For years, we have waited and prayed for the right time. Recently, The Lord said NOW.
We took our first step towards ADOPTION & applied to a local adoption agency. We have decided to adopt a baby from a local agency. In the middle of May, we applied and were put on the first waiting list and praying to move to the active waiting list. Well, we just got word- we can officially be moved to the active waiting list.
What does this mean?
First, we have to complete more paperwork and a homestudy. Once complete, we officially will be on the active waiting list. The active waiting list is a list of families seeking to adopt that will be presented to any birth moms. From there, it’s more paperwork and being chosen by a birth parent.
This is really exciting news! Also huge to be moved to the active waiting list so quickly!
We would love you all to partner with us on this journey!
How can you join us? PRAYER! We would love for you to pray for our future little one, for the birth family, and for us. We truly trust The Lord with it all and He has been so faithful! There are so many steps still ahead. God knows the timing of it all! 🙌🏻
Financially- adoption is really expensive but absolutely worth it! The costs seem overwhelming and we couldn’t do it alone. We also trust God to provide every step of the way! We’ve had several friends and family who have asked for ways to support and provide towards making this happen. This is our fundraising page if you choose to support in this way. Our first big cost will be the Homestudy process and agency fees that are needed to be complete to be on the active waiting list officially. Then after, we will have addition cost of placement, court, lawyer, etc. We will keep everyone updated along the way.
We are really excited about what God has in store! It feels surreal if I’m honest. We have waited so long and tried our hardest to be faithful and obedient along the way. There is so much waiting ahead. So many steps to still take. So much unknown. We also know God said NOW. We take steps of obedience and pray in faith for BABY DIAZ. 🥰🥹
This past week, we finally received our Adoption books. It’s a book for the agency to share with birth parents about potential adoptive families. It’s basically a way for birth families to get to know us and to decide if we might be who they want to adopt their child.
We sent two to the adoption agency. They have two locations and keep a book at both. We also ordered a third to be sent to us. We are praying about pursuing a second agency. This would be another local agency and help us with maybe adopting quicker. It just widens our search. So the third book would be already here to give to that agency if we move forward.
Everything has been completed on our end with the current agency. We are literally just waiting to be matched. We are praying for the birth families seeking an adoptive family and for discernment if we are the right fit. Always praying for our little one and their birth parents.
Once our home study letter is typed up by the agency, we will begin to apply for adoption grants. The largest adoption costs will come once we are matched and have our baby in our arms. Our hope is to pursue some adoption grants that will help with these costs.
For now, we pray and wait!
Last Monday, we had our home visit. This is where our adoption agent from the agency comes to see our home and meet with us. Everything went so well! At the end of the visit, she let us know that we have “verbal” approval that our homestudy process is complete. She was so sweet and actually shared how much she is advocating and desiring for us to be parents! It felt really good and hopeful to know how much she cares and is supporting us!
She does have to write the official homestudy process approval in a letter. In order to document that, she still needs our references and online adoption course to be completed. Our references just got their request by mail and are getting them turned in. We have 3 of 5 completed and mailed back.
Our adoption agent did say if a birth family were to come in that she would still present us. Which is really exciting!!! 🥹🙌🏻
Next steps:
-finish online course ( we have 1/4 completed and working on it. It’s been a busy season 🤪)
-complete About Us Book (final review before printing 🙌🏻)
-references back
-Wait to be matched
-Apply for adoption grants once we have the homestudy approval letter
Hey everyone! A few updates for you all. A few weeks ago, we completed our Psychological Inventories test and interviews with the counselor. Everything went great and it was another step complete! Tuesday, We met with the adoption agency for our individual interviews. Again another step complete in the Home Study Process. It also meant we are on the final step of the Home Study Process. Yesterday we scheduled our Home Visit for Monday Sept. 30th at 10am. 🎉 We are getting so close to finishing the whole Home Study Process and being ready to have our profile presented to any birth parents.
Here are the next Steps we are working on:
-Online Course (started the 12hr course but still working)
-Lookbook/ About Us Book for birth parents (we have started and taken pics). This is a book that will be shown to any potential birth parents as a way to get to know us.
-Home Visit Sept. 30th at 10am
-Adoption Agency has to call references (not for us to complete but it is a next step for the agency)
What does this mean:
After our home visit, we can start being presented to any birth parents. It's also why we are actively working on our look book that has to be complete as well. The online course still has to be completed but it will not keep the agency from presenting us to active birth parents seeking an adoptive family. We still need to get it done as soon as possible. Once the home study process is complete, we will begin to apply for grants. Most adoption grants won’t let you apply until you have completed the home study process. During that time….we will also wait. We continue to ask for prayer as the process moves along and doors open. Prayer for grants because some of our biggest costs will be when we get matched to a birth family. Prayer for God’s timing in us getting matched with our little one. Thank you for praying and supporting us on this journey! Baby Diaz is already so loved! We can’t wait to share with our child one day how a whole community came together just for him/her. ❤️🥹
Today we met with the adoption agency! It was really great to finally meet, answer questions, and get more steps to continue moving forward. We have so much peace after meeting with the agency and even more excitement if that’s even possible! The agency will be sending us some info on Monday. Our next steps are to schedule a meeting for our psychological interviews and tests, Iowa fingerprinting, Online seminar class, and creating our profile. Some of this will have to be scheduled. Please pray for God’s timing that we don’t have to wait too long and our availability matches to get things scheduled. Thank you all for your continued prayer and support! ❤️
Thank you everyone for the overwhelming support and prayers as we start our adoption journey! We are so grateful to be surrounded by such a great community! A little update on the process so far, we are currently working on the home study process. The home study process is broken up into three stages really. We completed and turned everything in for the documentation side of things a week ago. After that, we will begin interviews with the agencies and counselors. We have several friends that have adopted. The homestudy process can take a few months. We are excited that everything seems to be moving quickly so far! Overall, the home study process is supposed to be around $2,600 but there are other fees and additional adoption cost outside of that. We were able to see a better break down of fees to come and want to be transparent with everyone. Hopefully breaking down upcoming cost will be helpful. Our next three cost will be for an agency interview ($400), case management ($500), adoption seminar ($200), and more to come after that. Our hope is to apply for grants as well! Most adoptions grants require you to complete the homestudy process first. We do intend to apply for grants once we meet the requirement by completing the homestudy process. Right now, we are doing our best to raise support through lots of different ways. Our hope is to cover costs with grants on the back end of our journey. Again, thank you all for the love, support, and prayers! We are truly excited to meet Baby Diaz! Every day is one more day closer to being matched and meeting our little one. We continue to pray in faith and ask God to move!
