Tag Archives: waiting

What You Have to Offer a Support Group

Although you may not think you need a support group, have you considered how a support group might need you? One of the main reasons I think people don’t attend an adoption support group is they don’t feel it will be of any benefit to them. In my years of leading and co-leading support groups I’ve noticed three primary groups of attendees: those in waiting, those in crisis, and those who want to be of support. Those in waiting: These are often people who’ve attended group to learn more about the process of adoption after their home studies have been … Continue reading →

Things I Wish I was Told about Adoption

I’m not only going to share the things that I wish I was told about adoption prior to doing it, but the things I’m glad I was told as well. Keep in mind this list pertains primarily to state adoptions: • Whether you give birth, or adopt, if you haven’t met the child prior, you really never know what you will get in regard to special needs. • The process of waiting and emotional ups and downs will better prepare you for the road ahead. • Get involved with a support group! Being in one ourselves, my husband and I … Continue reading →

Labor of the Heart

I’m not qualified to make a true correlation between physical labor while giving birth to a child, and the labor pains of the heart in adoption. I have never experienced child birth first hand. I had the honor of being invited while a long time close friend of mine was awaiting the arrival of her and her husband’s first child, a beautiful son by birth. I remember her contractions, the waiting for her next stage of labor to approach (she had a very, very long labor); the praying for her son, and for God to be with my friend to … Continue reading →

Finally Finalized

When starting out our adoption journey, my husband and I found the waiting to be difficult. One moment we needed to submit documentation right away to be processed, then in another moment, we would find our selves waiting wondering if we were forgotten. We believed once we had our child in our home, the waiting for finalization wouldn’t be hard. When our first son was placed in our home, I can’t explain the joy we felt in becoming parents! We had waited 19 months from the day of our first orientation class, for the placement of our son. There was … Continue reading →

The Long Awaited TPR

For foster parents hoping to adopt their foster child and parents hoping to adopt their child’s birth sibling in the state system, the waiting for termination of parental rights (TPR) of the birth parents can be an emotional journey. What may look like an open and shut case doesn’t always turn out to be that way. In most cases birth parents are given every opportunity to regain custody of their child. Sometimes it can look like a birth parent is not following case plan. The state and the judge might agree that TPR in inevitable based on the evidence, but … Continue reading →

Reflections on Adoption

Had someone told me one day I would grow up, meet a nice man who I’d marry, would willingly go through state adoption; that our children would be born to mothers who were unstable and our kids would have challenges likely as a result, I would have told them they were crazy! Years ago I believed that the only people who adopted were those who couldn’t have children of their “own”. I’m not sure if going through pregnancy and childbirth is harder than adoption. I can’t even say for sure that love for a child who’s been adopted is different … Continue reading →

Why Write About the International Adoption Wait?

One of the most difficult things in any adoption is all of the waiting that you have to do. However, I believe that the wait in international adoption is especially hard, although certainly every parent who adopts will experience the wait to some degree. You see, when you are waiting during an international adoption, a lot of that waiting happens after your child has already been identified. You know who your child is and you know that they are growing up without you. Each day that passes, you wonder what your child is doing. Is she happy? Are they taking … Continue reading →