TUESDAY TIP: Summer 2014….

Think soccer and travel. Both may involve your child’s birth certificate, passport, or travel card. Order multiple copies of your baby’s amended birth certificate. Remember, it is issued after your finalization from the state where your child was born. You may need to show the birth certificate for your child to play on age grouped sports teams like youth soccer. You will need a birth certificate to obtain a passport, which is required for cruising or traveling anywhere outside the United States. Getting an “American” birth certificate issued for your child is one good reason to complete an American re-finalization of your international adoption. Meanwhile, it’s summer—play a little soccer, cheer Team USA, and have fun with your forever family.

TUESDAY TIP ... On WEDNESDAY !

TUESDAY TIP ... On WEDNESDAY This is one day I do not mind being a day late with the weekly tip! A Baby Step Adoption and Adoption Step had an unexpected adoption in court yesterday. We were able to complete our fourth finalization. Last week was a tribute to the truism that experience, depth, and breadth power our adoption agency. We completed 4 new matches last week. Our adoption agency had 4 Interstate Compact Approvals in less than 4 days last week. We had 4 families complete final hearings. I would say that 4 is our magic number, but this week we already had two new matches and two new ICPC approvals. Maybe a new record is coming. The babies (or families) come from Ohio, Iowa, Pennsylvania, California, South Carolina, South Dakota, Georgia, and Massachusetts. Truly a diverse group! Kudos to A Baby Step Adoption staff and all their hard work.

TUESDAY TIP: Grants

Over the year, A Baby Step Adoption Agency and Adoption Step, a non-profit, have had multiple adoption grant recipients. We have also had more families qualify for military subsidies and employer benefits. Our agency recently added the successful program, “Your Adoptive Finance Coach”, founded by adoptive parent and CEO Kelly Ellison to our offerings; it is now FREE for our clients. We congratulate our latest grant winner—Jason and Jennifer! Their generous grant also qualified for 100 percent matching funds. In addition they received a percentage of profits from the weekly sales by our “Love is waiting” sponsors which amount our agency matched too. Way to go! Many thanks for supporting adoption.

The Second Sibling Adoption – Adoption Costs Less the Second Time Around

The Second Sibling Adoption  – Adoption Costs Less the Second Time Around
There is an old song about love being lovelier the second time around.  It certainly holds true for the miracle of the second sibling adoption that can happen quite unexpectedly.   Many families want to adopt again, but they are worried about how much adoption costs.  However, when a family maintains open communication with the biological parents through their open adoption agreement, they are often the first to know when this sometimes unexpected, but very welcome, opportunity arises. Adding a biological sibling to the family is typically a positive experience for the adoptive families and their children. A Baby Step Adoption works to make the adoption cost of a second sibling affordable and reasonable.  We are able to update and expedite the home study, and quickly find an American Academy of Adoption attorney to complete the adoption process.
We just finalized the adoption of adorable baby Michael. His biological big brother, Robert, was adopted by one of our wonderful A Baby Step Adoption families, and they were thrilled to have Michael join their family.  However, like anything, even our joyful adoption miracles are not without rough spots. This time, it was due to the constant and crazy snowstorms of 2014!  Even with our quick interstate compact approval (ICPC), the family was unable to actually get home because of the snow.  They ended up flying all over the country and being re-routed quite a bit…we laughed while preparing their adoption tax credit, which shows travel to South Dakota, Dallas and Charlotte and from Minnesota to Pennsylvania.  Luckily, the family made it home safe and sound after a tumultuous travel experience!
Our wonderful family is thrilled with their surprise second adoption. Our baby adoption specialists at A Baby Step Adoption offered support and guidance throughout the process, while we successfully kept the adoption cost low and manageable for the family. Now, we are at it again with a family traveling to California to meet a newborn sibling for another second sibling made possible by low adoption costs.  Let’s hope there are no weather delays to contend with in sunny San Diego!
At A Baby Step Adoption, we love helping families grow, whether it be their first child or if they already have children at home.  Our adoptive families tell us we have earned the title of the best adoption agency (and we think our families are the best, too!)

TUESDAY TIP: SAME SEX ADOPTION

TUESDAY TIP: By now, most of you know that the ban on gay marriage in Pennsylvania was struck down and Pennsylvania has become the 19th state to approve same sex marriage. Same sex adoption was permitted in Pennsylvania before this landmark division. Our forward thinking. Judge was one of the first who completed adoption finalizations in one hearing with the partners together. He was ahead of the curve. Moreover, the new decision changes so much for gay adoptive couples who marry. The next of kin designations, custodial rights, estate planning, benefit packages, and tax rules all change for married same sex couples. This decision, which Governor Corbett did not appeal, will have far reaching effects on the LGBT adoption community. A Baby Step Adoption Agency as always served a very diversified clientele of all ethnicities, orientations, and backgrounds, whether married or single. Congratulations to Pennsylvania for catching up to ABSA.