Our Adoption "Why"
Our adoption 10 day t-shirt fundraiser has begun and $11 from each shirt will go directly towards our adoption. Every little bit helps, so if you would like to purchase a stylish t-shirt and support bringing our child home, here is the link: http://chromebuffalo.com/blogs/drive/117126277-tag-adoption?variant=9580384069
Here's why we are adopting and asking for support:
I have had some questions as to why we have decided to adopt. It is something that has been in our conversations for years.
I remember sitting in the living room, in 3rd grade, watching a news story about the baby girls in China being abandoned and thinking about how bad I wanted to help them. Then, in high school we visited Columbia, and while at a church, we watched as kids climbed a rock-side hill, barefoot, to beg for money with their milk jugs attached to long poles. Once someone would give money to a younger kid, the older ones would fight him for it. My parents would always take us to areas that showed us how lucky we were, while on vacation. They didn’t realize it then, but the images of the one-bedroom shacks and kids begging for money were etched into my brain in a way I could never forget.
I would casually mention to all my friends in high school that one day I would adopt. It was something Matt heard every time I spoke of a future family. The seeds had been planted, and throughout the years it seems like adoption is something that would keep coming back into our lives (and hearts) even if we weren’t really talking about it. Through church videos, Matt’s roommate, co-workers, and my volunteer work it was a constant theme. We always felt there was a child for us that wouldn't be "from" us.
Before we had Abram we would discuss in what order we should adopt. Then Abram and Julip were born and we moved. When we got to Cleveland we were just trying to settle in. Still, Matt had two new co-workers with adopted kids and another one who was adopted. He had a long discussion with the adoptee about how grateful he was to be adopted, and that was enough to get us talking again. We decided that we wanted another child, and that we would try through adoption.
I had heard (and seen first-hand) how many kids are in the US foster care system so, in January, I began contacting our county and separate agencies to start the process of fostering to adopt a boy/girl that is 5 years or younger. I was told by every agency that I spoke with that children under 8 are very rare and that it would not be likely that we could adopt one before moving in 2.5 years. They wouldn’t even let me start the process. I felt like my dreams were crushed.
We began looking into private domestic adoption. It was significantly more expensive and would most likely be a newborn. I kept seeing parent’s stories about them just hoping to be picked since they were not able to have biological children. I could not in good conscience take a newborn from a mom who has never had the ability to experience that fragile time.
Then my mom sent me a video of a women’s international adoption story. I had always thought it was WAY more money than any domestic, but the prices weren’t too much more. Matt asked why we weren’t considering adopting from Central/Latin America since I have always loved those places and the culture. We both immediately said, “Honduras”! We had just spent a day there on a trip and felt really drawn to the people of that country. We have researched just about every country you can (and cannot) adopt from and Honduras is still our top choice. The process will take us about 3 years. We are ok with that, though, we are trying to complete the paper process as quickly as possible because that is the only thing we have control of.
Since we are going to be doing some fundraising I want to maintain a degree of transparency with the costs. This adoption will cost us around $50,000. We have already paid $8,000 from our savings and will have approximately $15,000 more due this fall, when we submit our foreign dossier. Once that is submitted we begin the waiting game.
Once we get (and accept) a referral we will have to make 2-3 trips to Honduras for court and bonding with our child. The third trip we will be able to bring he/she home! We are so excited to meet our child for the first time and to watch the bond that will develop between our kids. Please keep us in your prayers.
Thank you, Nikki