[TexaninFlorida]

Hello,

My husband and I have narrowed down our adoption agency search to two: Spence Chapin and Wide Horizons for Children.. have you had any experience with any of them? Good or bad? (please PM me).

Also, how is it that we have been told that our military family condition and the fact that I had a diagnosis and treatment of cervical cancer two years ago in my medical history prevents us from adopting to certain countries (ie. Russia and the Ukraine)??

Lastly, do you have any good or bad experiences of adopting from Colombia, Moldova, Bulgaria, Ethipia? Apparently, these are basically our only options..

Thanks for all that are taking the time to read this. Have a great day!

[specialk4b]

I know that each country has its own rules and regulations about who may adopt. Things that are acceptable to one country are not to another. I haven't heard that being military excludes one from adopting, but I know that a cancer diagnosis may rule you out from some countries, at least for a period of time.

I hope you find a path that works for you!

[TexaninFlorida]

Thanks for your message.. I am starting to realize that we should approach adoption with an open mind. When I started thinking about adoption, I thought only about Russia. Now instead, I find myself open to other possibilities. Unfortunately my medical history will determine where I can adopt from, but maybe that was just meant to be! Ultimately, I will end up having a family, which is what matters!

[KerryGaeltacht]

We started thinking we would go with Russia or Ukraine, but thankfully we stumbled upon Poland. It's a perfect fit for us and we're so happy to be going through this beautiful country.

[atv1921]

Hello just wondering what u found out about the two agencies.. I am trying to narrow my choices down. Please pm me with good or bad. Best of luck to all of you

[sak9645]

Some agencies do not like military families, because they move around often.

This means that gathering all the paperwork can be very difficult. As an example, when you adopt from a foreign country that has ratified the Hague Convention on intercountry adoption, you have to get police clearances from every jurisdiction in which you have lived, including foreign jurisdictions. Still, gathering the paperwork is doable, and if you are willing to work at it, you will find agencies that will accept you.

Also, some agencies worry that, with frequent moves, it may be hard on a child. Some agencies may mention, as well, that military pay isn't that good, although they may forget some of the "perqs", such as reduced fee on-base housing, PX availability for discount shopping, etc. In short, there ARE agencies that don't have a problem with a military family.

Recent cervical cancer is more likely to be an issue, especially with international adoption. Many countries don't accept a cancer diagnosis at all. Some accept a diagnosis if a person has been cancer-free for ten years. If you have not been cancer-free for a long time, be prepared to get lots of documentation about your prognosis from oncologists and, even then, be realistic; not all agencies or countries will accept you.

Sharon