[Tudu]

We are using a private agency, but the state actually sent out our HS for a group of 4 and against their rules sent it out for a second group (this one).

The worker did send the files and my worker picked them up at the Post Office this morning. DFCS paid $53.00 to ship the information. Our worker will be here Friday AM to go over the files. OMG, I am so excited. She said the SW sent alot of info and that it is not often you see the file so current. Child Life Histories are within 6 months and Psychologicals from last summer.

[035568]

New to this thread. I'm in Georgia, too! We are in the middle of our home study. I actually have my solo meeting tomorrow with the case worker tomorrow and then DH and I will meet together next week and then she will come to our house. I spent this past weekend trying to get things in order. My goodness, I never realized how much stuff we have!! We are going to have to get rid of a lot before a baby comes in the house.

[ajrl]

Tudu Congrats on getting started. I hope it all works out for you. So glad that you got that squeeky wheel going.

Hey Pita... how's the baby? did it go through?

AJ

[DET62]

I am in the northeast Atlanta area. I am glad to see a thread specifically for/by Georgians.

I have a now 14 year old daughter adopted from Russia. She came home almost 18 months ago. She is a super kid, very sweet. I didn't set out to be an adoptive parent, but I met my daughter in 2003 when my choir sang at her orphanage.

I am seriously thinking about doing a domestic adoption next, mainly due to the prohibitive cost of international [$15-30K]. However, I have some concerns/questions.

- I am single, and I live with my 14 year old daughter and 72 year old mother. Do you think it would be difficult for me to adopt a little boy? I'd really like a 4-7 year old boy.

- Do I need an agency to handle the adoption, or can I just pay for a homestudy and do the searching myself, maybe with help from the homestudy social worker?

- Are there a lot more kids out there than are on the photolistings on My Turn Now website? Seems like there should be a lot more...

- Any idea on how long a domestic adoption of an older child will take? It took me over a year to get my daughter's adoption done after I signed with an agency.

- I read somewhere recently that when you adopt domestically the birth parents can come back any time within 3 years and get the kids back! Is that true?!

- Does anyone know the cost of adopting in Georgia [excluding the homestudy]? I read somewhere that some states offer monthly $ to parents who adopt from the foster care system - I wonder if that's true here?

- Anyone know how hard it is to adopt from another state?

Any information here would be appreciated. Thanks!
Dee

[ajrl]

DET 62:

If you want a 4-7 year old boy. You can go straight to DFCS. My Turn Now is normally all those kids that are hard to place or have severe problems.

Once you get your homestudy you can go to any state DFCS and get any child you might see. If you go into the DFCS system they will do your homestudy for free.

I am dealing w/ an agency in Indiana and they just opened up their Puerto Rican program. They require you to know spanish or some spanish. And to adopt a child atleast 5 years old. That would prob be the best way to go.. IMO

Andria

[pita88]

It's a boy! Our son AJ was born April 4th and we just returned back to Georgia on Thurs after waiting for ICPC. It feels great to be back home and things are going well. Our little one is still trying to get his days and nights figured out. We anticipate a wonderful Easter Weekend with this beautiful weather we are having. I posted pictures on the April/May/June thread if you want to take a look. We are so very happy to have AJ home with us.

[awebaby]

It's great to share in the news of another little new Georgian coming home! He is just beautiful. Congratulations to your family.

[kmsga]

including ours. Andria, I was excited to see a neighbor up here in "Canada" as one of my friends ITP calls the northern 'burbs, and was hoping we could arrange some type of get-together. But we surprisingly and joyfully welcomed our second son on March 16. Long story short: we had been planning to start the paperwork process toward the end of the year, but a situation was presented to us on March 14, and our beloved son was born on the 16th, and life as we know it has changed yet again.
Would love to get together w/other adoptive families in the area one of these days, when life gets down to a dull roar around here!
Blessings to everyone who have brought their children home, and to those who are still waiting.

[ajrl]

Congrats KMSA on your new baby. Wow that was a quick match. Congrats


Yeah I would love to get together. I still have the 2 foster kids and my daughter so anytime you want to go out to the park or there is a new jump party place on bellsferry or up here in holly springs let me know. The one in Holly Springs I think charges $5 per child for the day on sundays. Maybe we can have a "GROUP OUTING"!!!

Cant beat that.

We are still waiting a newborn patiently.. grrrrrrrrrr
So if you hear of anyone that's expecting send them my way!!!

Andria

[jbntb]

Hey everybody, glad to see a local thread. My dh and I are still in the research stage and would welcome any advice. Currently our finances are holding us back. Our dilemma is...1. take a loan to make up for what we don't have in savings, which will make me have to keep working (which I don't want to do - I want to stay home until he/she goes to school). -or- 2. wait another year and a half to save up the money. I'm 35, he's 38, we have no children and I don't like the idea of waiting 1 1/2 yrs for savings and another possible 1 1/2 yrs for placement. Lately I have been contemplating just jumping in with both feet and hoping it works out the way I want it to in the end. Can anyone help?

[ajrl]

JB

First off I wouldnt go w/ an agency that charges a big upfront fee. Mine was less than $2000. Rest due at placement. In between you can do fundraisers and save and ask family and friends for donations. Some people have been waiting years and others just months. So it just depends. I am going on my 4th month waiting and I have a friend that has been waiting 17 months. So it just depends on what you are looking for.

Let me know if you want any other info.

AJ

[posh]

may I be added to the Georgia group? we haven't started yet except for the research end of it all. I am just south of Atlanta

[ajrl]

welcome in:


for a list of all licensed agency in ga go to:

http://www.galaa.org/

We did not stay in state because of a lot of the agencies will only deal w/ xtian couples and we are an interfaith couple.

Ask away if you need anything.

Andria

[posh]

thanks for the welcome and information!

[ajrl]

How is everyone doing? I havent heard a peep from anyone in a long time. Things are progressing very well here. Hopefully in 2 weeks we will have a new baby in our lives.


Hope to talk to you all soon.

AJ