My sweet Annemarie's Adoption Fund
Donation protected
Hi! My name is Melissa. I have been blessed with a beautiful family. We have a full happy home. It consists of myself, a wonderful, loving, hardworking husband, 4 handsome boys, our beautiful god daughter(whom we love and provide for as she was our own, and just about a month ago took up permanent residence with us),and then my little angel, Annemarie!
Annemarie's story started about 2 years ago when my cousin found out she was pregnant. At the time, her life circumstances were not good and she was making poor decisions. I would like to add that since she has turned her life around and I am extremely proud of her. The moment I heard she was pregnant my whole being overflowed with a love for this child as it had with each my own pregnacies. My husband and I reached out to my cousin whom at the time was exploring all options. We presented her with the option of adoption. We told her that we had more than enough love for the child and that we would love to raise her as a Farrand.
My cousin made the decision out of the love of her own heart that this was what she was supose to do. She began to stay with us during her first trimester. I went to every doctor appointment. I was overflowed with joy. I was there for the first heartbeat, and the first ultrasound. That is were I found out she was a beautiful baby girl. My husband and I were nastalgic! This was our first daughter.
Over the next few months we found a lawyer and were informed of all the legalalities. Then last July we all went to the hospital and I actually got to see a birth from the other side of the table. It was amazing! The first time I held her in my arms I knew that she was born to me my sweet Annemarie! She came home from the hospital with my husband and me. The boys could not get enough of her. She was their sister and they loved her to pieces. It was too dificult for my cousin to come back to the house so she decided to stay her newfound boyfriend.
My cousin went directly from the hospital to sign over her rights. This would be the happy ending, but that is not the cards we were given. I am sure you are all aware that it takes two to tango. The aledged birth father lurked somewhere in the shadows. His name had come up a couple of times between my cousin and me. He was aware of the prgnancy but not involved. Never called never tried to help, nothing. But as things sometimes go, his name was put down on some legal paperwork. So he had to be sent papers about the adoption.
He was sent papers last November. Since that time he has not put forth effort in being a father. She is now a year and a half.
We went to our fist hearing in August. He showed up to court saying I'm hear to get custody of "my daughter". He still did not ask to even see a picture or ask her name.
He has the rights to an appointed lawyer and so far has only had to pay $200 which is half of the ordered paternity test. We have to pay the other half. We got our lawyer bill this weekend. It was right at $8000. Plus the letter says we need to come up with money to pay retainer fees for the guardian et litem( person whom speaks in childs behalf under age 14) and her a lawyer. The lawyer office proceeds to tell me since it is a contested matter expenses will just continue to climb. They said the day of the actual hearing could be another $ 4,000 itself. I feel it so unfair that he is fighting for our baby and has not tried to be a father or does not have to even pay for the fight. We are having a hard time paying our own lawyer bill, now we also have to pay for the guardians lawyer too. I feel like a giants fist is squeezing my heart. Not only do I have this threat of losing my daughter that I have raised since birth. I also have the thought of what it would do to the boys if they lost their sister. I don't know where or how to come up with all this money. My husband is the only one of us that work. It would cost too much for daycare and we homeschool. With six growing children in the house money is a scarce thing. Thank you so much for listening to our story and all of your help.
Annemarie's story started about 2 years ago when my cousin found out she was pregnant. At the time, her life circumstances were not good and she was making poor decisions. I would like to add that since she has turned her life around and I am extremely proud of her. The moment I heard she was pregnant my whole being overflowed with a love for this child as it had with each my own pregnacies. My husband and I reached out to my cousin whom at the time was exploring all options. We presented her with the option of adoption. We told her that we had more than enough love for the child and that we would love to raise her as a Farrand.
My cousin made the decision out of the love of her own heart that this was what she was supose to do. She began to stay with us during her first trimester. I went to every doctor appointment. I was overflowed with joy. I was there for the first heartbeat, and the first ultrasound. That is were I found out she was a beautiful baby girl. My husband and I were nastalgic! This was our first daughter.
Over the next few months we found a lawyer and were informed of all the legalalities. Then last July we all went to the hospital and I actually got to see a birth from the other side of the table. It was amazing! The first time I held her in my arms I knew that she was born to me my sweet Annemarie! She came home from the hospital with my husband and me. The boys could not get enough of her. She was their sister and they loved her to pieces. It was too dificult for my cousin to come back to the house so she decided to stay her newfound boyfriend.
My cousin went directly from the hospital to sign over her rights. This would be the happy ending, but that is not the cards we were given. I am sure you are all aware that it takes two to tango. The aledged birth father lurked somewhere in the shadows. His name had come up a couple of times between my cousin and me. He was aware of the prgnancy but not involved. Never called never tried to help, nothing. But as things sometimes go, his name was put down on some legal paperwork. So he had to be sent papers about the adoption.
He was sent papers last November. Since that time he has not put forth effort in being a father. She is now a year and a half.
We went to our fist hearing in August. He showed up to court saying I'm hear to get custody of "my daughter". He still did not ask to even see a picture or ask her name.
He has the rights to an appointed lawyer and so far has only had to pay $200 which is half of the ordered paternity test. We have to pay the other half. We got our lawyer bill this weekend. It was right at $8000. Plus the letter says we need to come up with money to pay retainer fees for the guardian et litem( person whom speaks in childs behalf under age 14) and her a lawyer. The lawyer office proceeds to tell me since it is a contested matter expenses will just continue to climb. They said the day of the actual hearing could be another $ 4,000 itself. I feel it so unfair that he is fighting for our baby and has not tried to be a father or does not have to even pay for the fight. We are having a hard time paying our own lawyer bill, now we also have to pay for the guardians lawyer too. I feel like a giants fist is squeezing my heart. Not only do I have this threat of losing my daughter that I have raised since birth. I also have the thought of what it would do to the boys if they lost their sister. I don't know where or how to come up with all this money. My husband is the only one of us that work. It would cost too much for daycare and we homeschool. With six growing children in the house money is a scarce thing. Thank you so much for listening to our story and all of your help.
Organizer
melissa Farrand
Organizer
Chester, SC