Adoption is something you have always wanted to do. Even before you got married, you knew that it was your calling. You wanted to provide a home to a child that wouldn’t have one otherwise. Now that you are married, you and your spouse are thinking about starting the process.

This is an exciting and yet very serious process to begin. You absolutely must know that you are ready. Remember the impact this has not just on you, but on the child. Here are a few questions you should ask:

• Is your career compatible with starting a family or adopting another child into your family?
• Are you and your spouse on the same page with what you want?
• Is your marriage fairly stable and likely to last, giving the child a stable home life?
• Does your lifestyle fit with having a child? For instance, if you travel a lot and have a hectic schedule, raising a child can be difficult.
• Where are you at financially? Can you cover all of the various costs of raising a child, beyond the cost of the adoption itself?
• What does your health look like? Are you generally healthy and able to care for a child properly?
• Have you really considered how this is a long-term investment in terms of time, money and emotion? It is something that is going to change your life forever, and there is no going back.

Once you ask these questions, you can really prepare yourself and your home for adoption. Then it is time to start looking into the legal process and the steps you need to take.