OKAY, LET'S REGROUP

  So this week, we are starting to do some re- research on some programs we had kept in our folder from the beginning.  We are ready to see what God has in mind for us!  We know that there are countless children out there who need homes... millions,  that is sure.  Why does the process have to be so difficult and costly?  Well yes, of course I am aware of the dangers of not being thorough.  We have heard stories of children being taken from poor families in some countries and put up for adoption.  I would never want to take a child under these circumstances so yes, that calls for research and paperwork to be sure the child is truly an orphan, and is truly going to people who have the best intentions of parenting in mind.  But I've been hearing numerous stories of people here, with wonderful families, having a very hard time finding a program for which they qualify.  Here are some of the reasons, just depending on the country, the orphanage or the agency, (they each can make their own rules as they see fit or as they believe) ... cannot adopt if you have been married before, cannot adopt if just the Mother is over 38, cannot adopt if the combined age of the parents is over 90 years, cannot adopt if either parent is over 45, cannot adopt if you have more than 2 children, cannot adopt if you already have a boy and a girl, cannot adopt if mother is 5 years older than father, cannot adopt if you are overweight, cannot adopt if you have previously adopted from another country, cannot adopt if you are not of a certain faith, cannot adopt if you are not of that nationality.....and the list goes on.  Now of course, these are not qualification for all programs, but you will find them dispersed/popping up throughout your research.  You will find what seems just right and then..oh no..I don't qualify on that one term.  Then travel is a huge consideration.  Many South American countries require that you travel and stay for at least 6 weeks.  What working parents can do that?  All of those children waiting for homes and we can't get there!  Or many countries require 2 or 3 visits, which when flying around the world and taking off from work is very costly!  So the 1 trip country is what we can do.

  Then there is the wait times for a referral...I'm thinking, do I want my oldest to be in college by the time our new baby arrives?

But don't despair!  When you do the research, you will almost assuredly find a program that accepts your family status, with all of your details, whatever they are, you just have to keep looking!  Don't ever rule out and forget domestic adoption, it seems exclusive, but that is not always the case, keep searching the domestic photolistings for that face that needs you.

  So here we go.....