When I started this journey many years ago, my answer would have been very different. Today I am wiser, smarter, and have a much more realistic view of adoption. Sit back and read with me as we travel through...
International adoption is an exciting adoption process filled with many unknowns. While the excitement of international adoption can be fun, it can also keep you on your toes. The process can often be longer...
As an adoptee, I’ve grown more aware of people’s perceptions about adoption and the roles that incorrect and insensitive sayings and correct and informed statements have. First and foremost, “Give Up for...
The decision to adopt is a very intimate and life-changing journey. You are most likely finding yourself being pulled to becoming a parent. This may be as a single person or as a couple. There is no right or...
Adoption is full of acronyms and phrases that can be confusing to someone unfamiliar with the process. The phrase “foster to adopt” is one adoption phrase that is very straightforward! Foster to adopt is...
A father is an important part of a child’s life. Studies have shown that children who have affection and support from their fathers have great cognitive and social development. When my husband, Ryan, and I were facing...
Learn all about Juneteenth and what this day means for the adoption community. June 19th celebrates the official day that slavery ended in the United States. This day is called Juneteenth, and it is also known as...
Are you considering international or foreign adoption? If so, you probably thought of adopting from China or Russia, but have you ever considered adoption from Africa? Maybe you have already considered adopting from...
When I hear the word superheroes, I think of comic books, cartoons, and movie characters like Superman, Batman, Wonderwoman, and Spider-Man. My oldest son started his love of superheroes at a young age. His favorite...
Cue the lights, pop the popcorn, and settle down in the best seat in the house to enjoy 90 plus minutes of escape to another realm. The entertainment industry is not only worth hundreds of billions of dollars, but it...
“There are those who viewed my decision to be a birth mother as selfish, but in fact, this journey has been the true definition of selflessness. No longer do I walk this path in shame or embarrassment. For being a...
March 2020 changed everything for everyone around the world. At first, we heard news here and there—shaky headlines about a vicious virus that was steadily sweeping its way across the world. Then the questions...
Our son, now home for almost 5 years, was born in a small Eastern European country called Bulgaria. At the beginning of our process, when our social worker presented Bulgaria as a possible country that met a lot of our...
Whether we like it or not, we all experience growth along our journeys. Growth can come in many forms and at many different points in our lives. In the adoption community, all members of the adoption triad experience...
The idea of having anxiety relating to adoption is a concept that I largely avoided until about two years ago. I remember the precise moment when I realized that I was processing a situation the way that I was because...
Adoption is often looked upon as a barrier to happiness, success, and fulfillment, but in fact, many well-known historical figures have been touched by adoption. Despite the stereotypes and myths, these people have gone...
If you haven’t listened to Birth Mothers Amplified yet, here’s how they describe themselves (because they can explain this far better than I can): “Birth Mothers Amplified is a podcast that is co-hosted by Muthoni and...
Macy’s Story Episode 16 of Birth Mothers Amplified features Macy. Macy is a birth mother who placed her baby for adoption nine years ago. She has both bachelor’s and master’s degrees and is now a Speech Therapist...
When I knew that I was ready to take the first steps in my adoption journey, I could feel the previous chapter of my life close and a brand new one begin. And even though I was confident in my decision, it’s still a big...
The movie “Thirteen Going on Thirty” goes something like this: a thirteen-year-old girl makes a wish to be thirty and finds herself struggling with the outcome when it becomes a reality. As an adult, she is having a...
This episode of Birth Mothers Amplified was about all the feelings and traditions around holidays, and special occasions relating to the birth mother’s adopted child (for instance, birthdays, Christmas, Thanksgiving...
Okay, this episode of Birth Mothers Amplified brought me to tears. (Actually, I’m not sure that I’ve listened to one that hasn’t made me tear up at least a little bit.) If you haven’t listened to this podcast, you are...
Of course, you know about Mother’s Day (celebrated on the second Sunday in May in the United States) and Father’s Day (celebrated on the third Sunday in June in the United States), but were you aware there...
From the time I was little, when I saw Oliver! and Annie and read a book called Adopted Jane, I knew that I would want to adopt a child when I grew up. My little brother, my only sibling, was adopted at three days old...
Background of Easter Christian Definition Easter is a holiday celebrated in countries with a Christian majority. Easter is a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus in the Christian faith. Christians believe that Jesus...
Whether you are considering growing your family through adoption, are currently drowning in paperwork as you finish up your journey before pick-up, or have already brought your child(ren) home, finding new resources to...
The Journey of a Birth Mother For a birth mother, it is extremely vital that she makes her wants and needs known to the agency as well as the family she chooses when she is creating her adoption plan. In episode 12 of...
First, let me summarize what this episode of Birth Mothers Amplified was about. We got to hear Megan’s story as a birth mother who placed her baby for adoption. She called her mom and they had a family meeting, which...
Adoption is an opportunity for children who need a family to find a family. But is adoption good for the child? That is the question. Both expectant parents and prospective adoptive parents often wonder whether or not...
If you have chosen to create an adoption plan for your baby, you probably have a number of questions, hopes, and even concerns as you begin to decide on details. One of the first decisions you have to make is the level...
Adoption is a beautiful gift for many families. It is a fitting and acceptable way to guide children in foster care to a forever family. But what happens if, time and time again, some foster children get rejected? Maybe...
April 10th, 2021 is National Siblings Day Siblings share a bond that’s not quite like any other. Growing up with 14 brothers and sisters who are all also adopted, my siblings and I always had our good and bad days...
Birth Mothers Amplified is an awesome video podcast co-hosted by birth moms Emma and Muthoni. It is made in partnership with the Gladney Center for Adoption and Adoption.com. Emma and Muthoni talk about adoption topics...
Hello, adoption community. I have a confession to make. I’m actually kind of embarrassed to say this. I am very behind the times. I thought I was staying caught up with all the latest trends and the best ways to absorb...
Birth Mother’s Day and Mother’s Day were recently celebrated—personally, this was my 11th Mother’s Day as a mother. Because of another woman who gave birth and placed her son with my husband and me, I am a mother. I...
Karla King
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Kandice Confer
Emili Schurke
Lacy Davis
Susan Kuligowski
Kristina Frazier
Hailey Ashcraft
Christina Gochnauer
Jenn Martin-Wright
Cindy Hill
Sierra Koester
Jackie Borock
Deirdre Parker
Julie Davis