[MamaJem]

I'm MamaJem,

After skimming the threads I didn't notice any introduction threads so I thought I would start one. I am a newbie to the boards (and I have needed you so much over the past six months!) and both and adoptive parent and now a former foster parent.

We are in the process of adopting through the state. We have been invited to three committees; bowed out of one, were not chosen for one and the last one was postponed! The caseworker had more work to complete before they could do the placement.

We fostered for six months as a favor to the agency. We fell in love with the children (sib group of 3) but didn't pursue adoption because of the ages. They were placed out of state and left mid December. It was much more painful than I had ever imagined but it gave me a good perspective on transitions and what the foster family goes through. The ironic thing is, I just ran across the family matters that our kids were in and found a GREAT article on transition. I wish I would have read it!

We have one bio daughter (12) and one adoptive special needs daughter (4). We are hoping for a sibling group of 2 to 4. Hoping for mixed gender but not set in stone.

I am looking forward to getting and giving support here in Oregon. We are in the Douglas County area.

How about everyone else. Who all is hanging out here?

MamaJem

[pedpets]

I too am new to the boards (and the whole chat room thing). First let me say welcome! I have adopted two beautiful children through the State special needs program. We received our son at 3 months of age in 1999. Less than a year later we received our daughter (his half sibling) at birth in 2000. They are now 4 & 3. I'm located in Washington County. Until this past June I was still very active with DHS. I co-facilitated an adoption support group and met some pretty great adoptive parents. Now I just love being a Mom and spending as much time as I can with my kids and scrapbooking their childhood memories.

I know how frustrated you must feel with the committee being put on hold. Most likely the social worker didn't have all the paperwork in place or the evals weren't up to date and that's why your committee was put on hold. I wish you the best of luck!!! Keep us posted on your new arrivals. We went through 3 committees and were chosen on the 4th. We were the back-up family for committee 2&3. Two weeks after the 3rd committee there was a problem between the adoptive family and the foster family (foster mom couldn't let go). So the adoptive family back out. They asked us if we wanted the three children but due to the circumstances and the issues that the oldest child had we chose to back out as well (a long story), a sad situation for the children to be put into as well. I give you so much credit for being a foster parent. That has to be the hardest job. I could never do it and let them go! Anyway, it was great talking. I'm here if you need any support or just someone to talk with. Happy New Year!

[Barksum]

Good to see an intro thread.

My Dh and I live in the eastern part of the state and are foster parents and adoptive parents. We are also biological parents. I get all confused with the titles at times!! Dh is a former foster child as well. We have 3 children DD(11), DS(5), DS(2). Currently we are hoping to adopt another child, waiting on return calls from children's caseworkers. The holidays slow things down.

We only do emergency/short term foster care, and respite for other foster parents right now. Since we are working to adopt again we don't want to take a long term foster placement as the agency doesn't like to place adoptively while a family has foster children. I find foster parenting to be very stressful and consuming, and do better with short term placements right now.

Not that parenting isn't stressful and consuming, but foster parenting has an added aspect of parental responsibility. It takes so much to work with the foster children to get them ready to go back to biological families. Having to juggle between the needs and issues of my at-home children and the children we are getting ready to transition back to their family wears me out, so we've taken a bit of a break.

Sort of...we adopted children who have a higher level of need than some, so I'm not lazing around eating bon-bons and watching soap operas! LOL And we do still have the emergency placements and respite care placements every once in awhile too.

We homeschool our children, live on a little bit of acreage and have a pet farm. We are also remodelling ever so slowly (think 3 toed sloth) and working diligently to make progress with the developmental needs of our little boys. (ARND and delays due to drug addiction) The holidays and all the routine shattering excitement that goes along with them have wrought havoc with the kids' schedule and we are working to recover from all that. Phew! Next week we will be back to "normal" and hopefully they will sleep thru the night again. (Can you see the bags under my eyes??!)

Ok, that was probably too much info, right? LOL Looking forward to reading all the responses on this intro thread.

[ALI143]

Ali, here in Gresham. We are trying to adopt one or two more. 0-3 1/2 years old, boy/s or girl/s.
We have two biological sons and provide respite care for brave hardworking foster parents. We have our medically fragile infant certificate too.

