Kazakhstan Adoption

This page of our website is for all the families searching for the right agency. Here are my thoughts on ours and how we decided.

I sit back and remember how I ran across my agency. We were not even thinking about IA at the time, but I was curious and wanted information. I sent a few emails to different agencies and had several reply with information on the programs they offered. It was important to me to find a agency that is owned and operated by adoptive parents. That is how I found Tedi and her agency. She is the owner of the agency and has 16 children. A few are homegrown but the rest are from all around the world. I emailed inquiring additional information. That is when I met Becky.

Becky is the dossier specialist and at the time had just adopted 2 beautiful boys from Russia. She answered all my questions and I had saved them in a file. After a few months( we still were not sure what we wanted to do after losing the private adoption) Becky emailed me , not just to follow up but to see how I was doing. She had walked in my footsteps and was lending support as a friend. I must say it caught my attention.

We had decided to go to a seminar here in Dalton in Jan of 2005 given by a different agency. We learned a lot about Russia at the time and met a wonderful social worker ( she later did our homestudy & updates, She also became a great friend and support. She had a son adopted from China) But it was not the right agency for me. I was still searching.

We went to the IVF Dr and the same day we decided not to try that and go for adoption, Becky emailed me again. She was just checking in and wanted to send me pictures of her sons. I knew that minute that God had just shown us the agency we were suppose to use.

I began the process with Becky helping me with my dossier and then I met Wendy , she is the program coordinator. Wendy handled all the referrals and country information. As we began to get referrals. I will never forget the first little boy they sent us. He was older than what we had specified but Tedi, Becky and Wendy all thought he looked like me. After reviewing his information, we knew he was not the one. I remember calling Becky's cell phone to tell her no and feeling some heavy guilt about this child and needing a family. Becky answered and said you will know,she was also in the car with Tedi and she said that we would be doing the child injustice by taking him if he was not the child God had for us. His family was waiting for him. I knew then my agency cared about us and our adoption.

After months waiting for a Russia referral, we switched to Kaz. That is when I really got to know Wendy. I can always count on  her to return my phone calls and emails the same day. A lot of families say they feel like a number verses a person with their agency. Not mine, they know my voice, my needs and my life. There were times when I was very upset with the process of IA but no matter how much I complained, questioned or cried she has always been there. Wendy went on materiny leave back in Jan and about that time a few issues came up, she jumped right back in there to help, even when it was not time for her to return. I hope she knows how much we appricated that.

As we come closer to bringing our child home, I feel it is important to say to all familes looking for a agency. Tedi, Becky and Wendy are more like friends than anything. They worry when we worry and rejoice when we rejoice. This is very important. The agency you choose will become the lifeline to your child. You need support, friendship and love. Adoption Blessings Worldwide provides all that to us.

www.adoptionblessingsworldwide.com

Ryann