[P&Emom]

As someone just starting this process, I just wanted to thank everyone who has shared their experiences. We have just began our journey. We are in the process of completing our formal application for Korean adoption.

I have learned sooooooo much in the last couple of days just by reading some of these entries.

Thanks,
P&Emom
mom of 2 bio. sons

[hopefulamom]

Good Luck!!!

[IrishBluz]

Dear P&EMom....

We too are new....we are waiting to be matched for a domestic adoption. We just started in Dec. These boards are very informational and helpful.....you'll meet some new friends here and it is so nice to touch base with them and sort through whatever kind of day you may have had....especially when and if any "issues" arise. Best of luck to you and hope to talk to you again soon!!
Take care!
Nikki

[athena09]

Hi! I am new too, this is my first post and I too am learning alot from these boards. I am trying to adopt a specific little girl in DE. I am just waiting now to start my classes in April. The wait seems so long and I don't know what to do to bide my time meanwhile. It seems so far away.

[hopefulamom]

athena09,
I agree with you, the wait seems so unbearable at times. My only suggestion is to stay as busy as you can and maybe take up a new hobby. Before you know it....she will be there!!!
These boards are very helpful in taking up time!! They can be very addictive!!!

[athena09]

Ella - Thanks for the support. I am trying to have the bedroom cleaned out and ready to go for the most part. I am going to let her pick colors, bed sheets and border ect. I just feel like the classes are so far away and nothing to do in the interim. I am so excited to get going with the process, let alone the fact that DH's mom is in 7th Heaven just thinking about having her 1st grandchild. You are right these boards are addictive, I have learned so much. I really should be getting some work done here at my job. Oh Well!!

Joy

[hopefulamom]

joy,

I agree too that getting the room ready is a good way to make the time go by faster. Some people aren't ready to do that yet and I TOTALLY understand that, but for me (I'm a planner) I HAD to have it ready. I am so fortunate to have a best friend who has 3 kids and sister with twins. they have given me everything. I mean obviously all you need is love and food, but I am pretty much set on baby "stuff". I recently had my baby room painted and put the crib together. It's been kinda fun to have all of it ready, but sometimes (on bad days) it's hard to see it all of the time. Unfortunately I have to see it b/c that's where my clothes closet is.
Anyways...your story sounds interesting. do you mind sharing? Is it a relative adoption?? Not trying to be nosey, it just sounds nice that she can be included in the adoption.
feel free to pm me if you want to talk!
I've made some nice friends already from PM-ing (aka Irishbluz )

[athena09]

Ella - I have no problems sharing my story!!
To start, I will be 27 in June and DH will be 30 in Sept. we have no bio children yet. My brother and I are both adopted, right from the hospital, he is 4 years younger than me. Anyway, back to the story at hand. My SIL's boyfriend's niece was taken by the state of DE, her mother was PG with her 6th child when she had a drug related miscarriage. She only had custody of one of her children, this little girl, she is 5 or 6. SIL's boyfriend can not adopt her due to a felony charge from his younger/stupider days. I am trying to adopt her. I am working with DCS in MD, DE has filed for TPR, her next hearing is in May. I am not guaranteed anything, but should still have a good chance at getting her. So in the process of all this DH and I have decided if we aren't approved for her and they choose another family we will adopt a girl from foster care around the same age. We have good friends that we do alot with that also have a 5yr old and I figure the girls can be good friends and will go to the same school together. So, as I said I am in wait till class mode. We have had our fingerprints, turned in our autobiographies, health dept and fire marshall have been out and my SW has been out for the initial home visit. What next?? I wish they would have had classes starting sooner. I am so nervous and very excited.

[hopefulamom]

WOW...how exciting!!!

So where is she currently living?
Gosh, it's kinda like that hurry up and wait thing!
At least that's how it was for us. We rushed to get all of our "stuff" done and then once we did, we were like OK, what now!!! Well...wait, that's what!!!
We just try to get on with life and live it like we normally would, that way we have no regrets!
Some days are harder than others, but we figured that we have waited this long, so we can wait another year or so, which I hope that's the longest that we would have to wait, but who knows!!!!
I work in the foster care/group home field, so I understand most of what you're talking about with your SIL's boyfriend's niece.
I end up falling in love with certain kids that we get and wish that I could foster, but I don't think that it's an option for us (too long to get into).
Well, happy waiting and definitely keep us updated!

[athena09]

Ella-It is kind of a long story, huh!! I couldn't foster, I would want to keep them all. I am not sure where she is. They will only give me very little info, you know how that goes. I believe she is with a foster family, but only foster, they did say she is not in a permanent home. They will be accepting home studies on her.