[allido]

I know it's been discussed before, I just can remember specifically by whom (otherwise I would have PMed them) and when (although I think a few of us recently might have had this happpen). . .
Did anyone 1) not plan on finding their baby on a photolisting, 2) visit the sites "just to look," 3) fall in love with one, 4) contact the agency who represents the baby (before you were actually paper-ready, no less), and end up having it work out? Our actual story is a lot longer and more complicated- but (1-4) above is the summarized version. I'd really like to know what happened- especially if your papers weren't done when you "found" your son or daughter on the photolisting. I'm waiting for a call/email/info from "her" agency and HOPING! PM me if you want. Thanks!

[hesabanana]

Yes to all of the above. We went to look and do some research. We were not paper ready; we had nothing done. My husband called the agency and they agreed to take us on and match us with our son. My embassy appointment is next week.
Best of luck!

[KJones5]

Yes, to all four!!!!

I know better than to fall in love with a baby and choose the agency because that's who has the baby but I did it anyway!

I have some concerns but I hope it all works out.

[wvamom]

hmmm--well, I guess I did visit photolistings on purpose; the first child I inquired about had already been placed; my dh was still opposed to adopting again when I showed him the pic of our soon-to-be son--so of course, no paperwork was done yet. Presently, we are in PGN and can't wait to get to bring him home!

Carolyn

[jeck]

Yes to all 4!!! We contacted the agency and they told us to call back when we had a time frame on our homestudy. We got our butts in gear and thought if he was still available we would try to adopt him if not it wasn't meant to be! Thank God he was meant to be ours! We just got back from an amazing visit trip and are totally in love with him!!!

Good Luck!!!

[allido]

Originally Posted by KJones5

Yes, to all four!!!!

I know better than to fall in love with a baby and choose the agency because that's who has the baby but I did it anyway!

I have some concerns but I hope it all works out.

That was EXACTLY what I was thinking when I came across this photolisting- and why, I said when I started the process that I WOULDN'T look for and choose our daughter from a photolisting. Ironically, I chose our current agency partly because they didn't photolist on websites! I was just browsing to daydream about what our daughter might look like and found "her." As I said, I'm hoping that it's meant to be. . .

[Alexismandyjr]

Ahhhh.... That's our story!!!! He's home and he's the best thing that ever happened to me!

[carrie2adopt]

Yes to all four. In fact, my dossier was in Russia when I found my daughter in Guatemala! I had to send the US gov't a little extra $ and an updated hs to switch the 171h from Russia to Guatemala and then I had to redo the whole dossier since the first one was still in Russia. But really, it wasn't that bad.

[stladoptivemommy]

Yes, to all the questions. We did see our daughter on a photolisting site, and we were very careful to research the agency before acting. So far, all is moving along well. We entered PGN as of 2/6/07. We went for our first visit two weeks ago and she is just perfect for our family.

[saranbr]

That was us. The ONLY paperwork we had done was a HS which had to be updated from our daughter's adoption. The agency was willing to take us and we're now in PGN hoping to be OUT soon!

[ncmom24]

I was what I would call a photolistingaholic. I had dreamed of adopting for years and had managed to convince my husband to get a domestic homestudy done. We have three bio daughters and I felt that a son would make the family complete.

Our domestic homestudy was completed in December 2004. I found Elijah in Jan 2005 the day he had been posted with a non-profit that gives grants to "hard to place" children. I was totally ignorant to good agency/bad agencies and lucked into a great agency. They were miraculously willing to work with us even though we had nothing but the domestic homestudy. (I am sure my pathetic pleading helped a little.)

I then sent photos of Elijah to the BCIS office with a passionate cover letter explaining that we had found our son and he wasn't in the US and could they please put a little rush into it as he was already 17 months old. Miraculously they did and I gathered documents like a house on fire.

Elijah came home a week before he turned two in Sept. 2005 and I can't believe how lucky I am. My husband and children thank me constantly (literally) for finding Elijah and completing our family. We have had a total storybook happy ending.

I look at him often and give thanks that he is here with us. He is so incredibly bright and determined (which sometimes translates into pigheaded) and I think about what his life would have been like had he stayed with is birthmother. It saddens me that he will never know her but I know he will have an easier and arguably better life here.

Good wishes to all of you still in process to bring your children home. I remember well saying good night to him every night when he was miles and miles away and praying for the night he would be sleeping down the hall.

Tiersa

[allido]

Got the email back from the agency. She's been "matched" to another family. Thanks for all the info. though- and I will keep looking, hoping, and praying.

[cantwait2bmommy]

We found a child on a photolisting before we were paper ready. We contacted the agency and finally after a few days they gave us pre-approval and told us he was ours. The same day was our homestudy visit. Our Social Worker cautioned us about the agency and gave us a bit of info to research it further so we could form our own opinions. The research wasn't great, but that little face was calling me. The social worker also recommended we stop looking at photolistings. The next day the agency called to tell us that the child had already been placed, "but what about..." this child? At that point I knew that we just needed to stick with our agency (which I extensively researched and feel very comfortable with), get paper ready and wait for our referral. Which we did. As you can see in my avatar, my son is absolutely adorable and in so many ways, I feel, meant to be my son!!!!!

Best of luck!
Chris