Do you want to know more about adopting internationally? November is adoption awareness month, and I am excited to share this story with you.
We have another great conversation with Amy Zopp. These interviews are all about being inspired as moms by other moms and their stories. Today, Amy talks about adopting internationally.
Amy is an author and homeschooling mom of 7, soon to be 8. She has a very special family. Her family is made up of 4 biological children and 3 soon to be 4 adopted children. Amy shares some very practical tips on navigation through this process.
Here is a brief summary of the conversation. Remember to listen to the full interview to hear more of her story and to get all the details.
Creating a Family through Adopting Internationally
Amy has a very active household. Her first 3 kids are all biological, and then she has 3 kids who are eight years old. It is like having triplets. Following the triplet group, she also has a 6-year-old, and then a 7-year-old on the way. Needless to say, it is never a dull moment.
Homeschooling as the Best Fit for the Family
There are many reasons people homeschool—better learning experience, moving a lot, tailor learning for each child, etc. After trying some different school options, Amy decided that homeschooling was the best fit for their family.
That is the beauty of homeschooling. You get to decided what works best for your family and your family dynamics.
Adopting Internationally from China and Bulgaria
Amy has adopted from 2 children from China and the two youngest are from Bulgaria. Many countries have started shutting down their international adoption program. There are only a few countries that are open to international adoption.
There are many things to consider. Such as the size of your family, how many parents in the home, how much money you make, and so much more.
Listen to the full episode to hear Amy’s story.
What Started this Journey of International Adoption
This idea started with Amy’s husband. He made the suggestion to her when her youngest was under a year. So when she wasn’t even fully recovered from her baby. This started the process of just starting to consider it.
They said yes before they even knew how they would do it. The process for the first child took about two and half years to complete.
This was a life-changing experience for them. Listen to the full episode to hear more.
What do You Wish You had Known before Starting the Process
When Amy received the paperwork for the first time, she cried because it was so overwhelming. The advice she would give to her younger self is take a deep breath and go piece by piece. You will get it done.
The biggest lesson she learned was that everything was not in her control. She had to take her fingers off the controls and let God be God.
Listen to her story to hear more on the process of adoption.
The Advice You would Give to New Parents Adopting Internationally
The biggest challenge and adjustment we had to make was the kids came at a certain age technically, but they weren’t that age in actuality. Homeschooling has really helped in this area because she able to meet the kids where they are at.
It has been an adjustment to remember that even though the child may be 6 developmentally the child is much younger because the care wasn’t received. Knowing this, Amy recommends looking for the services and therapies your child would need ahead of time. This would be super help because your child will have different needs.
Listen to the episode to hear the rest of Amy’s story.
Conclusion: Adopting Internationally
Amy shares how they blend their family, homeschooling 7 kids at all different levels, and how she structures her day.
We also get into her author journey, and how her son inspired her to starting writing.
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