Monday, December 17, 2012

CONGRATULATIONS LISA!

While we already printed this article in our 2012 annual report, we're so happy to be re-running it on our blog. This past Saturday, December 15, marked the one year anniversary to the adoption finalization of Lisa, a youth previously featured on our website.

Lisa's story is an amazing one. Her moms saw her on our website and never having even met her, decided she was their daughter. They became certified as adoptive parents and one year later, they legally became her parents. Below are photos and a shortened version of Lisa's beautiful adoption story. We're so happy for you and your family, Lisa! You deserve everything life has to offer you and we're so honored to be a part of your story.

Check out the family's blog here; it's awesome!

Nicole, Lisa & Karen

Karen and Nicole both felt that foster care adoption was something that was very important to them but being a same sex couple in Florida, they never really looked into the possibility. But in 2010, when Martin Gill vs. Florida overturned the ban on gay adoptions, they began to talk about becoming adoptive parents.
At the time of their conversations, Karen was working as a pediatric nurse in a home where many of the children in the home were adopted. When sharing her dreams of adopting from foster care with one of the adoptive mothers, she was told, “When you see your child, you will just know.” She was skeptical, but always kept that advice in the back of her mind.
A few weeks later, Karen and Nicole decided to search “foster care adoption” on the internet and came across the Children Awaiting Parents’ website. They began looking at all the children’s photos but a certain photo kept catching their attention. As Nicole read through the profile, she began to cry. She looked at Karen and said, “That’s our daughter.”  
Because the laws for same sex adoption had just changed in Florida, Karen and Nicole had a lot to learn along the way. It was then that they turned back to Children Awaiting Parents.
“We were really grateful for the support of Ilona. She was emotionally supportive, sent us tons of information, steered us in the right direction, encouraged us and generously gave us of her expertise and enthusiasm.  Many times I sent her an email, frustrated and discouraged only to be right back on track within hours because she had just the right advice or information to get us where we needed to go.”
After months of being proactive and tenacious, and learning how to navigate the foster care system, Karen and Nicole we finally able to conference call with the selection staff and answer their questions about Lisa.   The questions were few, but important, and the answers came easily.   After the last question, one of the supervisors said, “Congratulations!  It’s a girl!”
Lisa was seventeen years old when Karen and Nicole finalized the adoption. They have been living and learning for the past year and the advice they have is invaluable.
“Be patient, polite and respectful. Throw away your expectations and meet the kids for who they are…there are going to be days when you ask yourself, “What have I done?!”  It’s okay, we all have those.   Just take a step back and take a deep breath.   It will all be okay.   REALLY.   And it will all be worth it.   Because one day, that kid will look at you and you will see it in their eyes that they get it…that they belong.   That’s the pay off.   And it’ll knock your socks off!
The road was a long one but Lisa is finally home and happy - a well-adjusted young woman who now believes herself when she says she’s smart and beautiful. And although she admits to sometimes not fully appreciating everything her moms do for her, she strongly believes that being adopted has changed who she is “on the inside.” “What makes my relationship good with my parents is that they parent me.   They aren’t there just to be my friend and that is something that I am starting to learn.  I just love my Moms because I know that they love me.”
Lisa at her highschool graduation! Click here for video posted in a previous post.
 

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