| The Seven Things You Need to Adopt a Child | | | | adoption. If you are motivated, you will find a way. If |
| (1) The desire to have a child - whether it is your | | | | you needed a new car or appliance you'd find a way |
| first child or your sixth. Having a child is the most | | | | to finance one. The life of a child is much more |
| difficult job you will ever have but is also the most | | | | fulfilling in the grand scheme of things. (6) The |
| rewarding. This child will probably not appreciate all | | | | paperwork…ugh! There will be stacks of |
| that you went through to adopt him/her until | | | | papers needing to be signed and notarized. (Find a |
| adulthood, but realize that biological children won't | | | | notary early on that you like to work with!) Some |
| either! (2) Which country do you wish to adopt | | | | papers will seem ridiculous to you and many people |
| from? Countries (even the USA) vary in their wait | | | | will question your sanity as you blindly fill them out |
| times, costs, availability of certain sex & age of child, | | | | over and over! You will learn quickly that you will do |
| etc. Do your research and then go where your heart | | | | what is asked for to help your child. It is all worth it in |
| leads you. (3) Talk to adoptive parents. Find local | | | | the end. Think of the paperwork as labor |
| support groups or message boards on the internet. | | | | pains…it will end and there will be a child at |
| (Example: ) Ask questions. Adoptive parents love to | | | | the end of it all! (7) Faith! The most important thing |
| talk about their adoption journey. (4) Read current | | | | you'll need is faith…and lots of it. Faith you'll |
| books and articles. But, beware! Newspapers love | | | | find the money. Faith that the right child is matched |
| articles that grab the reader's attention! This usually | | | | to you. Faith in a foreign country where you are the |
| means a negative story on adoption gone wrong! | | | | foreigner and that you must do whatever is asked |
| Please realize that for every bad story there are | | | | of you. Many times it will be blind faith leading you to |
| hundreds of happy stories….but happy stories | | | | your child. But when they give that child to you and |
| don't sell papers. (5) The money…sigh! Know | | | | you kiss his little face, you will see the power of |
| that you will need at least $15,000 for one adoption. | | | | adoption and the choices you made creating a future |
| You will be eligible for a $10,000 tax credit, but not | | | | for this little person, who until you came, had none. |
| until after the adoption is complete. If you don't have | | | | And months later when he is calling Mama and Papa |
| much money saved up, don't give up hope. Studies | | | | and rolling in laughter on your living room floor you will |
| show that most adoptive parents are not in the | | | | know you were given the best gift in the world. A |
| wealthy bracket. Most are average income earners | | | | child that loves you! Deborah Mumm is a mom of five |
| and many are just big-hearted families with lots of | | | | children...3 biological and 2 adopted from Russia. She |
| love but not much money. Again…the internet | | | | runs an adoption support group in northern IL and |
| is loaded with grant programs and loan ideas of | | | | has her own business. |