[momof3tobe]

I am thrilled to announce that we are enroute to the most wonderful thing...adopting a girl from China! My husband originally did not want to start until July but with some recent posts regarding the possibility of adoptions coming to a halt in 2008 we are not taking any chances.

I am so excited beyond words...maybe we will have a Christmas baby!!!

Thank you so much for all your help and looking forward to the journey will all of you
Anne Marie

[Sheba]

Congratulations! I hope you have a good experience and hope you get her in time for Christmas 2005. Christmas babies are great. My daugher came home from the hospital on Christmas!

I have not heard about the halt in 2008 but interesting to know. I guess I am glad we are not waiting either.

Julie

[cnclark]

WHAT?!? Could you PLEASE elaborate on the "halt in 2008" comment.

[momof3tobe]

There have been several rumors going around that due to the 2008 olympics coming to Beijing officials may start to phase out adoption in China and stop completely in 2008. This was told to a family who just returned from Gangzhou(sp?) and was information their guide gave them. I am in no way saying this is an absolute fact or that it will or will not happen...just passing what I have read along. If you go to APC(A-Parents-China) yahoo group and join you will be able to read the posts that are there and ask questions to those know know more details than I do. Again, this is a rumor ....
Anne Marie

[Sean&Shan]

Yeah!!!!Congrats, Congrats!!! We hope to be there by early November, who knows, maybe we'll see you there!

[momof3tobe]

I so appreciate your support.
I am so excited to be starting the endless trail that will lead to our daughter!

Will post soon with choice of agency!
AM

[candace marrin]

does anyone know the trick to becoming a member of the yahoo group a parents china? i have tried so many times and cant seem to get in there. thanks candy

[momof3tobe]

First you need to have a yahoo id and password-obtained at the yahoo website once you get that, you log into yahoo using this info. Then go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/a-parents-china
and join the group(set your preferences to no mail or your mail will be flooded in an hour). It may take a day or so and there are a few questions you need to answer but eventually you will be sent emails on your acceptance and rules of the group. Then you are free to log in and start posting. New people do not get their posts up right away, they are moderated, but you can read everyones post right away.
Let me know if you need help!
Anne Marie

[candace marrin]

thanks. i will try again. i do already have the yahoo id and password, but i cant get any further than that. candy

[Sean&Shan]

We just became members of the yahoo group last week and there was a very clear warning that the rumor that China was going to halt adoptions due to the Olympics was just that, a rumor gone wild. The original poster was very clear that this was not info from an official or meant to be passed on as fact.

[momof3tobe]

There were several posts regarding this and the one i read was directly from someone who just came back and had said it was from their guide( as relevant or irrelevant as that may be ) . Like I mentioned, this is only going by one person... until the agencies or people who are "in" at the CCAA get concrete info, it is being stashed in the back of my head. I will not totally disregard it as ANYTHING can happen within the next month, Year or 10 years, so if this was what was needed to spark my husband into getting us started...so be it! A few countruies have shut down in the last few years and it can happen to any country at any time...nothing is guaranteed in adoption!
I will definitely not lose sleep over it but will keep it in mind!
Anne Marie

[llau]

Just be mindful that the yahoo message board seems to me at least, to be very different than this one.
In my experience, I have found a lot of arguing on that board and a lot of people who seem really jaded. As a matter of fact, I really try to avoid that one, because I am just not as comfortable with it.
This board has been so wonderful for me and really fits what I am looking for.
Just a head up to each of you joining...don't be shocked by how different it is than this one.
Again, just my opinion and everyone else may have a perfectly fine experience with it.
Actually, I would love to hear if anyone else has had a nice experience on that board!
Liz

[momof3tobe]

Yes, agreed...two completely different groups here. This is definitely more low key with sometimes more specific answers for questions and not agony of reading who is debating with who over something that keeps getting angrier and more hostile.
In that way this board is better...
However, the sheer volume of people who have experienced the same things you may have questions about during your process is overwhelming and a huge source of unbiased help you may need. IMHO-It is also a much better way of question and answer in it's form than this forum-meaning the yahoo group is faster and easier to access . It really is an individual thing, positives and negatives about both!

Anne Marie