I cannot do that this month but have heard rumors that changes are coming for this program. Does that allow you a glimmer of hope? In the next few months, much of the work toward Hague certification will reach its completion and we (the adoption community) will see the results. Hopefully this rumor is true so that this program can move forward. The good news is that when Vietnam does re-open they will be a stronger adoption partner. They are working to place themselves in the position to have a long-standing adoption relationship with the United States. With a history as long and rich as these two countries have, it will be worth the wait.

The hardest part of where we are is the waiting. What is the average person supposed to do while they wait? I think that researching the country is one of the best ways to use the time. If you spend time figuring out the culture, people and issues that you could face when adopting from Vietnam, you will find that you are better prepared to complete the actual adoption. Having been through an international adoption myself, I can honestly say that I knew nothing about what to expect. That multiplied the time it took to deal with the issues and feel comfortable in my new role. In hindsight, I wish I would have spent the time researching. It is truly a gift that you can give yourself.

At this point, Vietnam is closed for adoption with the United States. They are open with other countries but have not come to a Hague Convention agreement with the US. This is being worked on currently.

~Angie
Photo Credit

Haiti has risen as a strong adoptive partner in the last couple of years and continues to see a wide interest. This came at a time that they were least prepared for it but with outside help and hard work on their part- they are forming a strong adoption base. Hopefully this base will allow them to grow their program.

The children of Haiti are said to be well liked and easy to bond with. They have dealt with a lot of issues in their young lives and require patience and understanding. Many of the children who have been adopted from this area show signs of malnourishment. This can cause lifelong issues that must be planned for. Yet, most of the children appear to rebound nicely and compensate where their issues lie when their situation changes. This allows for a normal childhood.

The country of Haiti is working hard to establish legal parameters within their adoption program to ensure the safety of the children and prospective adoptive parents. This is to be respected and will allow them to only get better as time passes. Though this is all occurring, it is important to note that anyone interested in adopting from Haiti should seek fully accredited agencies and governmental approved lawyers to ensure that their needs and assets are fully protected. Unfortunately, some people desire to use the children to further themselves financially or otherwise. This is something that prospective adoptive parents must be fully aware of.

As stated earlier, Haiti is accepting applications for adoption from prospective parents. They are currently working to join the Hague Convention. This is a major undertaking which has allowed them to ensure the safety and security of their program. At this point, they are working with agencies to bring accreditation. This is a step in the direction of full ratification.

~Angie
Photo Credit

When the times shifted in this direction, people who had a heart for the children of impoverished countries had a green light to act on their heartfelt desire- to save the children. Of course, those of you in the adoption world know that it is a lot more than that. After that child is ’saved’ they come home with you and live with you- everyday. That is where the rubber hits the road when you are dealing with the transracial family. People can be very rude and not understanding of a child that is transracially adopted. The child can develop feelings of discontentment and problems in the family can result.

How can an adoptive parents in transracial  families combat those feelings? That is the question that parents ask all of the time. I do not think that there is one answer for it. Every family is different. How things are done is different but I do know that there are many informational blogs available about transracial adoption, hair care and other issues that can be found in African adoption situations.

Most of the countries in Africa are open for adoption. Every country runs their own program and follows their own set of laws. This can get confusing to maneuver and should be handled using a government approved agency AND adoption lawyer. This is a situation where scrimping to save money is not a good idea. Many countries in Africa have dealt with corruption and paper mishandling issues in their adoption programs. This can cause major heartache for the prospective adoptive parent and huge financial loss. It is vital that all people considering adoption from this nation protect themselves fully. African countries are not party to the Hague Convention and are not held to its statutes.

Most of the countries in Africa are open for adoption. They have many children available for adoption and work diligently to process cases in a timely manner. Many countries in Africa are working with partners in order to ensure that their programs are safe for the children and prospective parents.

~Angie
Photo Credit

There are a large number of children who need a hand up in this country yet not all are available for adoption. This is because of the large number of children that are abandoned but not declared full orphans. Many of these children have living relatives who simply cannot afford to care for them. The orphanages are filled with children in this situation. On the other side of the coin are the children that have been declared legally adoptable. These are the kids that prospective adoptive parents seek. At this point, there are so many children and so few people ready to step in and care for them. Adoption is such a great option for these children.

