Whoa! Where did November come from? Apparently it decided to sneak up on me while I was complaining about the warm temperatures that ruled over October. Because, here we are! Speaking of November, how did you enjoy the time change? We've yet to see what it will do to Nick's sleep schedule (and, thus, our sleep schedules). Here's hoping that it's a simple adjustment. I mean, we do have a baby on the way. I'd like to get some sleep before this child arrives. (Please?)

We wound up October in a quiet fashion. (I had been pretty wordy for the entire month!) I did have a word (or two) to say on that big New York Times article about international birth parent searches that hit the news last Sunday. I'm still reading interesting bits and pieces about it 'round the internet. I like to see what other people think, especially those that both share my title of first mother. It's just interesting!

And then November hit. Even if I didn't feel like I was ready for it, the month came anyway. And with it, she brought NaBloPoMo. That's National Blog Posting Month for those who aren't in the know! (You should visit the Official Site!) I participated in it last year on this blog with a month full of things to be thankful for in our adoption. This year I've decided to take an in depth look at post-adoption contact agreements. I'm looking at how each state (that actually addresses the issue) words their statutes. Also, as the month goes on, I'll have tips for creating and editing these contracts as well as stories from families who have had both good and bad experiences with the issue.

So far I have hit on Alaska and Arizona. These two states differ greatly in how they address the topic; one does so in a vague fashion while the other gets specific. We're learning, quickly, that when you get specific, people and issues get left out of the loop. On the other hand, when you're too vague, it leaves a lot of open-ended questions instead of offering legitimate solutions. Alas, we'll keep trucking on this month to learn more about this topic!

Of note: Check out the Adoption Bloggers group over at NaBloPoMo to find some awesome blogs that are also participating this month! (The group is for those writing about adoption for NaBloPoMo, no matter your point of view or triad position.) If you're participating as well, join the group so others can read your great month of adoption writing!

I hope everyone had a nice weekend (and continues to finish it out in style!). Here's hoping the time change didn't blow up your sleep schedules!

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Photo Credit: ©2007, Jenna Hatfield.