Conversations with a stranger
Since our first choice adoption agency is expecting such long wait times, Z-Man and I have decided to look more carefully at some of our other options. This week I sent out requests for more information to several of the agencies who work in Ethiopia.
On referral from one of those agencies, we contacted a woman who just returned home from Ethiopia with her new 6 month old daughter. It was nice to have the opportunity to talk to someone in person about their experiences, and it ended up being very valuable to us because she grew up in Our Town, she was adopted, and is black. Talk about hitting several birds with one stone!
Z-Man talked to her and then gave me the recap. I really wanted him to talk to her because he is the one who is currently feeling out of sorts without adoption plans and I wanted him to have the chance to ask any and all questions he wanted to with out the “wife filter”. He was very positive about their conversation. She was open and honest about everything and we really got a feel for the good, the bad, and the ugly.
She is coming back here for a visit in a while and is happy to meet with us in person and answer any other questions we could think of. We will also have the opportunity to meet her new daughter.
I can’t express how thoughtful and touching it was to have someone willing to take time out of their busy lives and talk to us about their adoption and life experiences. She really helped us look at the realities we are facing raising an Ethiopian child in Our Town, and helped us get a feel for the process with another agency we are considering using. I really feel like we are starting to make progress and may even be ready to start down our own adoption path soon.
Referral Picture 6/21/07
3 comments:
Good for you. I think most a-parents are willing to share their experience. We're all bonded by it in a way.
I'm really glad you had an opportunity like this to talk to someone who has been through the entire process with a certain agency. Sometimes I feel like my opinion of our agency varies with what's happening at the time -- it's great to get a "long view" from someone who already has their child home.
I'm so excited for you!
We were lucky enough to find a couple like that too. They showed us pictures from the day the were at the orphanage, their information was priceless. Glad you found them!
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