We hang our stockings on Christmas Eve. This year there are four stockings hanging on our half wall. One for me, one for my Husband, one for the two year old and one for the newborn.

And it kind of breaks my heart.

There are presents under the tree. I also bought presents for my daughter and her younger brother. So, that's why, perhaps, the presents don't bother me the same way that the stockings are nagging at my heart. You can't look at a pile of presents under the tree and know that there are some that are missing. In fact, with the ridiculous... more

There's a lot of talk about the Dutch family who relinquished their eight year old adopted daughter. I've kept quiet on the matter for a few reasons. First of all, I'm quite busy with the holidays and a newborn. Secondly, as my placed daughter's birthday falls in this month, it's quite easy for me to get strung out and overwhelmed regarding adoption speak. Third, well, I'm not an adoptive parent with experience in this area.

But that doesn't mean I don't have my own form of an opinion.

I'm... more

I lived under a rock for most of yesterday. Not really a rock exactly but I was busy with two little boys, laundry, Christmas stuff, a bit of housecleaning and, well, it was our anniversary to boot! So, I was a bit shocked as my Husband and I watched the eleven o'clock news and heard that Jamie Lynn Spears, Britney's famous little sister, is pregnant.

Did I mention that she's sixteen?

I took some time and perused some sites this morning. I'm glad to hear that, after the initial shock, her mother is being supportive. I'm also glad to hear that the... more

Living in Ohio now, I looked up the information on Post-Adoption Contact Agreements with hopeful interest. While I didn't live here when I placed, I was hopeful for the birth and adoptive families that do and will come to be within this state over time. To put it simply, I was highly disappointed. Even more so, I worry for the future of families who want some form of openness within their adoption. Ohio offers little support for these kinds of families.

Let's see why.

What may be included in postadoption contact agreements?... more

If I had one piece of advice to give birth parents who are looking to add to their family (other than get a good therapist and work on issues ahead of time) it would be: don't have your child(ren) in close relation to your placed child's birthday and don't have your child(ren) during the holidays. Okay, technically, that's two (and if you count the therapist point, three) pieces of advice. But man, I'm struggling over here.

Getting used to a newborn, even after you've been through it once, isn't an easy task. No two babies are the same! Our new son's personality... more

Closed. Open. Semi-open. In limbo. In reunion. No matter the status of your adoption, if you're a birth parent, you need to watch these two videos.

Entitled "Dear Mom," these two videos feature interviews with adoptees regarding their relinquishment, their knowledge of their adoption, opinions on the matter and issues surrounding search and reunion. Each adoptee (mostly female, one male) had a different experience. Each adoptee had a different point... more

The infamous and sometimes scary "first week home" has been completed. We survived. Yes, we're somewhat sleep deprived but otherwise we're fairing quite well. We're learning how to be a four person immediate family instead of just three. We're learning how to juggle a two year old child's inability to understand things outside of their immediate desires coupled with a newborn child's need to have their immediate needs met, well, immediately! Basically, we are learning a bunch of things in a short amount of time. It's like an intense crash course in parenting with no end in sight!

On... more

And so, last week, I fell off the planet! Okay, not quite. I just birthed a baby. That's right! Parker is here! His birthday was November 24th, which was only one week (and one day) early after all of our complications. (And just one day before my prediction!) He weighed in at seven pounds, seven ounces and was twenty-and-a-half inches long. My labor was rather long for a third one but worth it in the end!

Needless to say, as we came home last Monday, blogging wasn't my top priority. We've been getting used to being a two-child home, learning about breastfeeding and being rather... more

Thanksgiving is over. Let's bust out the Christmas decorations! And topics! While I'm all for waiting until Thanksgiving is over before jumping, feet first, into Christmas, the truth is: it's over. And it's time. Quit your grumbling and accept it. You've got just over a month to get ready. So get on the ball! And with that, we'll be bringing you some ideas to incorporate new Christmas traditions into your open adoption.

Our first stop? Christmas pictures! You can do this a few ways.

1. Get everyone's picture taken with Santa Claus. The younger you start... more

I really like North Carolina. I have family members that have lived there for most of my life. We take a majority of our vacations to the North Carolina shore with Emerald Isle being our favorite destination for such adventures. And while I got bug bites like no other while we were inland visiting said family this past summer during vacation, I had a great time in the state where pine trees grow not too far from the ocean. (I'm always amazed driving from just a half hour inland to the coast how it looks like you're in a forest and then, BAM! The beach!)

But I'm... more