Howdy! I'm new to this site and the whole idea of adoption and I have lots of questions!
I was presented with a very intereting opportunity the other night, and I want to research it some more to see how "legit" everything is. DH and I have been trying to conceive for almost 2 years now. We've semi-talked about adoption and decided that if we're not PG by 2006 (it's getting closer and closer!), we're going to start looking into it.
Well, I was talking to a friend the other night whom I haven't seen in months, and she was telling me about a very close friend of her family who is pregnant and due in the next month or so. Apparently, the family all thinks that this girl is going to abandon her baby soon after it is born. She's already made mention to the fact and all but asked who would take the baby for her.
My friend said none of the family want the responsibility of raising a child and the boyfriend's family doesn't want to have anything to do with the baby whether they keep it or not, so the grandmother has already decided that, should the baby be abandoned, she will put it up for adoption right away. They've already discussed that it will be a closed adoption and that they will never allow this girl or her boyfriend to know anything about it. Their plan is to take the baby to their church and give it to a church member.
As we were talking, my friend asked if DH and I would be interested in taking the baby. It's obviously not a sure thing. Hopefully the girl will straighten up her life and keep the baby. But, she said if we're interested, they would love to give her to us instead of someone at the church. My friend knows that we've been trying and the struggles that we've been having. She, her husband and her whole family keep telling us that we'll make wonderful parents and they can't wait to see us with a child of our own.
Anyway, my question is ~ how legal is this and where would I go to start looking into it? I didn't think someone could just give a baby away. I mean, wouldn't they have to go through the proper channels? DH and I have talked about adoption and it is something we are both open to, but we haven't started REALLY looking into it. We haven't talked to agencies or lawyers or taken a home study course or anything.
Any advice you have to offer would be great! We're in Texas if that makes a difference. I know the laws are different for each state. I especially want to find out if it's legal and what exactly is involved before I mention something to DH. I know it's nothing definite, but I want to know all the facts before I get his hopes up in the slightest.
Thanks in advance!
-Heather.