[kimmom]

After reading so many posts I have come to the conclusion that International adoptive parents are NOT what I had always assumed they were. I was way way off! I think that there is this assumption that only infertile (usually older) married couples choose international adoption to adopt an infant, when really EVERY kind of family is choosing it for every kind of child. I thought that it would be fun to do a survey to see what the break-up of the board is. So, if you don't mind, answer these questions. I can't wait to see all of the different ways these families are made.

Are you married or single?

How many biobabies?

How many children via adoption (and were they biosibs); what was/were their age(s)?

What country or countries did you choose?

What was/were the age/ages of your family when you started adopting?

Ok that's probably enough, but if you think of any other interesting way that we vary add it. I think that it is so cool that we all have the same call in our heart, while all of our circumstances differ so much!

[momraine]

Originally Posted by kimmom

Are you married or single?
Married

How many biobabies?
Two, both born before our first adoption if that matters.

How many children via adoption (and were they biosibs); what was/were their age(s)?
Two children via adoption, not siblings, the adoptions were six years apart and in different countries. One was ten months old and the second one six years. Both had special needs (missing limbs, the second more severe than the first)

What country or countries did you choose?
Russia, then Poland, next, who knows.

What was/were the age/ages of your family when you started adopting?
Dh and I were in our early to mid 30's when we started the process the first time, late 30's for the second. (dh was 40 when the second was completed) Our older boys were like 3 and five when we started the two year process the first time, so they were five and seven when we brought thier baby sister home. When we brought our six year old home the kids were 13, 11, and 7.

Ok that's probably enough, but if you think of any other interesting way that we vary add it. I think that it is so cool that we all have the same call in our heart, while all of our circumstances differ so much!

The only thing I can think of is that we purposely set out to adopt special needs

[JenC]

Are you married or single?
married 9 years
How many biobabies?
none
How many children via adoption (and were they biosibs); what was/were their age(s)?
just the one we are in the process of bringing home
What country or countries did you choose?
Ethiopia
What was/were the age/ages of your family when you started adopting?
I'm 29 (30 in a few weeks), DH is 27

[sakelley]

Are you married or single? Married for 9 years

How many biobabies? None. No desire to have any - DH had vasectomy almost 3 years ago

How many children via adoption (and were they biosibs); what was/were their age(s)? 1 daughter adopted 9/4/06 at 34 months of age.

What country or countries did you choose? China (through their Waiting Child Program)

What was/were the age/ages of your family when you started adopting? We were both 31

[devildogwife]

Are you married or single? Married for almost 2 years

How many biobabies? 2 waiting for us in heaven

How many children via adoption (and were they biosibs); what was/were their age(s)? we're waiting until my DH returns from deployment to begin

What country or countries did you choose? Right now, the plan is Vietnam, however I realize that may change.

What was/were the age/ages of your family when you started adopting? We started considering adoption at 21, decided for sure at 22, and will be starting at 23.

[CLR]

Are you married or single?
married
How many biobabies?
2
How many children via adoption (and were they biosibs); what was/were their age(s)?

What country or countries did you choose?
China

What was/were the age/ages of your family when you started adopting?
Son-5
Son-2
Hubby-38
Me-31

Pregnancy loss struggles?
Lost 6 babies in first trimester. 3 miscarriages and 3 ectopic (tubal) which ended in loss of right ovary and fallopian tube.

[hml1976]

Are you married or single? Married

How many biobabies? None, no infertility.

How many children via adoption (and were they biosibs); what was/were their age(s)? One (and one on the way) a daughter, she was 9mths at adoption, hoping to adopt an infant son.

What country or countries did you choose? Kazakhstan for both.

What was/were the age/ages of your family when you started adopting? 28 when we started the process for #1, 30 for #2.

[sis2kensia]

Are you married or single?
Married 2 years

How many biobabies?
None yet, maybe one or two later in life, we'll see....

How many children via adoption (and were they biosibs); what was/were their age(s)?
None yet, but will be adopting a boy 0-3 or sibling group of two under 5.

