Issue link: http://hvparent.uberflip.com/i/742842
14 Hudson Valley Parent n November 2016 By STACEY LUTZ P erhaps the idea of adopting has crossed your mind, maybe to then be quickly replaced by the uncertainty of what to expect and what will be expected. Rest assured, you aren't alone. Many people aren't sure of what the process entails until they earnestly begin looking into adopting. Cara and Jim Robertson of Pine Bush first considered adoption after their son was born but they expe- rienced complications while trying to conceive again. With help from a friend who had recently gone through a private adoption, the Rob- ertsons were eventually able to wel- come another child to their family. Their friend, Andrea, who had privately advertised about adopt- ing a baby, received the phone call about a newborn girl, but since she'd just adopted her son seven weeks earlier, she called up the Robertsons. They decided to go together to meet the birth mother. After an in-depth interview, the Robertsons hired an attorney and decided on an open adoption, which, according to americanadoptions. com, refers to any adoption in which identifiable info as well as contact details are shared between the birth parents and the adoptive parents (and often open communication with the birth parent relatives like grandparents, aunts, uncles and Everything you always wanted to know about adoption (but were afraid to ask) Open adoption worked for the Robertson family, seen here with their dogs, Ollie, and Roscoe.