Questions

As we have been sharing our decision to adopt with friends and family, we have been getting lots of the same questions over and over. So I thought I would answer the most common questions here.

1. Why are you adopting internationally and not domestically?
While we think adopting domestically is extremely important, our hearts are drawn to the waiting children in other countries. Some of our closest friends have adopted or are planning to adopt domestically. This has been a wonderful experience for them, as I am confident our adoption will be.

2. Why Asia?
I have had a desire in my heart for several years for a daughter from Asia. Then, after researching our other options, the requirements to adopt from an Asian country fit our requirements. If we decide to adopt again, we will revaluate the different countries.

3. What is the process and timeframe to adopt internationally?
This is the process as we understand it at this time and for the countries we are looking at. Each country is different, so adopting from a country outside of Asia may not follow this same pattern. As we go through the process I will update this blog, so you can follow the actual process with us.
Step 1 - Decide on the country and the adoption agency. Decide the age, sex and if you want a child with special needs.
Step 2 - Complete the home study and mounds of paperwork required by the US, your adoption agency, and the country you choose to adopt from. (3 to 6 months)
Step 3 - Your information is sent to the country you wish to adopt from. (a couple of weeks)
Step 4 - You are matched with a waiting child and sent a referral for that child. Courts in that country finalize the adoption. (6 to 24 months)
Step 5 - You travel to your child's birth country to pick them up. Yeah!!! (3-14 days in country)
We expect it will take about 2 years before we have a daughter at home.

4. Where are you at in the process?
We hope to have decided on a country and agency by the end of next week. We are leaning towards Taiwan, but we are still considering China and Thailand. We have narrowed it down to 5 different agencies.

5. What is the cost?
Our adoption will cost between $20,000 and $30,000. We will get a majority of the money back from tax credits and Doug's company’s adoption program. We will end up having to come up with $5,000 to $10,000 of non-reimbursable funds. We have a Paypal link on this blog, in case anyone feels moved to donate to our adoption fund.