Hi --- Introduction!

Alicia_22

HI Everyone! My name is Alicia. I've posted here before but it's been a long time! My DH & I have officially decided to start the adoption process after 3 years of TTC. We decided instead of doing more fertility treatments ( IUI, IVF, ect) that we would go the adoption route. I'm very excited and a little overwhelmed by it all! We are just in the research stage as of now. I wanted to introduce myself and say hi. I used to visit the TTTC board and have met some wonderful women on there and I know this board will be the same! Any advice you can give me as we start this "journey" would be greatly appreciated! We are in Georgia so if anyone knows of a good, reputable agency near us, please let me know! I've already contacted several and have gotten some information from them already. Right now my biggest concern is financing it. I knew adoption was expensive but WOW!!!!! 

 

 

M&MBride0506

Welcome Alicia...My name is Melinda and everyone here is so wonderful.  They can answer just about anything you need.  At least they do for me.  They are wonderful ladies. 

Art Teacher

Hi Alicia  - Welcome to the board!  Everyone is really nice and supportive here - just like Melinda said.  I would suggest getting a couple adoption books since you're just starting out:

The Complete Adoption Book

Adoption for Dummies (lots of good info,just not a great title!)

Adopting After Infertility

Dr.Loretta

Welcome. You'll be getting a lot of welcomes once things pick up on Monday

No recs for a GA agency, just do your research. Some people like beginner books like Adoption for Dummies, and websites like adoption.com, adoption.org, and resolve.org have some good information. See if any agencies in your area have orientation meetings or seminars. We attended some virtual seminars before deciding on our agency.

There are adoption grants out there, and some low-interest loans, as well as the tax credit. Some agencies have fees on a sliding scale based on income.

Good luck and feel free to ask lots of questions. It's a great group of women in all stages of adopting, and all sides of the adoption triad.

 

Alicia_22

Thank you so much! I've actually already bought Adoption for Dummies a while back before we decided we were going to go the adoption route. It's been VERY helpful so far!!!! I can't wait to get lots of information from everyone on this board. What "stages" of adoption are you all in??? 

FinallyMrs.G

Welcome! You will get lots of good info here, I've learned so much from the wonderful ladies on this board. I also liked The idiots guide to Adoption. We have  been working on our homestudy for a couple of months now for domestic adoption. We will have it completed sometime next month.  I would like to follow your journey, looking forward to it.

Amy720

Hi,

  Welcome to the board.  I hope your wait is short!  I sent you a PM with some info from the facilitator we used in GA.  We live in GA, but the facilitator works with agencies all over the country.  We actually adopted through a TX agency.
 

crystalpopcorn

Hello and welcome!  This is such a helpful group of ladies (and men now and then too!).  The books and websites recommended are great.  Try to go into adoption with an open mind.  Don't decide on an adoption path without researching all of them (domestic/international/foster).  Even if you think that a certain path is not for you, research it anyway just to make sure.  I would also recommend that you decide on a path before you find an agency. 

More people will be on tomorrow, and I'm sure you will get lots of advice.  Please feel free to post often.  Any and all questions are welcome here

lilmufish

Don't worry, you don't have to know everything all at once. There's alot to know, and if you come up with a question, don't hesitate to ask. I ask goofy questions all the time and I always have a handful of ladies that answer.

There are different types of adoption on this board, you'll start seeing posts related to those specific types...Every family will feel comfortable/not comfortable with each choice. It's important to educate yourself and find the route best for you.  There are:

* DA - Domestic adoption (adopting a baby from the US / your home country)
* IA - International adoption (adopting a baby/toddler or older child from another country)
*FA -  Adoption from foster care, or foster to adopt

I would also recommend starting to follow some blogs - some of these ladies have some great real-life-experiences that will help educate you on the process...not just the process, but real life emotions and the ups/downs   I have several on my blog, and some of the other ladies have even more links than I do!!

 

 

GLynn2009

Welcome. Research everything and have DH research also if he will. My DH did not do the research but we go walking after work most days and I would fill him in on the lastest things that I would find out.

What path are you leaning torwards?

Do not let the money scare you off if you are willing to save and research you will find a way to make it happen. The money scared us also, it still scares me sometimes but we have also have the money when it was needed.

 

Good luck.

CaptainSerious

Hi, and welcome.

I think the ladies in this post gave you great advice.  Start by researching the type of adoption that you feel best fits your family, and then find an agency that has a strong program in that type of adoption.  Any other more specific questions, feel free to post here, and we'll do our best to help you out!

As for me, my husband and I are in the process of adopting from Peru.  We're currently waiting on our approval, and then will either wait (2-3 years) for a referral or adopt a waiting child (can happen in just a few months).