[Wisdom]

Has anyone ever adopted from Lifetime Adoption? If so, can you please PM me with your experience. My husband and I have been taking steps to get certified with Los Angeles County Foster Care so we can adopt through that system, but I still haven't stopped thinking about Lifetime Adoption and think it may be worth considering. Any input you can provide on this agency would be helpful. We are an interracial couple looking to adopt biracial children, but open to any child that God puts on our hearts.

[BrandyHagz]

I've edited the title of this thread - agency URL's are not allowed on our site.

[Yash]

Hello,

I live in LA too. Are you being certified directly through the county or are you using a private agency?

Yash

[Wisdom]

We started to go through a foster family agency and took training with them, but now we've decided to go directly through the County. How about you...County or agency? Have you adopted yet?

[Yash]

I went through a private agency. I needed a go between myself and the County. Yes, I've adopted. Here's my timeline:

July - Sept 2005 - completed classes (we didn't meet every week since it was the summer)

Sept 2005 - Completed homestudy

Halloween 2005 - Certified

Thanksgiving 2005 - Respite care for a 3-month-old boy that my SW thought I might be able to adopt.

Dec 30, 2005 - Got the call @ 10AM
12:45 - 5 day old boy is all mine and he
is drop dead gorgeous

Feb 2006 - TPR

Apr 17, 2006 - Signed adoption placement papers

Aug 1, 2006 - He is legally mine


What age group are looking at? I requested girl AYAP, but after hearing about the possible waiting time I quickly switched to either. Thank God I did or I would have missed out on my precious Jory.

[Wisdom]

It looks like everything worked out really well for you and your baby. That's great! I'm still trying to figure out what AYAP is though...I'm still new to this forum and learning all of the abbreviations. Were you pretty satisfied with your foster family agency?
Did or do you have any contact with the birth parents? We're looking to adopt a boy or girl age 0-2. Do you have any advice for us as we are just starting out on this journey? One of my main concerns is prenatal drug exposure and how to handle that.

[Yash]

I just realized I gave you the wrong years. I wish my adoption had moved that fast. Here's the real timeline:

July - Sept 2004 - completed classes (we didn't meet every week since it was the summer)

Sept 2004 - Completed homestudy

Halloween 2004 - Certified

Thanksgiving 2004 - Respite care for a 3-month-old boy that my SW thought I might be able to adopt.

Dec 30, 2004 - Got the call @ 10AM
12:45 - 5 day old boy is all mine and he
is drop dead gorgeous

Feb 2006 - TPR

Apr 17, 2006 - Signed adoption placement papers

Aug 1, 2006 - He is legally mine
and he is drop dead gorgeous

My son's adoption was finalized 19 months and 2 days after he was placed in my arms. And my agency considers my adoption an "easy" one.


The abbreviations do take some getting used to. Sorry. AYAP - as young as possible

I was happy with my agency. I loved my SWs. They were great down to earth people. They were both parents so that helped a lot. I had a FD (foster daughter) this summer and her SW was not a mom and it made things more difficult. There was a level of her job she just couldn't understtand because she wasn't a parent. And also it had her calling me about every minor cough, sneeze, or bump the baby had because babies were new to her.

I personally prefer closed adoptions. I never met my son's BPs. Although I do have a picture of him and his BD taken at one of the few visits BD attended. I was told by the CW (county worker) to steer clear of **, so I did.

Jory's bio paternal aunt and paternal uncle showed some interest in meeting me once. I was thinking about it, but then they stopped contacting the CW so I let it go.

You're looking at the same age group, I was considering. Though I did tell my SW, under one was preferable.

With pre-natally exposed babies, you just never know. My son tested positive in the hospital, but showed no signs of withdrawl. Since the day he's been home, he's been either on target or above on all of his developmental and cognitive skills. He seems fine and I'm praying he remains so.

My FD tested negative, but her mom tested positive so obviously she was exposed. She seemed fine in the two months, she lived with me. She was even trying to hold her head up for moments at a time.

It all depends on the child, the amount of time ** was on drugs, and how much she used, etc. My friend is fostering a baby that was addicted to meth. For the first two months, her FD had the shakes. Now at three-months-old it seems her FD has outgrown them.

I was blessed with a SW who tried to find the best possible match for me. She didn't want me to get in over my head, nor did she want me running away screaming. She told me about some children that I just felt in my heart had situations that might be a bit beyond me.

When I got the call about my son I asked the placement SW could I call her back. I prayed about it and felt God was telling me yes. When I called the placement SW back, she told me she had just gotten off the phone with my SW and my SW thought this situation was perfect for me. I felt that was God's sign that I was doing the right thing. It's the greatest decision, I've ever made in my life.

[sweetbruno]

My husband and I live in California are also considering using Lifetime Adoptions. We would be so appreciative if anyone could PM us let us know any information they might know....or, for that matter, how to find good in our state or where to even start.

[mamatobe2008]

Hi Ladies,
Please PM for info on Lifetime. Thanks.