Before I get into the subject listed in the title, I'd like to mention that my wife gave birth to 5 babies, now all adults, and the oldest is married and has just today given birth to their 5th child.

They got married on the West Coast and now live on the East Coast ...but we grew up in the Midwest, so we made arrangements to fly from the Midwest to the West Coast wedding.

We also had two dogs at that time, and though we have our property adequately fenced in, our one dog was a German Shepherd which was a favorite dog for us ...but it could bite non-family members, so we didn't want to have that happen.

We called the 'Dogtopia' near us ...and though they were advertised as professionals, even professionals can get bit. We didn't want that, and obviously they wouldn't want it either. Though they did have crates for misbehaving dogs, the thought was that perhaps all the dogs could interact with each other and not be crated the entire time (yet, no one wants their dog to be bit by another dog either).

Dogtopia said we would have to bring both our dogs in for two interviews each ...and we had to pay for each interview. I was already paying for 6 of us to fly out to the West Coast, parking our vehicle at the Midwest airport, our stay in a motel on the West Coast, and pay for a rent-a-car and parking for our car at the motel. I wondered whether our dogs would pass the interviews ...or would I be out that money, adding to the cost.

Our dogs passed ...and would be staying for an extended weekend at that utopia motel of sorts. The total package for taking care of the dogs was nearly a thousand dollars $$$$.

So, that was all to guarantee that our family dogs would be well taken care of. I also will mention that the first dog we had, before these two, cost me quite a bit of money to purchase that dog. My wife wanted a dog that would be good with our children, yet not be overly burdensome with the shedding of hair ...so, she wanted a short-haired, or Smooth Collie.

We had to travel a couple hours to see the dog, and this dog seemed rather calm ...which seemed to us as a good match for our children. The owners said we had to sign papers that said that if we decided after a while that we didn't want the dog, that we had to bring it back to them (we couldn't resell the dog, nor just give the dog away).

It seemed like they were true 'dog lovers', and wanted to make sure the dog had a good home, so if we no longer wanted the dog ...well, perhaps we weren't good owners and were not looking out for the welfare of the dog.

I worked in a Mental Health facility where kids were often moved around from place to place ...and I felt there was no way I was going to abandon any dog that entered our family.

Things seemed to be going well at first ...until we all went to church. I don't know if the dog felt abandoned, or just didn't like being alone ...but when we got home from church, we were very surprised what this calm dog had done. I had a plant stand with several tiers of plants ...and I think it brought tears to my wife's eyes as we entered the house. The plants were dragged throughout the entire first floor of our house, and black dirt was ground into the peach carpet everywhere.

I never liked the peach carpet, and it was not difficult to agree that we both wanted a new carpet. I know picking out carpet, curtains ...actually anything can be a long tedious process, but I swept up some of the dog's hair and put it in a Ziploc bag. We held the bag of hair against carpet samples, and there was one mottled carpet pattern which blended great with the hair, so we got that one.

In our excitement to get the dog, we hadn't at first noticed the young dog's limp. For a large dog, that can develop over time ...but this dog was young. We also noticed that it was afraid of stairs. My dad said he felt the dog had been abused, and possibly thrown down a stairs ...yet, it is impossible to guess what had happened to this young dog. One thing for sure, I felt sorry for this dog and I had to gain the dog's trust and bring peace to this dog's life.

This dog began to trust me, and I was also trusted in traveling over a crosswalk over a 5-lane road ...something I did not force the dog to do, but was able to accomplish together with the dog.

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Yes, there are different types of dog owners because there are different types of people. And that brings me back to the subject that perhaps you thought I was going to forget all about (the title of this blog).

Adopting a child should not be the result of a passing notion. And I guess, by what (AI) Artificial Intelligence Overview is showing me, there is much to adopting which makes it difficult enough where just casual considerations would likely not persist.

The average cost of adopting a child in the US can range from minimal/free for foster care adoption to $20,000-$60,000 or more for private or international adoption, with costs varying widely by the type of adoption, the state or country, and specific agency fees. Key expenses include legal fees, court fees, home study costs, and medical/living expenses for the birth parents, and prospective parents should thoroughly research costs with their chosen agency or attorney to understand their specific financial obligations. 

