Vietnam has announced that it is halting all US adoptions after the charges made by the US Embassy several days ago. They will stop taking adoption applications from American families after July but they will continue to process applications and “matches” that have already been made.
“It is tragic for children that the U.S. government has not been able to find ways to work with the Vietnamese government to prevent adoption abuses while at the same time processing legitimate adoptions,” said Tom Atwood, president of the Washington-based National Council for Adoption, a research and advocacy organization.
“Many hundreds, perhaps thousands, of children …read more

Apparently Vietnam has once again failed to police its adoption system (the US suspended adoptions in 2003). The US Embassy is reporting that Vietnam is “allowing” corruption, fraud, and baby-selling”.
The new report is a nine page report detailing brokers who “scour villages for babies, hospitals selling infants whose mothers cannot pay their bills, and a grandmother giving away her grandchild-without telling the child’s mother.”

Everyone who adopts anticipates “The Call”.
What was your “call” like? How did you get your referral?

Every Year Adoptive Families Magazine conducts a reader poll about adoption timelines and expenses. Covered in the poll is US, Ethiopia, China, Guatemala, Russia, and South Korea.
Head here to take a look at the stats.

Back in October, just days after we turned in our Dossier our agency told us that Oscar Berger had just put adoptions on hold. But it was not like we couldn’t see the writing on the wall, as it was ALL over the news.
Instead of completely pulling out of the process we decided to put our names into domestic adoption as well (along with some of our money) and keep our name on the list with our agency just in case. Several weeks ago we received an email from our agency stating that although the Guatemalan congress had passed the …read more

We have just returned from Guatemala after a three day turn around to meet our 8 day old son and sign the Power of Attorney to start the adoption process down there. We are still awaiting blood testing (cross your fingers) and a full medical (although we did accompany our foster mother to the local doctor for his very first doctor’s visit).

Although I can’t explain much more right now (because things are still a little hush hush)…we are ecstatic to announce that we will be new parents soon. We have a baby (infant referral) for a boy.
I will keep you posted but if I don’t get back to you for a few days don’t be mad! I’m a little bogged down with details. Even we don’t know what is going on yet. All I know is that my heart is racing and we can’t wait to meet him.

Waiting is frustrating.
especially when you don’t know what you are waiting for
will they be issuing referrals?
’cause if so…I might have a plane to catch
and some warm weather to soak in
and a Christmas to miss
and a baby to meet
and a son to miss horribly, terribly, madly
or…
will someone chose us to parent their child
forever?
 
 

Last weekend my husband and I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Federici, a neuropsychologist who works specifically with adoptive children. At the Midwest Adoption Conference, Dr. Johnson was also there presenting about international medicine but we were attending another seminar. Below you will find a list of doctors specializing in international medicine.