HOW TO START ADOPTION: WHERE DO I BEGIN?  If you are reading this, chances are you are in a situation where adoption is on your list of possible life adventures, likely because of a positive pregnancy test you were...

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 wrong way...

For an expectant mother, making an adoption plan for your child is the most difficult decision you may ever make. It is a decision based on so many emotions and with the best interest of your child in mind. Yet it is a...

I have grown to be so close to my birth father that I consider him one of my very best friends. But that relationship has taken years, communication, and love. When thinking about how to have a healthy birth father...

Adoption Family Profile, what does that even mean? Let’s start with the basics because let’s be honest; adoption jargon can be hard to understand, especially if you are facing an unplanned pregnancy for the first time...

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 Adoption...

A triad is defined, as it relates to adoption, as a group or set of three connected people or groups. Adoption connects biological parents, adoptive parents, and the child. Throughout the years, these three groups of...

Hope. Confusion. Optimism. Worry. Excitement. Sadness. Joy. Frustration. Energy. Exhaustion. These are just some of the many mixed emotions families looking to adopt a baby feel. And just like every birth mother’s story...

Finding out you are unexpectedly expecting can bring a wave of emotions. You may feel that this is not the right time in your life to raise a child, you may be with the wrong partner, you may have educational...

Families are an essential unit of the human race. In order for an infant to survive, they need an adult to care for them. In an ideal situation, a family will consist of two parents who lovingly share in the...

Pregnancy, childbirth, and placing your child for adoption take a huge toll on a birth mother both physically and emotionally. If you’re a birth mother who has recently given birth and placed your baby for...

Are you constantly swiping through your Instagram or Facebook feeds? I do. I am notorious for spending most of my winding-down time before bed on Instagram. While I have the typical celebrities, decorating tips, and...

I was the product of an unplanned pregnancy. My mom got pregnant right out of high school and found herself alone with a baby on the way. Thank God she had a supportive and compassionate family that helped us for the...

I have found myself invested in the adoption community for around five years. I have heard wonderful, heartwarming adoption stories as well as devastating, sorrowful adoption stories. One of the most important things...

There’s a saying that goes, “I wasn’t born in Texas but I got here as quickly as I could.” It would not be honest of me to say that that is how I’ve always felt. However, all of my children were adopted in Texas and we...

Adoption awareness has come a long way in recent years. As a society, we are more aware of the benefits of open adoption and how positive it can be for all members of the adoption triad. Birth mothers have more of a...

If you are considering adoption for your child or are thinking about trying to adopt a child, knowing the importance of openness in adoption is a key factor. Being open in adoption does not necessarily mean that you...

It is safe to assume that your search for the “steps of adoption” led you here. Whether you are planning to adopt, just curious about it, or interested because someone you know is planning on adopting, welcome! I am...

Anyone who has experienced an unplanned, unexpected pregnancy agrees that it can be a very scary, confusing, and emotional time. For some, an unexpected pregnancy can be good news. But for others, news of an unplanned...

Though more people are adopting for reasons that stem from reasons not related to fertility, there are still many who adopt to build their family that have had issues conceiving or had unsuccessful IVF treatments...

I recently considered a question that someone had asked me about adoption – “How can I be a better adoption advocate?” As an adoptee and birth mother, I am always open to educating others and answering questions...

There are many couples out there waiting to adopt a child. It is estimated that there are between one and two million couples in the United States wanting to adopt. More than 100,000 children in foster care are...

Adoption is a wonderful journey for everyone involved in the family triad. What is this “triad,” you may ask? Think of a triangle and how there are three different corners; even though there are three angles in the same...

If the word “journey” leaves you feeling exhausted or at the very least annoyed by its frequent use within the adoption community, you aren’t alone. A quick keyword search on adoption.com or a digital...

Adoption, like all forms of parenting, doesn’t come with an oversized manual. There are no set protocols, no chronological steps, no uniform order of events. Every placement is different, every child unique, every...

What do families looking to adopt a baby feel? This is such a complicated question but the most prominent, even overwhelming, feeling for us was hope. We hoped we would be matched. We hoped we would be chosen and that...

When you’re going through the adoption process, one thing to consider is what kind of adoption you want. Did you know that there are actually three types of adoptions? Each one has its own pros and cons to weigh and...

Adoptive mothers typically saturate the adoption world with their perspective and their experiences. The mothers tend to be the most vocal, the most willing to share with others, and the most present online...

To write this article to help you support your teenage adoptee, I tried to interview my teenage sons. As you can imagine, that did not go the way that I had planned. (Things generally don’t go as I plan these days.)...

If you’re dealing with an unexpected pregnancy, chances are you’re wondering what to do. You may not be in a place to raise a baby due to school, work, lack of family support, or various other reasons. Just know that...