The Beginning

Well, here begins my incredible journey to adopt one or two children from the beautiful country of Costa Rica. It has been a long, frustrating, emotional, devastating ride to get to this point. I'm sure the ride will be just as eventful from this point on. I want to begin by thanking everyone who has stood by me, encouraged me, held me up, even though they may not have known it, while I have struggled with this process. Being single has its perks, as some would say, however, adoption is not an easy task to accomplish.
I began this journey in August 2006 at an information meeting with a nationally known adoption agency. Everything seemed perfect, too good to be true. Let's get started. As many of you know, I was in for a big surprise and a big hole in my pocket.
I have looked at international and domestic and the foster-to-adopt system to the point where I just don't believe at times that this will really happen, ever. However, being more positive, I am where I need to be. I know, God has a plan. He never gives you more than you can handle. I'm ready God, bring it on, please.
After a very disappointing relationship with my first agency, that resulted in my dossier being sent back from Kazakhstan, for whatever reason that seemed strange, I was slow to get going again. I looked into the very expensive and potentially never happen side of domestic adoption. Everybody was nice and all, but kept saying "it takes time, a long time for a birthmother to select a family." Be patient. I also looked into the foster-to-adopt system. I actually had a couple of interviews for sibling groups of children, but never chosen as a family.(Single)
Which brings me to the present. I have chosen, I believe, a wonderful, reputable agency to complete an international adoption. I am still in the gathering of documents phase, but my homestudy has been approved and notarized. I will be sending it to the USCIS as soon as I receive it back from the agency, next week, I hope. From there, I will gather everything else for my dossier and be ready to get things apostiled from my state.
I am trying to not be too anxious, but I want to hurry things along. I have gone through this process before and I know that it takes forever sometimes for paperwork to sort out.
I think that is enough to share for my first post. I am hopeful that I can continue and learn how to manipulate the blog so as to make it interesting. Again, thanks everyone.