So In yesterdays post I left off that at this point we are content with our daughter and feel busy and happy with our jobs of raising her. We feel that we have room in our hearts and home to adopt more children but we are not sure that now is the time to do that. I want to trust those instincts that are telling me that at this point we have our hands full with our daughter. I want to nurture her and focus my energy on her for now.

When do you know its time to... more

Never Give Up: Vignettes from Sub-Saharan Africa in the Age of Aids I expected from the word “vignettes” that this book would be a collection of individual stories about people living and/or working with HIV/AIDS in Africa. However, it is not. They are the experiences of Kevin Winge who is also the executive director of “Open Arms of Minnesota”. He makes frequent trips to South Africa, where he works with people living with HIV/AIDS. He... more

But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13:13; NASB).

There have been some spirited discussions here at AdoptionBlogs.com about the role of charity in adoption. In some versions of the Bible, the above passage is rendered, “faith, hope, charity” and if taken in that context, adoption is all about charity!

As one member eloquently expressed it, “My husband and I would not be in the process of adopting our little girl if we had not first - felt... more

Being a foster mother can be very stressful. Every time you turn around someone wants paperwork, information, conferences, and the list goes on. At times it can be overwhelming being pulled in so many different directions by so many people. Remember you cannot do everything and some things can be cut out if need be. Below are some ideas to help you deal with stress and demands of fostering.

1. Do not give up the things you enjoy because of a busy schedule. Doing something that you enjoy can be therapeutic and can give you food for your soul whether it is scrap booking, reading, shopping, gardening or anything else that you enjoy doing.

2. Light some nice scented candles,... more

You may be having difficulty with a specific issue with your child and wish you could get some training to help. Sometimes you just can’t get away for a whole day of training or maybe there aren't any seminars scheduled in your area. There are training options available on the internet and some offer certificates that you can print upon completion to document your training. If you require training for your agency, or adoptive homestudy, please verify that your agency will accept online training certificates, before proceeding.

There are... more

The author of Life in Fitzville emailed me and asked me to check this out.

Is your mouth hanging open? Mine is.

Steamed? I sure am.

What will my kids think when they see some idiot parading around in this shirt? What will your kids think? And what about the people who don't know much about adoption? Will they think adoption is a choice that honors people's lives?

Adopting is about people.

Adopting is about... more

My friend Julie has become quite the expert on the inner workings of the brain. She has been to neuropyschiatrist Daniel Amen’s clinic and has an incredible working knowledge of various parts of the brain and how they function. While I loved neurology in veterinary school, we didn’t get much into “executive functions” of the brain (prefrontal cortex) or the limbic system (emotional center of the brain.) While I am certain there... more

I have been exchanging e-mails with someone who is in the very first stages of the adoption process. She hasn’t even picked an agency, but it has made me feel nostalgic. I never thought that I would miss being an intricate part of the twisted process, but I do. If I were in the process, I would be so much closer to the second child that I really want right now.

My son took me by surprise because the process moved so much faster than I was expecting. This time, things are moving very slowly for us. I explained in my earlier series about deciding to adopt again that my husband and... more

In the very beginning of our journey together as a family, my adopted stepson’s mother was still somewhat involved in his life. Both phone calls and visits were sporadic, and usually ended in nasty fights and my adopted stepson in tears. We did our best to mediate between the two of them when my adopted stepson would refuse to speak with her, sitting down with him and finding out why he was upset, then calling her to give her his side of the story and then to hear hers, and then try to get him to calm down enough to speak with her. Of course... more

From Top Ten List: Adopting an Abused Child...

10. Puberty can trigger very painful emotions for an abused child.

If you adopt a child who was abused, be prepared for puberty to dredge up painful emotions. I don’t know why this happens. Perhaps it ties into the hormones that the body has surging through it. For sexual abuse survivors, perhaps puberty drives home the... more