News of the Week

So I'm thinking the whole doggies buying presents thing is a good idea. Maybe I'll try that for next year.

So the big news of the day is that I've started the adoption process through Catholic Social Services (CSS). I've been talking via email with a nice woman and we're in the middle of trying to set up a one on one informational meeting. Their next group meeting isn't until July 11th, and we want to get started sooner than that. We're trying to get something set up for this week or next.

The meeting should lay out all of the paperwork we need to start filling out and how much it will cost us to adopt. This way we'll know what kind of financial obligation we need to plan for over the summer. I'm assuming we can do most of the paperwork for free. I've heard that can take a serious amount of time.

We've decided to go with a domestic adoption, so that means that we'll end up with a newborn. With CSS you create a profile and the birth mother picks you. (Very nerve-wracking from what I've heard.) Once you've been picked, then you start making the arrangements. By the time she gives birth, you've usually signed all of the paperwork and are recognized as the legal parents of the child and get to make all health care decisions.

The pros: You get a newborn, you know the health history of the mother, and you don't have to travel overseas with 10 grand strapped to your body. (Yes, that's what our friends are really doing in their international adoption...essentially bribing public officials to take home a child)

The cons: You get a newborn (haha), there is less anonymity for the adoptive parents, and you run the risk that they'll want to keep their baby. Within 72 hours of birth they can literally decide to just take their baby home with no legal action. We just have to let it happen. The parents also have 6 months after that to take you to court to get their baby back...and they win 99% of the time. BUT the process is complicated and costly for the biological parent and very rarely happens. Our biggest risk comes in that first three days. Scarey.

So we'll see. We're excited and ready. We're not giving up on trying by ourselves, but right now adoption just really feels right. Pro: I don't have to get fat and then worry about getting skinny again and we still get to experience all the sleepless nights and joys and frustration of newborn parenthood. Con: Someday I'd still like to know what being pregnant feels like, and we'd like our own biological child....

Maybe we'll just wait for Karen to be our surrogate if I find I just can't carry one. She seems to be having an easy time of it! HA!