Adoption Question

[AUTailgatingRules]

The wife and I are kicking around the idea of adoption.  Do any of you have any experience with adoption?

Any insight would be appreciated.

[Hogwally]

    My wife and I have also talked about it.  From what little research I've done so far, the big question is what are you willing to pay?  If you are willing to pay for it, private agencies will find a pregnant girl and arrange everything, with you basically paying for her medical care and whatever else she can legally milk you for.  The other option is to go through the state, then you don't pay, but you have to deal with government bureaucracy.
     Just google adoption, you'll get buried in information.  My wife is half Dominican, if we adopt it will probably be from there.

[Tiger Wench]

I would contact some of the very huge Baptist and Catholic churches in Alabama.  I know of several large megachurches in Texas that kind of facilitate adoptions between unwed moms and couples.  This one is in Dallas, but you get the picture:

http://www.prestonwood.org/ministries/pregnancy.php

http://forums.adoption.com/faith-based-adoption-support/

Also, try http://adoptionsbygladney.com/  This is the Gladney Home - my niece gave up a child for adoption through Gladney.  It is a semi open adoption - the birth mom picks you out, you pay for certain things, and then Gladney arranges the adoption.  Give it a look - very well respected place here in Texas.

Depending on Tara's circumstances, don't forget about embryo adoption...
Best of luck to you and Tara...

[AWK]

Talk to Steve, he recently did an CLE course here in Birmingham on adoption. 

[Ranger12]

My wife and I have talked about it also. I have two kids, but not with her and she really wants to raise one that she can call hers, but trying it the old fashioned way is not working too well.

Like Jenny said, during my research, I found religious organizations to be very well ran and trustworthy. Trying to adopt within the states has discouraged very many couples, so that is why you see many go overseas. It is sad that the United States makes it so tough and expensive to adopt. There are understandable concerns and they can't make it where just about anybody can adopt, but they still make it more difficult then it has to be.

Be very wary of agencies that are online online only or basically operate online. Especially an overseas agency. Most of those are just trying to rob you of money.

Like AWK said, find you a good lawyer that has experience in the area. Everybody that has adopted told me it was money well spent.

[boartitz]

[AUTiger1]

    My wife and I have also talked about it.  From what little research I've done so far, the big question is what are you willing to pay? If you are willing to pay for it, private agencies will find a pregnant girl and arrange everything, with you basically paying for her medical care and whatever else she can legally milk you for.  The other option is to go through the state, then you don't pay, but you have to deal with government bureaucracy.
     Just google adoption, you'll get buried in information.  My wife is half Dominican, if we adopt it will probably be from there.

We have a friend that adopted a little girl from China last year and it cost her and her husband upwards of $30K.  Of course (I don't have kids) but I am pretty sure that you can't or won't be able to put a price tag on the memories you will make. I also have friends that adopted from a Catholic organization.  I can't tell you many details though, they didn't offer info and we never asked, we were just proud for them.

[Thrilla]

My cousins are adopting from Russia.  They have been "going through the process" for about 9 months now.  It is going to cost them close to 20K.  They had an associate in Russia that tried to screw them over for about 5K in paperwork fees and other made up adoption costs.  It all revolved around the creation of their "dossier", which is basically their profile, which the folks in Russia see when deciding who to farm their kids out to.

Be very careful if you are adopting out of the US.  Scam artists realize that people will spend lots of money on this without necessarily checking the background of the various agencies that actually adopt, so you have to do your research and go through a reputable source.