Really, really close to being "on the market"

Earlier this week we learned that our social worker assigned to us to do our "home study" had completed the report and her supervisor has approved us to adopt.  So now the paperwork is in route to the Adoption Agency.  That is great news, because the American Adoptions just finalized all of the other paper work we had to complete.  

American Adoptions has completed our "family profile" which they will give to prospective birth parents who are in the process of selecting a family to adopt their child.  The first 2 pages of the profile are included at the bottom of this message.  Once American Adoptions processes the report from the social worker, then the only thing left will be to pay the "adoption activation fee," and then we will be "active."  So we should be actively on the market almost any day!

The adoption agency did a wonderful job putting together our "family profile."  We are very happy with it. We can also do a "video profile," which costs more money but it isn't required.  While we work on the video, our "family profile" will be shown to prospective birth parents, so it will not delay the adoption process.  The adoption agency has told us the many birth parents really like the "video profiles" so it should increase our chances of being "chosen."

So the process works like this, its kind of like online dating.  Our information is put into computer software which is matched up with perspective birth parents who fit similar requests and preferences as the adoptive parents.  They are shown 15-20 profiles and then choose one.

Once we are active (which could be anyday now) we could get the call that we have been selected as parents.   Then one of two things could happen.   One scenario: Since we are willing to do an open or semi-open adoption, the birth mother may still be months or weeks away from giving birth.  In that case we would make every effort to travel to wherever the birth parents are, so we can meet them.  Then we would go back again when the baby is born.  Second scenario: The agency calls and tells us that the a birth mother choose us and her baby has already been born and we have to travel within 24 hours to the state where the baby is.

In either scenario, we have to be ready to stop what we are doing, and jump on a plane to travel to the birth mother once the baby is born.  Our employers are aware of this and very generous with us in knowing that we could be leaving town on a whim.  In most states we have to stay in the state for 2-3 weeks after the baby is born before we bring the baby home.  

So needless to say the upcoming days, weeks and months are going to be very exciting and nerve-racking!  

Below are a couple pages from our "family profile" that the adoption agency put together for us.  So the birth parents will be looking at profiles like ours from 15+ other prospective adoptive parents.