My heart felt warm and fuzzy when I read the title of this article:

Meeting Birth Mother Is 'Overwhelming Gift'

How often are birth parents (not expectant parents or adoptees) referred to as an overwhelming gift, especially in the media? It's pretty rare, just to let you know. The article made me cry. I know I'm emotional as it is but it's just too darn rare to see a beautiful story like this anywhere in the media and I felt so... more

Have you been enjoying our impromptu look at birth parents and adoption issues around the world? Me too! It really wasn't my intention for a series of posts this week but other countries are just putting out a bunch of information and I'm gobbling it up! Today I learned a bit about birth parents in Barbados from a piece in The Nation Newspaper.

What I found most interesting was the age of birth parents in that country. While the Evan B Donaldson Adoption Institute study on birthparents taught... more

Australia is a beautiful place, don't you think? Beyond the beauty of the land, I'm always impressed with the way this country handles adoption issues. In an article dated yesterday, I could hardly contain my glee for the members of the triad living down under. Why? Let's jump right to the meat of the proposals being discussed (and the one that makes me most happy).

Under the proposed scheme adoptive parents will automatically receive... more

I loved the novel The English American (which I reviewed here). But I love this article even more. Why? I always prefer real life to novels. And this article is such a feel-good but honest adoption piece that... more

I wish stories like this one didn't exist. But with unethical agencies and attorneys still free to do what they want without fear of consequence, fathers are going to continue to lose their children.

In short, Kareem Williams' daughter was placed for adoption without his consent. He has been fighting for her for four years. She has been living with the "adoptive family" that was chosen for her by the birth mother's family.

Looking at the few details... more

I know I've been harping (yes, I chose that word on purpose) on language as of late. The written word, of course, is even more adept at lingering as is the point of written word. And that's why I have a problem with this article.

The article is talking about the "shortage of infants." (Of note that the article does mention the number of waiting children languishing in our foster care system but says, and I quote, "few can compete with the appeal of a just born... more

I hate stories like these because they are negative in nature. Yet I'd be remiss if I didn't mention this one on the blog. In our state, we had two children die last month as a result of being left in a hot car. While it is now September, it is even hotter than it was last month in our area. So, this story just made me cry.

In short, a nine month old died as a result of being left in a hot car by her foster mother.... more

You think you've seen it all. And then this news story out of Germany makes you scratch your head and wonder.

A man in Germany received a two and a half year sentence after fathering four children with his sister. What's that have to do with adoption? Well, that's where the strange part comes in just in case that tidbit wasn't strange enough for you.

The man was relinquished for adoption when he was four. He met his birth mother (again) when... more

I'd like to meet Carol Ann Orr and shake her hand. I'd like to give her a big old hug and thank her for being so dang awesome. I'd like to buy her a drink or a rose or whatever she likes best as a token of my thanks. Who is Carol Ann Orr? And why am I a fan?

She is KT Tunstall's birth mother. (KT is a singer in case you live under a rock.) And Carol Ann Orr is not being invited to her birth daughter's wedding. And she's okay with that.

I began reading this... more

As you know, expectant mothers and involved fathers considering adoption have a right to choose parents for their child based on any number of reasons. If they want their child's parents to have pink hair and live next to Sting, they can search for those specific parents. But what about mothers (and, as such, fathers) who have had their children removed? Do they have any similar right?

Gets kind of sticky there, no? (Read on before you jump in with, "OMG NO RIGHTS ALLOWED" kind of comments.)

I bring this up because of a news story... more