We would like to try to adopt an older girl, about two years ahead or behind Lindsey.

However, we are most certainly on hold right now...but keeping it in our thoughts and hearts.

[Nemesia]

Hi,

My dh and I are currently waiting to be matched with a birthmother. We finished our homestudy at the beginning of December 2004. We are working with an agency and were told that our wait would most likely be a year or less.

We are so thrilled to be so close to becoming parents. This will be our first baby. It's been fun setting up the nursery and buying baby things.

I've also been researching adoptive breastfeeding, and I do hope to induce lactation. Any experienced adoptive bfeeders out there?

Any advice on how to make the waiting 'easier' is appreciated too. :)

Jennifer

[Kimberly H]

We've been home from China with Mia for just over a year! Like Susan and Melissa (to-be), CCAI was our agency and was FANTASTIC!

I'm not 100% sure we won't adopt again, but DH is. I think I'd be okay at finishing my family with Mia if the decision were mine but it's made due to finances, space in the house/car, older kids going off to college, DH's health, etc. I'm missing the closure of saying "okay, my family is complete NOW."

That said, Mia's a joy and we're having so much fun. Life's far from perfect and a heck of a lot different than when I just had 2 teenagers, but I wouldn't trade a minute.

[holliam]

Been at the adoption for over a year now. Lost one baby so far. Finally entered PGN for current one. This is the final stage for Guatemalan adoptions, and she will be ours at the end. Unfortunately, time in PGN varies from 1 week to many, many months. Cross your fingers that we are in PGN for a very short time!

Once we are out of PGN it's about 2-3 weeks until we pick her up while they complete all the final paperwork. But, she is ours at the end of PGN.

I'm not entirely sure that we will ever adopt another. This has been too painful and difficult.

Holli

[hjdong]

I have been hoping you would post so I would know where you were in the process - selfish I know. I thought of you frequently over the holidays and again as our one year mark approaches.

I'll continue thinking of you,

[StephanieW]

Hi. I am Stephanie. My husband and I are waiting on a little girl (12 to 18 mo) from China. We went through Alliance for Children, who have been amazing in their support, openness, humor and education. I am DTC October and looking at traveling in June or July but I'll take May if a miracle happens.

I am very excited that there is a place to come to ask experienced parents about bargain hunting since I am hoping to save some money before I leave my job (as a preschool teacher) to be a SAHM and go back to school for my masters.

[malie]

Jennifer,
Glad you are joining us. Hopefully you can a match sooner rather than later. As for making the wait easier, that's a hard one. When we were waiting for our first referral from S.Korea (which took 15 months) I decide to repaint every room in the house. OF course because I tend not to do the things the way I planned I didn't finish. You would think with all that time I would have but the laundry room and some of the doors are still waiting :)

[malie]

Holli,
Been thinking of you also. You are in my thoughts and prayers. Hopefully your next post can be we are going to PICK UP our daughter

[malie]

There are times I really wonder if any of us SAVE money by being on this board. Oh we might find great bargins but sometimes we just end up buying more :)

Hoping you get an early match and travel