[Lisaaz]

Hello,
I was on adoptuskids.com and have followed a sibling group of two girls for over a year. SOmething about them makes me really want them to be my kids!! They have seperated them now saddly but, I still intend to keep them together. Ok, problem is I'm not legally married to my husband. We are spiritually married and have been together for 10 yrs. We are wanting to find someone who will do a homestudy on us as a couple so we can adopt soon!! Our credit is not perfect but, who's is? Can anyone help us find someone to help us adopt these two girls?? We live in Arizona.

Thanks,
Lisaaz

[queenjane]

Have you contacted any agencies in your state for information (the ones who do homestudies for state wards)? It might not be a problem that you and your partner arent married....in many states nonmarried partners are acceptable as adoptive parents. I know in some states gay couples are ok too.

If you don't live in the state where the girls are located, you will probably either have to pay for the homestudy (usually$1000-3000), OR find an agency that has an interstate compact and willing to work with other states. The state the girls live in won't work with you unless you have a completed homestudy from your own state.

I dont think the agency will check your credit, at least mine didnt mention it, i just need to fill out a financial statement.

I think you should also be prepared that these girls whom you've fallen in love with might *not* be an appropriate match for your family (or you for them), or they may have problems that arent detailed in the photolisting blurb, problems that you can't handle. I have my "favorites" on photolistings as well, but i try to keep in the back of my mind that sometimes kids arent adopted because their issues are pretty extreme (and sometimes its just because they are older, male, and of a minority race.) If these girls are young, and have still been listed for a year, then it may be because they are having trouble finding parents willing to take them on. Or they may need to stay in the area to visit relatives or siblings.

First step would be to call around to different state agencies and describe your situation. I found most people to be pretty helpful, friendly, and honest about whether they could help or not (i'm single, and have some "complicated" work issues that i needed to be upfront about. I got really good advice from the agency workers i talked to.)

Good luck!

Katherine