Adoption and surrogacy

My husband and I are exploring adoption and surrogacy,but we are so overwhelmed by the amount of information online and are questioning the trustworthiness of a lot of the information we are finding. We don't even know where to begin! I was wondering if anyone had any information they could give us- referrals to agencies, reputable attorneys, anything would be helpful!

Thank you!

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jen Ryan on January 10, 2013 at 7:59pm

I do not personally know any thing about it but I wish you the best of luck. I know some of our moms on here have adopted so hopefully they can lend a helping hand ;)

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jennifer on January 10, 2013 at 8:20pm

Would you adopt domestically or internationally? I am currently going through the adoption process. We decided to adopt internationally because we wanted a baby and the wait time is supposedly less compared to adopting domestically because I have dual citizenship. The agency we are using is Children's Home Society & Family Services in Minnesota. Our homestudy was done by Joshua Tree Adoptions (from Tampa). Both agencies have been really great so far. Hope this helped. If you need anymore information feel free to ask.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Melissa on January 11, 2013 at 6:34am

Kelly Thompson is a great family lawyer. She's here in Ocala.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Kelly on January 11, 2013 at 10:19am

Jennifer- We are exploring both domestic and international adoptions. I've heard good and bad things about both. Thanks for the referral- I will definitely contact them! Has it been an issue being in a different state than the agency? How long has the process taken so far?

Jennifer said:

Would you adopt domestically or internationally? I am currently going through the adoption process. We decided to adopt internationally because we wanted a baby and the wait time is supposedly less compared to adopting domestically because I have dual citizenship. The agency we are using is Children's Home Society & Family Services in Minnesota. Our homestudy was done by Joshua Tree Adoptions (from Tampa). Both agencies have been really great so far. Hope this helped. If you need anymore information feel free to ask.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Nicole on January 11, 2013 at 3:16pm

Have you thought of adopting through DCF? It is free, the child gets 4 years free college and health insurance until they are 18. Almost all adoptions also get a monthly stipend. Not all of the kids are special needs. You may or may not be able to get an infant though. This is how we adopted my daughter, she is not special needs, and it was perfect for us.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jennifer on January 11, 2013 at 4:42pm

No, it hasn't been an issue at all being in a different state. But if you choose an adoption agency from another state you still have to choose an agency in Florida to complete the homestudy. That is why I went with Joshua Tree Adoptions for my homestudy. I really didn't know much about Joshua Tree until my agency told me about them but Jaci has been great!

We started the process on October 2011 and we should be picking up our son this February! I have heritage so there was less wait compared to those who do not have heritage. But we also came across a situation where we had to change agencies so that set us back a few months.

You and your husband need to decide what age you want and then where you are willing to adopt from. The wait depends on where you are adopting from and the age of the child. After you decide that you should look into adoption agencies. That way you can see which agencies can do adoptions from that country. I adopted from a country that is part of the Hague Convention so I had to make sure that the agency we choose was certified to handle it.

Kelly said:

Jennifer- We are exploring both domestic and international adoptions. I've heard good and bad things about both. Thanks for the referral- I will definitely contact them! Has it been an issue being in a different state than the agency? How long has the process taken so far?

Jennifer said:

Would you adopt domestically or internationally? I am currently going through the adoption process. We decided to adopt internationally because we wanted a baby and the wait time is supposedly less compared to adopting domestically because I have dual citizenship. The agency we are using is Children's Home Society & Family Services in Minnesota. Our homestudy was done by Joshua Tree Adoptions (from Tampa). Both agencies have been really great so far. Hope this helped. If you need anymore information feel free to ask.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Barbara Perry on January 12, 2013 at 10:52am

My husband and I are currently right in the middle of a private adoption. When we first started I was just like you. Totally overwhelmed!!! I can give you some info. The lawyer that we are using is Ann Melinda Craggs. She was referred to us by a friend who has adopted 3 children and used some different attorneys from surrounding areas. Ann Melinda knows her stuff and is intent on closing all of the loop holes. She is also located right in Ocala, so that cuts down on the travel expenses that you would pay an attorney from Orlando, Tampa or Gainesville. You will also need a home study. This needs to be done by a licensed social worker. We are using a wonderful women named Cynthia Prewitt. She is also located in Ocala. We are not going through an agency, we had a friend who knew we wanted a baby and she heard of someone who did not want to keep their baby. My friend who adopted also never used an agency. Just spread the word to everyone you know and meet that you are interested in adopting. The process can be costly and we are doing some fundraisers to help with some of the cost. If you have any more questions, please let me know and I will try to find some more info for you!