Hi Sonia,

I am in Sterling. I am trying to adopt from the foster care system. I started the process with the classes in Sept 09 and have been doing the matching thing since Jan 2010 without any luck so far. So I feel your pain with the long crazy wait.

Kristen

Hello :o)
Also in Sterling, have a 5 year old and a 2 year old both boys adopted domestically as newborns!  Happy to chat if you want to send me a message~Michelle

We are in the Lorton/Ft. Belvoir area.  We finished our homestudy about 2 months ago and we have been officially waiting since then.  I’m trying to stay as busy as possible, so that the time goes by faster (hopefully).

We lived in Alexandria until October 2008, but are now in Venezuela.

Which agency are you working with? Have you considered looking outside VA/MD/DC? We did our home study with an agency that was licensed in the same area, but went out of state to adopt (Utah - great adoptive parent friendly laws). Good luck with your adoption!!!

Hi!  We adopted an infant locally about 3 years ago, after a nearly 2 year wait.  I understand it can be a long and lonely path, and that one’s feelings change day to day.  I’d be happy to chat on the phone or in person—we’re in South Arlington. (BTW we just had local “waiting friends” adopt through an agency in Texas that they rave about.)  Take care—the wait will end!  Tricia

Hi!  We’re in Alexandria!  We adopted our oldest 2 years ago, and we now have a 1 year old, too.  Waiting was definitely the hardest part, and it helped so much to have someone who understood.  Send a pm, if you’d like, and I’d love to chat or meet.  Congratulations on your growing family!

Thank you all so much for your replies.
The adoption world and the people in it are so open, understanding, nice and willing to help. It keeps on amazing me, a year and a half later ( since we decided to adopt.)

I really like the domestic program that our agency is offering (The Barker Foundation), but it seems that the agency may not have the best outreach team! I don’t want to start thinking of placement through an out of state agency or attorney. Not for now at least. I think it scares me a little bit and I like the idea of having one agency doing it all. And as far as logistics, I am praying that the birth mother lives in Virginia.

Best of luck to you, Kristen and TiffandNick.
And to all the happy families in VA, thank you and Venezuela….dream dream dream!!! A lovely place, it sounds like! Hope you don’t miss Alexandria too much!

Sonia

Hi!
I am in Chantilly, adopted domestically (from Seattle) in 2009. We were with an agency in Florida ( very adoption friendly state!). Our bmom found us online so our adoption turned private since she was in Washington State (another very adoption friendly state).

Does anyone know of an adoptive parent support group locally. I ran one in OH and am missing it so much!

Julie

I’m close to Richmond and also waiting to adopt.  The wait is hard.  Would really like to find a group in the area or start emailing/texting/tweeting with people to encourage eachother.  My sister tries to be supportive yet it would be nice to interact more regularly with people in the same situation.  Hoping this coming year is full of forever families for all of us!

Hi Sonia,

    I live in Hampton,VA and my husband and I have been waiting for two years while doing foster care.  You will learn alot from others. I just started going though other websites looking for myself and just having my social worker send my homestudy to that case worker. I visit Alexandria from time to time.  I would love to stay in touch because having someone to keep you spirits high helps alot.