What country or countries did you choose?
We'll be adopting from Haiti!

What was/were the age/ages of your family when you started adopting?
When we're actually going to be ready to send our paperwork in we'll be 24 and 28.

[SAVeronika]

Are you married or single?

Married for almost 7 years

How many biobabies?

2

How many children via adoption (and were they biosibs); what was/were their age(s)?

None yet

What country or countries did you choose?

We are still in the research phase, but looking at Cambodia, Vietnam, China (for when I'm older) and Guatemala

What was/were the age/ages of your family when you started adopting?

I'm 27 and dh is 34

Ok that's probably enough, but if you think of any other interesting way that we vary add it. I think that it is so cool that we all have the same call in our heart, while all of our circumstances differ so much!

We are South African

Veronika

[sak9645]

Are you married or single? Single -- divorced for many, many years.

How many biobabies? None.

How many children via adoption (and were they biosibs); what was/were their age(s)? One daughter -- 18.5 months at adoption, 11 years old now.

What country or countries did you choose? China.

What was/were the age/ages of your family when you started adopting? I was almost 50 when I started my homestudy, and 51 when I met my daughter in China. I first decided to adopt when I was 47, but could not do so then because of responsibilities involving my elderly parents.

[beachdreams]

Are you married or single? Married

How many biobabies? None

How many children via adoption (and were they biosibs); what was/were their age(s)?one daughter now who was 3 weeks at referral, 8 months when we came home with her and 19.5 months now

What country or countries did you choose?she was from Guatemala but we are in the process of adopting from China now, requesting a girl 6-36 months of age

What was/were the age/ages of your family when you started adopting? I was 34 and hubby was 32 when we started the process

We never tried to have biological children which for some reason seems to surprise most people

[kmaryp]

Are you married or single?

Soon to be married after dating almost 10 years

How many biobabies?

Me-0, DF-1

How many children via adoption (and were they biosibs); what was/were their age(s)?

None yet, but hoping for siblings 2-6 years old.

What country or countries did you choose?
Not definite yet, but leaning toward Kazakhstan

What was/were the age/ages of your family when you started adopting?
Fiance-42
Son-18
Me-42

Pregnancy loss struggles?
1 ectopic pregnancy which ended in the loss of one fallopian tube at the age of 21. Have not been able to conceive since, but haven't tried real hard for the past 12 years.

At my age, I decided I'd rather adopt than try to figure out my infertility issues and get them resolved. I'm glad to see other (possibly) fertile couples adopting.

[CalandraLark]

I've discovered the plan way, way ahead types like me are rare or at least don't show up on the board much, so my answers will be a lot different from most because I won't be adopting for years yet.

Are you married or single?
I'm single at the moment (and not quite 21 for that matter). I will be married before I adopt.

How many biobabies?
I expect to have one at some point

How many children via adoption (and were they biosibs); what was/were their age(s)?
I want about four children total, so probably three or so. I'd love to adopt an older child or two but I don't think the first one will be, I want plenty of experience first

What country or countries did you choose?
At the moment I'm really drawn to Korea, Ethiopia, and possibly Krygyzstan, but who knows what the rules might change before I actually adopt so I'm keeping an open mind

What was/were the age/ages of your family when you started adopting?
Obviously I don't know how old I'll be, but I expect at minimum 27.

[ocracoke]

Originally Posted by kimmom

Are you married or single? Single

How many biobabies? none

How many children via adoption (and were they biosibs); what was/were their age(s)? 1 daughter --20 months when she came home

What country or countries did you choose? Ethiopia

What was/were the age/ages of your family when you started adopting? 36

Who knows, I might do it again.

Samantha

[mlb]

Are you married or single? Married for almost 11 years

How many biobabies? None, 2 failed IVF cycles

How many children via adoption (and were they biosibs); what was/were their age(s)? a son age 7, adopted at 13 months and another child "on the way". We are wait for our LOI.

What country or countries did you choose? Kaz for both.

What was/were the age/ages of your family when you started adopting? I was 28, DH was 30.