Our Blog

  • Adoption Limbo: 3 Tips When You’re Stuck Between “Just Us” and “We’re a Family”

    This guest post is by Barbara Herel, an adoptive mother and blogger. Having a baby come into your life has been described by many a parent as a miraculous event. The baby part, yes, babies are miraculous. The domestic adoption process, well, not so much. There’s a real checklist of things you must do in order to adopt and I like me a good checklist. It’s tangible. It’s action-oriented! And darn it, it feels good to feel like you’re moving forward

  • Yes, We’re Adopting. But Please Don’t Call Us “Special”

    This guest post is by Ethan Brooks-Livingston, a hopeful adoptive parent. Recently, my wife, Angela and I headed to our local small metropolis for an evening out. One of our stops was a store for supplies for some projects I’m working on for the Littlest Brooks-Livingston’s eventual arrival. We encountered someone who noticed that we were buying baby-oriented items and in a friendly waiting-in-line-together kind of way, she asked what we were making, so I told her. Anticipating this might propel

  • Failed Adoption Match: How To Pick Yourself Up And Go On

    This guest post is by Jennifer, a hopeful adoptive parent. “Everything about adoption is hard, except loving the child…” – Jody Dyer, The Eye of Adoption Good grief, Jody is right. We really had no idea what we were getting ourselves into when we signed with an adoption agency 2 ½ years ago. Adoption can be hard. It’s a test of your determination, your perseverance, and how much one’s heart can take. This past summer was probably the most joyous

  • Our Road To Open Adoption — And What We Learned Along The Way

    This guest post is by Heather and Holly, hopeful adoptive parents. Our road before arriving at open adoption began like many others; it was bumpy, there were rest stops, sometimes we chugged our way up mountains and occasionally we ran out of gas. We were pretty tired by the time we discovered the open adoption exit and my immediate, war weary reaction was no *bleeping* way. My reaction was the same one you get from an unknowing family member or

  • Opening Up About Open Adoption On Our Facebook Page

    We asked, you answered. Boy, did you ever. All told, we received nearly 300 responses to our open adoption series on Facebook, “30 Questions, 30 Days.” “30 Questions, 30 Days” is an National Adoption Month tradition that goes back six years or so to our sister site, Canada Adopts! Each day, we posted a different question on the America Adopts! Facebook page (and Twitter) aimed at finding out how adoption has touched your life.

  • Our Open Adoption Rollercoaster Ride: Why I Wouldn’t Change A Thing

    This guest post is by Shannon Talbot, an adoptive mother and blogger Riding a rollercoaster and our open adoption journey were very similar in a lot of ways. Both are scary yet thrilling. Both definitely have parts along the way that make you question ever agreeing to go for it. But once they’re over you’re really glad you decided to take the leap and want to do it all over again! I’m writing this with a beautiful, healthy, happy seven-month-old sound

  • Telling Stories

    This guest post is by Jennifer Grant, an adoptive mother and author My youngest child has a remarkable memory. No, no, I’m not just another bragging Mama. I have three other kids with whom to compare her, and Mia’s memory is the one that stuns me. A few nights ago as I was making dinner, for example, she looked up from her homework and said, “Remember that ice cream you and Dad got us at Mount Rushmore? That was so

  • Colin Kaepernick’s Birthmother: My Mission To Elevate Birthmoms To A Place Of Honor

    Heidi Russo is on a mission — a mission to change the way we view birthmothers and elevate them from a place of shame to one of honor. A year ago you probably hadn’t heard of Heidi. But by the time the Super Bowl rolled around in February, she became America’s most famous  — or, depending on your perspective, infamous — birthmother. Heidi is the mother of Colin Kaepernick, the San Francisco 49ers’  star quarterback. Twenty-six years years ago, when she was

  • Making An Adoptive Parent Profile: What You Need To Know

    This guest post is by Elizabeth Ehlen, an adoption professional and author. I am privileged to be able to work for an adoption agency, A Gift of Hope Adoptions, and have had worn several different hats while there (as most social workers do.) One of the things I noticed when I take my turn answering the phones is how difficult it is for people sorting out fact from fiction in adoption. When you are the first point of contact for someone who

  • What We’re Doing To Turn Our Open Adoption Dream Into A Reality

    Meet Kim and Ed, a loving couple from Chicago who are hoping to turn their open adoption dream into a reality by connecting with an expectant mother who’s considering adoption. They first met and became friends more than 18 years ago. But it wasn’t until Ed moved to California that they realized how much they loved each other, prompting Ed to return home. Kim is kind and generous — the type of person who never forgets a birthday or anniversary and