Wednesday, January 30, 2013

So heres what you've missed...

Their is SO much to tell! I think i'll try and make it short and perhaps another time elaborate on certain things.
In a nut shell:
  •  Ferrill & I made the final decision to adopt (narrowed it down to the agency) and submitted our application in June 2011.
  • July we were accepted.
  • July-Oct we started and finished all our needed paper work and began fundraising and letting people know.(This part consisted of hundreds of newsletter,background checks,fingerprinting,multiple doctors visits,a home study which goes over all your financials,your personal life and intentions,health insurance,life insurance,and creating a "profile" like a biography book for the agency to show to potential birth-mothers. WEW just thinking about all that is crazy. All this was the most intimidating part. The unknown of what to do and the at times, annoyance of it all.But I will say it eliminates those that are unsure or unwilling to do the work and the waiting that is required to have such a privilege.Personally the hardest part for me was creating the profile.The agency was super anxious to show us right away that they wanted it within 2 days.2days!!!!! and if you know me at all you know how unfamiliar I am with technology so blogging in itself is a total miracle!

  • Oct we were being shown to birthmothers.
  • Dec 21 we were matched
What Does Matched mean?

Well, when a birth-mother contacts the agency she does a lot of counseling about her life,her choices and what her options are now that shes pregnant.Once she has made up her mind to adopt and is ready they will show her multiple profiles of couples that are waiting to adopt (this varies from what she wants and what the couple is willing to do.Example: ferrill and I were open to ANY race or gender of baby but our budget was less than most ( $30,000) so whomever decides to place their baby with us would have to be comfortable with their child being raised by a younger white couple with no kids. lol Some woman want the parents to already have children or to place their baby with the same race.Also you may desire an open,semi-open,or closed adoption.that has to be agreed upon as well)

This process can and does take time.The more specific the longer it takes.The more open,the more you can be "shown" and the sooner you can adopt.Once you are matched HALF of the entire expense (attorneys fees,birthmother expenses, agency fees etc) are due within 2 days. And the remainder is payed after labor/delivery and the paper work is done by a social worker at the hospital.Our adoption, not including the paperwork,appointments, and fees just to get to this point will cost us $23,000.And no... we do not conveniently have $23,000,and i don know anyone who does. ok, I know just a few people.

The day we were matched we were able to go to the agency and meet this momma.It was amazing! If you got a newsletter I told in more detail what that experience was like and how peaceful it all was.(deep sigh) their is SOOOOO much more that Im not even sharing.So much excitment,joy and peace.Somedays like today I just sit and mull all thats happened over and I could and do,daydream for hours at all the details of what God is doing. It doesnt seem possible that God would care so much,to do so much.My heart is growing.(oh gosh i need a tea break.so much to still say.So much i want you to know)

Im back-So currently we are waiting for our next meeting which will be to determine when baby is due and what baby will be!!!!!! Eeeeeeeeeek! wow this is the first time im writing that. wow. Im not typically a crier but im pretty sure when we go to that sonogram,which should be in the next few weeks, I will probably cry.. and laugh a little.I can be a nervous laugh-er

So what do you want to know more of? What made our hearts open to any race? any gender? how do you begin to fathom covering the expense? What will happen if it falls through?  Each of these real questions have an incredible and encouraging story behind them.Its just a matter of which do I tell first.

Thank you for stopping by today.I know it was a lot to read, but it felt really great to finally tell it.


1 comment:

  1. I am SO PROUD of you guys!!! I am praying... and can't wait to hear more about the journey. Love you!!!

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