Stories of your adoption experiences

We chose to adopt - it was our first choice, instead of pursuing biological children. We knew we would have a richer family because of it: culturally, language-wise, community (adoptive and Latino), etc. What we found is that we also have a larger family than we were intending! We adopted our 1st daughter, Julia in October of 2006 and soon found out her birthmother was pregnant with a second daughter. We were invited to adopt that child as well. As we wait to bring her home, we have been able to connect with the birth mother, speak Spanish more fluently, meet two wonderful foster families, and provide for her oldest daughter to go to a good Guatemalan school. We have a richer family, but we also have a larger family that will be permanently included in our lives. --Nora Tycast, Minneapolis, MN (submitted on Jan. 15, 2008)

I am currently in process of adopting a beautiful baby boy as a single woman. I had the pleasure of meeting my son Steven for the first time on November 12, 2007 when I flew down to Guatemala to sign a power of attorney. It was love at first sight!! I booked my second visit trip the minute I got home because I knew it was the only thing that would help me get through all of the waiting and uncertainty that currently surround Guatemalan adoptions. I will be leaving for my second visit trip this Friday January 18, 2008. It is unfortunate that Guatemalan adoptions have been wrought with corruption because there are so many children there that need homes and so many people willing to give them the love and care that they deserve. --Anonymous , Brooklyn, NY (submitted on Jan. 15, 2008)

I like many other women have struggled with infertility. My husband and I decided to stop all fertility treatments and look towards adoption. At the time we did know that we wanted to adopt internationally but we weren't sure which country we wanted to adopt from. We prayed about it and researched many countries. We felt that the Lord was leading us to Guatemala. I was very pleased when I read the information on this country because of the child being an infant when he/she came home and the fact that the child could be placed into private foster care. We recieved our referral of our angel in March of 2007. At the time we were very worried at the possiblity of the Hague affecting our adoption before it was completed. I did a lot of research on the Hague and the reasoning behind it being enforced. I do agree that parts of the adoption process needed to be reformed but I also think that the majority of the adoptions from Guatemala are ethical. I think one good change that was made during our adoption process was the second DNA test. This change proved that the child we had been referred and had orginally done the DNA test on was the child that we were going to pick up. I also like that the birth mother had to sign off on our adoption four different times during our adoption process. She could have at any time during the process changed her mind and kept her baby. She was well aware of what decision she was making during the process. We as parents did the paperwork and followed the rules as they were layed out. I feel that the Lord lead me to Guatemala and had my child specifically picked out for me. I love the country of Guatemala and will do everything I possibly can to make sure that adoptions continue. I thank God for my daughter. She has brought joy to my life that is unexplainable. The love I have for my child is only one that God could explain. She may not have grown in my tummy but for the 8 months that I was waiting to go to Guatemala to pick her up, she grew in my heart. It breaks my heart to think that if adoptions are suspended in Guatemala that there will be orphans without loving homes. I do pray that IF adoptions are suspended that the country of Guatemala will come up with a plan to take care of the children that I have grown to love. Currently the country does not support a foster care system. Thank you for allowing us as parents to voice our adoption story. It is very important to us that our voice is heard. We are the parents that are blessed with our Guatemalan children. What beautiful children they are! --Anonymous , Rocky Mount, NC (submitted on Jan. 15, 2008)

We started the adoption process in September of 2002 through an agency in Lexington, we completed the necessary paperwork and it was submitted. We did not receive a referral until April of 2003, due to the Hague Treaty problems that began to show up that spring. We received a referral of a little girl and two weeks later we received a referal of a little boy. We had wanted to adopt two children and were overly thrilled. However, our excitment turned into a total nightmare, we were caught in the shutdown of the system while Guatemala tried to decide on whether the Hague Treaty was constitutional. We were told that our case would continue to move through the system, however, when it reached a certain point it would stop and they did not know exacty when it would start again if at all. From April 2003 through September 2003 we could not get enough information. Beginning in September we heard that things were starting up again and that we should hear something very soon and our children should be home before Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving and Christmas came and went and we were finally told that our son's mother had signed off the required number of times and that the DNA testing had been completed, but our daughter's mother had disappeared into a nearby village and that they were trying to locate her. A month passed and we were told that our daughter's mother had been located however she wanted more money before she would sign for the 3rd time, which left 2 more times that she had to sign before her rights were terminated. Our attorney told us that we could not pay any more money and that our daughter was going to be placed in an orphanage or be returned to her mother which would mean a life in the streets. We were crushed but realized that our son needed us and that we could only hope and pray that our daughter would be healthy and safe. We finally received the news that it was time to travel to pick up our son, we left Lexington on April 29, 2004. We would be able to get him home just one week short of his 1st birthday. When we travelled to Guatemala we choose not to meet wih the foster mother and lawyer until Sunday, May 1st, we wanted to tour Guatemala City and the surrounding villages and town before we received our son. When we meet with our attorney and foster mother on Sunday and we finally got the chance to hold our son, it was one of hte greatest joys I have ever felt. Out teenage daughter was there with us and she instanly fell in love with him as did we. He was perfect, just like I had imagined. I had a letter translated in Spanish by my niece and I gave it to our foster mom along with gifts that I had pciked up from Lexington. These gifts were simple thank you's for taking excellent care of him. She had kept him almost a year, letting him go was going to be hard. THe whole adoption process was tough but I would do it again, our procoess took 19 months not the three to six months that you hear about. --Sandy WIlfong, Lexington, KY (submitted on Jan. 15, 2008)

