Although my son was not born in another country, he is of another race and culture than my husband and I. Our son is Kenyan/American, his birthparents both traveled here from Kenya, and so seeing them in our open adoption relationship bears some additional challenges for us as parents. One of the most notable of these challenges is language.

We have recently begun to consider the other languages that our son’s birthparents are familiar with. They each speak four different ones, Swahili being most... more

“A picture is worth a thousand words.”

Photographs are priceless memories that can not be replaced. Photos describe memories that we may not be able to find the words to describe them accurately. Photos give us a tangible way to remember a fleeting moment, event, or memory.

I have many treasured photographs of the time Charlie and I spent together in the hospital following his birth as well as oodles of photos of him alone, of us together at visit, of him and his adoptive family, and of him and Noah. Each photo represents... more

Last night I had a wonderful phone conversation with my friend and co-blogger Coley about her BirthMom Buds event this weekend. By all accounts it was an emotional, healing, supportive event, enjoyed by all the moms who attended. I send Kudos to my dear friend for being such a great person, a super friend to so many, and a mom both her children, placed and parented, can truly be proud of!

If you have never heard of BirthMom Buds I encourage a visit to the website... more

Well the June/July issue of Adoptive Families Magazine arrived yesterday in my mail box and after combing through it I unexpectedly find that I have some mixed reactions regarding the content.

I was excited because I was anxiously waiting to read the information and quotes supplied by my friend and co-blogger Coley for the magazine’s piece on celebrating rituals and traditions in adoption by writer Carrie Howard. The story was an informative jaunt through how birth and adoptive families are creating, sharing, and passing on new style... more

Yesterday’s Oprah show was about “good news.” She had several different guests on the show, each talking about their good news and how it was received.

One of the “good news” stories was Olympic skier Toby Dawson. Jan and I have both blogged about Toby’s story before. Toby, who was adopted as a small child from South Korea, grew up with his adoptive parents in Vail, Colorado, where very few... more

Of the many interesting adoption related resources online I recently came across an article written by Michael Colberg who works as an educator and therapist in the New York area. At his website, Related By Choice, Colberg has shared a very thoughtful article “Copin’ With Open- Open Adoption: Is It Worth It?” which details his perspective on whether or not openness in adoption truly benefits the child. A very interesting read, one I would... more

As the celebration of Black History Month draws to a close this year my thoughts turn toward one figure in the struggle for African American freedom in particular, Dred Scott.

As a fellow Missourian I am familiar with the legacy of the Dred Scott case and it’s impact on our world today. Dred Scott, having lived many years of his enslavement in free territory raised the question over whether that made him indeed free as well. The slave owner did not agree and so Mr. Scott took his case to court. Some of the most dramatic parts of this historical... more

Recently I received a copy of a really touching book written by Patricia Dischler about her own experience as a birthmother. Dischler placed her son for adoption in 1984 in what began as a semi-open arrangement (ground breaking at the time) and later on evolved into a fully open adoption.

This engaging story begins before Dischler’s son is even conceived. She is a newly independent young lady with a start on a successful printing business and living on her own when things began to take a turn in her life. An emotional breakup with her long time... more

Soon it will be spring and Mother’s day is right around the corner!

When many of us who have adopted celebrate Mother’s day we also set aside the day just before Mother’s day (this year Saturday May 12th) to celebrate those most special of women who have placed their child lovingly into our family through adoption, our child’s birthmother. While I realize that becoming a birthmother is not the dream of motherhood these women may have had, it makes them no less a mother and that fact of motherhood should certainly be celebrated.

So what... more

When you finally welcome a child through adoption like most parents you will experience a huge, almost undescribable surge of pride. Believe me you will want to show and tell the whole world how great your kids are, and who could blame you!

I remember in May, 2003 when my girls Danika and Cierra were 5 ½ years and 10 mons respectively I must have snapped a dozen pictures one day on our front porch, but their wonderful, giggly smiles in one particular photo was so sweet that I mailed it off to Adoptive Families Magazine for a possibility... more