The issues that come along with adoptions from Ethiopia are typical for many countries except the increase in health issues and malnutrition. The conditions that are prevalent in Ethiopia make it difficult for anyone to feed themselves much less a child who has no mother/father. The children who have lived this need long-term show the most long-term side effects. Malnourishment can cause learning disabilities, physical ailments and emotional damage. These are valid concerns for those who are looking to adopt from this area. Yet, many people have successfully completed adoptions and the children appear to have bore no ill effects from their time in Ethiopia. There are many blogs pertaining to this that you can read in order to fully understand malnourishment and its effects.

If you are interested in adopting from Ethiopia, the need is great. The children are said to be well-mannered and easily fit into their new roles within a family. With proper care, these children are given the chance to live life fully. It is the greatest gift anyone can receive.

Ethiopia is open for adoption applications. This program is not party to the Hague Convention.

~Angie
Photo Credit

It appears that this has either changed or was a misquote from the start. On October 23, 2012 the Korea Times released an article entitled, Korea, US to Discuss International Adoption Rules. This article states that these two countries met in order to discuss Korea’s entry into the Hague Convention. This convention was put into place in the mid 90’s in order to ensure the safety and security of the children, prospective parents and governments involved in the intercountry adoption process.

This is great news for those who are interested in adopting from Korea. The fact that Korea is starting discussion of becoming part of the Hague Convention lends itself to permanency as an adoption partner. The fifty year history of this adoption partnership will offer a solid base for the negotiations that will follow their declared intent to accede. Having said that, there are two major requirements on the part of you- the prospective adoptive parent in regards to adoption form this country should they begin the process. The first is time. There are many countries that have been closed to adoptions for years while they sort out the requirements for Hague certification. The other, of course, is patience. There are times that it may look as though nothing is being accomplished to bring this country back into a vital role in the adoption community. This is probably not the case. Joining the Hague Convention requires a lot of activity that will occur behind closed doors. Prospective adoption parents will not be able to see everything that is happening. It is very difficult to keep tabs on a country that is closed for adoption in order to meet the requirements of Hague. That is simply the way it is.

I would like to thank my reader who pointed me in the direction for this new information. It is because of active participation, I am able to correct this error and follow this more closely.

At this point, the Korean adoption program remains open. They are receiving applications for prospective parents. Korea is not party to the Hague Convention and does not hold to its statutes.

~Angie
Photo Credit

Kazakhstan is currently working toward being integrated fully in the Hague Convention. They must deal with the any issues that their adoption program has and meet the agreement that was laid out. This is a very time consuming process. It often calls for full restructuring of an adoption program. Kazakhstan has been working on this for some time and will remain doing so.

If you are interested in adopting from Kazakhstan, hang in there. It is only a matter of time until all of the kinks are worked out and the program returns stronger and better able to meet the needs of the adoptive community. Until that happens, consider researching the country, culture and children. This will help you to make an informed decision when adoption is an option. There are many sources of great information about adoption from this area. One of the best sources is the many people who have walked this journey before you. Another valid way to gain understanding about adoption from this country is to join one of the many online groups pertaining to Kazakhstan adoption. These groups are usually made up of former adoptive parents. These parents discuss the daily life issues that have surfaced regarding their adoption. Their insights will offer you the most information concerning the emotional and physical journey of adoption from this country.

At this point, Kazakhstan remains closed for adoptions. They are currently joining the Hague Convention and must fully meet their agreed upon statutes in order to re-open in the United States. When they re-open, their program should be strong and able to withstand the many issues that tend to surface when dealing with intercountry adoption. Kazakhstan should have many children available for adoption when their doors open. These children appear to fairly well cared for and live in orphanage type situations. They deserve the love of a forever family. Perhaps that family is yours?

~Angie
Photo Credit

The need for foster parents is great. Every day, children are being removed from their homes and placed in the protective care of a foster home. Some of these children are able to return home and things get better for them. Some are not and are adopted by the family that served as their foster family. Yet, there is another group. These beautiful children are foster children who cannot go back to their biological families and cannot be adopted by their foster families. They need your help. They are in the foster care system waiting for their forever family.

My favorite part of the holiday season is the emphasis on the family. These foster children need that emphasis in their lives. If you have a heart for children and desire to make a difference in the lives of the next generation- consider becoming a foster parent. If foster parenting isn’t right for you and you desire to have a permanent situation, consider adoption. This is an amazing gift that will require a patient heart, a loving home and a person willing to give, give, give. Yet, when done right, it is an amazing thing. I love that.

