Anyone have a story about adopting from India

Hi Shelly, I'm the proud mother of a 2 1/2 year old adopted from India a year ago at 18 months. We are definitely a success story. Adopting from India requires patience (which I sorely lack) so waiting was very difficult. We finished our dossier in April 2002, waited all summer for a referral, only to finally get one in late September (she was 10 months at that point). Then we waited until May 2003 until we got guardianship and were able to go to pick her up. She has adjusted beautifully. Of course, in the beginning she was afraid and we were awkward and she didn't smile the whole first week, but that's to be expected. She is healthy, absolutely on target developmentally and has been right from the start. She had 2 colds the first year she was home and has since had one cold and just got over a stomach virus. If you know anything about children this age, you know that the usually catch everything! She has attached beautifully and it's clear to us that she was loved at the orphanage--not just cared for. She is happy and has a great sense of humor. She enjoys making us laugh. She loves our two big dogs and loves hotel rooms and restaurants. She plays, she laughs. The only thing is she's not potty training particularly easily, but it's early days yet. In short, she's just about perfect. I still don't know how we got so lucky. We really are a success story.

Hi! I believe ModernMother on the "India" forum has written an incredible story about adopting a girl from India. It makes me cry everytime I read it.

Shelly, We are also a success story concerning adoption from India. We have adopted three times from India since 1996. Our daughters were ages 19 months, 18 months and 23 months upon arrival. You can expect your child to be at least toddler age by the time they come home. Indian adoption takes patience that is for sure...but the children are certainly worth the wait. Our girls received very good care...they were loved and nurtured. They had the ability to bond deeply with us. The orphanages can be "poor"...but what they lack in material things the ayah's make up for in love. All three of our girls were special needs referals. All three are now healthy and beautiful. I urge you to travel to India to get your child. We fell in love with this wonderful country. We were treated very kindly and the experience is one we will never forget. To spend time with your child in their native environment is priceless...for you...and for the child. You definately have to have patience for the process in India. From referal to arrival is generally around 10 months. I wish you well. Karen in PA...proud Mom to John 18 (bio), Aaron 15 (bio), Sejona 8 (Podanur India), Anjali 5 (Podanur India), and Maya 3 (Podanur India)

We are also a "successful" story of adopting from India. We adopted bio siblings from SOS in Delhi in March 2003 and it has been just the biggest blessing for us. The girls are almost 5 and 8 now and doing wonderfully. They are bright, funny, athletic, and creative. The eldest has had some rough patches, but only a few months of therapy has made a world of difference for all of us. Her problems are now typical 2nd grader issues more than things related to her past trauma or adoption. In fact, we love these two so much that we're adopting a 3rd, a little boy age 2 from VCT, though currently in foster care, in Bangalore, India.

If you don't get the info you need through this forum, contact an agency that deals with India adoptions and ask them for references who have adopted from there. You don't have to sign up first to get the references (if an agency requires it, head for the nearest exit!). Before I chose my agency (dealing with Russia, not India) I spoke with past clients and asked them for positive and negative feedback.