Any Encouragement in PA?

I'll share mine. About a year and a half ago, we were placed with a beautful 11 year old. We are a foster-adopt home. We never expected, to adopt an older child. We were asked to take her until they could figure out what they were going to do with her. They did not expect us to keep her let alone adopt her. She has a very sorted past. She was placed in foster care at 5, adopted at 7, and taken back into fostercare at 9, Then bounced 4 times until she came to us. She was considered unadoptable. They never thought that she would allow another adoption, or any family would want to adopt her. Within hours of meeting her, my heart was vested. Now, I can't tell you that the last year and a half has been perfect and wonderful, it hasn't, but it has been amazing non the less. We finalized her adoption in Aug. Everyone of the caseworkers involved has commented that they never thought she would make it in a normal family. They all expected her to end up in a Group home. After what she had been through they thought she would sabbatage all attempts. However that was not true. She has done some sabbatage attempts. Testing to see if we would throw her away like others have, but for the most part she just wants to be loved, and her word is "Normal". I don't care for that word because i'm not so sure there is a normal. My family could not be happier. We are so luck to have her in our lives. I will not tell you it will all be easy, it won't, but I can tell you its worth it.

We waited a little over a year for a placement. (We have a sib group, ages 3, 4, and 7, two girls and a boy.) As it turns out we didn't compete with any other family. We had interviewed with this particular county for a different group and they rememebered us. It took longer from the time we were asked to interview until the children were actually moved (in our opinion!), but we were very proactive in advocating what was best for the kids even then and it paid off. They moved in July and we can finalize as early as January.Has it been easy - no! They are three very strong-willed young children. But it could be sooo much worse, and we feel very blessed by these children. Hang in there! I know this is easy to say now that we have ours, but it really is better to wait for the "right" match than to take a child that doesn't really "fit" just to get a quicker placement.

We are signing the finalization of our homestudy tomorrow & then will begin the search for a child/sibling group 5-15 we live in Montgomery County). I agree that there are lots of horror stories out there but there also are some great ones. We've made some inquiries about children in the last month with varied responses, from none to complete histories! If you can find a support group in your area (try TAPLINK.org) & connect with some of those members, you will get both a wealth of information AND make some potentially important contacts! Good luck & feel free to email me with any questions or your progress!

We're not even approved yet (third and final visit next Thursday) and Ive just had my second offer for a placement. My first one although goal was RU, it was going to be an adoption - however it wasn't a good fit. This second offer is of a 13yr old boy that is already TPR'd and has been with Foster family for past 2 years. They are not in it for adoption so they are now looking for his forever home. DH and I will look over his profile when she comes for the visit. Not sure we'll take him, but I'd rather keep having offers that I can turn down then none at all. I haven't heard any negative stories from the fost/adopt parents with our agency about waiting long. I also keep getting "Matching Event" requests in the mail. I'll be going to one on the 16th in our area and received an invite for one on the 28th near Philly. They will have kids profiles there (and they aren't normally on the website). My agency has advised that in the surrounding counties (Dauphin, Cumberland, etc) they RARELY post kids on websites. So you may want to get plugged in to matching events in your area. The only way workers are aware of other kids and available families is worker network and these events. Good luck and keep us posted on your journey!!