A lot of people seem to have adoption in the back of their mind somewhere. They think it is something that they would like to do someday, but don’t know when that day will come. When that tiny little voice inside begins to whisper “it’s time”, how do you make the decision and how do you know if adoption is right for you?
Step 1: Research
The first step when you begin to think about adoption should be to research adoption. I have mentioned before that our decision to adopt started with my typing “adoption” into a search engine. Take the time to read articles, books and websites about adoption. Find out what adoption is like and the steps involved. Also utilize anyone you know who has experience in adoption. Try to talk to adopted people and also to adoptive parents. Make sure you are familiar with the good, the bad and everything in between.
Step 2: Talk
Start talking about adoption with those who you care about. Whether this is your spouse, a family member or a trusted friend, start talking about the possibility of adoption and begin to bounce ideas and concerns off of each other. Talking to someone else can help bring up things you might not have considered before. If you come up with questions that you don’t know how to answer, go back to the Research step and keep learning!
Step 3: Pray/Think
For me, prayer was a very important step in the decision to adopt. If you are not religious then I would say to take time to consider and think about your decision. For those who are comfortable with prayer, be sure to take this decision to God. You will need a lot of strength for the adoption journey and you need to make sure that adoption is part of God’s will for your life.
Step 4: Move Forward
Once you have researched and talked and prayed about adopting, put the pieces together. If you still want to adopt and still believe that it is a good option for your family, then take the first step. Start working on your homestudy, finding an agency or a facilitator and on other requirements that may be set up by your state or by the country you have chosen. As you move forward, continue to research and talk at pray about your decision. Remember that if you need to back up for a while, that is okay, but hopefully you will feel confident in your decision and be ready to set out and allow adoption to change your life.