This is not the kind of news you like to read over your lunch break. In fact, it's the kind of news that you don't really like to read, hear or acknowledge. Ever. But it's sad and true.

A ten year old girl delivered a healthy baby this past November. The father was just recently found to be her mother's boyfriend. The case has the Ohio Jobs and Family Services chasing their tails to figure out what to do. This quote is interesting:

"Unfortunately,... more

I came across a comic strip concerning adoption. As I've written before, I don't delve much into the comic strip realm so I just mainly come across these things on the web. I don't even know the name of this particular comic strip as the blog on which it was located did not properly credit the artist. It had babies, that's all I know. Let's set up the scene:

Two babies are in their strollers.

Baby #1: I'm adopted. Baby #2: What's that mean? Baby #1: I don't know but I think it means my mom found me on ebay.

(Paraphrased.)... more

I like happy stories, especially happy stories that talk about reuniting adoptees and their biological parents. So let's talk about one!

In 2006, a Canadian adoptee received an award called "The Courage to Come Back" award. It was featured in the newspaper. Well, his biological Great-Grandmother saw his picture. And that's all it took, folks. One picture in the newspaper. Apparently the adoptee looks quite like his half-brother. And apparently Great-Grandma... more

It's Thursday? Where did my week go? All the same, it's time to talk about thirteen things in adoption. Before you read the title and get your knickers in a twist, I've already covered thirteen positives in open adoption. And I'm all about covering all sides of a coin.

Why did I choose "not-so-hot" over the word "negative?" Well, I strive to be a positive person most of the time. Sometimes my cynical... more

I'm kind of tired of seeing biological fathers dissed on various forums, blogs and in adoption settings in general. I'm feeling a need to speak up and speak out about their plight. While I'm a first mother and not a first father, I've watched my daughter's biological father struggle to figure out how to handle the grief and loss and confusion. I've watched a few other public birth fathers speak out about their experiences. I've written about biological fathers who were denied the right... more

I grew up driving through the tip of the West Virginian panhandle on a regular basis. We'd leave Pennsylvania, enter West Virginia and leave it for Ohio in a ten minute time frame. Living so close to the state, I was subject to a wide array of jokes in my formative years. Perhaps that's why I had a negative view of the state before I pulled up the information on how they handle post-adoption contact agreements. Unfortunately, the information I found didn't help my opinion of the state at all. Thankfully, it's a beautiful state to drive through! (New River Gorge?... more

I recently came across a blog that hit on the "wrong reasons" to adopt a child. It got me pondering about the many "wrong reasons" for various things in the birth parent realm of action. I don't see comprehensive lists like those anywhere, so let's consider.

What are the wrong reasons to place your child? What are some wrong reasons for actions within an open adoption relationship? And what are some wrong reasons for actions when you consider search and reunion?

First and foremost, you should never relinquish your child just because someone in your... more

I think I'd like to visit Washington state. It just seems interesting. I mean, their gem is petrified wood. That's just interesting! Then again, their state dance is the square dance. I can get that kind of action without traveling across the country. All that said, their post-adoption contact agreement laws aren't too unfriendly to families wanting communication between birth and adoptive parents. It was refreshing to see after a few of our recent (alphabetical) states.

Let's take a look.

What may be included in postadoption... more

It comes in spurts. What does? Everything. As a birth parent, I've learned that all of my emotions come in spurts. From anger to happiness to sadness to growth, each group of things seems to come together in little groups. I've seen other birth parents say similar things so I'm thinking it may not be a singular reaction. But, for the purposes of this blog, I'll speak singularly about my experience.

When I look at the calendar year, I can pretty much predict how I will be feeling about the adoption and our relationships at any given time. Her birthday, as... more

I read the title of this post on a forum thread, looked at the user name and thought to myself, "Yes you did. What are you talking about?" So, curiously, I clicked into the thread and began reading. Like the original author, my own wheels of thought began to turn. And yes, it's time to play the semantics game again! I know you're excited!

There are many things said about the action of relinquishment. I personally do not ever use "gave up my... more