After my last post I had to go out looking for just the thing to pull me out of my sad place, remind me that things can work in an open adoption even if my own situations are currently “iffy.”

Well I found just that in the form of this wonderful, well written article by Jeff Peek in the Traverse City Record Eagle. Poster child for open adoption? Josh Graybiel, age 19 of Harbor Springs, Michigan seems to be just that.

Adopted... more

A February 20th article in the Greater Binghamton, New York Press & Sun Bulletin had a positive story to share about three biological siblings who spend their time between the different worlds of their white adoptive parents and African American birthfamily.

The Green Children, 14 year old Monica and her 15 year old twin brothers Marvin and Jordan, live in New Milford, Pa. with their adoptive parents Jim and Darla Snyder. The three travel frequently... more

Ok, today it hit me that I am quickly running out of month here!

I have been sick in some way or another so much these first two months blogging that I now find myself way, way behind. I am in high hopes that spring (which is just around the corner?) will bring some better health and a reawakening of my tired brain cells. I can tell you I am getting flustered though. I know full well I have beaten the uneventful “Dr. Phil Show” like a dead horse to get a post here and a post there and I am running out of clever, witty, informative stuff... more

I really love poetry, although I do not get the opportunity to read so much now days. When I was younger I would head to the library after school to pour over volumes of Emerson, Frost, and Poe among others. The things that made my favorites most interesting to me was how the lines often seemed to speak of my own situation in life. There is something to be said for the feeling you get when you read experiences you can relate to. Life put down into words that flow so much clearer than you might ever be able to express yourself. Although I do not get... more

My neighboring state, North Carolina, is taking a step in the right direction.

An article in the Fay Observer reported that the North Carolina Legislative Study Commission on children and youth is proposing a bill making the contact agreements in open adoption legally binding.

The Legislative Study Commission on Children and Youth approved a draft of a bill to create formal guidelines under which biological parents or other blood relatives could stay in touch with children after... more

I ran across this interesting story today about an elderly Chinese couple in Wuhan who are seeking to adopt a grown woman between the ages of 25 and 40 years.

The retired couple are not childless, in fact they have a son, a well educated man who married a woman, also well schooled, and together they immigrated to Canada in the year 2000. Since that time it seems that the elderly couple long for the connection and closeness with their son and are seeking to find... more

I ran across a very encouraging article about a young man, Justin Klien-Edgerton of Oroville, California who was recently honored for some amazing accomplishments. Justin has been nominated to be a European ambassador for the People to People program. The program promotes world peace through people working and talking directly together.

This nothing short of a miracle for a baby who was born with serious medical issues and... more

I ran across THIS article today detailing an open adoption story.

I seems that 22 yr old Liliana Gullo in 2005 found herself with an unplanned pregnancy, one she hid from family and friends at first due to fear of her abusive ex-boyfriend, also the baby’s father. At around five months she consulted with an attorney about an adoption plan for the baby, but then changed her mind when her son was born. She felt like the attorney was... more

Ok, time to fess up. I am one sick puppy.

I am not doing the things I so grandly planned when I began blogging here just yet. I also came down with some weird, viral thingy the same day I started that just will NOT let go of me. I am totally miserable!

So I have been stuck here on my couch attempting to muddle through this first week in a new year. I have put out a few posts that I thought were pretty... more

My co-blogger Coley mentioned in several recent posts the heavy emotions for her behind the word Bittersweet as used to describe the open adoption experience. Bittersweet could also accurately cover the feeling behind some of my own open adoption relationships. The term is certainly filled with meaning.

While considering her posts, I remembered a documentary I purchased several years ago entitled, Bittersweet-Stories... more