I'm not quite sure how to express my concern for the emotional rollercoaster that many of you are going through right now. I know that many post 3/5 families are struggling with the question "Will we ever be able to bring our child home?". Then there are families waiting for referrals wondering "Should we be looking at other programs?".....and I know how I would feel if I were waiting myself.
Just as your adoption is a PERSONAL choice, so is the decision to tough it out or look at other options.
Some things to think about....
1 - It is not uncommon for a government to temporarily suspend adoptions while trying to implement new procedures.
2 - Kazahkstan implemented a 30 day wait (paperwork is held at the Embassy for 30 days before being sent to Kazahkstan). Children must be on the registry for 6 months before they are considered adoptable. These children come home at around 10 months nowadays. However, during a 6 month timeframe there were several changes in the procedures.
3 - Guatemala had one of the most *reasonable* processes out there. OK, so procedures may take more time...but for now, there is no indication that these procedures will be MORE restrictive than other countries.
4 - Guatemala has some of the finest lawyers fighting to keep the adoption process reasonable.
5 - There STILL has been NO indication that adoptions will cease.
I hope that many of you will *hold on* to your dream. There seems to ALWAYS be a level of uncertainty during an international adoption....and I HOPE that this is a temporary hump in the journey. Like many journeys, there are NO guarantees....but some of the best things in life come to us with heart-wrenching decisions and many disappointments.
I brought my little girl home in January. If I had to do it all over again with the current situation, I would NOT hesitate in the least....she is an incredible joy and I cannot imagine my life without her.
For now, keep your chin up and envision yourself in a few years!
Sincerely,
Kelly
(site webmaster and mother to a beautiful Guatemalan daughter!)
Thank you for your words of encouragement! We are one of those families who were waiting on a referral when this "suspension" came down and we have decided to stick it out and stay positive and focused on bringing a beautiful baby girl home from Guatemala.
Posted by: Andrea at June 5, 2003 03:59 PMKelly,
Your words express my exact thoughts...when my dossier was at the Guatemala Embassy being authenticated my placing agency informed me of possible problems in Guatemala and suggested I consider changing countries. At that point there was no way I was going to change my decision. Still I'm happy with the decision to pursue adoption in Guatemala. I accepted a referral a a little boy on May 7th. Hopefully my son will be with me soon. Thanks for all of your information.
I know it will all be worthwhile as long as things stay open, and we don't end up losing our referral. I just wish we had the opportunity to make an informed decision. We accepted our referral on February 24... before we knew about any of this. Once you fall in love with your potential child it becomes harder to make a wise decision as you have much more emotion, not just money invested. Adoptive parents should really consider how much uncertainty and risk they can handle before jumping in.
Posted by: Chelsea Flitton at June 5, 2003 05:39 PMthank you Kelly....your encouraging words have made me feel a little better today...I'm just beside myself with sadness that this whole process may be on hold indefinitely....thank you
Debbi
Posted by: Debbi at June 6, 2003 11:43 AMDoes anyone know a good place to find accurate information? I think that MIS-information is making this a lot more difficult. We are waiting since December for a referal for a girl, and now this suspension. I know that patience is a divine virtue, but I have heard from other agencies that they still have access to the children and I should leave my present agency? Is ther any accuracy to that? Are children getting out?
Posted by: Jim-N-Shari at June 10, 2003 08:09 AMMy husband and I are preparing our Dossier. I never got the news about the possible temporary hold of the adoptions. I was so excited that we were finally getting to the final stages of our adoption. Now, all I do is worry day in and day out. We are working on a Plan B incase the adoptions get put on hold. Does anyone know of any other countries with a good program? Our current agency coordinator told me not to panic but it is hard not too. She did mention that one of the arguments is that the Treaty should not affect US and Guatemalan adoptions because the US has not ratified. Anyone heard any other news at all. I know the lawyers met June 9 and our agency said we should hopefully know something within a week or two.
Posted by: Ronda at June 10, 2003 01:54 PMI have accepted a baby girl last September, 2002 and a toddler boy October, 2002. Our little girl is still waiting to be released from the procutoria since March, 2003, our little boy will take a couple months longer. Certainly, the Hague has slowed down our process and our attorney keeps telling us it could be any day for our girl. We have been waiting for two weeks now since she first told us that, and still no word. It has been a long, grueling process, we first turned in our completed dossier last August, 2002, and still our children are not home. I already love our children and can't wait for the day!!!!
Posted by: Amy at June 19, 2003 10:58 AMI will hold onto my dream of carrying my little girl home from Guatemala. She is absolutely beautiful and I cannot even think of giving her up to search for another country. Our family has endured many hardships with one of my biological children. He was born with a severe congenital heart defect. It was a difficult roller coaster ride..for him as well as us..we stuck it out. He by some great miracle is doing fabulous today after four open heart operations. I just know that things will work out with our little daughter as well. We will continue to pray that a decision is made soon to continue processing the waiting adoptions.
Posted by: Susan at June 19, 2003 04:22 PM