Research

Researching Agencies!

(As written by Nicole)

So an update is due! Jason and I are emailing questions and following up with Bethany Christian Services and Children's Hope International. Our questions are mostly about the differences we've seen between the two agencies and trying to decide what our "musts" are for our choice in agency.

There are differences in fees, staffing in Colombia, training requirements, and experience. Right now we're trying to wade through the differences to figure out if there are some unrealistic promises, untold fees, and who has the proper amount of hand holding! We're leaning towards Children's Hope International because of their experience and expertise in International Adoption. Also we've taken it as a bad sign that the social worker who would be our main coordinator through Bethany Christian Services consistantly spells Colombia incorrectly and has offered very few words of encouragement and instead has only mentioned all the obstacles and complications that come with our choice in country.

We now have all birth certificates and the marriage certificates and thus brings the end of what we know to do without an agency! Now we need patience, wisdom and prayer!

Bethany Christian Services in St. Louis

(As dictated by Jason to Nicole... additional comments by Nicole in parenthesis) Image from Bethany Christian Services website.

We drove to St. Louis, Missouri on October 20, 2009 to learn about the Bethany Christian Services Adoption Agency. This agency along with Children's' Hope International are the main international adoption agencies we are considering. It was a long drive.

We were thankfully able to use a GPS from the Kleinsteibers! (Thank you) I (Jason) did however think I know better than the GPS, but it was nice to see the checkered flag at the end and a time of arrival!

We learned about various types of adoption. This meeting was well organized and very informational and worth the trip. It was also required if we do decide to apply through the Christian Service.

Afterwards Molly (who rode along) begged us to stop at McDonald's, where she quickly devoured a cheeseburger (minus the onions). (We did not arrive home until 12:30, which as all know is far past Jason's bedtime.)

Soon we will follow up with both Children's' hope and Bethany and work towards making a decision as to which agency we will use as we pursue our international adoption.

Stayed tuned for further info. (Please feel free to leave a comment if you have worked with these agencies or know people who have or just to give us your advice! )

Here are the websites for the two agencies:
http://www.childrenshopeint.org/
http://www.bethany.org/


JASON

Welcome to Blogging

Well it has officially happened. We are blogging. Jason and I are starting this blog to keep family and friends informed on the journey through adoption as well as provide an outlet for ourselves. Welcome and please feel free to leave messages, questions, or just to check in every now and then to see what is new.

Jason contributed this idea for a picture because this is the "seed" stage of our journey. We have long talked about adoption and felt the desire to adopt grow in hearts. Our decision to adopt was spurred into action after trying to start a family this last year with no success. I (Nicole) have had people ask about our infertility or if we had considered trying medical options rather than adoption. Although we did see a fertility clinic we decided not to try invitro or other surgeries when what we really desired and wanted to put or emotional and financial resources into was to become parents, love and cherish a child. We have felt some sadness that we may not experience pregnancy and those beginning months of our child's life but a the same time the Lord has given us peace and we feel excited to know this is our intended journey and that at the right time and in the right way we will become parents.

So in this seed stage here is what we know. We want to adopt. We are open to the possibilities and realize that our child is out there and we will find our way to them. We have 'chosen' to adopt internationally from Colombia because we feel so drawn to the culture, the language, and both Jason and I have had experiences in Spanish speaking/Latino cultures. We have researched several different adoption agencies and have attended an informational meeting with Childrens' Hope International (Chicago) and will hopefully be attending the Bethany Christian Services (St. Louis) on the 20th.

We are still trying to figure out how to handle financing or when will be the "right" time to officially apply with an agency although we are hoping to have officially started by this summer. We have applied for marriage certificates and birth certificates and have already received some. I have renewed and changed my name on my passport and am awaiting my new passport. We are trying to read lots of books, find support groups, and start to prepare our home and lives for our "Plus one".

We'll blog again when we have more information! Thank you for all the support and love!