Adoption Side By Side

We can hardly believe we’ve been on the air for 21 episodesnow! For our final episode of Season 1, we chat about our favorite funny & meaningful moments recording the podcast, which episodes were the most popular, and what’s to come in Season 2 (new episodes begin airing September 2026).   We appreciate everyone who has come along for the ride! Thank you for supporting two amateur podcasters w...

When you enter the adoption process, you are quickly aware of many laws & lots of paperwork that help govern and finalize a child legally joining your family…but what exactly goes into preparing for a private adoption hearing?  What questions might you be asked during that hearing? We talk today with Lonn Litchfield, attorney & partner at Sorensen Litchfield, who draws from his wealth of k...

Today we welcome a mother & daughter duo, Beth &Mira, as they share the story of Mira’s adoption at age 2 from China. Beth discusses what the process of international adoption looked like for their family, including how they approached bonding with a toddler and the initial languagebarrier. Mira gives us her perspective on how adoption has impacted her life, both growing up and today as an...

In private infant adoption, you dream of hearing those wordsfrom an agency… “It’s a match!” Today we are taking a behind the scenes look at the matching process to better understand how an expectant mother chooses an adoptive family for her child. We are joined by Becky Merryman, Domestic ProgramCoordinator with Building Arizona Families, to discuss what info is collected from both parties, how pr...

Welcome back to Part 2 of our interview with our dear husbands, Bryson & Alex! In this episode, we discuss their thoughts and emotions behind becoming fathers and how they hope to talk with their sons about adoption as they grow. Despite teasing them throughout preparing for this interview, we loved having them on the podcast and greatly value their willingness to share from the dads’ perspect...

We’ve shared about our thoughts and emotions throughout the adoption process, but what about our husbands? What led them to consider adoption? What were the men thinking when we panicked cleaning for the home study? What part of the process was most unexpected for them? Join us today as we share Part 1 of our interview with our loving, jokester husbands - Alex & Bryson! Welcome to the Adoption...

We often picture our lives going in one direction,but sometimes God has an entirely different story for us. Today we welcome Katie, the mutual friend who first connected us (Steph & Andrea). Her story contains many twists and turns for growing her family, including IVF, fostercare, and private infant adoption…and a surprise ending! Through it all, Katie & her husband leaned on their commun...

While the goal of foster care is typically reunification, there are times that it is not an option. We are joined today byJodi, who opened her heart & home to several kids in need of a foster placement, which led to the eventual adoption of two beautiful children. Jodi discusses the requirements & challenges of serving as a foster family in Pennsylvania, and the journey that led to her chi...

The term “disrupted adoption” is every hopeful adoptive parent’s nightmare. How do you recover emotionally and financially? Today we welcome back special guest Bre, who helped us navigate our own adoptions through Journey Adoption Consultants. Bre shares her personal story of adopting her two beautiful children. Her story contains some incredibly painful events, but the ending? Simply breathtaking...

Consent has been signed, and your child is placed with yourfamily. What happens next? How can you prepare for this last stage of the adoption legal process? Kelly Newport, Director of Adoption By Choice, discusses the final steps with us in today’s podcast, including the ICPC wait (InterstateCompact on the Placement of Children) and the post placement caseworker visits to your home.   Welcome to t...

The big day is finally here…you’ve matched with an expectant mom, and the baby is on the way! It’s go time! What does the hospital stay entail? What are ways to make the most of your time with baby’s biological family? Today we are joined by two Birth Mom Advocates from Heart to Heart Adoptions, Haley & Kathy, who share from their wealth of experience working with both birth families and adopt...

Today we are joined by a mother of two children, Becky Merryman, who walks us through her adoption journey and raising her sons from newborns to adulthood. Becky currently serves as the Domestic Adoption Program Coordinator at Building Arizona Families. Both her experience as an adoptive parent and adoption professional have led to some wonderful insights on navigating adoption with your children...

No one likes to wait…whether we’re a kid (…or parent!)waiting for Christmas morning, or a family hoping that this is the last holiday season without a child in their home. Today we discuss some things we did to help ease this time of waiting, as well as some of the thoughts & emotions surroundingthis season of life. No matter where you are in this journey to parenthood...know that you are not...

What exactly IS a profile book and why is it crucial to theprivate adoption journey? What should be included, and what things should be avoided? How do you showcase your lives in photos & words in a way that makes your family stand out to expectant moms making an adoption plan? To answerthese questions and many more, we are joined by Erica, Profile Book Designer from Journey Adoption Consultan...

The home study process can sound intimidating…collecting allthe needed documents, having an in-person interview & house visit, and obtaining physicals and references. Today we are joined by caseworker Molly Childs, with 24 years of experience in the adoption & foster social work field (andcurrently working for Caring Adoption Associates of Pennsylvania). Molly sheds light on the process, b...

We are joined by a special guest, Sarah, who made thecourageous decision to place her son for adoption. Sarah shares what open adoption looks like from the perspective of a birth mother, highlighting both the positive and difficult moments. We invite you to check out Sarah’s Instagram account, FirstMotherWrites, where she documents her own journey and provides insight through the eyes of someone p...

Welcome to the Adoption Side By Side Podcast - because noone should have to walk the adoption journey alone!   In today's episode, we discuss the financial aspect of privateinfant adoption…including answering a question we are commonly asked: WHY is adoption so expensive? We then share our tips and experiences on how to fund aprivate adoption, covering three major categories: your own earnings...

Welcome to the Adoption Side By Side Podcast - because noone should have to walk the adoption journey alone!   In today's episode, guest Bre Starks joins us to talk about herrole as an adoption consultant and to answer questions such as: What is the difference between open, semi open, and closed adoption? How does choosing a consultant group differ from signing up with an adoption agency? How...

Welcome to the Adoption Side By Side Podcast - because no one should have to walk the adoption journey alone!   In today's episode, Andrea will discuss how domestic infant adoption impacted her journey to motherhood and what that process looked like from start to finish. Join us for another personal adoption story that we hope brings encouragement to your family! We are so glad you're here...

Welcome to the Adoption Side By Side Podcast - because no one should have to walk the adoption journey alone! In today's episode, Steph will share the story of what the adoption process looked like for her family. Join us as she shares the highs and lows throughout her own personal journey that led to this household of two becoming three! We are so glad you're here! <3 ~Steph & Andr...

Welcome to the Adoption Side By Side Podcast - because no one should have to walk the adoption journey alone! In today's episode, we will introduce ourselves, the podcast creators, and share a brief introduction to our own adoption journeys. We will discuss the hope behind the creation of this space on the Internet, as well as list some topics of future episodes. We are so glad you're here! <3...