I did NOT just wake up one morning and decide on a whim that adoption was in my future. Honestly, there was a long personal process that lead to the moment that I even began the “official” process.

As an expectant mom trying to find a glimpse into the right person to raise your child, I cannot imagine the questions racing through your mind:

• How do I find the right person to parent my baby?
• Is this person someone I can trust to lovingly care for my child?
• Is this person financially able to care for a child and provide their needs?
• What kind of family do I want my baby to grow up in?
• Is this perfect profile legit?
• and the list goes on and on…

You may have seen that I am 100% homestudy ready! That means that there is a process in play that thoroughly evaluates a prospective adoptive parent to ensure that I can provide a safe and suitable home for a child. Essentially, its a license required to be able to bring the baby home.

It sounds very overwhelming…and going through this process EVERY YEAR can be alot. If I were in your shoes, I would feel much more comfortable knowing the process behind a homestudy rather than just saying that someone is homestudy approved. So…I would like to share with you my homestudy process:

1. I chose an agency/social worker that I trusted. For me, I knew multiple families that had worked with my social worker and each gave glowing recommendations!
2. The talk. The social workers that work with potential adoptive parents everyday know the questions to ask to gauge if you are in the right headspace to be making a life altering decisions.
3. The training. Books, classes, interviews with adoptive families. I feel like each child comes with their own unique personalities and needs. The bonding time is essential to learn those unique characteristics. Books are great references for offering advice so I have these in my toolbelt.
4. The Documentation seems endless, but this certainly serves in the child’s best interest.
   1. Am I who I say am I?
      1. Birth Certificate
      2. Drivers License
   2. Am I financially stable?
      1. Letters from my employer stating my job title, length of employment, salary and probability of continued employment.
      2. A letter from each and every bank that holds accounts stating that I am in good standing along with account balances.
      3. Tax returns – now a 5 year history has been submitted.
   3. Am I healthy enough to raise a child?
      1. A complete medical history
      2. Annual physical
      3. Documentation about all prescription medications.
      4. Mental health clearance- MD signs off that I would pose no risk to a child in my care.
   4. Background checks
      1. State Police
      2. FBI (with fingerprints)
      3. Child/Spousal Abuse Registry Check
   5. Would others trust me with their child?
      1. Referral forms from non-family members.
   6. Can I provide a comfortable home for a child?
      1. Complete Residential History
      2. Child-proof safeguards checks
      3. Veterinarian documents showing that all pets remain current on their vaccines.
      4. Copy of paid utility invoices (water/electric/etc)
   7. Proof of insurance?
      1. Auto
      2. Medical
      3. Life

Once all this is submitted, the social worker combs through every detail. I am a very detail oriented person. I had all my documentation together and the entire process was completed in 3 weeks. There were absolutely no issues.

At this point, the decision to pursue adoption was made, the licensing process was completed, then the search for that one special child meant to call me mom began.

Its impossible to know how to catch the eye of an expecting momma and gain her trust through photos and a few words in a profile. That, my friend, is the hard part. I don’t know where you are in your spiritual life, but I’m learning more and more each day that I can redo this and redo that, post this picture and edit that video…these important pieces are simply an act of personal growth…my way of opening up my life to you and your child and becoming vulnerable.

I have no control over whose hands my profile lands in. I have no control over how you feel about me when you see that profile. I have no control over what profile tugs at your heart. I have no control over your decision.

Of all the children waiting to be adopted and all the families yearning to grow through adoption, there is no room to doubt that there is a specific purpose for how everything works out in time the way it was meant to be. Check out Romans 8:28!