Let's Bring My Son Home!!

Hi, I'm Nancy, a single 40-year-old soon-to-be first-time mom to a teenage boy from Colombia. I spent most of my young adult life dedicated to two separate careers and I yearned to have a biological child but I also knew I would adopt a child one day. My romantic life or choice in partners did not give me the opportunity to naturally conceive a child and at 37 I decided to attempt in-vitro fertilization with a sperm donor. After several failed attempts and a lot of therapy, I came to accept that a biological child might have never been the life plan God had for me. I looked into domestic adoption from the foster care system but the risk of potentially having a child taken away from me to be returned to their biological parents was a loss I could not bare. I then looked into international adoption. As a single parent, we are limited to which countries we may adopt from, but I was hopeful that this would be how I would meet my very first child. I left the life I had created in New Jersey and moved back to Miami to restart my life alongside my family who I know are my greatest network of support that I have for this next chapter in my life. In August of 2021, I submitted my initial adoption inquiry to A Love Beyond Borders. Within a matter of a day or two I was told I had the opportunity to host an adoptable child from Colombia for Christmas but I had by the end of the week to get an FBI fingerprint clearance, 10+ hours of adoption education and a homestudy done. I was eager and it got done. It was through that process that I saw my future son's profile and felt an undeniable connection. I anxiously awaited his arrival for four months and during that time I was given updates about him, including photographs and videos, and I couldn't help but falling in love in the same way a biological mother feels looking at an ultrasound or feeling her baby move around in her belly. Finally, on December 7, 2021, I met my son, the light of my life, the little person that would change me forever. He was shy at first but we bonded so deeply. The love I have for him is so strong that I honestly feel like he has been mine all along. I'm literally crying as I'm writing this because I miss him so very much and I can't wait for him to come home. It's been a very long grueling process. Adoption, especially international adoption is not for the faint of heart, it requires a lot of unwavering patience. It is also very expensive, especially when factoring in setbacks. This is where my financial candidness kicks in and why I am fundraising, because I could really use your help. During the time he was here I took three weeks off work to bond with him, not only by choice, but it was also an absolute requirement by the agency; that was income that wasn't coming in and expenses were incurred during that time to participate in the hosting program and obviously to provide him with an enjoyable first-time experience here in the U.S. As 2022 began so did my official adoption process. I made adjustments to my lifestyle to be able to afford the entire process which is already challenging for couples and even moreso for a single parent. An international adoption from Colombia runs over $60,000 and this does not count the fees for the initial Christmas hosting program, any setbacks (paper work needing to be re-done due to requirement changes back in Colombia and expiration of documents), it also doesn't count the income lost during hosting or the income I will lose when I have to spend over five weeks in Colombia for his legal adoption and his U.S. citizenship. I have the final $15,000 adoption fee that will be due within the next two months. At that point I can submit the final immigration application and await for my travel date. I know that most individuals feel that being a dentist would make affording something like this easier but my expenses and the quick turnaround request for these fees does not. I was hoping that by signing up for the FabOver40 contest I would have a chance to win the prize money that would help me with this process but I failed to move onto the final round. I've been able to do it up until now by exhausting my savings, a gift from my father and a loan from my ex-boyfriend who is an amazing friend, but I am struggling with the ability to gather the rest of it in time. It would take me several months to gather this money on my own and so I could really use your help. I am also fundraising for additional funds to help me cover costs while I am in Colombia, including our flights, and my bills I will undeniable still have waiting for me back home. I appreciate the support many of you gave me while I was trying to win the FabOver40 contest. I was hoping that would have been the solution to my problems. It's so hard for me to ask for help and I found that contest being the least invasive way to ask anyone for help. But now I need real help. We welcome you to be a part of this adoption process, follow our story, and help finally bring my son home.

With sincere love and gratitude,

Nancy