Adoption Update: Oh for the Love of Paperwork |

Adoption is not for the faint hearted. Just to be approved to adopt takes a lot of time, money and endurance. Lots of research has gone into simply searching for an agency, and finding one that will accept waiting families. Countless prayers have been lifted up as we seek direction for our next step, asking the Lord to open and close doors.

Less than two weeks ago we received a call from an agency that we had applied to months earlier. They stated that things were still slow on the domestic end of adoption, but they had a new networking opportunity that they were offering.

Through this new opportunity:

The agency would complete our home study
We could take all the classes we need to fulfill state requirements
Our adoption profile would be placed on the agency website, giving us nationwide opportunities
And we would also work with an Adoption Consulting company, who would help connect us with adoption agencies across the nation that have an expectant mom looking for a profile like ours.

After much talking, lots of prayer, and bouncing the idea off family members, we decided we would go this route.

Monday night we attended our first three hour class (there will still be several more to come!) And received our next round of paperwork that we need to complete.

Two thick packets of paperwork.

The first packet is for the Department of Child and Family Services. A total of 17 documents, 28 pages in all, that need to be read, signed and dated. In this section, we will need to write out a fire escape plan, submit a water report from the village, our child care plan, background check waiver, etc.

(photo credit)

The second packet is the agency paperwork. This wonderful stack of paperwork is about an inch thick, many pages are front and back. In this paperwork, we will fill out countless questions about ourselves, our relationship with our spouse, and information about our family history. We will all need medical physicals completed, provide financial information, and provide several other documents as well. By the time we are done, the agency will know every. little. thing. about us.

Once we finish this mountain of paperwork (which also needs to be notarized by the way), we will meet with a caseworker from the agency a handful of times (answering all the same questions that we already filled out in the packet). The home study phase will end with a caseworker coming to check out our home.

I am really hoping to get this paperwork done as quick as possible. The next two weeks are a little crazy for us with two weeks of Vacation Bible School, among several other things. It may mean some earlier mornings or later nights, but I am determined to get this done and turned into the agency so we can REALLY start our journey for a second child.