| Are you as tired of this me, me, me perspective of | | | | questions and help you get started. Adoption |
| life as I am? Have you been blessed with a home, a | | | | agencies and exchanges, religious groups, community |
| decent income, and the sweet companionship of a | | | | colleges are examples of where to start. Keep in |
| loving spouse, perhaps even children - and yet | | | | mind that the majority of child adoptions from foster |
| suddenly you've had the uncomfortable feeling of | | | | care are handled by public child welfare agencies. |
| living just for yourselves; you've detected the "me, | | | | Parent support groups are out there as well as state |
| me, me" perspective in your own life? You have | | | | department specialists - and don't forget the many |
| been given so much, you keep thinking, and then | | | | websites and printed materials that are available in |
| comes the question - is it possibly the time now that | | | | that initial step toward foster care adoption. |
| I, or we, are to give something in return to someone | | | | Part of the educational process of learning about |
| not as blessed - not our money, but the giving of | | | | foster care adoption is to nail down all the legal |
| ourselves, the sharing of ourselves with a special | | | | requirements because, as you've surmised, laws and |
| someone - perhaps a foster care adopted child? | | | | regulations govern U.S. adoption procedures. Because |
| Imagine this foster child to be someone who never | | | | these laws vary from state to state, it may benefit |
| expected to receive so much as you are able to give | | | | you to check out the State Statutes database to |
| - someone so used to feeling abandoned and alone, | | | | furnish an overview and comparison of laws |
| unloved and unworthy of being loved, because he | | | | statewide. |
| she didn't know what it was like to belong to a family | | | | Wow, you're just getting started and already your |
| who loved and wanted him/her. Perhaps they once | | | | head is beginning to spin - and you think "Is this the |
| knew the love of family, but have gone through the | | | | 'giving' I was expecting to do"? But wait, don't lose |
| pain of losing them. Do you know about foster care | | | | sight of why you're here. Yes, you will become |
| adoption? Are you aware that for whatever the | | | | perhaps even more frustrated and yes, there will be |
| reasons, there are thousands of children - babies, | | | | other times you wondered why you ever thought |
| toddlers, teens wondering why they were brought | | | | about foster care adoption! But the time will come |
| into this world to be so alone? It could be there's a | | | | when you know you have done it right. |
| foster child out there, placed in this stream of | | | | Let's refocus on the reason for it all - the child. Let's |
| humanity, waiting to become a vital part of your life, | | | | confirm the "why" you are here. Just envision that |
| your family. | | | | lonely, frightened, confused, disheartened little spirit |
| As you delve into the foster care adoption system, | | | | beginning to unfold and blossom under the umbrella |
| you realize it is a complicated procedure requiring | | | | of your love. Just see the transformation as he/she |
| prayer, research, and determination from the first | | | | begins to love again - to love you and to love him |
| step of finding the best state or private agencies to | | | | herself. |
| begin the process until the very end. Now all these | | | | Then you will know without a doubt that you have |
| questions are flooding your mind: Is foster care | | | | actually experienced that familiar precept: "It's better |
| adoption really the right thing for my family? Who | | | | to give than to receive". And you now know that |
| and where are these children waiting to be adopted? | | | | indeed it is in the giving that we receive. By reaching |
| Would we be accepted as adoptive parents? How | | | | out and giving of your love through foster care |
| long will the process be and what will it cost? So | | | | adoption to this child in need, you and your family are |
| what's our first step in getting started? | | | | receiving and will continue to receive all the blessings |
| There are many sources available to answer these | | | | that Love has to give. |