Adoption Update

Hello all,

I know it has been eternity since I have posted an update on our journey. I needed time before I posted in Blog land our changes in the process. It saddens me, but we are no longer pursuing Ethiopia. The cost, time, and travel was too difficult to pursue with a newly adopted toddler in our home. It's in our best interest to switch gears, and back to a domestic adoption. I still would love to adopt Internationally, it weighs on my heart so deeply. So maybe in the distant future.

We are now in the Gladney Center for Adoption's domestic ABC program. We are in the beginning of the process. Most of my friends and family know my fears of a domestic adoption, but at orientation yesterday, both of us felt at ease. The staff at Gladney is remarkable! I cannot say enough good things about this agency! They truly are there to hold your hand, and help you through the process. To calm your fears about domestic adoption through a birth mother. It was good to hear that 90% of the couples get to meet their birth mother. We will be given a 1-800 number so potential birth mothers can call us after viewing our profile if she is interested in us. After going through a shady agency this is soooo important to us. We got to meet 2 birth mothers who talked to us ( the orientation group). They gave us insight on why they chose their Adoptive parents for their child. They gave us insight on what they looked for in an Adoptive Parent Profile. They were both in their 20's and college students. Very beautiful girls who were about to give some lucky couples their gift of life. How special is that.

While we were there at Orientation they had 2 placements take place. One baby was flown in from Alaska! Ofcourse we didn't witness the placement ceremonies, but it was awesome to know it happened for someone else. We also got to meet 2 couples who just recieved placement of their babies the day before & 2 months prior! So it was an awesome experience all around. We met one other couple from Fort Worth & the husband worked for the city of Fort Woth too, so Dallas & him hit it off. All the other couples were from Arkansas, New York, California,& so forth. How crazy is that! They all flew in for orientation! It was awesome day! I thank Gladney for this wonderful experience at Orientation, and we both look forward to our journey ahead.

On a sad note, we recieved some devastating news. My MIL'S husband's daughter, Heather, passed away yesterday morning. She was 30 yrs young & a very special person. This was Dallas' step sister, and though we never got the chance to meet in person, we have talked through myspace, and on the phone a few months back in May. She always wanted children, and loved all of Daniel's pictures. I love her father Bobby, who is Daniel's Grandpa. We are praying for them, and it aches me to know we are 800 miles away. We want to travel to Georgia for the funeral, but we are still waiting. My prayers go out to her husband as well. Such a tragic loss. She will be missed by many.