Just have a few seconds before I have to run out and pick up DS6 at the bus stop (half day Kindergarten is the most inconvenient thing invented by Man), but wanted to share,
Well, it's been awhile since I've posted (I've mostly been lurking). I've been busy with homeschooling DD (second grade) and keeping up with the garden, with the house, and so on.
So, DH and I have decided to get the ball rolling to adopt a child (or two). We've talked about it for over a year and we're ready to start the process.
I just wanted to let everyone know that I am leaving on May 21st to bring Hana home. We have been at this for 14 months now, and I have wanted to adopt Hana since TNHers sponsored her in September of 2003. Many thanks to everyone who participated in that sponsorship and who sent their good wishes my way during this long, long process.
Submitted by Elaine FM on Thu, 01/26/2006 - 12:36pm
This is my first blog ever, so it should be interesting to see how it works. I just found this site, and am glad about it. I'm a new wife, homemaker and mother of a 5 year old stepdaughter. I'm trying to learn how to adjust to married life, household management, motherhood, and managing a chronic illness in a new environment where I have less time to myself to rest.
Here is a link to my husband's blog about our experiences with our adoption of TNH's sponsored child. He just started it the other night and will be updating it weekly.
Even if we completely deplete our savings, Frank and I are going to come up several thousand dollars short on this adoption. Frank hopes to do some freelance work like he did last time, and the charity that runs the orphanage our daughter lives in is going to try to find some funds for us, so hopefully everything will work out in the end.
As most of you know, I have adopted 4 children through the state foster care system. I have become quite the spokesperson here in my hometown for foster/adoption. I volunteer for our social worker at her foster trainings. I want to get the word out regarding the thousands of waiting children here in the United States.
Oh you guys, I just had to share my excitement with you. I know lots of you have probably gotten a mass e-mail from Danna about coming home with Abrehem. My heart is just full to bursting for them. What a sweetheart!
I've wanted to get involved with foster programs, specifically fost/adopt programs, for a few years now, but I'm short on information and long on fears.
I've done some research, still researching, but I was wondering if anyone here had any knowledge of or advice about fost/adopt programs or adopting a foster child?
My cousin shannon and many others I'm sure want me to explain what is this foster-to-adopt program that we are on. What's the difference between it and other adoption programs.
Most of the foster care programs in all of the united states (most not all) -- perpetuate kids never getting a permanent home. Lots and lots of foster kids are hurt or abused, they get moved around alot. I also know a friend who wasn't physically abused by a family but they were cold to her and never adopted her for TEN years --from 8 until 18 she was a paycheck to them and free labor as well. Can you imagine someone in your home for 10 years growing up and you don't treat them like family. and like I said that's one of the better stories. And yes I know there are lots of good foster families but unfortunately that's the minority.
Submitted by Starlene on Mon, 09/13/2004 - 12:49pm
so we just moved into our log cabin a few months ago and of course it takes me years to unpack. On this very long list of what the home is supposed to be like there is "closets and ceilings are free of dust and cobwebs" oh and "the home should be free of clutter" that was a big one.
In response to my emails and phone calls to family that our social worker is on her way and once that happens then we are "on the list," my friend/family Susie called me and Jackie with a beautiful offer. she said that she wanted to take each of us out for a special moment to mark our entry into motherhood. It could be anything a favorite martini, a walk on the beach whatever just to have a still moment and ritual last moments of freedom before we get our baby and babies to come.
Submitted by Starlene on Tue, 08/31/2004 - 10:46pm
Background
Okay so for those who don't know. I have a pretty good amount of experience with babies and toddlers and in general a fair amount with other ages of children.I was a nanny and infant caregiver for years.
Submitted by Starlene on Tue, 08/31/2004 - 10:40pm
About why I picked this site
I told a few friends I would blog. I've been cleaning so much and organizing and then we had out God(dess)-daughter Darby here. so I am just now starting. It really took me awhile to decided where I would do it. i mean in many ways it doesn't matter at all but then I do want to at least like or use the place I am posting right?
Submitted by Starlene on Tue, 08/31/2004 - 10:38pm
August 31, 2004
Retro news- Re Foster-to Adopt
I sent this email out the other day.
>>Hey there everyone. well everything was happening so slow it seemed
and now we have a very fast moment. We are on a foster-to-adopt program
Madison has come home! Madison is now the daughter of my friend Dawn Friedman, who has chronicled her struggles with secondary infertility and open adoption at this woman's work for at least a couple of years now.
Well, we took the medical information, the picture, and the video to the International Adoption Center to have it evaluated by the doctor there. She called me to let me know that he looks healthy and developmentally on target. She said his height, weight, and head circumference are perfect. She called him a "good-sized kid" who is "solid-looking." She was amazed that he is walking at 12-13 months because (she said) the average age for kids in general to walk is 15 months and that institutionalized kids often aren't walking at 18 months.
We've been home a little over seven months with our daughter. She was adopted from Russia at age 3 1/2. She turned 4 in December.
The first few weeks I thought I was going to lose my mind! Part of it being my not being used to having a little human being who stalked me 24/7. The other part being the fact that we had no routine anymore.
We got to watch the video last night! It was actually a very interesting video, about 45 minutes long. It was made by the director of AFAA and her daughter on their last trip to Ethiopia, in January. It showed kids of all different ages, and it showed the party they had the night before the director left to come home (bringing some of the children with her for their new families).
Yesterday we got a video from AFAA. It's a video of waiting kids, and the boy we are interested in is on it briefly. I have been waiting for a whole week for this video!
As soon as Frank got home from work, we popped the tape in the VCR ... and the VCR promptly ate the tape!! We managed to get the tape out, but there was about 5 or 6 inches of tape hanging out of the case, all mangled. Frank spent 3 hours trying to fix the VCR, with no luck. I was in tears, Frank was angry, Danika was whiney ... what a great night!
I have been really stressed out all week. On Monday we received the waiting child list, and after Frank got home from work we went over it and selected two boys that we were interested in. On Tuesday we received their pictures via email.
Well, yesterday I handed a 2-inch thick stack of paper that represents 6 months of work on Frank's and my part to the lady at the post office. $9.90 and a big white envelope later, it was gone. I felt like I was sending a body part away with strangers. I requested return receipt so that I know it got there. Frank said, "Well, if it doesn't get there, you're still going to have to redo all that work even if it's the post office's fault." Thanks, Frank!
Things are progressing for our adoption. In January we had our homestudy, for which the social worker came to our house and interviewed us for 4 1/2 hours and did a safety inspection of our home. (The 12 hours of international adoption classes we took in Nov. were part of the homestudy, too.) On February 19, the homestudy agency approved our homestudy. They will now forward it to our international agency, Americans for African Adoptions ( www.africanadoptions.com ) and to CIS, which used to be INS.
