Adoption Blogs

I'm not sure where I first heard about the documentary Wo Ai Ni (I Love You) Mommy. I knew it was going to be on PBS, and Heather at Production, Not Reproduction posted the day it was to air, August 31. Since then, I've seen many reviews, but I've only read one. I wanted to see the movie first before I saw what other people were saying. The one review I read was at Creating a Family. Dawn Davenport notes that we're only seeing what the filmmaker wanted us to see. Even in a written memoir, we get most of the story from one point of view. In a documentary, we see bits and pieces… [more]

I know it's been awhile, but I finally have a recap of the series Adopting In the 50 States. Remember, I am not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV. Always consult an adoption professional before making any decisions.

States That Specifically Do Not Allow Gay & Lesbian Parents to Adopt

• Connecticut: No one is required to place a child with a gay or lesbian adult, but it is allowed.
• Florida
• Mississippi
• Utah

Amount of Time Before TPR, Revocation Period

Note: Some states have different rules for birthfathers and birthmothers.

• Alabama: Anytime before or after

I imagine that most of the people who read this blog (if, indeed, there's anyone out there at all) are adoptive parents and prospective adoptive parents. Most adoption information really does seem to be aimed at us. For all the talk of the adoption "triad" of adoptive parents, adoptees, and birth parents, adoptive parents drive the conversations. In the last few years, more and more birth parents have been blogging about their experiences. When I was pursuing adoption the first time around, I found the group BirthMom Buds. I quote: BirthMom Buds is an organization and website that provides peer counseling, support, encouragement, and friendship to pregnant women considering adoption as well as women who have already placed children for adoption. Since 2009… [more]

The Adoption Profile Scrapbook is one of those things about adoption that you either love or hate. You have to create a book that "sells" your family to expectant parents. You want it to communicate all that is good and fun about you. Some people freak out about this. Me? I love it! I started planning our profile scrapbook as soon as I knew we needed one. In 2005, before I had even heard of digital scrapbooking, I selected pictures and printed contact sheets (using Picasa for the first time - yay!). In my adoption notebook (hmm... that should be another post), I drew each page. I wrote down how big each picture was supposed to be. I… [more]

You may recall that, last October, a Louisiana judge said that he wasn't racist, but he won't marry different-race couples. In response, Suzy Richardson wanted to show this man how wrong he was. She encouraged mixed-race families to send in pictures showing how happy they are. That effort turned into the group Mixed and Happy. First, the group's main entry point was a Facebook page. Now, Mixed and Happy has over 6,000 Facebook fans. The group's web site includes forums and groups. There has been a great deal of interest in having face-to-face regional meeting groups, so that's the next feature in the works. Mixed and Happy is a wonderful example of… [more]

As you know if you read my post on Wednesday, Jack's Adoption Day occurred. This year, he wanted to bring in pictures of his brother and sister. Jack's birthmother has two children whom she parents. Jack loves to talk about them. I thought, if he was going to bring in a picture of his birth family, the other kids might have questions. So, I went to school with him. I was dreading the question, "Why did she keep those two but not Jack?" I did not get that question, thank God. One of the teachers asked age-appropriate questions, and I answered them fairly well. She asked: "What does adoption mean?" I answered: "All babies grow in someone's belly. Jack didn't grow… [more]

In the last month, I've read blog posts by adult adoptees asking "why would anyone celebrate an Adoption Day?". Their theory is that the Adoption Day is the day that the child lost their family and culture. Why would we want to celebrate that? I can't speak for other families, but I will share with you why we celebrate Jack's Adoption Day. We were in the hospital when Jack was born. We took him "home" (to our hotel) when he was 3 days old. We brought him home to California when he was 11 days old. We endured the three home visits with our social worker. During this time, although we were, for all intents and purposes, Jack's parents, legally, we still had to prove ourselves. We had temporary custody with the… [more]

It's time to go back to school! A teacher friend of mine was asking for input on her classroom decorations - a, A to Z list of famous people whom every middle schooler should know. Many friends, including my husband, made their own A to Z lists. I decided that this blog needed one. So, without further ado, here is the list of 26 Americans of Color Whom Every Schoolchild Should Know

• Maya Angelou - African American autobiographer and poet
• Joan Baez - Mexican American folk singer, songwriter, and activist
• César Chavéz - Mexican American farm worker, labor leader, civil rights activist, and co-founder of the National Farm Workers Association (now the UFW)
• Frederick Douglass

Welcome to the fifty-first post in our series Adopting In the 50 States. Today, we're in Washington DC, which is really making me angry right now. Remember, I am not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV. Consult an attorney or other adoption professional with specific questions. If you have adopted in Washington, DC and would like to share your experience with others, please leave a comment or email me at RobynC@adoptionblogs.com. Who May Adopt In Washington, DC? Any person may adopt. When May Consent Be Signed? Three days after the birth of the child. How Much Time Do the Birth Parents Have to Revoke Consent? 10 calendar days. Does Washington, DC Have a Putative Father Registry? No. Does Washington, DC Allow the Biological Father to… [more]

Welcome to the fiftieth post in our series Adopting In the 50 States. Today, we're in Wyoming, home of Harrison Ford (mmmmmm). Remember, I am not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV. Consult an attorney or other adoption professional with specific questions. If you have adopted in Wyoming and would like to share your experience with others, please leave a comment or email me at RobynC@adoptionblogs.com. Who May Adopt In Wyoming? Any adult person who has been a resident of Wyoming for at least 60 days and is approved to adopt may adopt. When May Consent Be Signed? Anytime after the birth of the child. How Much Time Do the Birth Parents Have to Revoke Consent? Consent is irrevocable, unless the court denies… [more]