[KenandShelly]

Does anyone still visit here?

We are in Norfolk and have just started the process for domestic infant adoption. We are currently foster parents. We thought by now we'd have had a foster to adopt placement, but it hasn't worked out that way.

We'd love to chat with some other Virginia families!

[tabithasr]

Hi Shelly,
We live in Southwest Virginia, and we are considering domestic infant adoption. We have not done any application or homestudy yet, we are still going to agency orientations. We are planning on going to an agency orientation in August that does domestic infant adoption and foster to adopt. We had considered foster to adopt, but not really sure if that is the way for us to go. Have your foster placements been primarily older children?

[KenandShelly]

We have had children from 5 weeks to 14 years old! Most of the kids have been elementary school aged.

I'm headed out to the library but will post more later. Glad to find someone from VA!!!

[tabithasr]

Hi Shelly
I'm looking forward to chatting with you. I have about a million questions about the adoption process and foster parenting.
Tabitha

[KenandShelly]

Hi again. Sorry I didn't get back on yesterday. My fs is teething and needed attention!

We are foster parents with the city of Norfolk. We went originally trained with a private agency with the intention of adopting. When we learned about what foster care really entails we decided to do that, too. And we switche to the city agency b/c they get more foster kids than the private did. But we never got any fost/adopt placements, they all have had goals to return to their parents. Which is good!!!! But we want some permanence, too. So we are pursuing domestic infant adoption. We are still very open to adopting an older child, infact we've inquired about several. With the private agency, though, we are really pursuing an infant.

We are still researching agencies, too. Have you talked to any that you really like or dislike that you wouldn't mind sharing with me?

There are a lot of foster to adopt kids available so I hope what I said didn't discourage you. Foster parenting has been wonderful and we are hoping to continue. We'll probably go on hold when we get an adoptive placement but depending on our child's needs we'd like to do foster care again.

Hope to talk to you soon!

[tabithasr]

Hi Shelly,
We really haven't looked too much into foster to adopt. While I think it is a wonderful idea, and my husband is all for it, I think I would be so nervous about getting attached to a child and then the adoption not working out. Another thing that concerns me is that we both work full-time jobs. Do you think that makes a difference in a foster situation? I guess it would depend on the child and their situation? We are also still considering further infertility treatments. I will PM you about the agencies we have looked at so far.
Take care,
Tabitha

[CarRanVA]

Hi Shelly - I am usually on the international adoption forum, but thought I would pop in. We adopted 2 children from Russia a year and a half ago. We do use a local agency for our post placement reports and they also did our homestudy. They are based out of Norfolk. Send me a PM if you are still looking and I can give you some details. All the best to you!!

[babydubs5]

hi! im in virginia beach!

i visit this board here and there.... kinda staying away from the entire site more lately since we had a failed match last month.... it's been a rough month, but we're still hopeful!

we've considered fostering, and fostering to adopt in a few years.... we just are waiting for my DH to get out of the Navy so we know where we'll be for a longer period of time.... fun stuff huh?

[KenandShelly]

I am so sorry to hear about your failed match. I hope the next match comes quickly for you.

We are still talking to agencies. We are waiting until our current fs's case is closed before we officially sign with anyone. Do you like the agencies that you are with?