[Leigh131313]

Welcome Everyone!!

Yes, 2004 was a GREAT year!!

I had NEVER thought about draft issues with adoption before. Crazy how much I don't know.

So, it's nice to see some of us aren't finished yet! I'm hoping 2006 will be a great year for some of you as well!!

So, tell me guys....what sort of things are YOU wanting to discuss? I personally am fascinated by how much the laws vary province to province...also, I've heard some rumors about embryo adoption happening in Canada now too....

So, how about you?

Leigh

[blessedbybug]

Originally Posted by mumofone

I meant to ask one of you.....

My DH went to University in Michigan and has obtained a SS card as he worked there too. Is it worth anything? I mean, does it make him have dual citizenship or anything?

Probably not... I have an SIN and right now, as my permanent residency stuff is processed, I don't have status here. He probably got the SSN on a student visa because he might have needed to work.

[blessedbybug]

Originally Posted by FH-Leigh131313

So, tell me guys....what sort of things are YOU wanting to discuss? I personally am fascinated by how much the laws vary province to province...also, I've heard some rumors about embryo adoption happening in Canada now too....

So, how about you?

I am interested in the differences between provinces too. We've had job possibilities in other provinces and each time decided to stay here in Alberta for now because changing seemed so overwhelming. We are on a limited timeframe and DH and I are not young pups anymore! Can we share the process we each through esp as it related to timing? Is open adoption the standard in other provinces as it is in Alberta? How are placements made through Children's Services done in your province? Do you have private placement agencies there too? Okay, maybe I have more questions that I thought, lol!

[blessedbybug]

Originally Posted by FH-taramayrn

Well my dad is a "legal alien" in the states and has lived there for the past 17 years. So I have lots of family members there and have spent alot of time in the states. Not as exciting as you thought eh?

Cool... glad he's legal. I'm working through my residency status here right now ... ugh... all my family is in Kansas and Missouri so we get down there about once a year. Miss them lots but love living with MY family here too... ah, so complicated.

[blessedbybug]

Originally Posted by Jensboys

We have no interest in getting our Canadian born kids American citzenship because we dont intend to ever live down there and dh is worried about drafting issues.

Hmmm... never thought of that. We both feel it's important to open up all the options for Bug, here or there. We intend to stay here, but in our line of work, you never know where we'll end up.

[mumofone]

Thanks for answering, Tammy.

In our area (Nova Scotia), there are no private agencies to go through. We all have to go through the Children's Aid Society to adopt. It can take a very long time as it did with our 2nd son or very quickly (3 months) with our first.

But, if we happen to know of someone that wanted to place their child with us, we could do that, and it is known as a designated adoption. We would still have to use CAS though.

We can adopt from other Provinces, but we have to abide by the rules of both provinces.

In a sense, I am sometimes glad that there aren't any private agencies as I don't think I could go through the heartache of having a child placed with us and having the birthparents change their minds.

When we go through CAS, we are never told that a baby has been born until after TPR, which is 17 days here. The baby usually stays in foster care for that time period. More and more birthparents are reading through the profiles of the adoptive parents and choosing the parents for their child.

So, I guess that's it.

[cherrymom]

Most of you know me too..
My name is Cherry and we live in BC. I have been married for 20 years this May. YIKES - but like Anne I was a baby when we got married... In fact my oldest ds turned 19 yesterday and I was 19 when he was born. We have five kids - three bio (ds 19, ds 17, dd 14) and two by adoption (ds 4 1/2, dd 20 mnths).

