We have BIG news. We are adopting a child!
We are beyond excited and are doing everything we can to be prepared to welcome a beautiful new life into our home.
Our hearts have always been to manifest and mobilize the Gospel to youth and families. Over the last several years we believe that God has given us those opportunities to reach youth within our local communities. We now believe that God is calling us to share the Gospel within the context of our family through the blessing of adoption.
We were officially approved for an International adoption within the India program on November 6, 2019.
There has been an overwhelming response from family and friends asking us all things Adoption. We want this to be a place to answer all of these questions for you! Tyler and I have asked many of these same questions to others that have been on this path before. So, like you, we understand your interest in knowing more!
Below is a quick breakdown to some of the questions that you may have asked us. We are in the process of creating videos and podcasts that will share more extensive details to the answers of these questions… but for now, this is what we!
Where are we in the process right now? Right now, we are currently in the early “Paper Pregnancy” stage. In November, we attended an adoption conference in Des Moines after we were accepted into the India program. There, we met our home study coordinator, who will help us during that stage of the process…but we aren’t there quite yet!
In order for us to begin the next stage of our adoption, we will need to raise $3400 to pay our first installment program fee, and $2000 for the home study. Your prayers and gifts mean the world to our growing family. We LOVE and APPRECIATE each of you!!
******Huge Praise!*****
We have been in contact with a referral family! A referral family is a family who has completed the India program and is now home with their child. They are available to mentor and support us via phone, email, text, and in-person with any questions that we have along the way. This is a HUGE answer to prayer! Our agency located a family within short driving distance for us to connect with. So many families are adopting right here in Iowa!
Common Questions:
How did we decide on an international adoption, specifically the India program, verses a domestic or foster care adoption? We will share a video story about how we believe God has led us to the India program! Coming soon.
What type of adoption program is India? India is a special needs program. More details coming soon.
Adoption Time Frame– 18-36 months and decreasing
Program Cost: $35,000-$45,000
Why is international adoption so expensive? Lots of good reasons! We attached the cost breakdown for you to view. Each adoption program is different. We plan to explain the cost through a video, podcast, etc. in the near future, but the short answer is this:
1. Most of the cost goes towards agency fees to ensure an ethical and safe adoption to occur.
2. Third party fees. These are passports, plan tickets, travel fees, dossier building, finger prints, home studies, postage, etc. The list goes on!
In Country Travel Time: One visit with both parents for 10-14 days after we have been matched with a child.
Gender/Age: We do not have a preference as to what gender we will be bringing home. The Adoption Authority of India does not permit you to adopt outside of birth order so we will be bringing home a child 5 years old or under.
Will you adopt an infant from India? No. India’s program requires a 6 month wait period to locate birth families before the child is considered for an adoption.
Are you adopting a sibling set? It is rare for sibling sets to come home from India. We will most likely be coming home with one child, but we would love to see more children join our home.
Are you adopting because of infertility? No! We are both healthy to have more biological children.
Can you become pregnant and still complete the process? Yes and no. The Adoption Authority of India does not permit you to adopt outside of birth order. Pregnancy will delay the process for 2 years until the youngest member of your household turns 12 months old. Part of our agency agreement is to sign a risk disclaimer/release form agreeing to this. Our plan is not to get pregnant at this time!
How did we decide which adoption agency to partner with? Video coming soon about our research and interviewing process that helped us decide on an agency.
LSM, Loving Shepard Ministries, is a non-profit organization that was recommended to us by another adoptive family. They provided us with an adoption coordinator that helped us through the early research stages.
Whew! That’s it for now. Thank you for your continued prayers and on-going support. It means the world to us!
The Hen House 