Our next step

I figured I am getting the hang of this blogging, so I will finish where I left off earlier. After much discussion, tears and research, we have decided to adopt. We have never been apposed to adopting. We just wish it could have been a choice instead of our only option. Our first choice was to adopt from Russia, but with costs of $30,000+, that was quickly ruled out. We did look into domestic infant adoption. The costs for that are still unbelievable, $15,000-$30,000. Even if we scraped together every dime we had and borrowed money from family, we would be completely broke in the end. I don't want to try and raise a child while in debt. How do all those families out there who adopt afford it? Plus, if the birthmother changes her mind, we have lost all the money we have given her for expenses and we lose some agency or lawyer expenses as well. We weren't sure if that is a chance we were willing to take. So we have decided to foster-to-adopt. We know that this is a VERY risky road, but it will virtually cost nothing in the end. My grandparents have fostered for over 25 years and while they have done an amazing thing, that is not what we want. We want to foster with the intend to adopt. We know nothing is guaranteed (especially with the Florida system), but we will request to only take children that are on the road or plan to be on the road to adoption. I plan on making this very clear to our social worker. We figured we will give this a try and if several children get yanked from our home, then we will reconsider this whole process.

We have found an agency to go through to get licensed and so far they have been really nice. We are only in the beginning stages and there is so much to do still. We have filled out our initial application packet and had our medical exams done. The next step is to take 26 hours of MAPP classes over the course of 2 weeks starting April 7th. For the first time in years, we are excited. I think it's because we finally are moving towards a goal and we are doing something instead of sitting in limbo. Though we are both very impatient and want this whole process done yesterday!

We are pretty particular in the type of child we want, so it may take awhile longer. We want a white child with no medical problems. We either want one child a year or younger or a sibling group of 2 with the oldest no older than 2. The sex of the child doesn't matter to us and we don't have to have a new baby. I know others disagree with us feeling that way, but we would actually prefer the child to be closer to 1. That is such a fun age. We are probably crazy to say we want two children at once. I don't even know how we will handle going from no children to 2 children. Shane seems to thing it won't be any harder to have 2 children instead of just 1. What does he know, he is an only child! But the way we look at it is that it has been such a roller coaster ride, that we are not sure if we want to go through this all again so why not get it done at once. And they would be biologically related which is a plus.