My story is mostly a positive one, but began back in 2003 when the adoptions had been shut down for approx. 6 months. After waiting for about 8 months for a referral I finally received a picture of an 8 month old baby girl. Two months into the process they told me the father had come back for the baby, but to wait for another referral. That I must admit was crushing, but I waited and finally received a referral for a 3 day old baby girl. My story is a positive one because I only waited 3.5 months to bring my little girl home. My daughter (Marina) is now a 4 years old and is as happy as can be. She is the love of my life and adopting her was the best choice I have ever made. I think about the life she could have had and I am glad that she is here with me, but I am often saddened by the fact that her birth mom was only 25 and this was her only child. Due to poverty she was forced to give her child away. How horrible!!! Just think, this is one of the happy stories. --Linda Zahnen, volo, IL (submitted on Jan. 15, 2008)

We are an "almost adoptive" family. We have 3 biological children and are waiting for our 2 little girls from Guatemala to come home. Although the wait is hard, knowing Gaby and Tamar are being taken care of by a wonderful woman, who's orphanage is run out of her home, makes us feel much better. We even met one of the girls bio moms. What an amazing experience. It's one of those times in your life that there were no words for, which is a good thing b/c we don't speak Spanish. Guatemala is changing it's adoption system b/c of corruption. We have never experienced a bribe or paper pushing that we know of. Our experience, has been one of love and lots and lots of waiting. But that waiting is b/c there are laws and rules in place to ensure the lawfulness of the adoptions. DNA testing helped us realized that our older daughter was abandoned - we are forever greatful for that knowledge. I just hope that the new laws will not prevent any child from finding it's "forver family". Jennifer Zairi --Anonymous , Westfield, NJ (submitted on Jan. 15, 2008)

We adopted our son, Frankie, from Guatemala in 2001. He was 16 months old and came home to join his 2 month old brother Emile. In December 2007 we adopted our daughter Corinne from Guatemala. Adopting from Guatemala has changed our view of the world and opened up our minds and hearts as nothing else could. It is a privilege and honor to be their parents, and a journey like nothing else. It is hard to describe in words how one becomes a part of something beyond the everyday, beyond their own backyard, beyond their initial world view. Our children give us as much or more of the world then we could ever give them. We are humbled by the gifts of these children and the beautiful country they come from. Our hope is that Guatemalan children will continue to have the opportunity that all children deserve, to be loved, to belong, to matter in this world. --Anonymous , Mandeville, LA (submitted on Jan. 15, 2008)

My husaband and I have two beautiful children who were born in Guatemala. Our son came home at age 5 months in 2006 and our daughter came home at age 7 months in October 2007. They have been the light of our lives and I couldn't imagine life without them. My husband and I went through 7 years of infertility treatments and made the decision to adopt after our 6th attempt at In-vitro failed. What a wonderful decision that was! I never realized the beauty of adoption and how it would affect our lives. Had I known, I would have made the decision much sooner. I was fortunate to have a very honest agency and feel confident that there was no corruption involved in our adoptions. I do realize that corruption exists every where (even in the U.S.) when it comes to adoption. I sincerly hope that Dateline will show both sides to Guatemalan adoptions. Guatemala is a beautiful country with many very caring people. Please don't let a few bad apples turn this into a media sensation. David and Amy Cincinnati, Ohio --Amy Noll, Cincinnati, OH (submitted on Jan. 16, 2008)

I adopted a baby girl last January. At first, my husband and I did have questions and we did not want to be guided by our wishes to have a baby. We prayed, investigated and made the decision to adopt. We chose what I believe to be a reputable agency and in the end we felt that yes Guatemala might have questionable people involved in their adoption process, but that was not our doing. These children are undernourished (about 50% of Guatemalan children are undernourished) and their biological moms are struggling to the point where they feel that giving up their babies is the best decision. Their government is not offering them any other alternatives or a system to counteract all the poverty and injustices many of them face. It isn't naive to believe that as adopted parents we are one solution to the corruption that is found in Guatemala. However, to state that as adoptive parents we feed the process and we are part of the problem is ignoring many aspects of life in Guatemala. Of course we would like a more transparent system and one based solely on the welfare of these children caught in the middle. They seem to working toward this goal thanks to many adoptive parents that haven't ignored that state of affairs in their child's native country. In the meantime, my daughter is where she belongs. She is in a loving home that celebrates her and her ancestry and the special journey that brought us to her. She fits with our family and if I had any doubts with myself or with God, I'll take my new unplanned pregnancy after years of infertility as a sign. A sign that we met a mission of God and He is now blessing us once again with our son. Positive things don't always come in pretty packages, but once you uncover the paraphernalia and guises and focus on the gift, you can then accept the gift and share it with others. --Anonymous , Miami, FL (submitted on Jan. 16, 2008)

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