what a difference a year makes

Because of the duration from the time we started on our adoption journey to now, there have been a lot changes. We are just getting to the waiting part that can realistically take over a year, yet we've already been working on things for over a year. We'll be "meeting" with one of the adoption coordinators from our agency (having a phone call with) to talk about how and where we want networked. I've talked with our coordinator briefly once and she started throwing stuff out there like we'd already heard it. What I don't think she realized is how much their programs have changed since we were introduced to them. Three big changes:

1. The Agency restructured. People let go and roles changed for some who remain. For us, this has translated into us introducing ourselves over and over again.

2. The cost has gone up. Our agency's fee has increased as has the agencies they network with. Not a small change either; we are talking $4-9k. Nobody mentioned this to us, so when I requested a list of the agencies that they network with and their placement fees it is possible I fell out of my chair. At work. I guess that's what I get for checking my personal email at work. :o) Lesson learned.

3. Average waiting time....double to TRIPLED.

So, a lot has changed, right?

We really weren't prepared for any of this, but we've talked about it all and are doing our best to take it in stride. Knowing that in the grand scheme, these are minor details that we can adapt to accomodate fairly readily. Doesn't everything in life cost more and take longer?

To learn more about the other agencies that ours works with I decided to look them up online and also call them myself and ask a few questions. I had one of the most interesting conversations with an agency in Georgia. While one of the coordinators was explaining their programs and how the volume of placements have changed over the last year I was sad to hear that their wait is averaging 18-20 months. They are seeing more adoptive parents than babies. They've also seen such a shift in their program that although our agency does network with them they won't look at our profile until those parents who've been waiting over a year are placed. There were 30 couples in that category. There was one caveat to this - if we were black. The only need for adoptive parents was for black couples open to a not 100% black baby. Listening to a woman with a thick southern accent asking someone (me) on the phone with no (or northwestern?) accent whether I happened to be black made me smile.

Thinking about the statistics I posted about before made this conversation even more interesting. All of the proportions just seem off. I think to look at the race of babies who are being placed is necessary to understand how long it is taking and what races adoptive parents are "open to" or "willing" to be placed with to understand the whole dynamics of race in adoption.

It is all just so interesting to me...