Steven Curtis and Mary Beth Chapman have been voices in the adoption world for years. Not only have they preached the message, they have lived it and made it possible for others to walk out their adoption journeys through their financial support.
We remember them today and pray for them as they grieve the loss of their daughter and begin to heal as a family.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Tracie and John: DVD adoption videos
One of the services that we offer to our clients is the Profile service. One of my favorite things to do is prepare the photo book profiles for my clients. A profile is what is presented to a birth mom in order to help her get to know your family and choose which family she feels will offer her child the kind of home she is wanting for them.
In addition we offer DVD profile services which is just one more way for agencies to present your family to a particular birth mom. We were just reminiscing this morning about our adoption journey and took a look on more time at our DVD profile prepared by Christian Adoption Consultants.
Profile Services
One of the services that we offer to our clients is the Profile service. One of my favorite things to do is prepare the photo book profiles for my clients. A profile is what is presented to a birth mom in order to help her get to know your family and choose which family she feels will offer her child the kind of home she is wanting for them.
In addition we offer DVD profile services which is just one more way for agencies to present your family to a particular birth mom. We were just reminiscing this morning about our adoption journey and took a look on more time at our DVD profile prepared by Christian Adoption Consultants.
In addition we offer DVD profile services which is just one more way for agencies to present your family to a particular birth mom. We were just reminiscing this morning about our adoption journey and took a look on more time at our DVD profile prepared by Christian Adoption Consultants.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Congratulations Mike and Stephanie
What a beautiful baby girl! And what an incredible family has welcomed her into their hearts.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Bittersweet by Gay Lewis
This moving story told by Gay Lewis relays her family's journey through teen pregnancy and adoption. It is a true story of the grace of God and the miracle of restoration. I encourage anyone who has chosen adoption for their child, anyone who has adopted or is considering adoption, and anyone who has been adopted to read this family's story.
Gay and her husband stood by their daughter as she made the choice for adoption for her baby. 25 years later, their daughter Laurie is reunited with her child, Claire. It is a story of restoration that will open your heart to look at adoption from more than your own point of view.
As an adoptive mother, I encourage you to read this story. It has impacted my heart on so many levels and has stirred me to an even greater respect for the sacrifice made by birth families every day.
“Beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for a spirit of heaviness.” (Isaiah 61:3 KJV)
Bittersweet can be purchased on their website www.bittersweetthebook.com
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Open Adoption/ Closed Adoption
There are typically three general categories of adoption openness: Closed Adoption, Semi-Private, and Open Adoption. I'm sure that even as you read that list, you may already have a mindset about what type of adoption you'd be open to should you choose to adopt someday. I made a comment the other day that many of our ideas about the openness of adoption may have been formed by watching Lifetime movies. I'm only half joking.
So here goes my opinion on the issue.
On closed adoption. As nice as this may seem to you in theory, have you really thought about what this might mean to you and your adopted child. From the stand point of an adoptive parent or soon-to-be adoptive parent you may be thinking, "I bring my child home, close the door and he/she is ours, end of story." I'm only at the beginning of the story in my home (our daughter is only 1 yr old), and I know better. We will never keep our daughters adoption a secret from her, and there will be a day when her questions will come from a deep place in her heart and from a longing to understand the choices that were made about her life before she was born. I would never want to be in a place to tell her that I know nothing about her birth family. I don't ever want to hold my daughter at age 13 as she's going through puberty, questioning her identity and tell her that I know nothing. There are numerous other practical reasons that I feel that closed adoption is often not in the best interest of the child.
On semi-private adoption. This allows the option of knowing a bit about your child's birth family, even talking to them on the phone or meeting them prior to or after the child's birth. This can allow you to have some level of contact, even if monitored by an agency, so that the birth family can receive letters and pictures from you. In a semi-private adoption, you are given the ability to some day give your child the gift of having answers to some of their questions. You may be able to relay to your child the reason that the choice for adoption was made. You may know some helpful things about the birth mother and her family such as their interests and hobbies, medical conditions, and you may even have a photo of them, or letters from them to present to your child when the time is right. Not only are you able to give your child loving answers, you are also able to bless a birth mom and her family by giving them updates and photos that may help them to feel reassured of their decision.
On open adoption. There was a day when I would have, perhaps out of ignorance, steered away from any situation that was asking for an open adoption. Though I know this is not for every one, I would encourage you to not completely close yourself off to this option. I certainly would not push anyone in this direction, but would encourage you to be open to it on a situation by situation basis. Do some reading, talk to other families who have had experiences with open adoption, and make that decision for yourself.
I would welcome any comments that might be helpful to adoptive couples trying to make the decision about type of adoption they are willing to pursue. I will post any comments or questions that might be helpful to other couples who are pursuing adoption.
So here goes my opinion on the issue.
On closed adoption. As nice as this may seem to you in theory, have you really thought about what this might mean to you and your adopted child. From the stand point of an adoptive parent or soon-to-be adoptive parent you may be thinking, "I bring my child home, close the door and he/she is ours, end of story." I'm only at the beginning of the story in my home (our daughter is only 1 yr old), and I know better. We will never keep our daughters adoption a secret from her, and there will be a day when her questions will come from a deep place in her heart and from a longing to understand the choices that were made about her life before she was born. I would never want to be in a place to tell her that I know nothing about her birth family. I don't ever want to hold my daughter at age 13 as she's going through puberty, questioning her identity and tell her that I know nothing. There are numerous other practical reasons that I feel that closed adoption is often not in the best interest of the child.
On semi-private adoption. This allows the option of knowing a bit about your child's birth family, even talking to them on the phone or meeting them prior to or after the child's birth. This can allow you to have some level of contact, even if monitored by an agency, so that the birth family can receive letters and pictures from you. In a semi-private adoption, you are given the ability to some day give your child the gift of having answers to some of their questions. You may be able to relay to your child the reason that the choice for adoption was made. You may know some helpful things about the birth mother and her family such as their interests and hobbies, medical conditions, and you may even have a photo of them, or letters from them to present to your child when the time is right. Not only are you able to give your child loving answers, you are also able to bless a birth mom and her family by giving them updates and photos that may help them to feel reassured of their decision.
On open adoption. There was a day when I would have, perhaps out of ignorance, steered away from any situation that was asking for an open adoption. Though I know this is not for every one, I would encourage you to not completely close yourself off to this option. I certainly would not push anyone in this direction, but would encourage you to be open to it on a situation by situation basis. Do some reading, talk to other families who have had experiences with open adoption, and make that decision for yourself.
I would welcome any comments that might be helpful to adoptive couples trying to make the decision about type of adoption they are willing to pursue. I will post any comments or questions that might be helpful to other couples who are pursuing adoption.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
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