The Adventure is Just Beginning

May 2009

We are at the very beginning of our adoption story, and we’d though we’d share the process with you. Be sure to come back for updates!

We always knew that children would be part of our lives, so when we found out that we couldn’t have children naturally, of course we were both so disappointed and processed that loss in different ways. We explored all of our options and decided that adoption felt the best path for us. We spent a long time researching which adoption process we should use- domestic, international, open, closed, semi. How do you know which method is the best? In the end, we won’t know until it happens, but we started looking at what felt the best all around. We are lucky in that one of the independent adoption centers is within walking distance from our house.

It is really important to us that the birthmother has the opportunity to choose the adoptive family. In addition, since we have an inter-ability relationship, we are hoping that a birthmother may directly relate to us and find us fit to be adoptive parents.

We also began to look at the requirements of adoption. Since adoption is a legal process, we must have a good deal of our lives in order- wills, life insurance, employment, housing, financials. All of these things provide the foundation in order for a child to live a healthy life. For us though, the most important aspect that we will focus on will be to provide a loving and nurturing space where a child grows up to be a responsible adult.

This year, we’ve taken two very important steps. First, we’ve started talking about adoption more, not just between us, but among our friends as well. Adoption is still taboo, and even more so since we are an inter-ability couple. We receive a barrage of questions- how will we manage? How could we possibly take care of a baby? We’ve stopped justifying our decision- how does anyone manage their lives as they are adjusting to a new addition to their family. We’ve had to align ourselves with those who support our decision and will actively support us through the process.

In addition, we’ve looked at getting our financials in order. In this time of the recession, it’s been important for us to take a look at our financials, have a plan to get out of debt and a plan to raise funds. We know we are on a long-term plan for accomplishing our financial goals, but we have to start some where. We’re also looking at different community events and ways to collaborate with other local businesses, colleagues, and friends for fundraising opportunities.

Why would we ask others to help contribute to our adoption plans? It’s not just about raising money. In truth- we can’t do it all on our own. It’s about including the community in our lives because we are active participants in our community. We will need to use more community resources more than other families raising children. Do you know how to attach a baby stroller to a motorized wheelchair? We're on our way to figuring it out! How do we find out the community resources we will need to rely on, and how do we utilize those resources? It's only by putting the word out there!

We realize we’re in the three to five year pregnancy plan, looking at the lists of things to accomplish at each part of the adoption process. We hope that while we jump through each of these challenges, we can learn patience, perseverance, and compassion that will prepare us for what’s to come.

We are looking for private donations to help us on our journey. We are in the process of building our contributions page, so stay tuned!