Continued

I wanted my blog to be a positive place where other PAPs (or APs) can go and not be inundated with rumors and negativity.  I also want it to be a place where people can share their feelings, their experiences, their joys and their sorrows as they journey towards parenthood. To be honest, I don't think it has been a terribly cheery blog the past couple of days and as the blog owner I take responsibility.

When I posted on Saturday about the questions I was constantly being asked about the process, I was blogging out of frustration from my own personal experience.  This has obviously been a sensitive issue with me.  When I received a comment contradicting me, I took it as a personal attack which felt even more troubling to me because it was coming from someone in our adoption community.  I can only speak of my experience and although we both may have approached adoption from the same direction, our experience was totally different.  She had a very positive experience where mine was quite negative.  There are a lot of factors that play into what makes any adoption experience (or pregnancy for that matter) a positive or negative experience. 

I have removed this person's comments after much deliberation.  Not because it was out of anger on my part--quite the contrary, I want the positive side to be represented, but I don't want people reading too much into our banter.  It was not meant to be negative and we have both been in contact off the blogosphere to discuss this issue further.  Because she has had such a positive domestic adoption experience and because I have friends (and perhaps readers) that are investigating domestic adoption, I want the positive to weigh out the negative.  I have asked if she would be willing to write up her experience or share any resources that she felt were useful in her adoption process.  If she adds that information to her blog, I will be sure and notify you here. 

I want to thank those of you that left comments or emails--both positive and negative--about your experience.  For those of you that have had a positive domestic experience I urge you to contact me by email or leave a comment.  I currently have two single girlfriends (one in this state) and one in another state that want to pursue adoption, but were told the exact same things I was told: that any child you receive will have been exposed to drugs/alcohol or is a special needs.  If you would like to share the name of the agency you worked with (and let me know if it is ok to post here or just forward to my friends), they would certainly appreciate it. 

Right now, I feel I am on the path that God has set me on.  Should I feel him calling me elsewhere I will certainly follow where ever that leads--whether it is to adopt here or elsewhere.

Peace