Adoption Blogs

Unfortunately, there is no news in regard to Vietnam adoption. The country remains closed in order to finalize paperwork to complete its Hague Convention status. This makes it very difficult for the prospective parent who has been told repeatedly that this country's adoption program was slated for re-opening. All of the slated dates have come and gone with no word as to progress being completed. The question that I am routinely asked is, "What do I do while I wait?" I have a standard answer and many of you, who have read my blogs before know it by heart. I say, "Study, study, study." Research Vietnam's adoption program. Read all of the material that you can find. Figure out what (if any) special needs… [more]

Today's post goes hand in hand with my recent post about spending some time preparing your home during your wait between referral and travel. However, nesting is an interesting creature and I felt it deserved its very own little spotlight. The term “nesting” is most often used in relation to pregnant women who nest, or prepare their home for their babies while still in utero. I know first hand that nesting applies to all parents expecting a child, and as adoptive parents we deserve to revel in the preparatory nesting as much as the next person. Bird mommies and daddies prepare their nest for their new hatchlings as a survival mechanism as well as a means of comfort. For me, nesting was all about spending time… [more]

Viet Nam Adoptive Family Interviews : An Introduction Can you talk about how your parent-child bond formed/changed from the time you first met until today? The Engelbrecht Family - Sienna was very easy to bond with. She formed bond before we left Viet Nam and she has just deepened those. She 'checks in' a lot and looks for support now. Christina - When I first met Zeeb, I thought he was a cute little boy but he didn’t feel like *mine*… in part I think because he was with his foster family and he was clearly very bonded to them. But even in those first weeks he was with us, it still felt a little like we were babysitting him (and… [more]

While flipping through the Creative Irish Gifts Christmas 2006 catalog, I happened upon the above plaque. Here is the catalog description: Never, Never, Never Give Up ! Lift the heart of someone special. This inspiring wooden plaque is hand-stenciled and signed by the artist. USA. 3 x 26 1/2 x 1". www.shopirish.com The price is $ 29.99 + shipping and handling. While I was trying to get pregnant, and also before we had decided to formally go through with Bec's adoption, I would leave myself little notes of encouragement on my mirror. I would also put them up in the bulletin board in my office. My self esteem was at such a low, that I needed all of the uplifting that I could get… [more]

So let’s see…what did I forget…. Belane is a copy cat and she is a very girlie girl. When I was getting ready for the day with my one-gal audience, she had to put on moisturizer when I put on moisturizer, she put on lipgloss when I put on lipgloss, she brushes hair when I brush hair, etc. She is darling! She is not overly fond of the crayons, games, dolls or other toys we brought, but she has been sporting the pink sunglasses we brought her almost constantly. She was a little less standoff-ish with Josh today. She does this “one shoulder shrug” which we have been told means “no” and that is what she does to him if he gets too close and she is not in the mood (mostly… [more]

Time for an update on things! Our last big accomplishment was that our waiver had been received and processed by the CDC in Atlanta, and the CDC had faxed their “response” back to the Embassy in Addis. The next step was for the Embassy to send the waiver on to Nairobi, Kenya, where the USCIS/Department of Homeland Security could review it and give their final approval, at which point Belane’s visa could be issued in Addis and we would be ready to travel. The last couple of families have waited almost exactly three weeks from CDC response to final waiver approval, but I really wanted to be in touch with someone who could tell us what to expect. I looked high… [more]

Over on the transracial adoption message board, I found a post about an interesting research project being done by a professor at George Mason University. The name of the project is “Transnational Adoption and Changing Faces of American Families” and it is being conducted by Prof. Linda J. Seligmann in the Department of Sociology and Antropology. The website describes the project like this… This research is an in-depth, long-term project. It examines the impact of international adoptions on the ways that people in the United States are thinking about families and how they are constituted. It is designed by Professor Linda J. Seligmann, an anthropologist at George Mason University. It looks at how racial mixing, identity, and family structures and… [more]