I think if I've made on thing clear over a majority of my blogs is that I believe expectant parents need to be given a full view of their options. Not a rosy, one-sided view of adoption. Not a rosy, one-sided view of parenting. They need all the information! The good, the bad, the downright scary. Both adoption and parenting have all of the above and more. But apparently informing parents about all of their options is asking too much.

At least for the school... more

My mind is spinning a bit. I'm kind of angry, annoyed and sad. And angry, in case I forgot to mention it. Why? In a news story out of the UK, an expectant mother might lose her baby. Just in case she hurts it. She hasn't done anything during the pregnancy to cause them to think that she would hurt her own child. But, still, they want to take her baby away within thirty minutes of the little girl's birth.

You heard me. Thirty minutes. Thirty... more

In case you didn't read a single adoption related blog (outside of our network) this weekend, I need to inform you about a video that is making its rounds on blogs (via YouTube, of course). It's an important video, especially to families touched by adoption. It focuses on adoptees, their rights and how those rights are trampled upon by their lack of access to pertinent information about their health history, their lineage and their birth.

You can watch the video here.

The video is entered in a contest for Dashboard Confessional's (a band) song, "Thick as Thieves."... more

We had that unique mix of legitimately fall weather over here this week. We had some rain. In fact, we had some pretty nasty storms. We had some gray, dreary days. We had some windy days. And we had a day like today; mid-warm but still cool enough not to make me complain and so beautifully sunny that even those who wanted to complain couldn't find the negativity to do so. The leaves are changing now that the temperature has changed and juxtaposed against the brilliant blue sky today, well, I haven't seen anything that pretty, nature wise, in quite some time!

We also had... more

As I wrote about this past summer, we got a new Pastor at our church. I was initially apprehensive. I mean, first of all, I don't like change! Secondly, it's really hard to predict how any certain human being will react to the topics of adoption, my role as a birth mother and the openness of our relationship. And so, I always take some time getting to know the Pastor before I drop in his office and have "the talk."

I've decided it's just about time. Is it wrong to admit that I've thrown... more

Health issues don't have to make sense, do they? My mother's breast cancer doesn't make sense. My own kidney disorder doesn't really make sense. My daughter's Dad is sick and, you got it, it just doesn't make sense. Sometimes there seems to be a lack of rhyme or reason behind health related issues.

Which is why I found this article out of Cincinnati to be so intriguing!

I am a believer that the emotional aspects of our life can make us sick. If you know anything about... more

I didn't think of everything when I was placing the Munchkin for adoption. Due to the pregnancy complications and sheer amount of information to consider and decide upon, I let one thing slip my mind: what sports teams her parents supported. Okay, so I'm being kind of funny and "tongue-in-cheek." (Or, if you're from Pittsburgh, you actually get the "importance" of this point.) But, suffice it to say, Munchkin's Dad and I do not agree on football teams. While we aren't in the same conference, we have played each other on occasion. Thankfully, we sat in different states,... more

There are some places that will be forever attached to your pregnancy, birthing and adoption experience. They may be the place in which you lived during your pregnancy, whether it was your own apartment or your parents' home, the hospital in which you delivered your child, the physical agency building or attorney's office where you were counseled or the courtroom in which your rights were terminated (if your state requires your presence or if you attended). Most birth parents will go out of their way to avoid returning to these places, even if it means avoiding... more

We've had a rough year. We as in the people who live under the roof over my head that, thus, share the name of family. We as in the people who raised us and thus bear the title of family. We as in the people who share a roof with my daughter and thus are also part of our family. Medically speaking, it's been one blow after another for just about every niche in our family. Needless to say, visits have taken a backseat. While it's been a bummer, we've stayed in contact as well as we possibly could and been supportive of each others' issues.

That said:... more

I find it hard to deal with expectant mothers considering placement. I don't mean that to sound rude, callous or judgmental. I just remember, too vividly, being in their very shoes. I remember the emotions, the overwhelming decisions, the judgments and the fear. I also remember my stubborn streak; a mile wide and a mile deep, no one could get past the raging waters of my stubbornness. I see the same things mirrored all too often in mothers who are considering placement. It's disheartening.

I've decided I need to get over myself. I encourage you, as... more