Fees

One agency we've done a pre-application with and are digging through the information provided is All God's Children. The following are the fees associated with adopting through them:

Agency Fees
$300 Application
$6000 Agency Fee
$1700 Homestudy fee (this amount will likely be higher as AGCI can't do the homestudy in Iowa and will hire someone else)
$350 each Post adoption report
$1000 Post adoption translation and administrative fee

International Service Fee
$7500 for adopting from Ethiopia

Additional US Fees
$670 US CIS Fee
$160 Fingerprints for two
$1000 Notarization, Certification, Authorization
$600 Translation Services

So far, we're up to $19,980 assuming three post adoption reports but I think there's more than that. So, we're talking almost 20grand and there are more fees associated with adoption:

Medical review, medical insurance, travel fees (I'm sure its cheap to fly to Ethiopia and stay a while, right?) airfare, food, incountry transportation, in-country travel coordinators, passport update (wish I could say I did that already), travel visas, immigrant visas, etc.

Why is it so expensive to love a child in need? To give a comparison, here's a run down of Bethany's fees for adoption from Ethiopia:

Total Cost: $20,500-$28,750 (for 2 people traveling)
1. Bethany Fees: $5,400-$10,250(vary by branch - we'd hope to be on the low end). This includes:
Formal Application Fee
Home Study Fee: due at the completion of the Home Study
Program Fee/Administrative Fee: due at Home Study completion
Post-Placement Services Fee: due dates vary by branch
2. Ethiopia Country Fees: $8,500
$6,000 Partial Country Fee: due at dossier submission
$2,500 Remaining Country Fee: due at referral
$6,000 (per sibling) Additional Processing Fees for Siblings Fees due when traveling to Ethiopia:
$400 U.S. Consulate Immigrant Visa Fee
3. Ethiopia Travel Costs: $5,000-$8,000 (approximate costs for 2 people)
Travel from the U.S. to/from Ethiopia: $1,500-$2,500 per person
7-10 Days in Ethiopia: $1,000-$1,500 per person (includes meals and transportation)
4. Miscellaneous Fees: $1,600-$2,000
Immigration and Naturalization Service filing of orphan petition (I 600A): $670
Plus fingerprinting: $80
Notarization, state seal of each document: $100-$200
Authentication: $400
Ethiopia travel visas: ($48 per person)
Certified copies of birth certificates: $40 (varies by state)
Certified copies of marriage certificate: $20 (varies by state)
Doctor’s appointments and immunizations: $160
Passport photos: $40 (Ryan's is up to date)

Again, I'd say, why does it cost so much to love a child?

Spinning

There is so much to read, so many decisions to make and we haven't even started yet. I did a few more pre-adoption applications. Received some information in the mail and email about adoption.

Bethany thinks we should go to S. Korea since we're open to special needs. I'm, at this point, only open to very minor special needs because of our lifestyle (careers, church activities, etc).

My good friend Ashley suggested foster-adopting a child which would also be a good fit for us. We'll see.

I started to call the courthouse about my passport today and then got distracted. I really need to get that done if we're going to adopt internationally!

Adoption

Thoughts about Adoption (I got these quotes and verses from various places as I’ve searched out adoption information and failed to give proper credit where credit is due.)

How blessed is he who considers the Helpless … —Psalm 41:1

In love he [God] predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will. Ephesians 1:4-5

Are you available for how God wants to use you?

Adoption Process
Gather Information – Every prudent man acts out of knowledge … —Proverbs13:16a
Prayer - Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.—Proverbs 3:5
Godly Counsel - Without consultation, plans are frustrated, but with many counselors they succeed. —Proverbs 15:22
Self Assessment - Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.—Psalm 139:23-24

If God is calling you to adoption, there is a child out there that He has ordained as your child. In order to bring that child home where he belongs, you will have to pay the ransom. If God calls you to adopt He will provide the way for the ransom to be paid.

Bethany Adoption Meeting
Last night we attended a Bethany Adoption meeting. Knowing that the first hour would be on domestic adoption and the second hour on international adoption, I considered only going for the second hour. But, I thought I should go with an open mind and heart and see what I could learn from the information presented. It was an amazing time. Seriously, I have such a heart for loving a child that I wanted to raise my hand and tell them to sign me up right now. Heartache for China I’ve had my heart set on a Chinese adoption. And I’m so thankful that I went with an open heart. We found out last night that the Chinese program is doing so well that the wait for a baby has doubled. And there are so many applications that the Chinese government is able to pick and choose who/want they want. I could handle that but the final blow was the big bummer. China requires you to be 30 years old. I’ve been told before that if one person is 30, you’re okay. But, that is not the case for China. We’d have to wait out the several years before I turn 30 to adopt. Domestic Adoption Definitely not my preference for an adoption! I have this HUGE fear of the birth mom wanting the child back. Of course, all I know is bad stories of things that have happened. Emily told us that we have to close our ears to those stories. That just like the press only reports all the bad things on the war, the same goes for adoption because that’s the stuff that gets people’s attention. Last night we walked out and hubby thought that we should start with domestic adoption. Get our feet wet and by then I’d be old enough for a Chinese baby. Heartache Did I mention that my heat aches, as tears stream down my face, for babies without loving homes. I’m so glad that God put this on my heart and that my husband and I can walk together, in agreement, about adopting a child. Finances Take a guess at what it costs to adopt a baby. Seriously, it’s a lot of money. Granted, some of that depends on the services offered. I like Bethany and think they’re doing great things for birth mothers. But, it remains to be LOTS of money out of the adoptive parents pocket. The dollar figures we were told last night add up to $21,000 for a domestic adoption. I’m sure you too would question why it costs so much. Bethany is a non-profit organization which means they’re not making money. Bethany does amazing things to help prepare the birth moms to deliver a healthy baby. If that means paying the electric bill, they’ve done that. They’ve paid rent, paid for winter coats, food, etc. Right now they’re paying for a birth mom to see a counselor several months after she gave up her baby. All those things add up. My heart My heart really is for adoption. I’m so excited to pursue this in obedience to what I know God has given me the excitement for. I’m sure it will be a long a difficult process but I hope that in the future (it may even be a few years) I can report about bringing a baby home to join our small fry.