[ALI143]

Oh, I forgot to add. We've been to committee twice and maybe going again for a sweet 3 1/2 year-old-boy sometime in August. It's depending on a TPR hearing. We attend the Portland Support group at Emanuel Hospital and our worker is in Gresham of Multnomah county.

[Withay]

Lynda here in Lane County. I haven't adopted yet (tried once, not chosen - that's a whole story in itself - see FP support 'From Different Points of View' - May 2004).

Currently have 2 beautiful foster children - M-14mf and N-5mm. N will be adopted, most likely by A & U in CA and M is set for reunification in Sept. 05.

I also do newborn assessments to decide what type of foster home will work best for child. I am Tier II, so work with medically fragile infants. N is suspected of having CP. He has a dr appt on 08/11 and CRB (Citizens Review Board) later that morning. M has no medical issues, other than food allergies.

M is here for the 2nd time. First time was 09/04 - 02/05 and back again 04/05 because her relatives said she was "too difficult". This is a child who is extremely happy and communicates her wishes through sign language because, at 14 mo, she is still considered pre-verbal.

N has been here since the age of 3 days. He is like dressing a moving rubber doll - very, very stiff with arms and legs moving all the time. N is also very happy and is learning simple signs.

I am single and 49. Certified for ages 0 - 5 and 4 kids at a time. Love to quilt (babies go with me), active in my church (Foursquare) and love to go for walks. I ride a bike when I can find a sitter as I don't have a bike trailer yet.

How 'bout you all? What types of things do you like to do and where are you located?

[MamaJem]

Well, we are getting back into the process after taking over a year off due to building a house and the emotional toll that going to committee was taking. We believe we're ready now. We're hoping to have at least one boy or up to three in a sibling group.

How is everyone else doing?

[BbyBxr2]

Hi,

My Name is Mare and this is my first time on this thread. My Hubby and I are TTC and if we are not PG by January then we will be moving on to Fertility Testing. I am a bit nervous about it all. My Hubby will get his SA first and then we will go from there.

We have two Boxers Dakota and Harley which keep me busy and whom i love to pieces. I feel that there is something missing in our home and and we want a baby to complete the cycle. If we are unable to conceive naturally we are open to other options adn we want to learn all the avenues.

I look forward to meeting everyone!

[ALI143]

Hi Mare! Welcome and good luck which ever avenue your baby takes to get to you ! I hope you find all the answers and support you need-

[Withay]

Good morning all -

Couldn't sleep so thought I'd get up and check the boards. I woke up at 4:38 to the sound of drip, drip, drip. Nothing unusual here in the good ol Willamette Valley in the winter, but this time it was dripping onto my bed!!!!! Yep, sprung ANOTHER leak. My neighbor just finished (last week) resealing my roof and here it is leaking again. Why anyone in their right mind would have put a flat roof on in Oregon is beyond me. Why I bought a house with a flat roof (only over my room and the 2 bathrooms - added on section of house) is another question. Anyway, this is the third go-round of it this year.

I'll just have to find time during my schedule today to see if Greg (neighbor) can come over again. So far I only have the following scheduled: Support group from 10:00 - 11:30; EC Cares therapy for A from 12:00 - 1:30; doctor appointment for A for 2nd part of flu shot at 3:00; out to my folks home so someone can give A a bath and wash my hair. I had to have a basal cell carcinoma removed from my right hand on Tuesday and can't get it wet (5 stitches) yet. All this plus, Greg is a daytime sleeper. Oh well, homeowners 101, gotta love it. Sometime in there I need to find time to put up my Nativity. It is a tradition in my family that we always put the Nativity up on Dec. 1 (been done that way since my parents were married back in 1951).

Actually, things are going pretty well. I can laugh about the roof, hand will heal and the holidays are here.

So, what are you all up to? Where you all from? Me, 120 miles south of Portland (you know, tie-dyed capital where the Ducks live - east across the river actually).

I challenge each and every one of us to make a strangers day - smile and wink at them. (Makes 'em wonder about ?????)

Blessings,
Lynda

[MamaJem]

Waiting...

We still have a piece of paperwork that needs to be done before we can even foster again let alone have our children placed. In the meantime, I'm still decorating rooms and redoing out "lifebook" so we'll be ready for committee at the drop of a hat.


Anyone else? What are you all doing these days?

[ALI143]

I am glad you're still hanging in there MamaJem. How exciting though! Glad for the up-date!