In my last post, Deciding to Adopt a Child: Reluctant Spouse, I talked about the stress that the adoption process can put on a marriage, particularly when one spouse is ready to adopt but the other is not. Before moving on to other topics, I have a book suggestion for anyone with a reluctant spouse. This book is a must-read for anyone who fears the effects of the adoption process on his marriage.

Jill Smolowe wrote a fabulous book called An... more

It is so nice to read a heart-warming adoption story in the news. Here is a summary of the article Doctor Offers Orphan Greatest Gift by Maila Rible, Web Producer:

Arkansas Children's Hospital surgeon Dr. Lisa Buckmiller and her husband, Richard Hinkle, adopted six-year-old Gong Lu after the child came to the United States for facial surgery. Dr. Buckmiller, who performed the surgery, fell in love with the... more

I am giving you bonus post today to share with you an article from the Associated Press. According to the article Study: Adoptive Parents Get High Marks by David Crary, adoptive parents fare very well when compared with bio families. Here is a brief summary of the article:

According to a study published in the American Sociological Review, adoptive parents do a good job investing time and money in their children when compared to biological parents. Some of the areas in which adoptive parents... more

The World Wide Web is a great place to find adoption support groups where you can share your adoption journey with others. There are many places to find support on the web.

Steps:

1. Explore open forums.

Open forums cover a wide variety of topics and groups and are available to the general public. There are both general and specific forums available (ie. pre-adoption groups, country specific groups, etc). Open forums are set up in a message board format, whereby you can post new threads or respond to members posts. You can check out all of the open forums that Adoption.com offers and find the one that... more

I have written about my fellow blogger, Coley's, website before. But that was several months ago and I think it's worth another mention. I don't know that many prospective adoptive parents (PAPs)would go to a site called "BirthMom Buds" for information, but it is a great place to understand the first mother perspective, and the founders (Coley and Lani) offer advice to people who want to adopt as well in the "Adoptive... more

As someone who is a huge fan of good literature for children and happens to be an aspiring writer for children, I am sometimes offended when a celebrity "writes" a children's book and then sells a bajiliion copies because of his or her celebrity. Good books for children are amazingly difficult to write and most celebrities don't rise to the challenge.

But then there are some wonderful celebrity slash children's authors out there, and one such person is Jamie Lee Curtis. If you aren't familiar with her book Tell... more

Over the Moon, written and illustrated by Karen Katz (one of my favorites) is the story of a couple anxiously awaiting the arrival of their new baby. Everyone gets in on the anticipation: Grandma, the fruit seller, and the little girl from next-door all ask when the baby is coming. "Soon," the parents answer, and then they get the call! The baby has been born in a far-away land, full of flowers and palm... more

I need to be straight with you all right off the block, You and Me Together: Moms, Dads, and Kids around the World is not a book about adoption. It is, however, a book about families around the world...and since, if you are hoping to adopt you are hoping to increase your family, this is a beautiful book to add to your collection.

It is a gorgeous book filled with amazing photographs of families in their... more

Another book review today - this one of The Family Book, by Todd Parr. This is one of my all-around favorite kids books in general, not just for adoption, and I highly recommend you get it...but read my review first!

Todd Parr rocks! We love, love, love Todd Parr in our house! We have The Family Book, The Mommy Book, and The Daddy Book, and we've checked all the rest out of the library. These are simple books, but they are simple genius. Here's the basic philosphy of his books:

We're all a little bit different... more

Here's another book that I previously reviewed on my Adopt Russia blog. I think this is a review worth repeating, however, since this book is a general adoption book and will probably appeal to many people...especially if you enjoy a good cry!

The Sea Chest was written by Toni Buzzeo and is illustrated... more