Hello!!!

Hey Tammy - Since I'm in Red Deer I'm popping into both Edmonton and Calgary forums. :)

We definately need more action of Albertans here:p When you guys got started on your adoption journey, what prompted you to adopt and how/why did you make your choice between private and Government agency? We chose Children Services for a few reasons. We really didn't have the money at the time to go thru a private agency, although I must be honest and say the we COULD and WOULD have found the money, but also, we were really nervous about the open adoptions. (I'm thinking we would probably not be that bothered by it now though) But with CS, we are quite thankful for the post adoption supports that are made available to us. We have had very good SW's and CW's for the MOST part with a couple of exceptions (CW's). At this point, I am almost tempted to look into a private agency for a baby girl...we have TOO much testosterone around here! LOL Seriously, we lost one baby girl and we will try again in the foster to adopt program, but honestly, it might be worth looking at private? But then, would we have to start all over again with homestudy etc etc.. Anyway, thats a bit of my story. :coffee:

Our first choice was ACS. We applied, were accepted, went through a few interviews about our child desired and then, nothing... for over two years. We would contact them and they'd say "you're on our list" for the parent prep training. After a year and our final decision to quite TTC, we contacted a private agency. Our DD was placed 18 months after application with them after 13+ months of being approved and waiting. We did NOT have the $$$ for private. But it became a priority when we knew we couldn't wait much longer (we are OLD!!!) for ACS to get into gear. And you do find it if you need to. It just sucks that $$$ has to even be a factor. We were nervous about open adoption in the beginning too, but that was based on MANY misconceptions about it. Once we started researching and hearing stories of people who were actually experiencing them, the more we knew that this is what we wanted to do. And the fact is, with ACS (yes, it finally happened... they called... we did parent prep and homestudy, approved 4 days after DD came to us through private agency), we were asked many questions about our willingness to be open with birth families if it were safe for the children. So it's not just private adoption where they want openness. Of course you should check into it. We were also foster-to-adopt approved during our second wait, but again, we were placed through private agency before we were ever even a part of a possible foster-to-adopt match. RIght now, we are in the decision process of whether or not to open our foster-to-adopt file (we just moved and would need an update for that and because DS is now in our family) or just be content with our two babes. :coffee:[/quote] Hey Twin!!! Good to see someone else from this neck of the woods here.

Welcome Twin!!

Wow...sounds like there is a lot of experience in the room with this stuff...it's good to hear from other people going through this. My hubby and I don't really have anyone to talk to about adoption stuff since we both come from VERY fertile families and the only person I can relate to on that level is my sis who is years away from thinking about adoption...I'm not alone :)

Welcome Labgirl!! Glad you found us. There are lots of people to talk to who will understand what you are going through.