Worth it: West Salem family continues pursuing adoption process despite the cost

Adoption was always something Katie and Brady Warner wanted to do, but it became more important as they tried to start a family

WEST SALEM, Wis. (WKBT)–For some couples, growing their family can be easy. For others, it’s a long and expensive process. That’s what one West Salem family has learned over the years and why it keeps so many others from adopting.

It was always part of the plan.

“Adoption has really been woven into the fabric of our relationship,” said Katie Warner, who has been trying to adopt.

It isn’t surprising if you know her family. Her mom and dad were foster parents to about 60 kids over about a ten-year span. Two of those foster children are now her siblings.

“I was 100% on board with it just from seeing the heart her family had for the two kids they adopted,” said Brady Warner, Katie’s husband.

“It hasn’t necessarily been a conversation of if we would adopt but when,” Katie Warner said.

The conversation took a different tone when Liam was born.

“We had gone through a pretty difficult season of infertility,” Warner said.

It took years of treatments to finally get pregnant.

“And once we had him, we knew we wanted a second one,” Brady Warner said.

But that seemed unlikely. They turned to the faith for guidance.

“It was then that we really started to feel convicted that we were supposed to take those initial steps in our adoption journey,” Katie Warner said.

Things don’t always go as planned.

“We submitted our application for adoption and I think it was two weeks later, found out we were pregnant with Skyla,” Brady Warner said.

Still, they wanted to keep pursuing adoption, even despite the costs.

“It ranges from like $14,000 to $18,000 or $20,000,” Katie Warner said.

That varies depending on what agency you work with.

“You run into different legal expenses,” Warner said.

You might have to pay for services or basic needs for the expecting mom. And because they’ve now been waiting for years, they also hired a consultant.

“Which cost a couple thousand dollars,” Warner said.

If the adoption goes through the consultant, those costs increase dramatically.

“That could range from anywhere from $25,000 to $45,000 dollars depending on the case,” Warner said.

They have applied for grants, but they won’t be able to follow up with those until an expecting mom picks them. They’ve held various fundraisers and have an upcoming virtual and in-person 5k race. That way when the time comes, they’re ready.

“It gives people a chance to help someone they may or may not know and help change the life of a baby as well,” Brady Warner said.

It’s been a challenge to wait. Even more so when considering the cost. But seeing family and friends complete their adoption journeys keeps it all in perspective.

“To see the end result it’s definitely worth working for,” Warner said.

The in-person 5k is coming up on Sept. 12 in West Salem. But you can also run it on your own time. The family is also selling t-shirts to show your support. More information can be found on the event Facebook page.

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