Adoption Update – 4/19/2021

This is one of those issues that I am hesitant to talk about here (it is supposed to be about gaming, mostly, after all, right?). Sure, I have written about our family going through the adoption process. But what does that look like 2 years in? What challenges are we facing as a family?

We took our classes to adopt through the State of Texas in May of 2019. Since then, besides being a part of a few broadcasts–social workers are sent emails with prospective adoptees–, nothing. With COVID settling in this past year it has seemed like everything has shut down and hasn’t awakened… yet.

Without access to broadcasts (have heard nothing from our caseworker), we’ve been stuck. Adoption has gone from a dream, to what felt like a reality, to a thing we only whisper about.

Q: So what does it look like 2 years in?

• Quiet. Absolute silence. Is our caseworker not doing her job? Is this normal when going through the State? Are we supposed to become foster parents with hopes of adopting later on?

Q: What challenges are we facing as a family?

• Dealing with the silence. Deciding whether we continue on the adoption journey.

COVID was a really big deal and still is for some. I don’t want to diminish that feeling of helplessness we all felt in March of last year. I also know that it feels like time is ticking for myself. Do we play the State’s game? Do we close our house and give up the adoption dream?

Something says not yet.

Not yet.

Two weeks ago, I was on the Texas Adoption Resource Exchange (TARE). I came across a young man who I thought would be a good addition to our family. So I emailed our caseworker and asked that she make inquiries. Beyond a simple email back asking for some more information, nothing yet.

And so we wait.