Maybe God has been tugging on your heart.

Maybe you’ve fallen in love with a waiting child.

Maybe you’ve never even considered international adoption before, but after following the story of a hosted child or a neighbor’s adoption or the plight of the 132 million orphans around the world, some who are literally dying waiting for families to meet their medical needs, your eyes are open. Your heart’s on fire. And you’re not just willing to sit on the sidelines and allow “someone else” to address “that orphan crisis” anymore.

Today, the agency our family absolutely *loves* and used to bring home sweet Superman — the same awesome agency that introduced us to D.J. and will be bringing Joy to our home in just four more weeks — walks us through those first baby steps in the international adoption process.

Because processes and paperwork should never stand in the way of a child’s chance at a forever family.

This National Adoption Awareness Month, the Of Capes and Combat Boots Facebook page has featured posts about the whos, whats and whys of adoption. (“Like” the page now to ensure you don’t miss the videos, testimonies and other social media content that is not posted here on the blog!)

For 17 days now, we’ve been Celebrating Superheroes-in-Waiting and the 132 million children around the world just waiting for a family to call their own. And TODAY, after sharing the need and the heart behind adoption, we show you how to start.

There are three main types of adoption: international, domestic and foster-to-adopt. (For information on kinship adoption, check out https://www.childwelfare.gov/.)

On Thursday, guest blogger Ariele O’Brien shared her story of adopting twins from the foster system and offered tips for getting started on the foster-to-adopt path.

Tomorrow, our friends at Great Wall China Adoption and Children of All Nations will be sharing their tips for starting the international adoption process.

And today, our sweet friends at Amazing Grace Adoptions, the agency we used for our second China home study and the home of one of my very favorite social workers of all time, teach us what to do and how to start a domestic adoption.

Because thousands of precious birth mothers and U.S. superheroes await.

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