My baby is 6 years old!!

And so now my tiny prem baby is 6 years old!  He's just started school and he is an absolute joy.  I have met an amazing amount of people over the years who have adopted, want to adopt, know someone who has adopted, was adopted.  It's a funny thing that people don't really talk about unless the other person also has some involvement or a personal story to share.  Once you are in the loop, people seem to be involved an adoption around every corner.  There is so much joy in it but also a lot of fear, misunderstanding, misconception and hesitation.  The law in South Africa is tight - very!  Everyone is well- protected in the process and the process (by comparison to other countries) is fast and efficient.  

 I know lots and lots of people who have spent years undergoing fertility treatment and years being pregnant but miscarrying.  Once they start the adoption process, it is often 4 - 9 months until they collect their new addition.  Our adoption agencies and social workers are so good at what they do.  They really care about placing the right babies with the right families.  I recently met a Norwegian couple who put their names down to adopt a Xhosa baby from South Africa.  The entire process took 2 years and I met them when they arrived in SA to collect their son (who had a twin sister so they went home with 2 babies!!!!).  I think that 2 years for an entire international adoption is a really short time.  I have heard of couples overseas wating for foreign babies who have waitied 5 - 7 years!  That is hectic.  If anyone out there has a story that they would like me to post on the blog, please email it to me at adoptmom@mweb.co.za and let me know if you would like it to  be anonnymous or named.  I would so much love to hear from you!