Practical, easy-to-follow guidelines for anyone interested in adopting a child; More than 1,200 Internet sites at your fingertips that will increase your chances of finding the child for you; Simple techniques thousands of parents have used to successfully adopt with the help of the Internet; Includes writing and posting a Dear Birth Parent letter that works; Details warning signs of scams and how to pinpoint individuals who can hinder your adoption; New financial resources for your adoption available on the web; Filled with helpful advice on safe and affordable adoptions, how to find birth mothers and how to safely network and screen professionals within the adoption community.

Packed with plain-English advice and step-by-step instructions for executing a stepparent adoption without a lawyer, this book explains how to: -- decide if adoption is right for a family -- determine if it's a legal possibility -- choose the correct procedure -- prepare and file all necessary papers with the court -- take a petition through the courtProvides all the necessary forms, as tear-outs and on a CD-ROM.

In a world full of waiting, we could all use a little faith. This book speaks directly to the heart of waiting adoptive parents, but could also encourage anyone who finds themselves waiting for that next season of life. The text was originally written by the author as a journal while she and her husband struggled to start a family. This journal is now a book filled with Scripture and devotions of hope. Refuel Your Wait includes heartbreaking and joyful personal stories of infertility, the adoption process, relationships with birthparents, and a medical miracle. This book will encourage the reader to turn their wait from a passage of time into intentional time of prayer, relationship building, and unexpected joy.

How do you create an adoption portfolio that will show prospective birth families why you are the perfect adoptive parent for their child? Do you know which pictures to include and which to leave out? Do you really understand what prospective birth parents care about? This is a step-by-step guide to creating a portfolio which will reflect your personality, make a strong positive impact and encourage the right birth family to choose you. Madeleine Melcher shares the secrets she has discovered over years of creating successful portfolios, profiles and prospective birth parent letters. She combines simple and effective design ideas and tips for writing and layout with a deep understanding of how portfolios work. Importantly, this book also draws extensively on the experiences of birth mothers and the professionals who support them to examine what they are really looking for, featuring questions which prospective birth mothers will want to see answered in your portfolio. From text to design, this guide will give you the confidence to create a portfolio that sets you apart. It is essential reading for prospective adoptive parents, as well as adoption attorneys and adoption agencies advising those hoping to adopt.

From Adoptive Families magazine, the country’s leading resource on adoption, this warm, authoritative book is full of practical, realistic advice from leading attorneys, doctors, social workers, and psychologists, as well as honest, intimate stories from real parents and children. You Can Adopt answers every question–even the ones you’re afraid to ask: • When should I shift from fertility treatment to adoption? • How do I talk to my spouse about adoption? • Can we find a healthy baby? • Do I need an attorney? An adoption agency? • Can the birth mother take the baby back? • How much will this really cost? How long will it take? • Aren’t all adopted children unhappy? • Can I love a child who “isn’t mine”? • How can I ease the rest of my family into this decision? Complete with checklists and worksheets, You Can Adopt will help make your dreams of family come true.

From understanding what adoption is, through to step by step guidance on the entire process and the challenges that come up along the way, this is the only book you will need to read on adoption. Written by an author who was adopted herself, who has looked after over twenty children and who works with a fostering and adoption agency that deals specifically with breakdowns, this book will teach you how to confidently navigate the system and build a strong and lasting relationship with your child. Whilst very much being the unvarnished truth, this is an empowering guide that will ensure you feel in control and know where to turn to for help no matter what: With a positive attitude and the right tools, adopting a child can be very rewarding - don't try to overthink it, don't try to love, just do right by them and as you learn about each other the love, kindness and acceptance will grow.

One in seven couples struggle with infertility. Other parents long to add another child to their family who needs a home. Whatever the reason, many couples who decide to pursue adoption do not realize the often unnerving, stressful, emotional ride it can be. Deciding to adopt means moving into uncharted territory. There are many emotional highs and lows, as well as psychological, mental and spiritual ramifications. The authors prepare prospective adoptive parents for the adoption process, from helping them examine their motives for adopting to making practical decisions about the type of adoption to pursue. They also explore the adoption process from the viewpoints of the prospective adoptive parents, the birth parents, the adoptee, attorneys and adoption agencies. This book is an indispensable resource for anyone considering adoption.

For those praying about building a family through adoption, this easy-to-read, straight-forward guide is a valuable insight. Called to Adoption offers tips, and up-to-date, relevant information every parent considering adoption should know. Readers will identify with author Mardie Caldwell's personal and professional experiences, making this resource a vital handbook as parents take steps to adopt. This book allows hopeful adoptive parents to discover: -The single most important decision to make before beginning any path to adoption. -How to select the right adoption professional. -Creative ideas to fund your adoption. -The proven formula for adoption success. -The shocking need for Christian Adoption. -Encouragement from God's word throughout the adoption process. -How to quickly get started toward adoption. Called to Adoption also outlines the differences between types of adoption and offers step-by-step guidance to adopt safely and successfully. Featuring stories from Caldwell's own adoption experience, as well as from other adoptive parents, this book will prepare adopting parents for the logistic and emotional sides of adoption. This book is recommended for Christians interested in becoming adoptive parents, or who may support those facing an adoption journey, as well as for those who want to understand the need for Christian adoption. As founder and CEO of Lifetime Adoption Center, Caldwell has assisted thousands of families find answers to questions regarding the decision to adopt. This book also includes a special section for families considering the decision about moving from fertility treatments to adoption.

At twenty-one years old, Hope O Baker made one of the hardest decisions a person can make: she placed her son for adoption. She lived with her son's adoptive mother while she was pregnant and pursued an open adoption. After her son was born, Hope tried to resume her life. But the difficulty of letting her child go gnawed at Hope. Even though she had it together on the outside--graduating college and excelling in her career--on the inside she was battling a destructive cycle of depression and addiction. When life was at its darkest, Hope managed to find her way back to the light. It's a journey she continues to this day. Now, in this love letter to her son, Hope shows how messy and chaotically beautiful adoption can be, by sharing the authentic details of her remarkable story. From her struggles, you'll see how community can help you rebuild and be reminded of how important it is to find your voice and speak up for what you need when life hands you unexpected difficulties.

This book covers common open adoption situations and how real families have navigated typical issues successfully. Like all useful parenting books, it provides parents with the tools to come to answers on their own, and answers questions that might not yet have come up.