We are currently waiting to adopt a child(ren). Any ideas on how we can make the wait easier?

Having adopted 5 children, I know how tough the wait can be. It seems like you're never going to get a child and then bam, it just happens one day. You might think about starting a journal that chronicles the process. It would be something nice to show your child(ren) when they are older to help them understand how much they are wanted and loved. Best wishes!

Keep a journal of your life so you can share it with your child someday. You can record your daily activities and how you felt the very moment you got the news about your adoption. Read as many books on child-rearing as you can and be around children. Visit zoos and parks and talk to as many parents as you can. They are the real experts. You'll look back on these days in the future with a real feeling of loss if you don't use them constructively. I sat next to a couple on a flight home recently who had spent about as much time waiting for their child as you have. They flew to Russia to bring her back and were on the final leg of the journey when I spoke to them both. They were relieved but worried about how their lives were about to change. I assured them that after a pregnancy there are so many physical adjustments to make to get back to anything close to "normal" that it would probably be much easier for them to adjust to life as parents. At least you won't be dealing with hormonal ups and downs and post-natal depression! There may be a little feeling of being let down once the adoption process is over and you suddenly have nothing to look forward to. Plan a trip to show off your new little one 2 to 3 months after you get him or her home and do keep that journal going. It will be a priceless gift someday to share with your child when they are older and want to know all about the details of becoming yours. Good luck to you both- you'll be fine and make great parents, I'm sure!

Enjoy every last second of your freedom - you will miss it no matter how wonderful parenthood it, promise! Be spontaneous - go for weekend trips out of the blue etc. Maybe you could volunteer to do something with kids - if you ask the social services they may have projects you can get involved with.

Congrats! Well, one way to pass the time is to take a vacation. Not a long one, just one to help you relax for a while. Another way is to talk to friends, read baby books, even think of some cute baby names.

May I suggest that you could foster a child in the meantime, as all children that are under social services for one reason or another need love, care and attention.Or you could perhaps volunteer at a childrens home or organisation. It will give you good ground experience, and more importantly be spreading the love around that you obviously have for kids.Speak to your key worker and see what they think. Very good luck to you both for the future.

When I adopted, the wait was the worst thing ever. I think what helped us just keeping busy. Of course this is easier said than done. If you work, just throw yourself into it. Waiting to adopt is kind of like waiting for a boyfriend when you are single. It will drive you crazy if you keep thinking about it all the time. These things happen when you are least expecting it. You may want to plan a vacation. It will keep you busy planning it, plus you will have something else to look forward to. Trust me on the vacation thing, you need it. It may be the last time you can take one with just you and your husband for a very long time. BTW... Congrats on choosing to adopt.

Get out there and volunteer for anything that helps children. You will be sharpening your skills in caring for as well as in communication with young ones. Being very busy in a constructive way will make those weeks fly by! If someone in your town has had quadruplets, believe me, they could use some help! You will gain much knowledge and peace through sharing.

"Patience"...you need them anyway if you have never raised a child...good luck...hope your family is happy

Well, depending on where you're trying to adopt from depends on how long your wait is. I started with a private agency trying to adopt as a single parent in about 1998. I gave up when my background checks expired in 2000. They went back ten years, I had spent four months in 1992 living out of state, and I hadn't been back to that county in 8 years at that point. It was a real hassle to get that one done the first go-round and I decided if I had waited that long, I could wait a couple more years. When I got married in 2003, we decided that we'd try again at some point. We went back to the agency I started with many years before in January of last year, procrastinated on the paperwork, and finally got it all together in September. Well, the worker who I absolutely adored retired and her "replacement" (and I use that term lightly) was more concerned about a stain on my carpet than with placing kids. We switched agencies in November (now, mind you I've been bouncing around with these adoption ideas for many many years) and now we're working with our county. We've had the opportunity to do respite care for a total of 8 children, and last Friday I was talking to my worker about the little girl we were getting for the weekend when she overheard her coworkers about an emergency placement of two girls, ages 2 and 4. They are beautiful, and sleeping two rooms away from where I am now. The parental rights are in the process of being terminated and we have a decent chance at keeping them. I might consider another agency if it took several years to complete a homestudy and a year since approval. Unless you're looking for a new born right out of the hospital, that's an awful long time!