Boston Couple looking for help

first you need to decide domestic vs. international vs. foster to adopt. then you have to decide agency vs attorney then you need to research to find a great agency/attorney. if it's agency, you will sign up for and attend an informational meeting where every step of the process is outlined for you. if it's attorney, you will call them and have a similar meeting... wait time and costs are generally the big deciding points for all adoptive parents. you may also want to think about things like failed matches with domestic, travel requirements for international, etc. each avenue to adoption has it's goods and bads. sounds like you're becoming well versed on it. good luck!

If you go the foster-to-adopt route, there are many of us here who have experience with MA DCYF

I suggest that you read " The Complete Adoption Book" by Beauvais-Goodwin & Goodwin, Esq. This book is a great jumping off point to help you decide which type of adoption will work work best for you. Good luck.

Adopted through DCF in MA. I also live North of Boston and very involved with the local office. PM me and I can give you all the info you want.

Ddev, another boston north person here! We adopted our daughter (domestic infant) 6 years ago through a local agency and are starting the process to adopt again. I belong to a local group of amoms and prospective amoms...they are great. I am happy to share any info with you if you want to pm me. Best of luck!

Sorry to derail....but "starting the process to adopt again"...weeeeee!!!! YAY!! :clap: OP: I'm not in Boston, but like others have said...start with the basics: domestic, interntional, foster. Agency or attorney. If at all possible and if you're working locally meet these people who will be helping you create your family, sit with them and ask them questions at a free meet and greet or info night. Don't give anyone a dime until you trust and truly like how they work. These people will be helping you to build your family, don't go on web design or advertising promises alone...ask questions and ask us all here if something seems odd or if you need to bounce something off of others who've been there/done that :)

I really would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to respond to my post. I can't tell you how much my husband and I appreciate all the advice and guidence that has been offered to us in such a short amount of time. We have been talking and really thought that a domestic infant closed adoption is what we are looking for. I have been searching the web for just about any sight that deals with adoptions and been taking bits and pieces of information from them. We are currently talking about going with a surrogate so we are trying to look up that information now and if that is the way to go. My biggest fear is the waiting. Some sights say that you need to put in an application when they are excepting them. I was nervous thinking, how long is it before they are even going to be excepting them? We are going to continue our search to try to find answers to some of out new questions but once again, let me say Thank you so much for all the help and I look forward to sharing my story with all of you.