My husband is exhausted, but I'm feeling excited! That is a good way to summarize our day. We began by getting better acquainted with the additional couples who were back for their second (or 3rd!) adoption. Jordan and I have already decided that we are going to make good friends during this process with the other couples walking the same road. It is so encouraging to know that we're not alone. After brief introductions, we got down to the nitty gritty. The first half of our day was spent going over legal issues.
Here are a few of the basics...
-Each state regulates adoption laws
-Texas requires 48 hours after birth before a mother can relinquish her rights
-After placement, there is a 6 month Agency supervision before the adoption is finalized in court (at this point the agency has parental rights)
After lunch, we were joined by an adoptive parent who told her story and answered questions we had about open adoption, her child's birthfamily, transracial adoption, etc. It was nice to see someone who was living what we had been talking and reading about. The latter part of the day was spent talking about creating our profile (the sheet that goes in the infamous "book" the birthmother's will look at to select a couple), the match meeting, what to do after the match, and working through an open adoption plan with the birthfamily.
We do feel a little like our brains are overflowing with information, but it is also exciting to see a glimpse of what's to come. We were sent home with more paperwork, and a few more reading assignments. After these are completed, we will once again meet up with our case worker, but this time at our home. Hoping Duke will be on his best behavior!
Thanks for the update! Your posts are so well-written, and ive already learned so much about adoption that I didn't know. Let us know if we can do anything. PS: is it really *duke* who needs to be on his best behavior? ;) I'm just sayin'...
ReplyDeleteAllison
Angela,
ReplyDeleteThis is awesome- you should earn a degree with all the work you are doing :) <3 - How great to meet some folks who have been done this road. Come see us soon.
Donna
Hey you have no idea who I am but I went to school with Jordan and I think he was in my sister Kara's class at school and my dad is a science teacher there. I clicked on your blog from Jessica Pope's blog. My husband John and I are also in the process of adopting a domestic newborn. We started all our paperwork and everything Feb 2008. We have been approved and waiting since July 2008. We are hoping to be matched with a birth family any time now but we also know we could be waiting a while longer. We are waiting on God's perfect timing for our child but the waiting can get hard at times. Anyway just wanted to introduce myself and I'm happy to meet people going through the same process we are.
ReplyDeleteIt was good to read the update. It seems like the agency is doing a great job to prepare you for what's to come. I was just telling a friend of mine how proud I was of you guys and the decision you made to pursue adoption. We'll continue to pray for you. We love you guys. Jennifer (& Richie)
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