Mark the month of November down as National Adoption Month. Share your story. Give others the gift of a view into your life. It can give a child a chance at a strong future.

~Angie
Photo Credit

I have always been the type of person who valued their freedom. I do not like to be tied down all of the time. Yet, so much of life ties people to specific places and duties. Is it possible to stop viewing those duties as binding and begin to see them as a gift or service that you are doing? That is not always easy or fun for parents who have adopted a special needs child from the foster care system. Yet, I wonder how much of the good things in life are missed because we aren’t able to separate the responsibilities from the things that we desire to do. Foster/adopted children often take more time, more energy and more patience. This can cause a complete overload on the part of the parents. Unfortunately, many of them do not even realize that they are overloaded until they break from the pressure.

Is there pressure and stress involved in the daily life and care of a child adopted out of foster care? You betcha but it can be managed. One of the surest ways of managing that stress is to identify it. It seems that some days, I am running through life without giving it a second glance. This does not work when you have high pressure situations to deal with. So figure out where the stress lies. Then you will be able to deal with it.

Another way to manage stress is to take a realistic look at the stressor. You may think, “Johnny is the cause of all of my stress. He is too hard to handle and needs more than I can give.”

Though that is probably true, Johnny is probably not the cause of all of your stress issues. You may have intrinsic issues that haven’t been dealt within yourself that Johnny’s acti0ns are triggering. If you can identify that- you will be able to see where Johnny’s actions end and your own issues begin. This will enable you to see and fix those stressors. It is of great value to develop yourself in foster adoption situations in order to allow healing and growth- this will benefit you and all of your children for the rest of your life.

~Angie
Photo Credit

An honest look at fostering, from someone who has done it, will show that their are daily struggles that must be dealt with. If a person considering bringing the element of foster care into their lives doesn’t fear these changes even a little bit- they probably don’t have an accurate idea of what foster care entails. Foster care requires a complete change in the home. There is little that make that not occur. Often, the children that are entering your family struggle in the very basics. Their core is often not developed and they have not had anyone invest in them. Emotionally, they are in great need. This can drain a family quickly.

Foster children also tend to struggle in school. They have often had years of instability. This has caused them to inwardly close-off. They cannot trust and thus find school situations difficult because of the many changes that occur annually. The only cure for this particular issue is time. If a foster child is brought into a home and learns that there is another part of relationships and life that they have not experienced, they will begin to settle into this new role and ca be offered a second chance. I love second chances. I think that it is in those chances, lives are formed (or reformed.) That makes my heart happy.

If you are considering being a foster parent- the need is great. Now is definitely the time. Make sure that you research other people’s experiences so that you know what to expect. By doing that, you are offering yourself a leg up. That leg up can mean the difference between a successful fostering experience and a negative one. There are many children who need homes. They have been removed from hard situations and deserve a home filled with love and laughter.

~Angie
Photo Credit

OSG needs schedule in order to complete things but then needs unsctructured to ‘unwind.’ I am not certain if that is a result of his adoption or natural make-up. Given an uneducated guess, I would choose the latter. It has taken me quite awhile to realize that OSG is my laid back, not exceptionally motivated guy. He is good with things being low-key. That is why he has struggled under the weight of the busy, hectic lifestyle we were living. OSG appears to do better without pre-planned activities. Having said that, it is not possible or healthy for a 14 year old boy to be involved in nothing. So we pick and choose which things we invest our time in. OSG is actively involved in his youth group, he sings on the youth worship team, is a member of 4-H and FFA. He also serves in leadership roles in both of those clubs. He rides horse regularly.

My biggest issue with OSG’s list of activities is that none of them include athletics. I think that physical exercise is important, so as part of his school I make him lift weights, hit the treadmill or ride a bike for 30 minutes. Boy, does he fight me on it….

Yet, I think that he needs that outlet. It doesn’t seem like a 1/2 hour would make that much of a difference but it seems to help him greatly- when I can get him to complete it. OSG breathes with a little over 50% of his lungs and has gotten into the habit of using that to excuse himself from the hard stuff. I push him through the things that I know will benefit him and pull him from those that don’t. Hopefully, I can teach him how to compensate for his lack of lung capacity. I believe that it will add to his life. A rich, full life is what I want for him.

~Angie
Photo Credit