[PRENDERVILLE]

VERY NEW TO THIS, SO I WILL JUST TELL YOU MY STORY. AND MAYBE THERE IS AN ANSWER OUT THERE ON WHAT TO DO. MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE RAISED MY GRAND DAUGHTER SINCE SHE WAS 3-4-MONTHS OLD(SARAH).SHE IS MY SONS CHILD,WHO IS FROM MY 1ST MARIAGE. OUR GRANDDAUGHTER IS NOW 4YRS. SHE KNOWS US AS HER MOM AND DAD. WHEN SHE WAS 2 1/2 YRS OLD HER MOTHER HAD TRIED TO TAKE US TO COURT TO GET HER BACK BUT THE COURTS HERE IN N.Y. SAW SHE HAD LEFT THIS BABY FOR OVER 2 YRS. AND SHE FAILED TO PROVE SHE HAD DONE ANY DRUG OR ALCHOL PROGRAMS. SO I WAS GIVEN SOLE CUSTODY IN COURT.SHE WAS ALOWED TO VISIT BUT WITH US PRESENT AT ALL TIMES. (AS A FRIEND, JUDGE SAID"SHE WAS MOM THE DAY SHE GAVE BIRTH BUT LOST THAT RIGHT THE DAY SHE WALKED AWAY FROM THE CHILD")NEEDLESS TO SAY SHE COMES ONCE A MONTH FOR MAYBE AN HOUR. SHE HAS ANOTHER BABY AND IS DUE TO HAVE ANOTHER AND IS LIVING OFF THE WELFARE SYSTEM. MY HUSBAND HAS NO STANDING HE IS NOT THE BLOOD RELATED PARENT. BUT HE PAYS FOR SARAHS MEDICAL.SCHOOL,ALL ACTIVITIES, EVERYTHING! WE WANT TO ADOPTED SARAH AND GIVE HER OUR LAST NAME.WE WANT HER TO FEEL LIKE SHE IS PART OF OUR FAMILY. SHE STARTS SCHOOL IN ANOTHER YEAR. WE PLAN ON TELLING SARAH ABOUT HER PARENTS ETC.MY SON COULD CARE WHAT WE DO SO I KNOW HE'LL HAVE NO PROBLEM LETTING US ADOPT HER. AND WE FEEL AT THIS POINT WE CAN TALK TO THE MOTHER AND ALLOW US TO DO THIS . OF COURSE WE WOULD STILL ALLOW HER TO SEE THE CHILD BUT WE SEE THIS AS SLOWLY NOT HAPPENING. SO I KNOW THIS ALL SOUNDS GREAT BUT..... I HAD CERVICAL CANCER I AM BEING TEATED FOR THIS AND DR. FEEL 98% SURE I'LL BEAT IT. ALL I KEPT THINKING IS IF ANYTHING EVER HAPPENED TO ME MY HUSBAND HAS NO LEGAL RIGHTS TO SARAH!! SO WITH THIS MEDICAL PROBLEM WHAT DO I DO ? WILL THE COURTS NOT ALLOW US TO ADOPTED HER? SARAH IS OUR LIFE,AS ALL OF YOU MUST KNOW THERE IS NOT A THING WE WOULD'NT DO FOR THEM. THE LAST TIME WE WENT TO COURT IT COST US $15,000.00. BECAUSE WE KNEW WE COULD NOT LET THIS CHILD GO BACK TO HER MOTHER. AND THANK-GOD IF NEED BE I CAN SPENT WHAT EVER IT TAKES TO ADOPT HER. I THINK MY MEDICAL PROBLEM REALLY PUTS THE BREAKS ON THINGS. SO IF ANY BODY KNOWS FOR SURE I WOULD LOVE TO HERE FROM YOU. I LIVE IN NEW YORK LONG ISLAND.