After 10 years of marriage,  7 years of dreaming of a family,  many years of infertility treatments, and surgeries we enter the journey of adoption.  We were given a choice to try IVF or pursue adoption and chose adoption.  We decided we wanted a child more than just a chance at a biological child.  I plan to include the steps we go through, the cost, and emotional rollercoster of adoption.  July 13 was the first informational meeting.  Pre application turned in.  July 27 educational meeting.  $550 fee to submit application.  July  28 formal application submitted.  Many hours of looking up information, and copying important papers.  During this time we are getting the house ready for home study.  Removed carpet in bedrooms and installed wood flooring.  Moved bedroom around to make a room open for a future nursery.  Family assisted with getting the house ready.  Social worker set dates for home study of Aug  5th and 6th.  Called and set up finger prints for July 30th $102.50.  Vet appointment for all pets two dogs and two cats.  All need shots.  Cost ??  Physical for both of us set for August 3 $??? they refused to file on our insurance due to it being a adoption physical.  Now on to the stuff to get ready for the home study.  4 pages of questions to answer and think about.  Remove all cleaning chemicals from the house and place on a high place in garage with a lock on the door.  Install fire detectors in each bedroom.  Place a fire extinguisher in kitchen.  No gas or fireplace so that is not a problem for us.  Have not firearms in the house or  have locking cabinet to keep guns and ammo in.  The problem for us is a beautiful pond that I dug outside of our bedroom window.  Florida law states that it has to have a four foot tall fence around it on all four sides with a self locking gate.  Windows and doors leading to that area have to have an alarm attached and we have to take a water safety course.  Can you say Bull ****.  Anyway, a four foot fence would look stupid around a small fish pond and the cost to install  all require would be crazy.  So, we have to catch the fish, remove the plants , and fill in the hole.  This is so said.  I know you are thinking its just a pond, but we really enjoyed the fish and the frogs at the pond.  I understand why things are the way they are, but at times it seems so unfair.  When you have a baby at the hospital they don’t say you can not take your child home until  X Y and Z are done.  It is like being punished for not being able to have biological children.  Now that I am through ranting about that.  We will fill in the hole and move on.  Off to the bank tomorrow to get a bunch of papers notarized and get some stuff done around the house.  The weekend brings yard work and all kinds of fun.  By the way, the home study fee is $1000.00.  More to come.