[missw005]

Michelle -

I adopted both my sons as waiting children out-of-state adoptions - I'm in MN, my oldest was from NJ and my youngest was from OR.
It was about a month from the time I was notified I was selected for my oldest until I flew to NJ. It was a month and a half for my youngest son til I flew to OR to get him.
Now had 9/11 not happened, we would have flown back the very next day - he was extremely delayed (and they thought moderately retarded) and they didn't think he'd have a problem transitioning.
My youngest's SW suggested I do a visit, then come back a week or two later to do the 5-day stay (required in OR) and bring him home after that. However, financially I couldn't swing it - and he was only 1-1/2, so I didn't think the transition would be that difficult. (it wasn't)
The funny thing was, my oldest had been in 1 fh all of his life - straight from the hospital - and the state didn't give him any transition time. Then my youngest had been bounced around a lot - relatives, then foster care - and they insisted he needed this long transition period!
It is different by state, though - and SW.

I, too, have several applications out there, waiting for staffings to be held and decisions made about these little ones' lives. It's hard to wait, yet to a point (some SW's and states wait WAAAAY too long to make a decision) I'd hope they'd take their time as this is a life-changing decision! Like you, I also hope I'm the right choice for one (or all ) of these kids.
But, like my all-knowing college roommate would say, "What's meant to be, will be."
And I have struggled with that over the years - with foster kids that have returned to bparents - and with possible children I felt surely were meant to be with me. But in the end, I've eventually realized that even though I may not see it or agree with it, everything that happens, happens for a reason - and is guided by a hand that none of us can see.

I wish you all the best and will keep you in my thoughts.
((hugs))
Sandy