The system's broken...

I've got the baby itch....

Our social worker told me on the phone today there are a few papers she forgot to have us sign,but that she is recommending us for licensing and we should have our license with in the month.
She also told us that things are slow, and the system is reforming right now, and it could be MONTHS before our first placement.
She said up until October 1st, DHS was swarming with kids, and no homes to place them in.
But, because of a few crazy moms who made national news for horrible crimes against their foster or previous foster children, everything is being reformed.
CPS is doing everything possible to keep kids in their homes, even if the situation is risky and questionable because too many allegations have been made on foster parents in the recent past. So, there is a low intake of kids.
Since I was prepared for immediate placement, you can imagine that there is a little bit of a let down.

It's a weird situation because of course I do NOT want these children to experience anything that warrants them having to be removed from their families - but I DO want to grow my family through foster and adoption.

So, that brings me to the baby itch.
I really want a house full.
I know you probably think I'm crazy - but I'm actually the most alive, and dare I say motivated and productive with a house full of kids. I LOVE having 5 toddlers running around and running me ragged.

Not to mention, it really bothers me that there are kids in awful environments that we could open our home to.
There are posts all over the place about families that need to be urgently matched for AA and bi-racial placements, and there are families out there like mine who would actually PREFER AA or toddler placements. But the only thing stopping us is the $12,000-30,000 price tag that comes along with the agency.

We would LOVE to add to our family, we really really WANT to add to our family - and I know we'd make for a great family to a little one.... but there is that big fat price tag that just makes us so uncomfortable.
Why does it have to be this way!?
Why cant a biological mom who wants to place her child out for adoption find the family she's comfortable, get to know them, spend some time with them, and then leave her child with them feeling very comfortable that they'll provide a better life for the child?
(I do understand that there are a lot of moms who are unfit and unable to handle such responsibility)
But, why does there always have to be a money hungry agency in between?
I'm sorry but I can't imagine that there is a legitimate reason to charge a family $30,000 for a child that's already born, and needing a home badly.

Okay, end rant.