Foster Adoption: filling the piggy bank

Ever realize that God is calling you to something new? Last Wednesday, Chris & I went to an adoption agency for an orientation meeting for the MN Waiting Child Program. The meeting was led by an "intern" who well, to be kind, needed some more practice... However, as we know from Moses, smoothness of speech doesn't necessarily mean God can't speak through you. (I don't mean this to sound as snippy as it reads.) When we left the meeting, my dear hus turned to me and said, "Now my heart's in the right place. We need to do this."

We had a long talk on the way home, continued at home, and agreed that now is not the right timing for this big change. We have debts. Everyone in the family--except our dear son who only got his teeth a few months ago--needed big dental work this year. (Remember how I said before that we were putting our priorities in order? Well, ahem, this included finally going to those check-ups! If you're where we were, wait no longer, it really DOESN'T get any better...) Big dental work, even though we have "insurance" means big money. Brush brush brush! (Happy tooth inserted here.)

So we want to get out of debt first. Easier said than done, as we still have half of E-R's mouth to fix and all of mine. Chris, K-A, and C-J are done, thank goodness. But first things first. If we can't take care of what we presently have, then it would be foolish to add any more.

After we get debt paid off, we need to pick an agency. For those of you who have been following our story: don't we already have an agency? Well, technically yes, but in reality, no. We have been with our "agency" for five years and are still waiting to have a completed home study. Now part of this was our responsibility---we had three kids since then and had to keep going on hold. But part of it is not our responsibility---our agency has been well, less than responsive. The second thing is that it only does domestic infant adoptions. We really want to go with an agency with experience with foster adoption since there are so many issues that come up and we want an agency who's been there done that and can give us and our future kids some real guidance and support. I'm leaning toward the African American Adoption Agency in St. Paul. Foster adoption is their specialty.

After that we do some training and finally complete a homestudy. Then we wait to be matched! Then we begin visits with our kids and finally we bring them home!

Notice I said "kids"---yeah, I'm really leaning towards a sibling group. I think it would be hard to be the only adopted child in a family full of bio siblings. With a sibling group, I think you would have your own bio sibs to commiserate with you. The hard part of this arrangement would fall on the parents--to really work hard to "blend" the family and build bonds between the bio and adopted kids. I think we can do it.

So I'm starting to fill the piggy bank!