[schatz]

Although I only visit here occasionally, I thought I'd introduce myself. I'm a birthmother to a 4 1/2 year old girl in an open adoption.

The first year was very rocky because her adoptive parents had very little education about open adoption and very little support for it.

Today it is hard to imagine that any of us ever had doubts. I see them 5-8 times a year, a number that has been increasing lately. We live several hours apart so when we visit each other, it's usually for the entire weekend.

I've been spending Thanksgiving with them since the very first year, and this past year, they also invited me for Christmas and Easter. Also this year, for the first time, they came here to attend my annual family Christmas party. It was very special because most of my family lives all over the country, but they all flew in for the party.

Open adoption is always difficult, but I truly believe it is the best thing for my daughter. I think her parents have started to believe in it more as she's gotten older and we can all see the benefits firsthand. I felt that a big turning point was when my daughter started walking and she could choose to come to me instead of it being me going to her all the time.

It's nice to see so many different open adoptions represented here, including so many good ones. It's very different from when I first came to the forums right after I placed. I'd like to think that more people are getting the good of open adoption.