Lisa Cannon is emphatic: “People sometimes feel guilty about adoption. Like it's a second choice or second best. What they need to do is see it as just a different way of having a baby.”

        She should know. The 36-year-old east-sider and her husband, Jeff, have adopted two children and are in the process of adopting a third. All three were born chemically dependent.

Lisa Cannon with her adoptive daughters Carley, 4, (left) and Madison, 2. (Glenn Hartong photo) | ZOOM |

        “People sometimes tell us we're so brave. We don't see it that way. We see ourselves as blessed. I look at them every day and think, "How could we be so lucky?' ”

        Personal experience isn't the only thing that gives Ms. Cannon an insight into adoption. She's also founder and owner of Baby Steps, an adoption consultancy firm that deals with couples and adoption processes, but not with children.

        “As far as I know, I'm the only one who does it, and I don't know why there aren't more. The need is so great. The adoption process is confusing and intimidating. Do you go through a public or private agency? Which agency is right for your needs? What can you expect along the way? What's a profile? What happens at a home study?”

        Her goal, she says, is to educate couples and then match their situation to the right agency.

        Ms. Cannon more or less fell into her job. Invented it, you might say: “I did so much research that people — friends, relatives, church acquaintances — started asking questions based on what I found out. That's when I knew there was a need for it.”

        Today, she charges $65 for a consultation that takes as long as the client needs, usually four hours, and covers everything from how long adoption can take and what it will cost to the differences between in-state and out-of-state adoptions, international adoptions, special-needs babies, agency interviews, even meeting the birth mother.

        Adoption was inevitable for Ms. Cannon. She grew up wanting 10 kids, but conception never happened.

        “As a person who suffers infertility, I can tell you I was devastated. Unless you experience it, you can't understand how desperate you are. Everywhere you see pregnant women and families with kids. I couldn't even go to Coney without crying.

        “When we decided to adopt, we were open to all kinds of kids. One day we got a call from an agency in Cleveland. The adoptive parents had backed out when they found out the baby was born addicted to heroin and suffering withdrawal. They didn't think they could handle it.

        “I moved to Cleveland and spent three months with Carley at the hospital. I walked her around NICU (the neonatal intensive care unit), through tremors, dehydration, convulsions, no appetite.

        “I lived at Ronald McDonald House — we couldn't have done it financially without them — until I brought her home. For nine months, she was in withdrawal and screamed all the time. I couldn't put her down, so I carried her in a baby sling. But I kept thinking, I have this beautiful baby and someday she'll be over it.”

        She is. Carley is 4 years old and progressing just fine.

        The Cannons had a similar experience with their second child, 2-year-old Madison, born with fetal alcohol syndrome. Their third, whom they're in the process of adopting, is a biracial, chemically dependant infant.

        And they're not finished. “We'll probably do it again, but we're going to have to add on to the house. I'll finally get my new master bath.”

        They're also foster parents and still recovering from the loss of Edward, a 1-year-old African- American. “We fell in love with him. I didn't know at first, but you see that smile and we wanted to keep him forever, but he returned to his family.”

        It hurt, but it was a positive experience for the Cannons. “He changed more lives than he'll ever know. People saw him, saw that smile, and realized it's not about color. He changed a lot of semi-racist attitudes.”

        Ms. Cannon realizes that her and Jeff's way with special-needs babies isn't for everyone. She tells clients that up front.

        “Prospective parents need to be able to say no. If an agency calls with a baby you can't handle, you need to realize it and say no. That plays with your head because you're thinking, "How can I say no to this child?'

        “But I tell clients not everyone is ready for a drug-addicted baby. You have to remember to do what's best for the child, and if it's a child you're not ready for, it's going to be bad for the child. That comes up often in consultations.”

        So does the cost.

        Public agencies carry no cost but the wait can be long. Private agency fees vary, but can run $2,000 to $20,000. The wait is usually 12 to 18 months.

        “What people don't know is that the agency's fee barely covers costs — counseling for the birth mother and adoptive parents, social workers, paperwork, special needs.

        “They also don't know there is a $10,000 tax credit — not a deduction — the year you adopt. And there are several programs that kick in a stipend for special-needs children. Plus, a lot of banks have special loans for parents adopting.

        “I'd like to see more people do it. There are children out there waiting for love.

        “And I know it was absolutely the right thing for us. Right now, if someone told me I could get pregnant tomorrow, I'd probably say no.”
       Lisa Cannon will conduct a four-hour workshop for couples thinking about adopting at 9 a.m. April 27 at Signature Inn Cincinnati Northeast, 8870 Governors Hill Drive, Symmes Township. It's $45; call 583-9598.

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