Adoption is a new journey for us - we didn't grow up with any knowledge of the adoption process nor do we really know many families who have adopted. Once God placed this process on our hearts, we began to realize how in depth it really is. Being a teacher, I (Rachel) love to learn and thought I would take it upon myself to educate all of our supporters along the way who may not be familiar with this process either.
After the formal application to the agency, the first major step in the adoption process is called the home study. This process involves education and preparation as well as the gathering of information about the prospective parents. Here is what we completed for the home study process: Paperwork, which included:
Interviews by a social worker, which included:
Home visit by a social worker, which included:
Homework, which included:
We just received the home study approval paperwork TODAY so that means we are now officially considered a family that can adopt! The next step .... the adoption profile book. In Him,
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Our first fundraiser is here: A friend of mine is a representative for Stella & Dot Jewelry and wanted to throw an online event for us!
Starting today, you may shop here for jewelry and other accessories: http://www.stelladot.com/ts/9w496
If you don't have a need or desire for jewelry, but still want to donate, don't worry! We setup a tax-deductible account with adopttogether.org (click the button under our picture at right!) Our story and goal are there for anyone who wants to donate! Thanks for coming on this journey with us! It would be easy to assume adoption is our second choice. If you think about it, it didn't have to be a choice at all. But we always wanted a family and so we very carefully considered it and covered it with prayer. We lived for quite awhile not entirely sure what God wanted us to do. Choose to be a childless couple or adopt our children? Sometimes, though, it takes one little thing to push you to a decision. It was Father's Day and we were trying to decide what to do about church. I should stop to point out that this is an example of how some infertile people struggle in plain sight. Mother's Day and Father's Day are extremely difficult days for people who long to be parents, but aren't able to celebrate. It's yet another reminder of what we don't have. Anyway, we decided to brave church on Father's Day and we are so glad we did. At the beginning of the service, the lights dipped and a video started. I won't give anything away except to say that, after church, we looked at each other and said "we're supposed to adopt, aren't we?"
For us as Christians, we believe that the Lord adopted us as His children. Adoption by definition refers to a legal action by which a person takes into his family a child not his own for the purpose of treating him as and giving him all the privileges of being his true child.
Adoption is filled with grace and mercy and love. We consider ourselves privileged to have the chance to adopt a child (or children) and show them even a glimpse of the grace and mercy and love that the Lord has shown us. In Him, |
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June 2021
Adoption Blogs and LinksCurious what adoption costs?
Click for a breakdown of what the money goes toward during our journey. |