[CMWGR]

I GAVE BIRTH TO MY DAUGHTER FIVE YEARS AGO, WHILE I WAS STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL. HER "BIOLOGICAL DAD" (I HATE SAYING THAT) WANTED NOTHING TO DO WITH HER LIFE, AND I HAD NO PROBLEM WITH THAT. THIS WAS MY DECISION AND FRANKLY, WE WEREN'T IN A COMMITED RELATIONSHIP, HE WAS SOMEONE I KNEW AND WE HUNG OUT TOGETHER EVERY NOW AND THEN, AND ONE NIGHT ONE THING LED TO ANOTHER....I GAVE BIRTH, HE NEVER AS MUCH SAW HER, NEVER SIGNED THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE.....I GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL, AND BEGAN TO GO TO COLLEGE, MY PARENTS HELPED ME FINANCIALLY, I NEVER GOT AID, (I NEVER WANTED IT) AND MET THE MOST AMAZING MAN IN THE WORLD, AND WE ARE NOW MARRIED. A FEW MONTHS AFTER HER BIRTH, I SAW THE "BIOLOGICAL GUY" SPOKE WITH HIM ABOUT MY DAUGHTER AND HE INFORMED ME HE WASN'T INTERESTED.

MY DAUGHTER LOOKS UP TO MY HUSBAND, MORE THAN I COULD EVER HOPE FOR. WE'VE BEEN TOGETHER FOR QUITE A FEW YEARS, AND HE IS THE ONLY DAD SHE HAS EVER KNOWN. SHE CALLS HIM DADDY AND AT THE WEDDING, THE TWO OF THEM TOOK VOWS TO EACH OTHER.

HE DESPERATELY WANTS TO BEGIN THE ADOPTION PROCESS, BECAUSE HE SAYS THAT GOD FORBID ANYTHING EVER HAPPEN TO ME, EVEN THOUGH IT IS STATED IN MY WILL, HE COULDN'T AFFORD TO LOSE HER TOO.

I HAVEN'T GOT A CLUE AS TO WHERE TO BEGIN??? I MEAN, I WOULDN'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO CONTACT AN ADOPTION ATTORNEY, NOT EVEN THINKING ABOUT HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO COST US AS I'M STILL A FULL-TIME COLLEGE STUDENT. I'VE BEEN TOLD WE DON'T NEED AN ATTORNEY, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THIS IS SET IN STONE.

I'M ALSO INTERESTED AS TO WHAT EXACTLY WILL HAPPEN? I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE "GUY" IS, I AM SURE THEY WILL FIND HIM, HE'S NOT IN HIDING, AND I DON'T think HE WILL GIVE ME A HARD TIME, BUT THEN AGAIN, YOU ALWAYS HAVE PEOPLE THAT THRIVE ON MAKING OTHER PEOPLE MISERABLE. I MEAN, OTHER THAN OUR CONVERSATIONS TO EACH OTHER, I'VE NEVER AS MUCH MENTIONED HIS NAME TO A SOUL, LEGALLY OR CASUALLY, AND I'M PRETTY NERVOUS ABOUT THE WHOLE THING! I JUST THINK IF I KNOW WHAT EXACTLY WILL GO ON, IT MAKE TAKE SOME OF THE ANXIETY AWAY.

YOUR OPINIONS & INFO ARE MUCH APPRECIATED!
THANKS!

[Melissa Way]

We just went to court on 1/21 for our final hearing for my husband to adopt our son and his bio father contested it and even got a lawyer and the judge granted the adoption! I was so nervous even though his biofather has not seen him in over 2 and a half years I still did not know what the judge was going to decide.
I would definetly recommend getting a lawyer there are so many things that we did not know about and would not have if it would not have been for us having a lawyer.
I know what you mean about the anxiety on what to expect, my nerves have been pretty much shot for the last 8 months but after they granted the adoption it was like a big relief.
If you would like to email me personally I would be more than happy to tell you some of the things you can expect as far as the process. mway@ept-services.com

[owens]

I am also in the same boat and looking for direction!

[Eventually]

I also recommend getting a lawyer, having been in the same situation just a few short years ago. Our adoption was done in MA. Where in MA are you? I can give you the name of the lawyer that I used if you're interested.