International Adoption

As I mentioned last week, the recent news story of an American adoptive mother sending her son back to Russia has caused me to start focusing on International Adoption once again.  I have read more essay's, blogs and news articles on this situation and here are a few that really helped me decide on what exactly I think of this situation. An adoptive father's essay on NPR.   Melissa Faye Greene's blog.   Dawn Davenport's Blog   From the agency that the adoptive mother used in this case. As of now all adoptions between Russia and the US have been put on hold for a few weeks at least.  This leaves a lot of waiting parents and waiting children in a limbo that has to… [more]

Okay, I admit it,  I've been off the International Adoption scene for quite a while.  My kiddos will be home two years next week and I find myself concentrating on all the post adoption stuff that I write about.  Every once in a while I hear something that makes me want to learn more, but honestly, I'm tired  and don't get to it.  I know that changes are happening in Ethiopia and China, I know that the earthquake in Haiti has giving some new spin on the adoption news front.  I wanted to learn more about these topics, but again, the energy is not in my body. Until this week that is.   The story that broke about the Russian adopted child being… [more]

Recently, someone asked me about the possibility of adopting a special needs child internationally. Being how international adoption and special needs are two issues near to my heart, I decided to do a little leg work and see what I could find. It goes without saying that there are many, many children born internationally with special needs who are looking for an adoptive family. A PAP could always check with his/her agency to see if any children with special needs are available for adoption, but beyond that, where should one turn for more information? Enter Reece's Rainbow: International Down Syndrome Orphan Ministry. Don't let the name mislead you; while there is a large focus on international children… [more]

With the addition of a new baby to our clan, we've been discussing the implications of race in our family. When we decided to adopt again, our original plan was to adopt from Ethiopia. Seeing how Beauty's creamy skin tone is a stark contrast from her parents' paleness, we just assumed we'd be a family with a variety of beautiful skin tones. Bella could--for all intents and purposes--pass as our biological child. We would never claim this as truth, of course, but she is as pale as we are--fair skin and rosy cheeks, blue eyes just like my husband. Bear and Bella could easily pass as birth siblings. And so again, Beauty stands alone. I've often considered what we could do to… [more]

I was recently cleaning out some old and much needed to be thinned-out adoption files.  I found myself having to decide what to keep and what to through out (recycle, shred, etc.).  Old articles that I once cherished and read over and over again now seemed irrelevant, medical information on traveling to Ethiopia would never be used again, as I'm sure this information will change before our next trip to Ethiopia.  I also had information on phases that we have passed and I feel  I don't need to read about again. So what do I think you should  keep handy two years after your adoption  has been finalized?  Here are my rambling thoughts on the information I just went through two years after our… [more]

...and a "defiant" step back? Beauty is edging up on three years old. I mean, we're less than a month away from celebrating her third birthday. It's close and she's excited. I am, too. Not only because it's her special day, but because she's on the brink of aging out of Early Intervention Services and is then eligible for an Early Childhood Education program through our school district. A few days ago, she had her final re-evaluation. It went...okay. I was hoping for a bit better news, but I'll take what I can get. She's hovering around the two year mark in terms of, well, mostly everything with the exception of social responsiveness (i.e., she knows you're looking for an answer… [more]

On February 15, 2010, CBS News reported "that growth has turned Ethiopia into fertile ground for child trafficking - a country in which some American agencies and their staff engage in highly questionable conduct." Three children, sisters who are aged 7, 4, and 6 (or so it was stated), were shown on video to prospective adoptive parents. Their story appeared to be a tale of heartbreak and heartache; their mother dead, their father dying of AIDS. "A life of prostitution is all but assured - if not adopted - saved - by a loving American family." Well, not exactly. It was just such a pitch that spoke to Katie and Calvin Bradshaw, reports CBS News chief… [more]

Kids are not resilient, they don't bounce back. I hate hearing those phrases.  When people say them I give them a look that is between a grimace and a smirk.  We say these things to make ourselves feel better about our decisions.  We say these things because we don't know what else to say. We say them, because we hope that our kids will just snap out of it. My opinion is that kids absorb, retain and recycle the pain, fear and grief that has happened to them. They relive the pain when they are sad about something else. When their anger is triggered, the rage that follows has nothing to do with the current squabble but everything to do with situations that… [more]

Today, my facebook friends' list is overflowing with commentary regarding the catastrophic tragedy in Haiti. While everyone is more than sympathetic, I have to admit that while I've managed to refrain from getting into huge debates I have been unable to keep my commenting to a minimum. The status updates start off quite innocuously with a discussion about the U.S.'s financial contribution to Haiti. This is not a political blog, and I have no interest in discussing that specific tenant of said topic in this forum. However, more often than not (on my friends' status updates) the topic changes immediately to anti-adoption sentiment. Not anti-adoption in general, mind you--anti-international adoption. Naturally, there are no broad claims… [more]