Beauty Beyond Interiors

November is National Adoption Month!  Did you know that there are at least 5 ways to adopt?  Each one makes a difference in the life of a precious child, and helps a family grow.  Take a look at this overview of the different flavors of adoption and see what a beautiful difference it makes for everyone.

Domestic Infant Adoption – this is probably what people think of first when they think of adoption.  When a couple or individual decides to adopt (in any program) they go through a rigorous home study process to get all of the proper authorizations to legally adopt in whichever state they live.  Once everything is approved they can get matched with a birth-mother.  This happens in many ways.  It used to be that waiting families went into a ‘pool’ and waited to be selected by a birth-mother working with the same agency.  Now, thanks to advanced technology, many families are matched via social media, friends & family, or other personal connections.  Blogging and Facebook have become common ways to spread the word about your adoption journey.  Openness is very common between birth-family and adoptive-family.  The specifics of openness are agreed upon by both parties and is shown to be very positive for all parties involved.

In Minnesota we have a program for all of the waiting children in foster care.  Many states have similar programs as well.  Currently there are about 400 children in Minnesota alone awaiting a loving family to give them stability, permanency, and unconditional love.  Generally speaking a public/private adoption is low or no cost to the adoptive family.  Children placed are typically between the ages of 8 and 17, and usually have some form of special need.  Check with your state/county to find out their laws on public/private adoption.  This is a wonderful way to grow a family and to make a huge difference for a child needing a family.

MN Waiting Children

International Adoption has become much more common in the last 15-20 years.  Depending on the agency you go through, adoptions can be facilitated from all over the world.  These types of adoptions are wonderful ways to connect with other cultures.  Each country has a separate set of laws and restrictions so it’s important to work with an organization that can help you navigate through.

Did you know that you can adopt an Embryo??  There are thousands of embryos created for couples going through the process of InVitro Fertilization.  When a family is complete or the couple is done pursuing IVF the embryos are stored.  Each couple needs to decide how the embryos are treated from there.  Couples not wishing to destroy their embryos can elect to adopt them to another family.  This gives the source family peace of mind about their embryos and the adoptive family a chance to experience pregnancy.  For more information visit Embryo Adoption Awareness Center.

Finally adoptions within the family are also beautiful and wonderful.  Adoptions can be facilitated within the family to create a cohesive family unit.

Even if you’re not looking to adopt, take a moment to learn what a beautiful gift adoption is, to baby, birth-family, adoptive family, and the whole world.  Learn about the different types of adoption, you may be surprised to find that one may reach your heart.  For those in Minnesota, you can also visit HOPE Adoption & Family Services for more information.