Parents-In-Waiting
When most couples decide they want to have a baby they plan a romantic evening and let nature take its course. When my husband and I want to expand our family, we curl up on the bed, get comfortable and fill out an application.
Oh, we still talk sweetly to each other, just like other couples. But we have to throw in a few questions that don't exactly qualify as bedroom banter: "How much exactly did you earn last year?" and "What's your Social Security number again?"
That's the way it goes when you set your sights on adoption.
The initial application is quick, and the $35 fee that goes along with it is probably the smallest check you'll write during this process. (Like considerate lovers, the agencies start out gently.)
The adoption track may seem slow-moving, but the months can go by quickly as you work to satisfy all the requirements. They include numerous inquiries on your financial status, family history, religious affiliations and views on parenting; visits with social workers; fingerprinting; creating a family profile; interviews with potential birth parents; medical exams and collecting letters of recommendations. (Be nice to your friends, just in case.)
For some couples, the adoption process can be highly emotional. I tried to remain stoic during our first adoption, but it's hard when you're playing for keeps. So I prayed. A lot. (There may have been some begging and bargaining in there, too; however, the revisionist in me would prefer to say my faith remained steady.)
The funny thing about adoption, as we learned the first time around, is that unlike sex this is pretty much a sure thing. There is going to be a baby out there for us.
When we mailed in the application for adoption the first time around, Hendrick was already growing in his birth mother's womb. We couldn't have imagined back then that a child so beautiful and lovable would soon be ours.
Another application went in the mail last week and hopefully there's another child for us in the making. Now, it's just a matter of waiting.
Oh, we still talk sweetly to each other, just like other couples. But we have to throw in a few questions that don't exactly qualify as bedroom banter: "How much exactly did you earn last year?" and "What's your Social Security number again?"
That's the way it goes when you set your sights on adoption.
The initial application is quick, and the $35 fee that goes along with it is probably the smallest check you'll write during this process. (Like considerate lovers, the agencies start out gently.)
The adoption track may seem slow-moving, but the months can go by quickly as you work to satisfy all the requirements. They include numerous inquiries on your financial status, family history, religious affiliations and views on parenting; visits with social workers; fingerprinting; creating a family profile; interviews with potential birth parents; medical exams and collecting letters of recommendations. (Be nice to your friends, just in case.)
For some couples, the adoption process can be highly emotional. I tried to remain stoic during our first adoption, but it's hard when you're playing for keeps. So I prayed. A lot. (There may have been some begging and bargaining in there, too; however, the revisionist in me would prefer to say my faith remained steady.)
The funny thing about adoption, as we learned the first time around, is that unlike sex this is pretty much a sure thing. There is going to be a baby out there for us.
When we mailed in the application for adoption the first time around, Hendrick was already growing in his birth mother's womb. We couldn't have imagined back then that a child so beautiful and lovable would soon be ours.
Another application went in the mail last week and hopefully there's another child for us in the making. Now, it's just a matter of waiting.
2 Comments:
Good luck to you guys!
You seem like such a nice woman and a great mother - I hope your 2nd angel will be sent to you soon!
Please know that my prayers are with you and your family. God bless!
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