[N2dolfyns]

Hi everyone! Good to see Arizona is getting a start now! My name is Kelly and my husband and I just adopted a six year old boy (he's now 7) last September from Kazakhstan. He's a wonderful and amazing child and defies EVERYTHING we read about adopting an older child. We are enjoying him so much. If anyone has any questions about international or older child adoption...please feel free to ask.

[tarynbrook]

Hi Kelly,
Congratulations on your son! It is good to hear that he is doing so well. My husband and I are in the process of adopting a baby boy or girl from Haiti. Did you find a pediatrician who has experience with adopted children? We need to find a good doctor that will be familiar with health concerns that institutionalized children often have upon arrival in the US. Any advice is appreciated... I think I will post this question as a new thread too!

[N2dolfyns]

We originally went with a referral from our regular family doctor, but so far, I haven't been real impressed with him or his office. My neighbor adopted from Korea and they have a pediatrician who is experienced with internationally adopted kids and I'm going to get the name and number from her this week. I'll pass it on when I do. Congrats on your upcoming adoption. What a wonderful and amazing experience you are about to enjoy! Good luck.

[tarynbrook]

Thanks Kelly,
When you do get the name and phone number it would be great if you could pass it on. I'm sure most doctors are familiar with common aliments our children may have, but I wonder about their bedside manner and just how much time they will have for a new adoptive parents list of questions and concerns! I hope your son likes his new doctor...
~ Taryn

[afdonn]

How exciting you are adopting from Haiti, a friend of mine , also here in Arizona has three kids adopted from Haiti. I am in the process of adopting, but from the foster care system here in AZ.

[tarynbrook]

Wow, it is always exciting to hear about other children in Arizona who are from Haiti ... how old are your friends children? Does she participate in any chat groups or support groups for adoptive parents? Do you know who your children are yet? There is such a need for US foster children to find homes too... I am still drawn towards them as well as the children of Haiti. Thanks for your post

[afdonn]

My friend who has the kids from Haiti is in my moms group, so I dont know her super well yet, but her kids are like 1 1/2, 3,and about 6yrs. if I had to guess. I'm not sure if she is in any kind of support group for haitian adoptive families, I can ask her.
The child I am adopting is one of my foster kids, I have had her since last december, so I know her quite well., she is african amer..But I was also interested in adopting from Haiti, I had looked at some web sites, but never went any further than that. They are beautiful children I think, and so much poverty there, its really sad. Its also close, so thats a plus, no 20 hour plane rides! Anne

[N2dolfyns]

Congrats on adopting through the foster care system. We found out about that option AFTER we had already fallen in love with our little guy thorugh pictures and video. So we were knee deep in the process of international adoption by then. We did consider an older child, I think he was about 11 or 12. His name was Richard. Everything was wonderful until we got to the part where it said that he needed to be an only child. It was such a shame because he enjoyed all the same things my husband and I do, wood working, football, race cars, etc. and my husband has a wood shop in the garage and builds cars for racing or just for the road. They would have made such a great little team, but we couldn't undo what we had already committed to...and like I said we were already so in love with our little guy. I would still like to adopt another, but my husband doesn't want to now...and you know how everyone says you have one child who's wonderful and think life is great, so you have another one...and that one's a little helliun and turns your world upside down? Well, our little guy is soooooo good, we just know if we have another one... ha ha ha... well, you know. --- Hopefully, after our son has been here for awhile I can convince my husband to adopt another one. I would like to stay in AZ this time...we did endure a 20 hour flight AND a three week stay in Kazakhstan/Russia and I'm not up for that again.

[afdonn]

You could tell your husband that you just want to foster til he is ready to adopt again, then the next thing you know you get a foster kid that becomes available. I have 2 permanent kids at this point, my 3 yr. old that I'm adopting, and a bio daughter who is 10(going on 18!). I have another 3 yr. old who is transitioning into a fost/adopt placement, and thats been hard, hard to let her go. I am waiting for a newborn at the moment, I cant wait.