tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631451666879199613.post1980004617780872725..comments2023-11-05T07:37:23.135-05:00Comments on LIFE AT TRACEY SPEED: AGENCY OR FACILITATORTraceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11064113501129840818noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631451666879199613.post-1101376844953591382009-04-01T18:58:00.000-04:002009-04-01T18:58:00.000-04:00My husband and I are researching Adoption agencies...My husband and I are researching Adoption agencies again. We too feel it's important to be close to our agency both in vicinity and availibility. It's hard enough putting trust in others I can't imagine doing it if I never saw their face or had my calls returned. NO WAY It's TOO BIG OF A DEAL TO feel frustrated and/or all the time. (more than usual that is.)Frizzyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15150850904947257133noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631451666879199613.post-45692912533731897712009-04-01T15:00:00.000-04:002009-04-01T15:00:00.000-04:00Thanks for the post Tracey! I've followed your blo...Thanks for the post Tracey! I've followed your blog, but never posted. I used a facilitator (or matching service) and my experience was amazing! We were matched with our BM in 26 days. My relationship with my BM was and still is amazing. I think the thing about using a Fac., is they are not very hand-holding and for first time adoptive parents, you need that (I needed that when we adopted out daughter in 2005), but as a 2nd timer :) I was little more at ease since I knew what to expect. I agree with you 100%...you MUST feel 100% comfortable with whomever you chose and if you're not comfy, move on.<BR/>Thanks for the post!<BR/><BR/>P.S. Samuel is SOO cute!<BR/>DoriDoripinkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06938105191789354587noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631451666879199613.post-88781395464885935792009-04-01T11:39:00.000-04:002009-04-01T11:39:00.000-04:00We did do the agency route the first time. I had ...We did do the agency route the first time. I had the same opinion. I wanted someone close and accessible. I wanted face-to-face contact. Unforunately, not all agencies are ethical. This particular one has been shut down and is currently being investigated by the attorney generals office in 2 states. Soooo, next go round we chose to go with a Christian adoption consultant group. Through the group we've applied to 4 agencies (the 5th has a lot of paperwork and I'm just finishing it up). I will say, I feel much more in control of everthing this way. They've been wonderful, resposive, and helpful. For example, I know that my profile is going out to expantant mothers whereas with the adoption agency I didn't. I was a nuisance and called them each week. I had the same opinion. I was paying them and they were "employed" by me so I had no problem being a pain. Another adoptive mother I know called it the agency blanketing strategy. We haven't been successful yet, but I've only asked our profile to go out to one expectant mother so far and it's only been about a month that I've been actively signed up with the first agency. The other ones probably will recieve our applications Wed or Thurs of this week. Since all of this is so expensive we can only do it once and I want to be matched with the "right" situation. I admit since we've been badly burned I'm pretty picky now.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631451666879199613.post-53117715443255941762009-04-01T10:44:00.000-04:002009-04-01T10:44:00.000-04:00Tracey- Your adoption experience sounds wonderful....Tracey- Your adoption experience sounds wonderful. I'm so glad that you were able to have such a swift match and for it to turn out so beautifully. Samuel is a doll :) <BR/><BR/>Unfortunately, some facilitators aren't that great at all, and that's why they aren't legal in some states. There are some great ones though too. The bottom line is that you have to feel comfortable and you definitely have to feel a connection to whichever adoption agency or facilitator you sign with...just like you said. :)<BR/><BR/>Great post!RBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17739978478314076003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7631451666879199613.post-3558808937443619962009-04-01T10:15:00.000-04:002009-04-01T10:15:00.000-04:00I couldn't agree more! And your experience sounds ...I couldn't agree more! And your experience sounds so familiar to ours.<BR/><BR/>We found our agency (and selected them for all the same reasons you did) in February, seminar and paperwork completed by June, active by August and exactly 6 weeks later we were matched with Colt's birthmom. And then, December 16th Colt was born into our family!<BR/><BR/>I would recommend the agency route as well, simply because of the connection to birthmoms and to the adoptive families. Even though our agency had a similar placement rate (around 20 babies per year)I love our agency and wouldn't trade it for the world!Jessicahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12383136325211182954noreply@blogger.com