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Hi. My name is Barb and my husband and I are looking into adoption in Panama. My husband is from Panama and his whole family still lives there. We would like to adopt independently without an agency as it is too costly to use one. We have been looking for an attorney in Panama to help us. My mother-in-law in Panama is also checking into it. I have been reading your messages for a while and see that some of you have a lot of experience with independent adoptions in Panama. If someone could tell me the names of some good adoption attorneys there it would be greatly appreciated. I hate to just pick an attorney at random from the yellow pages without knowing if they are reliable. I am not exactly sure how you get me that information because I see that I am not supposed to put my e-mail address here (I am not very computer savvy, I leave that to my husband.) but I am sure all of you know how it works. I would love to receive any information you could give me.
I thank you all in advance and pray that all your adoptions are successful.
Barb
Dear Barb,
There are only 2 of us currently trying to adopt with only a Panamanian attorney (no agency), and neither of us have gotten very far. Perhaps we'd (at least I would) feel more comfortable recommending our attornies after our adoptions are complete....If that ever happens.
Sorry to be so glum. It's just that we didn't get the good news we were hoping for yesterday.
:(
Rebecca
P.S. I'm willing to bet that an agency attorney might represent you by him/herself (without going through the agency that he works for), if you could figure out how to contact an agency's successful attorney! (If any agency folks are willing to share this contact info.)
PPS. Check your "Private Messages" here. People are supposed to send their info on attorneys, agencies, and facilitators through PM now.
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Oh Rebecca, I don't know what news you were hoping for but I'm so sorry it wasn't good. We are all here for you!
Take care,
Julie
:p (a funny face to make you smile!)
Thanks, Julie. I certainly appreciate that!
The news was that the birthmom showed up at the supposed "third and final" TPR hearing last Friday, and demanded that her children be returned to her...that she did not want to lose them. So the judge didn't make the ruling like she promised. Instead, she's giving the bmom another 15 days to get an attorney to represent her for yet another hearing!
Our attorney can't believe that the judge is doing this! (I posted earlier about the physical abuse and neglect these kids experienced while in her care). Our attorney is desperately trying to find us "another option" (another child). But as we all know, "there are none in Panama."
So, my husband and I are both pretty glum today. We're ready to "cut our losses" (21 months and $6,000) and give up on adopting from Panama. We're going to come up with an absolute end date, like maybe the end of this year, maybe sooner.
I really, REALLY wish we had investigated foster-to-adopt more before jumping into Panama. The next fostercare licensing training is in July, so we're going to get licensed and see where that goes. Of course, we won't get ANY of our money back in the adoption tax credit (that really makes me mad!), but hopefully someday we'll have a child in our home.
Rebecca :(
Rebecca,
Thank you for your quick reply. I have been reading about your situation and I am sorry to hear your bad news. I will keep you, your husband, and the children in my prayers. Don't lose hope, you will end up with the perfect child(ren) who are meant to be yours in the end. I am sure that is hard to believe right now, but I am sure it will happen.
Good luck,
Barb