Seeing that our blog gets a good amount of hits daily, I assume there are quite a few others following our blog like I do other families. So knowing that at least SOMEONE is checking our site, I believe it is only fair to both you and I that I share this with you.

Those that have visited our blog before may have noticed that we recently removed the photos from our site as well as a link or two. Dan and I think it is important for us to share what happened and why we did this, but I will try to give the short version.

On one of the popular adoption support boards there was a discussion about hosting and people were recommending good hosting programs. Naturally, I shared the name of the host program we used and stated how we had had a fabulous experience.

The original poster of the thread was interested in hearing more about our story and asked if we had a blog. I emailed this person privately and gave him our blog address (I don't mind sharing to the public but have somewhat recently decided that posting it on the big board could land you in the spotlight; I don't particularly have an interest in that).

Anywayyyy, this person decided to contact the hosting program we used, gave our names as the people who referred him (that's fine...kind of...though hadn’t really had a one-on-one discussion about our experience or anything else) AND... (here’s the problem) not only said that we hosted a child and were IN THE PROCESS OF ADOPTING HER (not exactly accurate...we are HOPEFUL to but not “in the process” as we haven’t even received permission from the NAC) but ALSO attached a photo of our princess taken from our blog!!!  (the photo was said to be used to help identify who we were but....)

Well, this person DID fwd me this email for me to see in the case that the host program had contact me about them. As soon as I saw what was typed and realized “our” little girl’s picture was also attached, my heart dropped to my stomach.

First of all, I was freaked out that someone snagged her picture for ANY purpose, though honestly I always knew that it was possible for someone to do, I guess. But on top of that, those who know much about Ukrainian adoptions know, that you can be HOPEFUL to adopt a child you hosted but to say you are in the process of adopting the hosted child, can really be read the wrong way (pre-selection and such), ESPECIALLY to the hosting program who OF COURSE would not want to be advertised that way because THEY ARE NOT AN ADOPTION PROGRAM.

I have never even implied we were FOR SURE going to adopt her nor did I ever even imply that this host program participates in ANY adoption program. And it is extremely important to us that we show our great gratitude to this wonderful program for all that they have done and do for all of the host children, and make absolutely sure that we do not misrepresent them.

Anyway, that is the short version.

What it all comes down to is that I am now even more afraid to post anything than I was before. Think about how horrific it would be if I ruined our chances of being able to adopt the little girl we love so much (and who loves us) because I wanted to share our good news with others in the adoption community!! I just don’t know what I would do.

So, no more pictures and less information about what it going on in OUR adoption. I wanted to pull the blog all together but don’t have the heart to do that. I have had this blog from day 1 (okay, maybe more like day 3 LOL) and I don’t think it is fair to me or other genuinely interested families for me to just disappear leaving our story unfinished.

I want to share our good news about our appointment (which we are still waiting for) and I want to share our experience in Ukraine and I want to share our FINALLY HOME WITH OUR CHILD news, but I have to determine the best way to do it and if we even should. <sigh>

EDITED: 10/16/06 - I have since learned that no child's picture should be posted until you are there to adopt them. I should not have posted her pciture anyway, as she was not my daughter but legally still Ukraine's child. Live and learn.