No Dirtweek '04 for me???

[CAL]

It is our criteria for children (our decision) that is keeping us from going to Ukraine. We were looking for a healthy child in the 1 to 3 year old age group. Finding a healthy young child (younger than 4 or 5) is "akin to magic" in the translator's words. And they had never helped or heard of a couple as young as us adopting from Ukraine. Most people are in there 40s and their age restrictions on perpesctive children are almost non-existent. We don't feel like we want to tackle bringing a 4 or 5 year old (as our first child) into the US, having to teach them English, and then send them off to school so soon. A big issue with Ukraine adoption is that there is no information about available children given out prior to your interview with the Adoption Center in Kiev. You take the chance of no children meeting your requirements, being available. If that happens, you either stay in Ukraine and wait for another interview, or fly home, wait for another interview, and then fly back again. We don't have the funds to be making multiple trips and still have the possiblity of coming home empty handed. The amount of couples adopting from Ukraine has multiplied, bigtime lately. They interview 20 families every day. There is actually a 5 month waiting period in Ukraine now. We're trying to fullfill OUR need just as much as the child's need. We are very ready to bring up a child(ren) and raise them as the Lord would have us to.

With Childplace, there is a need for parents for bi-racial children, it is 3 hours from home, Mandy's brother was adopted through there, Mandy's dad used to be on the board of directors, they have been EXTREMELY helpful, and we can get an infant.....so it just makes sense to use Childplace.

 

[XRpredator]

understood. 'twould be tough on a kid to throw 'em into school with so little english background.

 

[dirty~d~]

CAL,

My best wishes to you and Mandy. It is a wonderful thing for you to open your home and your hearts to a child (or children) in need of a good life. I do hope that one day you are able to have your own child. Great things happen when you least expect them. :thumb:

 

[Kav]

Cal
Man that's *truly* big hearted of you and your wife. I wish the best of luck to you two :)

 

[KelvinKDX]

Corey,

Drop me a line when you get a chance. A while back Wendy and i began the adoption process as she could not have children. This was with an "Open Adoption" agency where you know who the birthmother is prior to the birth of the child, she usually knows you too. Things got rocky in our marriage and i stopped the adoption as i did not want to bring a child into a troubled marriage. We had already paid the adoption fees (in full) and i am investigating to see if these may be transferrable (if even in part) to someone. If so - you and Mandy would be welcome to anything i've invested and can get back (no charge to you of course).

 

[CAL]

Wow, Jim. That's an incredible offer, but I couldn't take your money. Surely you can get a refund of the fees. Usually if a child hasn't been placed, you can get a refund.

Mandy and I will be doing a semi-open adoption, where we submit a portfolio of our family, and the mother chooses which family gets here child...but no names are exchanged. We won't know the mother and she won't know us, besides our pictures and written biography.

Please pursue trying to get yourself a refund. There is no way we could take that money.

 

[KelvinKDX]

Corey,

I'll send you an email tomorrow - i'm in Mexico until next Thursday. The money is only about $10K. I either donate it to the adoption agency and use it as a tax write-off or find a way to get it transferred over to you guys. The semi-open adoption is also an option i believe. Again - i need a little time to look into this. I've been meaning to find out what i needed to do for the tax deduction thing anyway and would much rather see the $$ go to you two guys if it works out.