Exploring Adoption

'Adoption Decision' Now Available Through Crossings Book Club - for 20 Cents!

I was pleasantly surprised to open my mail today and discover a hardback copy of my book, The Adoption Decision: 15 Things You Want to Know Before Adopting.

Up until now, The Adoption Decision has been available only in paperback. The hardback is the new Crossings Book Club Edition.

Here's the cool thing:

You can buy my book through Crossings for only 20 cents when you join the club! That's right -- I said twenty CENTS (the book retails for $13.99).

So, what's the catch? I investigated the membership terms, and here's the deal:

When you join Crossings, you get five books for 99 cents (plus shipping and handling and applicable taxes).

The fine print says that you agree to buy 4 books at regular Club prices in the next 2 years. You can make your first Club purchase for $5.99 (plus shipping and handling and applicable taxes), which means you'll only have to buy 3 books in the next 2 years.

I've been a member of various book clubs on and off for years, and I know that they constantly run special promos on books, so you do end up saving money, especially if you purchase only the required four books and then cancel your membership (shhhh... don't tell them I said that).

The nice thing about Crossings is that they do NOT automatically send you the book of the month. You'll get a catalog every 3 weeks, but you only order books when YOU want. I like that.

I checked out the shipping and handling charges, and for the introductory offer, you pay $5.74 for the first book and $1.99 for each additional book plus sales tax where applicable.

Soooo.... you're looking at a grand total of $22.67 (plus sales tax where applicable) for six hardback books. That's $3.78 per book, including shipping. Not bad at all. Really good, in fact!

They also note that you can return your Introductory Package within 20 days of receipt at their expense.

Here's a suggestion:

If you want to read The Adoption Decision with your adoption support group or book club (I included study questions for each chapter at the end of the book), join Crossings and order six copies of The Adoption Decision!  Now, that's a good deal.

'Ours Through Adoption' Conference - Saturday, March 14

If you live in or near Green Bay, Wisconsin, head to the Ours Through Adoption Conference this Saturday, March 14, 2009. The theme of the 1-day conference is "Anticipating Adoption: What Everyone Should Know."

I'll be delivering the morning keynote presentation, while Adam Pertman, director of the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute, will be the afternoon keynoter.

Adam and I have compared notes, and I'm going to focus on overcoming fears and anxieties about adoption, while Adam is going to discuss adoption myths and stereotypes.

All sorts of workshops will be offered throughout the day, including:

• Heritage and Homeland Travel with Jaclyn Skalnik
• Hair and Skin Care for Ethnic Children with Sandra Sims
• Domestic Adoption Basics with Linda Troyer and Brianne Finck
• International Adoption 101 with Richard Gibson
• Coping During Stressful Times with Kristine Stephenson
• Breastfeeding Your Adopted Child with Mindy Frank

...and much, much more!

This conference qualifies with most agencies for required adoption education and training hours -- check with your agency!

The conference is a great deal; it costs only $45 for Ours members, and $75 for non-members.

Fees include:

• continental breakfast
• both keynote addresses
• four breakout sessions
• printed materials
• snack/beverage breaks
• hot lunch

Everyone who attends the conference will receive a complimentary copy of my book, The Adoption Network.

If you attend, be sure to introduce yourself to me -- would love to meet you!

Ah, the Fond Memories of Homecoming

Today is Homecoming at my son's high school. He is pumped!  Guess what his school colors are?

10 Things You Need to Know Before Adopting from China

Want to win copies of my books the easy way? 

Head over to Camy's Loft. My author friend, Camy Tang, is giving away The Adoption Decision: 15 Things You Want to Know Before Adopting and The Adoption Network: Your Guide to Starting a Support System on her blog this week.

To enter, comment on the blog post that features my books and tell Camy you want to enter. She'll select the winner Thursday, Oct 16.

Camy and her hubby are thinking about adopting from China, so I sent her a list: "10 Things Camy Needs to Know Before Adopting from China."

First item on the list:

1. Adopting means choosing to love a child with whom you are not genetically connected, and affirming your child’s uniqueness.

Read the post at Camy's Loft for the other 9 items, and a fun question about naming your child.

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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Will Your Child Be A Better Parent Than You?

“Mom, remember that obnoxious third grader who was running around the waiting room at the doctor’s office the other day, screaming his head off?”

How could I forget? “Yeah. What about him?”

“He’s one of our neighbors.”

Oh, joy.

My 12-year-old son squinted out our kitchen window through the soft Seattle drizzle. “I see that kid. And he’s standing on the roof of his house… Now he’s jumping off the roof. That kid just jumped off his roof!”

“What?” Startled, I joined my son at the window. “That roof is at least nine feet high!”

We peered across our backyard and into the neighbor’s front yard. Our jaws dropped when, a couple minutes later, an ambulance pulled up. They loaded an adult (not the jumper) into the ambulance (perhaps the kid’s mom had a heart attack when she discovered her son had been playing on the roof during a rainstorm).

My son, ever the philosopher, commented, “When I’m a parent, there’s NO WAY I will let my kids play on the roof.”

“I’m glad to hear that. A big part of a parent’s job is to try to protect his children. I’m sure you’ll be a great dad someday.”

