The biggest difference in the two processes is the "Adoption book". With domestic adoption we had to put together a book about our family with lots of pictures and information about ourselves. It also includes what they call the "Dear Birthmother" letter. Putting this together was way harder than anything we had to do for the international adoption. You are trying to write a letter to someone you don't know - but hope to have a relationship with in the future. You are trying to "sell" yourself while trying to be honest and open about everything. You are trying to feel empathy in the letter while knowing nothing about their situation. It is all a very difficult thing to do.
Anyway - that is all done now. We completed the books and I think they came out very nice. So now it is time to wait. When a birthmother wants to see a profile they send out a request. It has some information about the birthmother/father - and also says what they want from the family. We have had a few of these and sometimes it is obvious we don't fit what the birthmother wants. The birtmother may have very specific requests for siblings or pets or location. We have only been shown to two birthmoms so far - the first rejected us right away (we were kind of expecting that since they did not want any siblings) and the second is looking at us right now. I can tell you the waiting with the international was easier since it was just that - waiting. With the domestic process you have to wait for a profile request, decide if you want to be shown, then wait to hear if they are sort of interested in you or not, then wait to here if they pick you.
Well - that's enough of an update for now. Hopefully you will hear from me again sometime in the semi-near future.
