[joannemckay76]

Hi everyone, my husband Mike and I live in the north puget sound area.We have been trying to adopt for almost 2 years now.Its hard to not get discouraged so if anyone wants to talk via email let me know. We are independently trying to adopt, open,semi open homestudy completed. Any ideas on networking in the area etc..talk to you again soon.

[4x4ski]

Hi Joanne,

my dh & I live in the Tacoma area and adopted our ds 1 1/2 years ago through a facilitator.

Don't get discouraged. God is just making sure he has the perfect fit for you.

Talk to you soon
Carole

[joannemckay76]

Dear Carole, Since we went on adoption.com and 2 other free sites we feel more hopeful.Thank you so much for the encouragement. I even got brave enough to start setting up a nursery, not much, just what we would need for the first couple weeks. My son Alex(from previous marriage) wanted to help. I say alot of prayers, i know something will happen soon.i'll let you know. thank again, Joanne

[nickosgal]

Hi everyone!

My husband Nick and I live in Bellingham. We have been waiting just about 8 months and are doing domestic infant adoption.

We are using an agency in California!!

Glad to see other Washingtonians here

[angiejojames]

Hi Washingtonians! I was a birthmother of fraternal twins (boy and a girl) who had the same father as my oldest boy. I found a place who handles adoptions in Chico California called: Adoption Choices of Northern California - 530-891-0302, 800-607-9200, 916-221-0193. My adoption advisor was Mari Kathryn Hendrix. I'm writing to you about HOW I CHOSE THE ADOPTIVE PARENTS...Since I didn't want to put the twins into a "closed adoption" (The father and I had both been given up to closed adoptions and know NOTHING about medical history, etc...), I looked at the fact that out of all the prospective parents, only one set had Federal background checks. Here's what I found out for California=If you apply through a closed adoption agency, i.e. a county adoption, then you as the potential adoptive parents have a thorough background check on each of you. Through private adoptions, it is not mandatory. That made the decision easier for me, as ALL the applicants were great couples! The couple I chose were temporary placement foster parents. Which meant that they had to have Federal background checks. I was very relieved and picked them after meeting them for the 1st time!! I think it eases the minds of a Biomom to know that her child(ren) have parents with no questionable background!
Just something for you to think about.
ANG

[joannemckay76]

Hi, my husband and i HAD to have back ground checks done for our homestudy, again for renewal, required in Wa. state i believe. We are going independent, open, semi-open. I would expect nothing less if i was a birthmom. joanne

[tookies62]

Hi Everyone! I'm from the Moses Lake area and it is tough to adopt thru the foster care system thru the state. Would open domestic adoption be any easier? I'm glad to see that angie valued all the extra training and documentation her adoptive parents did for the kids. I didn't know birthmoms thought about that. I just thought they focused mainly on age. It just seems like it is tougher when you are older(40 & 42) If anyone has any websites or agencies they would recommend that would be great. We were even open to older kids with challenges etc. Its been a year and half almost two years. It can be frustrating sometimes. Thanks, Susan(sstolsig@Hotmail.com)

[joannemckay76]

Hi there, we are going the independent route. But a secretary at my son's school choose the foster to adopt through Catholic charities and they had a child in less than two months after the home study.I was surprised at the speed also. We have had our homestudy done for nearly two years. Good luck! joanne

[Darci]

My husband and I began all the paperwork to adopt children from the foster care system just a few weeks ago (sent in the paperwork on 2/14/03). We are almost done with our homestudy now (basically just waiting on our background check to come back). We are using Adoption Advocates International in Port Angeles (we live in Redmond). I absolutely love them so far. Their agency typically can place children under the age of six in your home in about 6 months after you are approved. For older children, or sibling groups the wait is shorter. If you live in Washington State the fee for the WHOLE process (classes, home study, placement and post placement visits) is only $350. Keep in mind however that these children are considered "special needs" for one reason or another.

Feel free to contact me at darcieverett@earthlink.net if you have more questions or would like more information about the process we are going through.

Darci

[Janissb]

Hi Joanne
Have you looked into either of the two adoption support groups in Seattle? We've been attending both and found it helpful. Lots of Networking ideas and sharing of stories. One is www.affgs.org Adoptive friends and families of greater Seattle. They meet in Redmond at the Group Health Hospital. The other one... darn it is in Auburn... and the name has escaped me. Darn I really like that group, too. Email me and I can find it at home, I've got a file
www.janisba@earthlink.net

[joannemckay76]

When does the one @ Group Health meet? I live up in southern Snohomish county but work in Bellevue. Thank you so much...Joanne

[Janissb]

The next Affgs Await (I don't remember what means, but it is the people waiting for children group) meeting is on March 17th from 7-9 at Group Health Eastside Hospital room AA-13. I hope you can make it.

The other group in Auburn can be found at the following web site
http://www.friends-in-adoption.org

I believe we were referred from Children's Home Society, I keep thinking there may be a snohomish group. But off hand I don't remember where I saw that. I'll let you know if I run across something, or call Yolanda @ CHS. Good luck

[joannemckay76]

Thank you so much for the info......Joanne M

[joannemckay76]

Our MSW Fran is coming over for our homestudy renewal on 4/10 at least i won't be so stressed out this time. How is everyone else doing? I have days i feel nothing will ever happen. I sent postcards to update all the Doctors i know that we are STILL looking to adopt.We did have a few nibbles but no real leads....long time waiting. I sometimes feel we have to spend 20,000 or> to adopt, we get frustrated. God give me strength because I'm two years older than when we started on this journey.
Anyone living in the north end interested in getting together?Maybe coffee at Starbucks or breakfast somewhere?Just a group of hopeful parents shooting the breeze, sounds nice. let me know at baboobaby@att.net

[Sylvester]

Hello all, we are the adoptive parents to two children, both adopted through open adoptions via private agencies. We are embarking on our third adoption. We are looking at working through Medina, has anyone heard good or bad things about them? We are open to a newborn to 2 year old, which will keep us waiting for awhile we imagine. We are hoping to wait not only in the traditional infant program, but through the special needs program also. We were so blessed the first two times we adopted, our waiting periods were VERY short. We are currently living in the Bremerton area, my husband is active duty military. Would love to hear back from all of you, I know the waiting is the hardest part for so many potential parents. Since we are just starting we are busy and have not thought that far ahead. Good luck to everyone!!