What? Does the title of this post make you scratch your head? Me too. It hails from this article which wears its own title of "Adoption in the Womb." My mind is spinning.

The story is out of Mexico. Some lawmakers are trying to combat abortion. Unfortunately, instead of starting with the actual problem (lack of sexual education and access to legitimate birth control), they're working on after-the-fact issues. Their idea, in case you couldn't guess, is... more

Regular readers of this blog will know that I am a fan of country music. I love country artists Rodney Atkins. His songs are about real people and real life and things I can relate to. His song “If You’re Going Through Hell (Before the Devil Knows You’re There) resonated with me because when it came out I was going through a horrible time with Sammy and the song talks about how you should keep on going through the bad times and come out the other side of them. One of the lines in the song is one that so many of us can relate to

“….things go from bad... more

Would you be surprised to learn that one out of every 278 children have Cerebral Palsy (CP)? CP is the most common cause of childhood motor disabilities. CP rates are higher among boys, black Americans, and low to middle-income families. The study looked at eight-year-old children in 2002 in three different states in the U.S. A problem in the brain causes CP. This problem affects children’s ability to control their muscles. The part of the body affected depends on where the problems are in the brain. While genetic conditions may cause cerebral palsy it can also... more

Spring on the farm is so exciting for everyone but especially for newly adopted children not used to country living. Nothing is cuter than new babies frolicking in the hay field. They run, jump in the air, butt heads, and tease their mothers. It always amazes us how within an hour of being born the babies stand up; know where to find their mothers’ udders, and how to suckle. If a baby won’t eat initially, we have quart-size baby bottles with four-inch nipples that we can use to feed them. Whenever we have had a newly placed foster or adopted child, they have really enjoyed... more

Recently Nebraska and Alaska both passed baby Safe Haven Laws. They were the 49th and 50th states to pass these laws. Now all of the United States has some type of baby Safe Haven Laws. The only area in the United States without Safe Haven laws is the District of Columbia.

In case you are unfamiliar with exactly what baby Safe Haven Laws are, let me explain. According to Wikipedia, Safe Haven Laws are defined as:

The popular name for United States' laws that decriminalize leaving unharmed infants with statutorily designated private persons... more

A child entering your home has had a traumatic background in some way, that’s why they’re in foster care.

Different types of security systems can help both you and your child to feel safe in your home.

A child who has been abused in the bedroom, may have difficulty sleeping in a new environment for fear that someone will enter their room during the night. For under $10, you can give your child a sense of safety by providing a door alarm. We have used these for years, and there are several different types you can use.

The most inexpensive... more

I'm done. I've had it. I don't want to hear anymore. See anymore. Read anymore. Or feel anymore. And the latter is all that television, movies and writings about television and movies have made me do for the past few months. Can't a woman get a break without hiding under a rock? I can't even load my e-mail or my RSS reader without being slapped in the face as of late.

With what? Fertility, infertility, adoption and any variation thereof.

Except when I'm judging local newscasts for errors, grammar and general look and feel, I don't really want to put too much thought into my television time. That time isn't very long nor does it often happen uninterrupted so I like it when my... more

Thursday surprised me again. I can't seem to keep up with my weekdays anymore! That said, in honor of another Thursday Thirteen, I thought I'd hit on thirteen things I'd rather see the media cover when it comes to adoption. I'm tired of the constant negative focus on birth parents who are contesting adoption, exercising their right to reclaim their children before finalization or simply changing their mind and parenting prior to birth or signing of the Termination of Parental Rights. I know you're tired of... more

Our church had its annual youth fundraiser this week. The youth sells pizzas (homemade) then a bunch of us volunteer and we crank out over 1300 pizzas in one day. It is an assembly line process, and one we have used for years.

This was Hannah’s first time helping with this, and she did a great job. She was easily the youngest child there, but worked hard along with other kids and adults as well. This is a fun time, along with hard work. We laugh, work and help our church’s youth.

Things like this are great ways to help our kids. Hannah had an extreme... more

A few weeks ago, I took my eight-year-old child to the doctor for croup. The doctor noticed that he was also wheezing. Our son had infantile asthma when we adopted him and occasionally has still has episodes of wheezing. We have a nebulizer at home for treatments and I used to take it with us if he was having a day of difficult breathing. I asked the doctor if my adopted child was old enough for an asthma inhaler. I explained my concern about not having an emergency treatment with us during hockey or soccer games. The doctor assured me that he was old enough and agreed... more