International Adoption

As many of the regular readers know, my family is in the process of adopting a baby boy from Ethiopia. I don't write about it much here, because to be honest, there's really not too much to write about just yet. We're hot on the paper trail, which is good, but it is also a very quiet time. We are wrapping up our home study and have a fair clip knocked off our dossier already. This is a good thing. It's a very good thing, actually, but here's another confession: the holidays are sometimes a little hard when you're in wait. And here I am, in wait. Now don't get me wrong: Bear and Beauty make everything amazing… [more]

I've touched upon this topic in past blogs briefly, but it's definitely worth mentioning in a post of its own. Sometimes, the very process of getting started on your international adoption journey is very similar to riding a roller coaster. You're elated to take this first step, your heart is soaring with love and hope and possibility as you coast the hills effortlessly, seamlessly. But before long, you're back to the slow process of chugging to the top, trying to maintain a sense of optimism and avoid getting overwhelmed. At least, that was the case in my experience. It will surprise no one to read we were elated at the prospect of adopting a daughter from Guatemala. We… [more]

Selecting a pediatrician can be quite the process. While pregnant with Bear, my husband and I completed at least four "meet and greets" in which we'd set up a informal, in-office meeting with a prospective pediatrician. During these visits, we'd discuss our parenting philosophies (attachment parenting), preventive wellness measures, the pediatrician's thoughts on vaccinations, and so forth. We selected a pediatrician we instantly adored and have been incredibly happy with her ever since. While it's great we found a pediatrician we truly like, one who is wonderful with both children and parents, we had an additional element to consider when we made the decision to adopt internationally. Would our beloved pediatrician understand the needs of an… [more]

Many times, when people find out we have a daughter adopted from Guatemala and are adopting again from Ethiopia, there is some level of interest. Sure, I've met my fair share of criticisms, but I've also entertained many great discussions about adoption. One of the "big questions" that surfaces on the regular is as follows: "Why not adopt a baby from the US?" Well? Why not? I have a few answers, but let me first preface this by stating that I have nothing against the American adoption system. I think open adoption is one of the most beautiful ways to blend a family. I also feel that domestic adoption, particularly that of newborns, is in need of reform. However, international adoption… [more]

Today, I decided to bake an apple...something. Eventually, I settled on a pie, but first hit up a few of my favorite online recipe sites to see if I could find a Guatemalan recipe that calls for about five pounds of apples (I didn't, but probably because my two favorite pastry chefs were a little impatient to get started). As a last ditch effort, I hit up some of my favorite social networking sites with a general call for Guatemalan apple recipes (I'm interlinked with quite a few fabulous GuateMamas--it can't hurt to ask!), and was met with the following comment from a friend/non-adoptive parent: "How about just something boring and American? Like a pie or something. Do you ever make… [more]

There have probably been hundreds of posts and blogs written worldwide, dedicated to the question of how to find a "good" agency. Some may detail things to look for; others may focus on what you should try to avoid, but either way, there is no shortage of tips on what to consider when selecting an adoption agency to complete your international adoption. That said, let's say you do all your homework. You research your agency thoroughly, ask questions of numerous employees/consultants, obtain references and check them all quite completely. Let's say you try to find the most negative review available, and wind up finding that even the most negative review really...isn't. You elect to go with… [more]

A few evenings ago, I was utterly and completely unable to wind down. It was one of those nights when you can't sleep so you spend too much time surfing the channels for something mindless to watch on television in the hope that it will lull you into a state of such boredom that sleep becomes imminent. Always interested in shows relating to crime and the human condition, I landed on WE tv's "Women Behind Bars". It was a rerun, but once I heard of the subject matter, I was hooked. Well, hooked and heartbroken. Few things land me in tears faster than hearing about the abuse--and then subsequent death--of a child. The inmate featured was a woman named… [more]

As many of you know, Anita Tedaldi is a pretty big name in the adoption world right now. For those who are unfamiliar with her story, Tedaldi adopted a baby boy, "D.", from South America and eighteen months later chose to “relinquish” her adopted son due to “attachment difficulties”. My disclaimer: I applaud Tedaldi for sharing her story inasmuch as she was well aware of the criticism it would draw and chose to bring the issue to light regardless; I also believe it is important to show that not all adoptions end with the proverbial "happily ever after"--that there are difficulties to face and surmount ("surmount" being the key word, however). That said, quite a… [more]

Yesterday, I had one of those days--frantic, frenzied, basically just chaotic. What spurred this spiral of insanity? The mere thought of our adoption "to do" list. Having adopted internationally once before, the whole process is not entirely foreign to me. The second time around, I feel much more organized, much more aware of the progression of steps in the process. I swore I wouldn't allow myself to get frantically caught up in the list; instead, I've visualized myself calmly checking various boxes next to the items completed in a timely fashion. Unfortunately, I'm somewhere between those two categories and admittedly, I'm in a bit of an emotional slump as a result. Lately, life has thrown a few unexpected curveballs to… [more]

I'm hoping my Hubby doesn't read this post as his version of organization is much different than mine.  In short, his is perfectly alphabetized and neat and my version is a bit more relaxed shall we say!  I have to shout out to the world that I did not loose one piece of paper work on our paper chase and we completed our paper work in an appropriate time.  The agreement between hubby and I was that I would do all the paperwork and research on the adoption while he worked on getting used to his new job position.  Whenever he wanted a receipt or a piece of information and tried to get it himself he was lost...but I knew where it… [more]