It looks like Michigan is in for an early fall. It has been very cold and we have had our share of the wet and rainy days too.

The trees are beginning to take on a beautiful whimsical look of color. The kids are back in school. So the routine of getting up a bit early and rushing the kids off to school has become our new morning ritual again.

My family has been all around me lately. We are doing a few home improvements and the boys have stopped by to see how it is all going. My oldest daughter and her family are staying with us as... more

Part One So I went walking. When I returned, Beth approached me with a blank piece of paper, requiring my signature for some unknown reason. Her school has a parent sign their assignment notebook every night; we sign the reading log; we sign report cards and midterm reports; we sign a myriad of other things. So I have no idea what required my John Henry at this moment… I only know she didn’t have the proper form upon which I could sign. Now, if she had been a pillar... more

Ok, here's a twist I'd never heard of.

I know, I know, I live a sheltered life out here in Colorado.

Oh wait - This story comes from the very heart of the midwest!

Tick, tock, tick, tock.

Listen up, men: your biological clock could be ticking.

For Minneapolis resident Chuck Stroebel, his alarm went off when he reached his late 30s. He knew it was time to have a child — even if it meant raising it alone.

"I realized I was turning 40," he said. "I didn't want to be too old while raising a child.... more

Have you been to MichelleSmiles blog? From her occasional memos to her comments about the adoptive process, her blog definitely has smiles in store for you. However, she suffers from the same condition I have. In her post People will start crossing to the other side of the street… she details her...our serious condition.

I’m turning into one of those people that everyone will avoid because they... more

What do cold meats and adoption have in common?

The founder of Hickory Farms started an adoption agency working specifically with hard to place special needs foster children. Adopt America Network.

Now ain't that cool!

In reading their website it appears they do all types of adoption work, but I am especially interested in the foster adopt program they have.

Adopt America Network (AAN) was founded in 1983 by Richard K. Ransom who also founded Hickory Farms. Mr. Ransom has dedicated his... more

I'm in a waiting game with myself this week. Kind of dealing with my grief in all areas again as my dad's birthday is on Wednesday and it is hitting me pretty hard. I know that this will take an upward swing again, but waiting for the upward pull while experiencing the downward pull is slow going. I decided to look into ways to help with the wait and came across this page of adivice from Resolve. Although I'm not waiting for results from IVF, the suggestions sound pretty wise to me.

Emotional Coping Strategies

Limit the number of people you tell about your cycle and let them know how... more

I mentioned in an earlier post that I had ordered the Healing Grief Cd from healingjourneys.com. As I was researching which CD to order, I searched the archives and found a letter about grief that I felt Belleruth answered with the utmost caring and wisdom. I will be posting a little more about the actual CD later on and my experience with it. I felt that everyone dealing with grief could benefit from reading the letter. Here it is:

Most of the trite sayings about loss are true, so if I sound sickeningly prosaic, please bear with me. First of all, if you can identify all these feelings of disbelief,... more

Do you want to adopt a waiting foster child? There are a few national sites to help you look through photo listings, available waiting children, and tips on how to get started.

In the past I’ve blogged about Adoptuskids.org and Heart Galleries, today I’d like to introduce you to The... more

So, you've decided to adopt.

Now what?

Well, let's say you've decided to go domestic. And you've decided you'd really like the assistance of an agency. How to choose? What to ask?

This article on the adoption.com website is quite thorough. First, here's their main advice: "Experienced adoptive parents strongly recommend keeping two things in mind: You are the potential client and your comfort level is top priority. Trust your instincts. If something doesn't seem "quite right," look elsewhere"

Excellent advice, IMHO. My husband and I were given the name of a very respected... more

Continuing on my discussion about matching...

This article, The Basics of Adoption Practice: A Bulletin for Professionals lists criteria social workers should consider when matching a child with a family. The first bullet point is:

Does the family have the skills, abilities, knowledge, and desire to parent the child?

This is a million dollar question. I’m not sure any of us have all the skills we need... more