Last Sunday, twenty year old Kelsey Cartwright was crowned Miss Oklahoma. And you’re probably wondering why I am writing about the new Miss Oklahoma on an adoption blog but that is because her platform is open adoption!

In case you don’t know much about pageants, each beauty queen has to choose a platform or a cause and she spends her year long reign promoting and speaking on and about her platform.

Miss Oklahoma has chosen open adoption as her platform for personal reasons. Her father, William Cartwright, is an adoptee of the closed adoption era. When her Father... more

I’m sure most of you have heard or read about the tragedy at Little Sioux Scout Ranch in Iowa in which four boy scouts were killed as the result of a sudden tornado. One of those boys killed was thirteen year old Sam Thomsen. While reading an article covering this tragedy, I learned that Sam was adopted. Now normally mentioning that someone who died was adopted would annoy me a tad if it wasn’t imperative to the story, but the way it was done... more

A story of adopted twins separated at birth out of the UK adds another reason to my list of why open adoptions are a good thing and why adoptees should have easier access to their adoption records that contain their biological information. Although, this particular instance occurred in the UK, it is still something that could easily occur in the United States.

Two twins were separated and then immediately adopted at birth by different families never knowing that they were in fact a twin. They go on to meet each other as... more

The news out of Kansas City today is that little baby Max has been returned to the home of Gary & Cynthia Stocklaufer. The hearing today at 9:30 am before Judge John R. O’Malley appears to have straightened out the issues of immediate custody, and has moved forward the petition for the legal adoption of baby Max by the Stocklaufers. The baby was returned to the family right after the court hearing today. I am sure the joy that Gary, Cynthia & big brother Bobby must be feeling is beyond words this... more

I received an interesting email last week, just about the time the news hit the press concerning the transfer of baby Max back to the Stocklaufer family. The return of the baby was supposed to occur December 31st, ordered by Judge John R. O’Malley. This was a reversal of a previous decision by commissioner Allen in the family court. Unfortunately the transfer didn’t happen at all.

The email I received was from someone claiming to be a friend of Tandy and Scott Kraus, of Grain Valley, Missouri. This friend wanted me to understand the position of the Kraus family, and... more

OMG. After I stopped crying, I had to sit down and tell my readers how incredibly validating Nancy Spoolstra’s interview today on Kansas City’s Channel 4 was, concerning the Stocklaufer family and others like them. Just to hear the truth at the heart of all adoption trauma and loss, really made me... more

A few days ago I ran across this interesting article about Madonna’s return to the African country of Malawi sometime this month. The article mentions a planned visit between Madonna, her adopted son David Banda, and David’s biological father, Yohane Banda.

Could Madge be turning some tides in the world of International and Open adoption? Could she be starting something, very visibly that will help others think more compassionately... more

Back in June, I shared an interesting (or what I call “feel good”) adoption story that I had come across in the July issue of Reader’s Digest. To refresh your memory, the story was of a birthmother Laurie Thomas who became unexpectedly pregnant at the young age of sixteen. Young and unable to manage financially, Laurie and her high school sweetheart, Chuck opted to make an adoption plan for their baby girl. Laurie went on to complete college and eventually married Chuck. Laurie and Chuck never went on to have any other... more

An interesting story that appeared September 20th, in the Lake County Leader (Montana), tells the tale of yet another family who is headed down the path of open adoption.

The Rensvold family, Mary, Dave and son Matthew, had been waiting for nearly two years for the right situation for their family, and they happily found just that with the recent adoption of baby Samantha.

The baby girl, who was born in late June, brought the end to a long and emotional wait for the family.... more

In light of what today is and means for Americans, I feel compelled to share the story of Tom Burnett.

I’d heard the name Tom Burnett before and knew that he was thought to be one of the heroes on Flight 93 that led the counter attacks against the terrorists on board causing that plane to crash in an empty field instead of their suspected target. One thing I did not know is that Tom Burnett also had a connection to adoption; he was a birthfather. Years ago, while in college, Tom Burnett’s then steady girl friend became unexpectedly pregnant. Opposed to abortion, they ultimately decided... more