My son nodded. “No offense, Mom, but I’ve watched you and Dad, and I’m learning from the—er—mistakes you make. That way, I won’t make the same mistakes when I’m a Dad.”

Humbling parental moment!

I smiled (with some chagrin), and replied, “Yep, we do make a lot of mistakes. One of my prayers for you is that you will learn from our mistakes and be a better parent than I am. My hope is that each generation does a better job parenting than the previous one.”

My son nodded. “Yeah, I’m going to be a good parent. And when my son turns 16, I’m going to give him up for adoption.”

My eyes narrowed as my head snapped his direction.

With a quick giggle, my son added, “Heh heh; just kidding.”  (he has a 16-year-old brother)
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Summer Travels and TV Interviews

My family and I have been having a wonderful summer, doing a lot of traveling and "camping" in our vacation home on wheels -- our 29' travel trailer.

We were parked at a supermarket in Tillamook, Oregon, when a man approached our pickup and snapped a picture of it. I rolled down my window and asked, "Why are you taking a picture of my truck?"

In a charming accent, he answered, "I'm from Austria. I have never seen a truck this long before."

During the past month, we've:

• Attended our niece's wedding in Vancouver, Washington
• Camped at Birch Bay State Park, Washington
• Camped at Pacific Beach State Park, Washington
• Sent our 16-year-old son to basketball camp at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington
• Camped at Confluence State Park in Wenatchee, Washington
• Attended Creation 2008, where we enjoyed concerts by Jeremy Camp, Switchfoot, Skillet, and TobyMac
• Played tourist in Chicago (why has no one told me that Chicago is such a great city for tourists? We loved it!)
• Toured Notre Dame University in Notre Dame, Indiana (it's not actually in South Bend, as we had assumed)
• Was a guest on The Harvest Show, a Christian talk show based in South Bend
• Attended a family reunion at Fort Stevens State Park, Oregon
• Camped at Fort Stevens and Beverly Beach State Parks, Oregon coast
• Toured the Tillamook Cheese Factory in Tillamook, Oregon and had some delicious ice cream cones
• Attended the Clark County Fair in Vancouver, WA with some Christianson cousins
• Camped at Seaquest State Park, Washington and visited Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument

Now we're home. Whew. I'm getting caught up on work and we're preparing for back-to-school. Of course, our kids have grown out of every stitch of their clothing, so a trip to the mall is in order.

On my blog at HeBlogsSheBlogs.com, I've been writing about the experience of being interviewed on a TV talk show. While I was on The Harvest Show, I talked about creating an adoption support network, and a few other adoption-related issues. My segment is 16 minutes or so into the show that aired August 7. Hope you'll watch it and send me your critiques!

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Sign up for Adoption World, my free monthly eZine! Just send a blank email to adoptionworld@aweber.com

For more news and information about adoption, visit www.laurachristianson.com, and check out my Amazon Exploring Adoption bookstore.

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Adoption Talk on 'The Harvest Show' August 7

If you'd like to learn more about adoption and adoption ministry, tune into The Harvest Show August 7, from 9-10 a.m.(Eastern). I'll be a guest on the show, and we'll be discussing my books, The Adoption Network and The Adoption Decision. I'll share tips for how to build a community of support for adoption (at least, I think that's what I'll be talking about!).

The Harvest Show is filmed in South Bend, Indiana, so I get to visit the Chicago and South Bend areas for the first time. The Harvest Show is an internationally syndicated live, hour-long, daily television program. You can watch the show live on the Internet at 9 a.m. EST. The show replays at 10 p.m. EST, and 2 a.m.. See what time the show airs in your area.

Here are some other ways to access The Harvest Show:
DirecTV viewers watching on Channel 367;
46 + million homes in North America including 13 LeSEA owned affiliate stations;
European and African audience is at least 78 million via the Wonderful Network;
8 million homes in Argentina on Canal Luz;
Middle East Television (METV) reaches 73 million homes in Israel and 15 surrounding nations (For complete details visit www.metv.org);
5 satellites to 1 billion shortwave radios on the planet (www.whr.org)
Far East Television (FETV) broadcasts The Harvest Show to 60% of the world’s land mass and 80% of the earth’s inhabitants. This includes approximately 4 billion people in Asia, Australia, all of Europe and Africa. (For complete details visit www.FETV.tv)
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Sign up for Adoption World, my free monthly eZine! Just send a blank email to adoptionworld@aweber.com

For more news and information about adoption, check out my Amazon Exploring Adoption bookstore.

Create your own E-newsletters and e-mail templates

Win a 2-pack of Adoption Books - Comment on a Blog Post

Want to win both my books, The Adoption Decision: 15 Things You Want to Know Before Adopting and The Adoption Network: Your Guide to Starting a Support System?

Head over to HeBlogsSheBlogs.com and read today's post: "Learn to Write Fiction Through Author Binging."

Post a comment there about your own author binges, and you'll automatically be entered to win. These books are a $25 retail value, and you could own them, absolutely free!

While you're at it, subscribe to our free monthly Bright Ideas Blogzine. Our first issue is coming out August 1. Each issue is packed with tips for improving your blogging, writing, and marketing.

Subscribe via the form in the top right corner of HeBlogsSheBlogs.com, or send a blank email to HeBlogsSheBlogs@aweber.com.