Exploring Adoption

'Adoption Adventure' Blogger Reviews 'The Adoption Decision'

Lena Wright, a fellow blogger who's waiting to adopt two brothers from Haiti, whom she met on a mission trip this summer, reviewed The Adoption Decision on her Adoption Adventure blog. 

Here are excerpts from her review:

This is a book that I highly recommend for people considering adoption, those already in the process of adopting and even those who have already adopted.

Laura does a great job of using humor and real life stories to convey serious issues that need to be considered by prospective adoptive parents. I appreciated the author’s use of scripture and her decidedly Christian world view.

Laura shares the stories of many different adoptive families and this... provides a realistic picture of adoption so that readers can go into the process with their eyes opened to some of the challenges. She managed to strike a healthy balance between the reality of adoption and the fantasy or naiveté that prospective adoptive parents may have at the beginning of the adoption process.

This book helped stimulate discussion between my husband and I... she got us thinking about situations we may encounter with our adopted children. This will allow us to devise our own strategies for dealing with the challenges that we encounter as an adoptive family.

The Adoption Decision also included discussion/reflection questions and a good list of resources. I found this book to be highly useful, user friendly and thoughtfully written. I believe it will be a valued resource as we continue on this Adoption Adventure! I highly recommend The Adoption Decision.

Here's a cool YouTube video of kids at the orphanage in Haiti:

How to Throw an Online Adoption Shower

I remember the day I showed up at my women’s Bible study group with my newborn son in tow. Most of the women in the group hadn’t even known I was expecting. With no evidence of a physical pregnancy to remind them that I was expecting, they either forgot or ignored the fact.

The “pregnancy” of most pre-adoptive parents goes largely unnoticed and unacknowledged. Friends and family who make a huge deal out of the birth of a baby say, “ho hum” when a child is adopted.

I believe that loved-ones should offer to throw a shower for any new child who joins a family, whether through birth or adoption (and no matter what the child’s age). So when Kimberley, author of The Seventh Diamond blog, told me about the online baby showers she and her blog readers throw for one another, I was intrigued.

Here’s how her online showers work:

• I have two girlfriends who design blogs and when I host a shower, they make sidebar links to go on people’s blogs to advertise the shower and get the word out. 
• I have a Saturday Morning Chat Group on my blog, where adoptive moms talk about adoption trends, families who are in China, families who need help fundraising and our personal lives.  I usually announce the showers at the chat group and get the sidebar graphic out to all of the ladies so they can put them on their blogs. 
• Before you know it, the sidebar graphics are on blogs all over, posting the family the shower is for and the date and linking people back to my blog so they know where the shower is. 
• My girlfriends design special headers for each shower so I can decorate my blog on shower day.
• I get a list of wanted items from the parents and ladies come by the blog on the shower day. 
• We all talk to each other in the comments and people rsvp through comments to get the gift list and to win shower prizes. 

It has been a fun way to celebrate with the families and also a good way to keep the morale up for the waiting women.  It does everyone's heart good to see a child coming home and a family’s dream coming true.

What Factors Influenced Your Adoption Decision?

In the September issue of Adoption World e-zine, we’re discussing how to determine whether adopting—or placing your child for adoption—is the right choice for you.

What factors influenced (or are influencing) your adoption decision?

E-mail me your response; I’ll feature several in the October issue.

If you’re not an Adoption World subscriber yet and want to read the September issue, there’s still time. Just sign up via the form at the top of this blog, or send a blank e-mail to adoptionworld@aweber.com. Your September issue will be delivered to your Inbox within the week.

Blogging Your Adoption Journey

A blog is a fantastic way to chronicle your thoughts about adoption, whether you're a pre-or post-adoptive parent, a birth/first parent, an adopted person, or an adoption professional. 

In the October issue of Adoption World e-zine, we'll profile several adoption bloggers and provide tips about how to get started blogging.

If you'd like your blog to be included or you want to nominate your favorite adoption blogger, e-mail me your responses to the following questions:

1. Blog's name:
2. Blog URL (address):
3. Your blog's primary reader:
4. One-sentence description of your blog:
5. How often do you update your blog, on average?
6. What do you enjoy most about adoption blogging?
7. What is the most challenging aspect of adoption blogging?
8. What is the most interesting thing you have discovered/learned as you've blogged?
9. How does blogging about adoption help you create a sense of community?
10. What's the best piece of advice you can offer a person considering starting an adoption blog?
11. Anything else you'd like to add?

Be sure to sign up for your free subscription to Adoption World, so you get the survey results. Just send a blank email to adoptionworld@aweber.com or use the form at the top of this blog.

Starting an Adoption Support Network (YouTube Video)

Want to learn some easy, low-budget tips for starting an adoption support community? Watch this 10-minute video. During my appearance on the TV talk show, The Harvest Show, I explain:

• Why it's critical to start an adoption support network for adoptive families, birth families, and adopted people.
• Tips for how anyone can start an adoption support community.
  
• Low-budget suggestions for how to start a ministry in your church.
• Forming healthy relationships between birth & adoptive families in open adoption.

A Unique Birthday Party Activity

Kids' birthday parties can be a challenge to plan. What activities can you do that keep the kids busily entertained and don't repeat what they've done at all their friends' b-day parties?

My 12-year-old son told me about the coolest-ever party idea for tween boys today when I was driving him home from cross country practice:

"Guess what my friend J did for his birthday party this summer?"

"What?"

"They got to go to his mom's science classroom at the middle school...

...and they got to dissect frogs!

One of the kids even fainted!"

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Families Supporting Adoption Reviews 'The Adoption Decision'

Several people who purchased The Adoption Decision: 15 Things You Want to Know Before Adopting during my one-day sale, have e-mailed me to tell me they've already read the book and are reviewing it on their blogs, Web sites, and e-newsletters.

"Duchess" reviewed the book at the Families Supporting Adoption (Washington Chapter) blog. Here are some excerpts from her review:

The first chapter is a guide to communicating with the people around you (friends, family, obnoxious busy bodies) as you begin your adoption journey. She has some excellent suggestions on how to handle a variety of responses and questions that you are likely to field...

...I appreciated the Christianson's candor about the home study, about the personal questions you will be asked and expected to answer, and the emotions you will encounter as you qualify the special needs you may or may not be willing to accept in your child.

I'd be happy to do an author Q & A on your blog or Web site, and to help you do a book giveaway. If you're interested, contact me and we'll set it up.
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Sign up for Adoption World, my free monthly eZine! Just send a blank email to adoptionworld@aweber.com

 

Check out my Amazon Exploring Adoption bookstore.

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