Hi Julie!
My youngest son's adoption was independent and is open.
With foster-adopt it's like a whole new world. We've gone through orientation at AASK in Oakland when we lived in Modesto. We did some of the preliminary stuff but then put it on hold. Our son's adoption finalized last Sept. after being in process for almost three years. I just needed the emotional break I think.
We were going to start the process up again in January but then unexpectedly had a good opportunity for work down here and moved at the beginning of the year.
We just bought our first house and are settling in. I know soon I'll (hubby might want a bit more down time) be ready to start the process again. It just seems like good timing with new beginnings.
We'd like to adopt a little girl five or under so the two youngest kids can share a room. It would be nice to give our littlest boy a few years before he shares a room with his older brother (who's a teen now). However, we're open to a little boy too. I figure we'll parent who we're meant to
.
Some folks think I'm nuts -- our two boys are special needs kids (oldest high-functioning autism, youngest language & some developmental delays) -- I think we're just more prepared and have some experience so hopefully that'll make us better parents.
Parenting two kids already does fade the Pollyanna view and give me a more realistic one to work with (I hope).
How did you find foster-adopt and how has your experience been with it?
so glad to meet you
~d