Types of Adoption and Associated Costs:                                       

• Foster Care Adoption:

  This is the most affordable option, with minimal to no cost. The government may even provide financial assistance to cover legal fees and other expenses. 
• Private Domestic Adoption:
• This type of adoption involves adopting a child within the United States and typically costs between $20,000 and $60,000. 
• Through an agency: Costs often cover agency fees, home studies, legal work, and birth parent expenses like medical care and living expenses. 
• Independent (or private) adoption: Without an agency intermediary, this can be slightly less expensive but requires more direct legwork from the adoptive parents to find and screen birth parents. 
• International Adoption:
• Costs for adopting from another country vary significantly based on the country and can range from $25,000 to $60,000. Expenses may include agency and government fees, travel, and translation services. 
• 
  
• Common Expenses Involved in Adoption:

• Legal Fees: These cover attorney services for drafting and filing legal documents. 
• Home Study: An assessment of the prospective parents' home and readiness to adopt. 
• Agency Fees: If using a private agency, fees for their services, including matching with a child and counseling. 
• Birth Parent Expenses: In private domestic adoptions, costs to support the birth mother during her pregnancy, such as rent, medical bills, and living expenses. 
• Court & Filing Fees: Charges for court documentation and filing the adoption paperwork. 
• Travel & Lodging: Expenses for travel to meetings, court appearances, or to meet the birth mother and for potential travel to meet or pick up the adopted child. 

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Yet, though most everyone knows of good dog owners and those who leave much to be desired, that is because dogs are often not 

concealed as much. I've heard the saying, "Children should be seen and not heard."  Well, sometimes they can be heard and not seen 

...and one doesn't want to jump to conclusions, and it is often asked, "But, did you see anything?" And therefore, we can suspect a 

home may not be a good one, but we can't legally base that upon feelings. And with one's own children, there is no 'Home Study' unless

Protective Services are notified. So, much more effort is put into judging a home for an adopted child than for a biological/birth child.

I believe that most people would like for dog owners to be good dog owners, and I also believe most people would hope parents are good 

parents. 

So, just to get the opinion of others ---would you say that a good parent would help conceive a child, but not plan to be around at all??

Let's say it is the father ...should he be fully involved in making sure the child makes it into this world, but once his child is born ...well, 

imagine he wants nothing to do with making himself known to the child. Well, we don't have to imagine because this does happen 

too often. But, would you say this is the preferred and loving way??

My own Dad's father died from a heart attack before my Dad & Mom were married, but I love hearing about the stories Dad told about 

his father.

Comparing this to some of the stories I've heard about parents of children I've worked with in the Mental Health facility ...well, it breaks 

my heart to hear some of the stories, and I wish they'd had a better life. I know what it's like to have a good life ...because I've had one, 

but I just wish more for those poor children.

I had hope in my own life's situations, and I credit much of that to the loving upbringing both of my parents gave me.

I think of the word 'love' when I think of my parents. They made sure I understood how much they loved me. And I believe this is extremely 

important. 

And I think it is extremely important that we realize the love our Heavenly Father has for us. Yet, I realize that many people don't actually 

believe in God. So, if you think the human race evolved and was not created, then perhaps you also believe there is no afterlife. Yet again,

there has been growing support for a belief that God exists, and He set evolution in motion. But, I think that doesn't follow the Bible, so 

that would greatly call into question the reliability and credibility of the Bible. And questioning one aspect of any section of the Bible sortof brings all other parts into question.

I personally believe our God is loving ...and cares about us. And though I believe most of you know what a good dog owners is, and also 

can recognize a good parent when you see one, sadly many of you do not know about our loving God. And I see that of no fault of God. 

A very comprehensive compilation of Books make up the Bible, telling us all about God. And we also see how our Heavenly Father sent 

His own Son to show us the depth of that love.

God wants to adopt us as His children.

There is so much more that can be said ...and perhaps in time, it will be.