The Search Is On

So the search is on!!! 

After thoroughly weighing my options, I've decided to try domestic infant adoption.  There are way too many "unknowns" with trying surrogacy right now.  I have a feeling if/when I get married, I'll probably be more willing to try the surrogacy thing.  But without the backup of a husband, I don't want to risk having twins.  :-)  There's also a good possibility that it won't work at all, and then I'd be completely broke and still childless.  I've always known I was going to adopt, so I'm braving up and getting started on my Adoption Journey.  I'm scared silly, but so unbelievably excited!

First Steps of the Journey:

I set up a PayPal "Donate" button on the blog for friends and family who want to contribute to the Adoption Fund (left hand side, under my profile info).  I had a couple of people suggest it, so I figured I'd give it a try.  Planning on sending me a birthday card or Christmas present?  Just put whatever amount you were going to spend on the card or gift into the Adoption Fund!  What better present could I get than help bringing my baby home?  :-)  Then, I opened a special savings account strictly for my Adoption Fund.  I'll be direct depositing into the account with every paycheck, and transferring any money that I happen to get in the PayPal account in there as well.

I started seriously researching adoption agencies in Texas last night.  I've found quite a few that will work with singles, but most of them are hesitant to do so.  I have found one or two that seem promising though, and I have a huge list to look into over the rest of the week.  I'm hoping to have the list narrowed down to a few by the end of the weekend, and call them next week to find out success rates, average waiting times, etc. for singles with their agencies.

Next Steps:

I have a "Craft Night" the third weekend of every month at my house.  Most of the girls work on scrapbooking or photos albums.  My project this weekend is going to be decorating baby bottles to pass out to friends and family.  I saw the idea on an Adoption Fundraising website.  You pass out the baby bottles for friends and family to use to collect their spare change.  When the bottle fills up, they return it and get a new one.  The site said that the bottles usually end up ranging from $15-$25 each.  I'll be depositing that money into the Adoption Fund account as it comes in.  I'm sure the ladies at the bank will just love to see me coming.  :-)

I need to sit down and seriously think about ways to save the money.  I think I came up with some pretty good ideas in my "Adoption Fund Brainstorming" post last week.  Now I just need to start putting things in motion.  I'm pretty sure I'll have enough in the next month to be able to send in my application fee to whatever agency I decide to go with.  That's the good thing about adoption...  You pay in stages.  I'm really hoping that I can use my foster/adopt homestudy from my foster agency, but I kind of doubt it.  If not, I'll have to come up with another $1,500-$2,000 for the new homestudy fairly soon.  Then I'll have some time to send in payments to the agency for their fees.  I won't have to come up with everything else for a while.

I could save several thousand dollars if I can find a birth mother on my own, so if you know of anyone choosing adoption for her baby, feel free to send her my way!  (I'm still seriously tempted to ask that girl at Sonic what her plans are. ;-)

Wish me luck!!!  And, as always, fundraising ideas and moral support are much appreciated!  :)