here is my story.

update.

on september 18th, 2009. william's adoption was finalized!!!
we are now a forever family!

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this is my story, and i am glad to finally be able to share it with you...

"your friend, yvonne had been arrested and she wants you to come pick up the baby", on august 14th, 2006, i became an instant mom with a single phone call.
i have not seen her since.

finally after 3 years in court, both birth parents rights have been terminated and we are waiting for the state to write and send our final report to the court. hopefully sometime soon. but they are very short staffed.

during the past three years, we have lived each year on less than $20k. william's specific needs have made it so that i have needed to be home and with william as full time as possible. it has been since this past spring that he has finally been able to attend pre-school without me!! this is a huge move forward for him.

in order to keep william safe, we have moved twice, changed cars a few times, and i have been on "red" alert, never feeling like i can let down my guard. for the first time, i was able to relax during my last week's vacation, since both birth parent's rights have finally been terminated!! the post adoption agreement that has been signed has a number of safety nets in place for us.

prior to 2006, i taught at the art institute of california, i ran a successful bridal gown design business, i managed employment agencies... and started and still run a community program that assists local single moms in need. how ironic! i was born and raised in menlo park, and graduated from ravenswood high school and menlo college...

i have an amazing amount of compassion for struggling single moms.
i know how it feels to count out change for a few gallons of gas, to be grateful that we will have milk, cheese, peanut butter, cereal and eggs through the WIC program, to be grateful that St. Anthony's will give us a hot lunch and breads/veggies/fruit, to be grateful that i can receive diapers through my own community program, to be grateful that we have medi-cal health insurance, to be grateful that we can have a roommate to help out with rent... but i also know how stressful it is to live "hand to mouth" and not to have any financial safety net.
we will be living on less than $20k a year again.

in addition, i have been dealing with chronic pain for the past 8 years. i was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, carpel tunnel and neuropathy...and have been on a pain med management program. my pain levels have been increasing this year, and i am now going to go a different direction. i am hoping that alternative treatments, chiropractic, massage and accupunture will allow me to get off my meds, and feel better. of course, medi-cal does not pay for any alternative medicine, or even therapy! so... between our easy little adoption that was suppose to be around $2k turned into a more complicated case that is now closer to $10k, and the need to build a health care fund...i am needing to reach out for help!

i am writing to find out if you know of any individuals, organizations, grants... that could assist us in any way.

i am happy to share our financials/budget... if requested. as you can imagine, my credit score has suffered significantly as well. while i am not proud of my "financials", i am very proud of my son, who is a well adjusted, happy, healthy and loving toddler!

thanks so much.
megan rosenhart.
650-468-3065