[Christabel]

...I swore up and down that I would never do foster to adopt because I could not bear the idea of letting a little one go, but now I can't bare the idea of stopping at two! I have twins adopted from Russia who have ended up having some very similar medical issues to many of the children in the foster care system: drug/alcohol exposed, abuse, etc. If only I had known (and I wish more international adopters knew) then what I know now I would not have gone 40K into debt to go to Russia to adopt. Ugh! Don't get me wrong, I love my daughters. I just wish that I had done more research before taking the leap of faith. I was so desperate just to be a mother though and I didn't think that fostering to adopt was an option because I was under the impression that a) most of the kids are damaged (hello?! try institutional care...no, that doesn't cause damage!) and b) that there are no caucasian children under the age of 4 available to adopt.

Our daughters are almost 5 and I do not (after reading the boards) want to foster to adopt a child older than the girls. What are my chances of ending up adopting 2 to 4 caucasian children over then next 5 to 7 years? We are open to 0-4 in age and will take sibling groups. No problem with drug exposure, FAS/FAE, Bipolar, RAD....etc. been there, done that. Now, I don't know what it would be like to parent a basic needs child...I really don't know how to parent anyone other than a special needs child.

BTW, we live in Houston.
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Regards,
Christabel

[stepforone]

I'd say with your timeline the chances are excellent. You could even possibly end up with a healthy child that has no issues (yes, it can be done). You may go through some heartache first before you get one that stays but believe me, it is worth it.

[TexasJingles]

Just take a look on TARE. There are quite a few caucasian sibling groups on there (and they are all ready for adoption). But! there are a lot of kids that aren't on there either that might fit your family as well (those would be the foster-to-adopt ones). Texas doesn't list them like some other states do (like Oregon! wow! were do they get all those cuties!!! There is a set of 3 yr old twins-- probably 4 now -- boy and girl with FAS or FAE that just melt my heart, on Oregon's website!).

I know Texas has to have the same kind of kids here, and CPS knows where they are. The trick is to get them to tell you! Every now and then, CPS will do something like an open-house and bring their books with them of kids in the state to our agency (so, I know they have to do that other places as well).

I think you have a great chance of finding some great kids to add to your family. Good luck!

[mava]

Call Houston adoption agencies--Depelchin, Homes of St. Mark, Lutheran Services, Catholic Services. These agencies work with CPS, and they screen the children well. If you do not want children with certain problems, you can tell them so, and they will place accordingly.