New Blog!

I have decided to combine my adoption blog with my family blog.

I'll now be blogging about adoption...and LIFE...over at

Neither Rhyme Nor Reason

Hope to see you soon!

letters to a birthmom

First of all, I am typing this on my kindle fire. I love this thing, but having to bust out more than a sentance or two on it starts to make me a little crazy. Forgive my spelling and grammatical errors. I tried.

Today I went to the annual adoptive couple retreat that is hosted each year by the lovely Jessa. You can find her blotting at birthmothers4adoption. I was on a birthparent panel and a prospective adoptive couple asked us what they should write in the letter to a birthmother. This letter is included in couples profiles. I can imagine how hard it is to write a letter that will capture the attention of someone you have never met and honestly share your feelings.

Allow me to give you my advice. Take it or leave it, the choice is yours.

1. Be honest.
2. If you are willing to take part in an open adoption I would suggest saying so in your letter. This is important to many expecting parents.
3. I would suggest (this is just my opinion!) Leaving out the cheesy quotes. To me they just look like fillers and they are not your words, and its your words we want to read.
4. Keep it simple. Decide what you want to say, and say it!
5. Make sure the birthparent knows that you respect them and that you understand their choice is a difficult one.
6. Finally, pray. Ask the Lord. He is there.

I have a deep respect for adoptive and hopeful adoptive couples. Best of luck.

Hoping to Adopt

Check out my new Hoping To Adopt section on the right hand side of my blog! These are all people I've met and believe will be wonderful parents!

Pass them along if you get a chance!

At My House

We have a lot of stuff concerning adoption at my house. I love being a birthmother and I love being involved in FSA and anything else that portrays positive adoption. Through all these things I've collected water bottles, sippy cups, pens, stickers and my 2 year olds favorite; children's books.

Do you have these for your little ones (or just for you)?

Once Upon a Time by Ashley Hansen Bigler

Not once have I made it through this book without crying. It focuses on the Birthmother more than other adoption books I've found and I appreciate that. I gave a copy of this to Samantha and her sister and I want them to know that they're loved by their BMom's and their parents!

Tell Me Again by Jamie Lee Curtis

My older sister gave me this one, and I love that about it. She wrote me a little note on sticky notes and put it on the inside cover. I've taped it in there so it wont ever fall out! It means SO much to me that my family supports me and my decision to place.

This book is so fun and cute. I love that the little girl knows the story of her adoption by heart. Also, the illustrations are hilarious!

The point is this:

The other night my husband is reading Ava her "night night" books and he reads her these two stories, one after the other. He pauses in the middle of the second one, looks over at me and says

"You know, Ava's going to think she was adopted."

This made me laugh. Of course we'll tell her she came from Mommy's tummy and eventually she's understand the whole story. I finished rinsing out her "adoption equals love" sippy cup and we went to bed.

The R House

I'm sure most of you who follow adoption blogs have been to The R House. She's an adoptive mother and she blogs about...well, life. I was reading one of her posts from way back in 2007 (very soon after she adopted her oldest son, Tyson) and found this analogy.

www.therhouse.com/the-car-analogy

Shouldn't it always be about what's best for the CHILD?

Glee

I used to watch Glee. It's been stupid since the middle of the first season, but I enjoyed the music.

THEN they started this ridiculous adoption story line. It annoys the CRAP out of me. Adoption is a beautiful thing and it's made my life what it is. I don't appreciate some over popular trashy show dragging such a wonderful thing through the mud.

Stupid Glee.