Conference Call

I had my conference call with the caseworker at the midwestern agency I had been talking to.  She was very nice and I liked her a lot.  She answered many of my questions and clarified some things for me.

For example, she clarified that Missouri does not, in fact, issue PBOs.  This is something I had been attempting to research in the last few days and had gotten very confused about.  She said that instead, they issue a parentage order.  She explained that the only difference between these two things was that the parentage order is issued after the baby is born, but before it leaves the hospital.  The end result is the same - the biological parent(s) goes directly onto the birth certificate, and I am not required to appear on it and then "give up" the baby for adoption.  We also discussed the possibility of me delivering in Illinois, since I am only about half an hour away from a good hospital on the IL side.  IL is one of the most surro friendly states in the country, so it's something that we can talk about with potential IPs when we get to that stage.

Once she had gone over my paper application with me and I had asked my questions of her, she told me a little bit about a couple in the Chicago area she had in mind for me.  From what I heard about them I said I would like for her to show them my profile.  She said that they are currently out of town but she will show them my profile about a week from now.  If they decide they like me, she will then send me their profile for my husband and I to go over and decide if we would like to set up a conference call with them.

Before now, this has been such an abstract idea to me.  I have wanted to help a couple achieve their dream of family.  Now I have been given information on a real live couple who has their own unique story that has brought them to using surrogacy as a means to become parents.  The thought that I might meet THE couple in the next week or two has me excited and frightened at the same time!