| If you have decided to grow your family through | | | | potential birth mother. A birth mother will likely want |
| adoption, you want to adopt now. There is an | | | | to see photos of you and read information about |
| urgency of having time slip by without having the | | | | your lifestyle to decide whether to choose you as |
| child of your dreams. Congratulations on making the | | | | the parents of her baby. Your adoption service |
| decision to adopt. Arriving at the decision to adopt is | | | | provider can usually guide you as to how to prepare |
| the hardest part. Now action is necessary. Put | | | | materials to present yourself well. |
| yourself in motion to accomplish these 7 Key Steps | | | | 5. Prepare to make decisions about a birth mother |
| to Adopting in the next 30 days and you will have a | | | | match. There will be many decisions you will need to |
| baby in your arms within about a year. | | | | make quickly when a birth mother is presented to |
| Here are the steps to adopt in the shortest amount | | | | you. By reading books on adoption and discussing |
| of time: | | | | together possible scenarios you might be presented |
| 1. Decide whether adoption is right for you. Talk with | | | | with will help you be ready to make decisions quickly. |
| others who have adopted. Talk together about | | | | 6. Share with your family and selected friends that |
| whether adopting is right for you both. People arrive | | | | you are adopting. The prospect of adopting will |
| at the adoption decision at different times and on | | | | become more real to you if you talk about it with |
| different commitment levels. Make sure you both are | | | | your extended family members and selected friends. |
| fully on board with this very important life change. | | | | You do not need to tell the whole world if you don't |
| 2. Investigate adoption resources. Many resources | | | | want to, but telling key support people in your lives |
| are available to you to learn about the adoption | | | | will help them as well as you be ready to welcome a |
| process and decide whether an attorney, an adoption | | | | child into your family. |
| agency, an adoption matching service or a | | | | 7. Believe that you are about to become parents |
| combination is right for you. | | | | through adoption. Begin thinking of yourselves as |
| 3. Sign up with one or more adoption attorneys, | | | | parents-to-be. There is positive energy in your belief |
| adoption agencies or other matching services. Take | | | | that will propel people and events toward making |
| action. Commit to go forward with your plan. Once | | | | your dream of becoming parents a reality. Tap into |
| you sign up with an adoption service provider, you | | | | this deep well of support by the power of your |
| are on the path to becoming parents through | | | | belief. |
| adoption. | | | | Follow these 7 simple steps within the next 30 days |
| 4. Create materials to present yourselves to a | | | | and you will be parents very soon! |