The Price of Adoption

   Why not adopt through the foster care system? That is a question Scott and I (mostly me) are asked on a regular basis. It is true, there are a lot of children in the foster care system that need good homes. It also costs far less to adopt a child through the foster care system and there is even an agency in WA that will pay all the costs for it. So why do all of this and pay all of this to adopt an infant through a private, non-profit adoption agency?
   We have looked into every method of adoption that we could find. These past two years have involved us looking at different ways of adopting and trying to find the right path for our adoption at this time in our lives. We feel that we are capable of handling a child with some significant medical issues that others would not feel comfortable taking on. Abortion is a common choice for these babies when they are diagnosed in utero. I think about this all the time. What if my mother had decided that my physical disability was too much to handle or she didn't want me to have to live with such a thing? By spending this amount of money and going through an agency that will provide support (mental, physical, and spiritual) for the birth mother, we are hoping that we will be able to make a difference in this choice. We are hoping that a birth mother will see that their child is wanted by someone who can handle their physical or mental limitations and give them a chance at life with us.
   We did research on our adoption agency as well and have come to the conclusion that the money we are spending is well worth it. We aren't buying a child or giving money to a big, faceless corporation. We are providing the support that is needed to the birth parents of our future child. Bethany encourages and facilitates open adoptions for the sake of all those involved. We are securing a connection for our child so they can, hopefully, know where they came from and that they were wanted from the beginning of their lives.
   We want to adopt more than once and we may choose a different method to adopt our next child, but for this time, this is our path. Please continue to pray for us and share our blog so we may be able to touch the lives of some, encourage others, and be able to raise the money we need to show our profile books to those birth parents who are out there hoping that someone will love their child as much as they would.

http://www.youcaring.com/adoption-fundraiser/loving-for-keeps/102675