Fundraiser!

Not much new is going on with our adoption right now. We are a waiting family with our agency, but we haven’t had any luck with a match yet. Every day we are hoping that it’s the day we get good news! We are holding our first fundraiser this weekend. We will be holding a yard sale in my hometown and I’m really excited for it! I think the hardest thing about being a waiting family is “waiting”. To become a waiting family, it takes months of preparation to get all your paperwork ready and submitted. Once your paperwork is done, the home study can take a bit of time because you’re waiting on the social worker to get the report done. So even though you are not officially ready to adopt, you are keeping busy and moving forward in the right direction.

When you are home study approved and a waiting family, you kind of just have to relax and wait. It’s hard knowing that you have a life changing experience on the verge of happening but you don’t know when. I think that is one of the reasons I’m most excited for the fundraiser, because I know I’m doing something to help me get to the life changing moment. I’m not just sitting around waiting for it to happen. We have been accepting donations for the yard sale and I’m blown away by the generosity of people. It has really opened my eyes to the act of service and the blessing that people are in my life. To those who have donated so far, thank you. I can’t explain how much it means to me.

Not only are fundraisers a great way to help take your mind off the waiting process, but it’s also a stress reliever knowing you are helping financially. Private adoptions are expensive. Most families who adopt have also already gone through some sort of infertility treatments that are never cheap, so fundraisers are very helpful if you decide to adopt privately. On average, an adoption through an agency ranges from $24,000 to $60,000 in the state of Utah. We have already spent an estimated $30,000 on fertility treatments, so we could potentially be spending close to $100,000 to get our miracle baby. Is it Stressful? Yes.  Will it be worth it, absolutely!

​I’ve had a few people give me their opinions and have asked me why we don’t go through the foster care system. Believe me, we have thought about it and we have spoken to a few different people connected to the foster care system and it is just not the right fit for us right now. It’s one of those things that it 100% a personal decision and we have made ours. Here’s my stance on adoption…. There is never a wrong way to do it. Whether you adopt through an agency, privately through an attorney, or through the foster care system you are still giving a child a chance at a life in a stable home full of love <3