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Originally Posted By Twyla

Hi, Holly!

Take a deep breath, you have a long, trying path ahead of you. But if this is something you feel called to do, God will lead you every step of the way as He has my husband (48) and me (47). If money is not an issue, there are many agencies out there, local and internet, that will be able to assist you in getting a homestudy completed to fulfill your state's requirements for adoptive parents. If, like us, money is not plentiful, then you may want to explore what non-profit agencies are in your area that allow you to adopt on a sliding scale according to your income. We are working with Bethany Christian Services. We also had our homestudy done by Tennessee Department of Children's Services as we wanted to foster while we were waiting for a birthmother to choose us. If you have a Bethany office in your area, they are an excellent place to start to gather information as I'm sure they would be happy to share about all the resources in your area. You should be able to find them in the white pages of your phone book if they are in your area. Good luck and may God bless your efforts.

PS. If you are concerned about your ages, don't be. I've had birthmothers tell me they actually chose the adoptive parents because they were older and more experienced.