- City
- Dexter
- State
- MI
One of the cool things about this place is that it's been around for 17 YEARS now and there are so many folks who've been around from the beginning. Another cool thing is how incredibly supportive and kind the folks here are in general and that it's never fallen into the hot mess that so many other forums and Facebook groups turn into.
That was part of what led me to post openly about our effort to adopt a child back when we finally got fed up with the various fertility crap. My wife and I were blessed to be matched with a great birthmother in an open adoption (there are different versions, but ours was where you meet and keep in touch with the birthmother/family) and that resulted in our daughter Laura becoming the light of our lives. While the agency we used in 2005 is no longer in existence, we still happily and openly discuss the process and what's it's been like for us.
Laura just finished middle school and is 13 now and the graduation ceremony made me think about the posts I made here back before we were matched, so I thought it was worth a bump. (I decided to start a new post because I wanted to mention that the agency was no longer around.) Maybe seeing this will help someone out there who is in a similar situation to where we were back then. I'm ALWAYS happy to chat/talk offline if anyone has questions or anything.
It's cool that there are so many folks here that I basically consider family that have watched her grow up across all the various Scrambler events and gatherings. Similarly, I love having watched so many other folks' kids grow up the same way. Just can't express how much I love this place and the people.
Here were the threads in order (remember, the adoption agency I reference is no longer in service but there are many more that should be excellent to work with!)
https://www.cj-8.com/threads/adopting-you-can-help-a-friend.9364/
https://www.cj-8.com/threads/ot-adoption-were-matched.11099/
https://www.cj-8.com/threads/ot-adoption-update-ca-bound.12185/
https://www.cj-8.com/threads/lj-walton.12338/
https://www.cj-8.com/threads/adoption-finalized.13591/
We are still in contact with the birthfamily and actually went out west to visit them and their daughter (Laura's half-birthsister, different father) over Spring break. The "open" part of the adoption has been absolutely fantastic.
The link to the pics from the announcement thread is long since dead, here's a quick pic of a photo I have on my office wall from right after we got back to NC from CA:
And here we are with Laura at her 8th grade graduation night with us last week where has the time gone!
Anyway, thought it was worth a repost, if anyone wants to talk PLEASE reach out to me or someone, I know PRECISELY how horrific the "fertility treadmill" can be and what it can do to a couple. The day we chose to move on to adoption was one of the best days of my life and the feeling of the weight being lifted from us was as real and palpable as busting a knuckle on your Jeep. I only wish we'd done it MUCH MUCH sooner. Hence this post...
That was part of what led me to post openly about our effort to adopt a child back when we finally got fed up with the various fertility crap. My wife and I were blessed to be matched with a great birthmother in an open adoption (there are different versions, but ours was where you meet and keep in touch with the birthmother/family) and that resulted in our daughter Laura becoming the light of our lives. While the agency we used in 2005 is no longer in existence, we still happily and openly discuss the process and what's it's been like for us.
Laura just finished middle school and is 13 now and the graduation ceremony made me think about the posts I made here back before we were matched, so I thought it was worth a bump. (I decided to start a new post because I wanted to mention that the agency was no longer around.) Maybe seeing this will help someone out there who is in a similar situation to where we were back then. I'm ALWAYS happy to chat/talk offline if anyone has questions or anything.
It's cool that there are so many folks here that I basically consider family that have watched her grow up across all the various Scrambler events and gatherings. Similarly, I love having watched so many other folks' kids grow up the same way. Just can't express how much I love this place and the people.
Here were the threads in order (remember, the adoption agency I reference is no longer in service but there are many more that should be excellent to work with!)
https://www.cj-8.com/threads/adopting-you-can-help-a-friend.9364/
https://www.cj-8.com/threads/ot-adoption-were-matched.11099/
https://www.cj-8.com/threads/ot-adoption-update-ca-bound.12185/
https://www.cj-8.com/threads/lj-walton.12338/
https://www.cj-8.com/threads/adoption-finalized.13591/
We are still in contact with the birthfamily and actually went out west to visit them and their daughter (Laura's half-birthsister, different father) over Spring break. The "open" part of the adoption has been absolutely fantastic.
The link to the pics from the announcement thread is long since dead, here's a quick pic of a photo I have on my office wall from right after we got back to NC from CA:
And here we are with Laura at her 8th grade graduation night with us last week where has the time gone!
Anyway, thought it was worth a repost, if anyone wants to talk PLEASE reach out to me or someone, I know PRECISELY how horrific the "fertility treadmill" can be and what it can do to a couple. The day we chose to move on to adoption was one of the best days of my life and the feeling of the weight being lifted from us was as real and palpable as busting a knuckle on your Jeep. I only wish we'd done it MUCH MUCH sooner. Hence this post...