I decided I wanted to adopt when I was 15 and read a book about adoption. I went on to get married at 18 and had my three bio kids very quickly. My third pregnancy had complications and it was decided that I would be unwise to have any more children that way. Since I wanted 10 kids (that desire has shrunk dramatically the last year) I started to explore the adoption route. We were living in Ontario at the time and it seemed very difficult and chances of adopting under 3 were very slim so we put it on hold. After moving to BC in 95 I began my research once again.. it took a couple years to be on the same page as hubby and then we had some finances to get in order (I stayed home until my kids were in school and wanted to do the same) so we finally put our initial application in about the same time our son was being born. We brought him home at 17 mnths old. We were called as soon as our one year was up to see if we were going to adopt again. It took a little while as our worker kept calling us with potential matches. In Dec. 04 we signed our application and brought our 8 mnth dd home April 1 last year. I think we are done ??? It has been a difficult year but ds has a little sister that is in care as we speak and if she were available for adoption I don't think we could say no so WHO KNOWS.
Thanks Leigh for starting this.

[mumofone]

OMG, Cherry, I am older than you.......

I was being sarcastic when I said I was young. lol I was 24 , but that is still a youngin, right?

[mumofone]

BTW, Cherry, how is your little K doing with her eating? My peanut just got over the flu.....I have been sneaking Enfagrow into almost everything he eats including yogurt. lol

[cherrymom]

You were a youngin I was a baby! It is frightening to even begin to think of my son getting married!!! Hubby is only 2 years older than I am so we were babies. Not highly recommended although it worked for us he was and is my best friend.

K is well... it continues to be a struggle. We are getting a feeding assessment done to see if there is a neurological reason for her issues. (ie. aspiration) So we wait to see how that goes. She had gained a pound on our last weigh in up to 20 lbs (two weeks ago) but then she got an ear infection and has lost almost a pound down to 19lbs 3. So we have to go every two weeks for weigh ins until she can stay on the charts. I too give her Enfagrow where ever possible, avacado is also great or whip cream instead of milk. K's problem is there are days when she will swallow nothing except her milk. No matter what I do she won't swallow. So it is a challenge. Any tips or ideas are always appreciated.

[albertan]

Hello Everyone!

I am new to this forum so this is my first post . I have been meaning to post for awhile now but never seem to get the time to do so.

My name is Roxanne and DH and I are also waiting with AO in Calgary. We have been with AO 3 years next month. Since joining, we were placed with a newborn last September but it failed on day 7 out of the 10.

In October of last year, we were matched and was working with another birthmom for about 2 weeks before the match fell through a day or two before signing the papers.

We are now waiting once again to be matched and hope that it will be soon .

Hello to those that I know already: Tara, Jen & Anne..

I look forward to getting to know everyone.







Roxanne

[echaos]

Hi,

I'm Andy! I'm in Halifax NS. My partner and I adopted a little boy through a designated adoption through the private agency here in the city. The agency only deals with situations in Halifax, so it's not open to the rest of the province. They only average 3-4 placements per year! We have friends looking to adopt through them and the wait time is estimated to be 7 years!!

We have a semi open to open adoption with Liam's birthmother. Because it was a designate adoption, we obviously knew her before hand, but only met her during her 6th month of pregnancy. Her sister was helping her make her adoption plan and approached Hilary and I to see if we would be interested. 3 months to the day later, we brough Liam home!

Here in NS a potential birth mother has a min. of 17 days before she can TPR. During that time she can either keep the baby with her, have friends / family care for the baby or have the baby placed in foster care. Liam was with a great foster family in Musquodobit, and because of the designated status of the adoption, we were able to drive (one hour each way! ) out to see him every day!!

I was also adopted as a 6 week old infant in Ontario in the '70s. When Ontario opened up their files I applied for them to search for my birth mother, and they found her! We've been in touch for the last 5 years and have met face to face once. We might get to see each other again around Easter, as we are going to Ontario to visit my folks.

Thanks Leigh! Great place you have here!!!

[taramayrn]

You finally made it Roxanne!!! Wooohoooo!!

[mumofone]

This place is addictive......

You will enjoy it here

[albertan]

I sure did Tara! I can't believe how long it has taken me!!

Thanks Anne ~ I think I agree with you in that it is addictive!