We met with the directors/owners of Little Angel Adoptions this morning , and the same good vibe we felt on the phone a few days ago was felt again. We had a great talk with Deb- she & her husband Jim started Little Angel Adoptions years ago and they have an obvious heart for birth mother's and the ministry of adoption. She confirmed all the things we'd been told by Kim (the adoptive parent coordinator) and she set us completely at ease. She shared lots of stories with us- all God-ordained meetings between adoptive parents & birth mothers. We realized very quickly that nothing we do can force the process to go faster or smoother but every step is an act of faith. We found this to be a big relief! We don't need to obsess over making the perfect profile book or call for updates every few days... we can relax and trust that God has the perfect child picked out for us.
So after some extensive debriefing with one another over lunch, we've decided to move forward with Little Angel Adoptions! :-) We've already completed the application & been accepted, so the next step is to read & sign the contract and pay the fee (a very little word for a very big number!). After that we'll be officially "pregnant on paper" as they say.
Next we'll write a letter to the potential birth mother & submit a picture to be posted on Little Angel's website. We'll also need to begin collecting reference letters from friends & family, create a profile book to be sent to potential birth mothers, and get a home study done. Lots lots lots to do!
We could be chosen by a birth mom in as little as a few weeks, or up to about 1 year. It's up to God! (Sometimes birth mothers call when they are in labor or have JUST delivered a child, and they want to place their baby with a family immediately! But in most cases a birth mother calls when she is a few months into her pregnancy, so we'll most likely have plenty of notice.)
Please let us know if you have any questions for us about our decision or Little Angel Adoptions!
Here's a little more info about Little Angel Adoptions for those who are interested:
-They do only domestic adoptions within the U.S. They have birth mothers from all around the country, so it's very likely we will need to travel to pick up our child!
-Only 30-35 adoptive families are kept on file. This gives each family the one-on-one attention they need during this emotional process!
-The birth mother will be given only 10-15 profile books to look through, all families who fit what she's looking for & vice versa.
-It is VERY rare for a birth mother to change her mind about relinquishing her child for adoption once she's been matched with a family. (Once the child has been b0rn & discharged from the hospital, the adoption will be finalized & the birth parents rights will be terminated.)
-The majority of birth mother's request a semi-open or closed adoption. (Zach & I are comfortable with both options.)
-A casual relationship between the birth mother & adoptive parents is encouraged before the child is born, but only 5% of families actually meet the birth mother before she delivers.
-We will be given access to the birth mother's medical records from her pre-natal care visits, the baby's medical records, as well as any family medical history that is known.
