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You have gotten many good suggestions and plenty of warnings about the fees you mentioned. I will just add that you are rarely confined to adopting within your state or geographical area, as long as an experienced and reputable agency or attorney is contracted by you. We are in California; our agency is in Utah, and our daughter was born in a third Southern state. While it may be easier without ICPC and reduce travel costs, you might not want to limit yourself. Consent and birthfather laws apply in the state where the baby was born; finalization occurs in your state of residence, with a few exceptions such as Texas, which is an option, and Arkansas, where finalization occurs the day that the 10 day revocation period ends. I recommend reading the Adoption Option and searching the internet to familiarize yourself with state laws; Adoption.com is a good layman source. Good luck on your journey.