As International Adoption is always changing I can appreciate how hard it is to keep up with new developments. Here are a few updates that I found on the U.S. State Department website.

ETHIOPIA

May 26, 2009

Adoptions of Abandoned Children Halted by Ethiopian Court

On May 4, 2009 the Ethiopian First Instance Court temporarily stopped accepting cases involving abandoned children referred by orphanages in Addis Ababa, citing a substantial increase in the number of children being brought for adoption. The number of abandoned... more

There's been a lot of talk about how the downturn in the economy is "forcing" expectant parents to place their babies for adoption. There have been "big" articles about how the economic downturn is leaving mothers with no option but to place, thus boosting the adoption rate for waiting families. While I don't want to dis anyone's decision, I want those who are still making their decision to consider some very important things about an economic downturn like we are currently experiencing.

Before I tell you all the reasons why basing your parenting versus... more

I must admit that the title of this might turn some people off a bit, but I have to state that bathroom issues are something you need to prepare for! As always, I must state that my experience is with International Adoption. I have read enough on domestic adoption though to realize that some of the things I am going to talk about can apply to all adoptions involving older kids.

With infants we know that there will be diapers and potty training. We expect to have to teach are kids the basics and we teach them the bathroom habits and manners that we use in our home.

When... more

In my last post I wrote about the BirthMom Buds event held at the beginning of May. In that post, I briefly mentioned that we had two speakers talk about how birthmothers and adoption had changed and touched their lives.

One of the speakers was Justin, a fifteen year old adoptee. So many of the things he said resonated with me and touched me so I thought I’d share them with my readers.

Justin was adopted at birth and told us that he always knew he was adopted although it didn’t start to really click as to what being adopted meant until he was middle school age.

Justin... more

I have talked with many an expectant mother over the past few years. For those mothers who are actively pursuing an adoption plan for their child, I have seen something disturbing crop up over and over. These well-intentioned mothers often refer to the child growing within their own uterus as the potential adoptive parent's baby.

Don't get me wrong: I understand what they're doing. I understand it because I did it.

I was reading back through some of my journal entries during the time that I was pregnant with the daughter that I relinquished for... more

I've talked about the appropriate reasons and not-so-appropriate reasons that adoptive parents may choose to close a once-open adoption. And so the question remains: can you, as a birth parent, close the adoption? Or, perhaps, the question should be: should you, as a birth parnet, close the adoption?

My knee-jerk reaction is: NO!

But I know that there are always exceptions to the rule. As such, here are some reasons that I feel are appropriate for you to (temporarily!) close an adoption as a birth parent.

1. The adoptive parents... more

Adoptive parents have the right to close an open adoption. Even in states that offer legally binding open adoptions, if the adoptive family can prove that the birth family poses a danger or that contact is no longer in the best interest of the child, the adoption can be closed. I discussed some reasons for such a thing. But the truth remains that some adoptions are closed for reasons that are not quite so evident or legitimate.

These reasons are often based in fear, wrong assumptions or the inability to discern good advice from not-so-good advice. What... more

My mother passed away early yesterday morning. A lifelong smoker, she had COPD, and had been on oxygen for over four years. Still, the end came unexpectedly. My sister and her family live across the country, so her boys didn't have the same relationship with "Nana" that Jack had. For Jack, the connection may be tenuous, but he knows Nana, and will at least remember her love. For my nephews, that connection never had a chance to form.

The way my mind works, this reminded me of an episode of Adoption Stories, an old TV show that chronicled adoptions. A couple adopted... more

While I am far from an expert on Ethiopian news, history and culture, I do try and keep up on the basics of what is going on. This is important to me and I believe it will be important to my kids in time. Plus we want to go back in a few years and I want to know how to prepare!

I find it easy to celebrate the holidays and the fun activities. We watched the Olympics last summer and cheered as the Ethiopian team walked on the track. I tracked down the Olympic Coca-Cola cans with Amharic writing on it and the kids enjoyed that Coke immensely and they keep a can in their Ethiopian... more

I mentioned recently that adoptive parents often close adoptions for reasons based in fears, wrong assumptions or the inability to discern good advice from not-so-good advice. I don't want you to think that gives you a free-for-all to act however you please and thus expect the adoptive parents to have an open door policy for you at all times.

That's not the case.

There are legitimate reasons that adoptive parents close adoptions.

You have a drug or alcohol problem that you fail to control. I am also of the belief that this doesn't necessarily... more