This guest post is by Faith Getz Rousso, an adoptee and adoption attorney.

In full transparency, I wear a lot of hats. I am a mom to two biological sons and an adoption attorney who has been involved in hundreds of open adoptions.

I was also adopted into a loving family that never expected me to know my biological family.

Fifty-plus years ago, I was placed with my family by an adoption agency. My family was matched based on demographics.

Both families shared the same nationality, same religion, and many of the same physical characteristics. As I was told, “I was the most beautiful baby there… I was chosen.”  Continue reading →

“How do I find a birthmother?” is one of the most common questions we get asked by waiting parents. 

The truth is, there is no playbook when it comes to finding a match with an expectant mother considering adoption.

It can happen any time just about any where. Even thousands of feet up in the air. 

Just ask Temple Phipps. She was flying from Atlanta to Raleigh when she got into a conversation with the woman seating next to her. 

It turns out the woman, Samantha Snipes, was 8 months pregnant and had just left an abusive boyfriend.

Realizing she was unable to support a child, Samantha was considering adoption for her baby.

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This guest post is by Pamela, a single adoptive mother.

Adoption? As a single? Why not? I knew I needed to be a mom. I knew I was getting older. I knew I would always regret it if I didn’t go for it. So I did.

About 9 years ago I began researching adoption. There were so many choices. So many different options. Foster adopt? International? Domestic agency? Domestic Independent? Which road do I choose?

Initially I chose foster adoption. It had worked for thousands of families. Thousands of single men and women. Thousands of nontraditional families. And it is virtually free.

Plus, there are tens of thousands of children in need of loving families. I signed up for the initial meeting. I signed up for MAPP classes. I completed my home study and was certified. And then I waited. And I waited and I waited some more.

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This guest post is by Kathy Rau, an adoptive mother.

My youngest son discovered this summer that he had a love for running. My husband, a runner, was very pleased because our other boys had pursued judo and wrestling.

“J”, my youngest, joined a running group this past spring and three months later he competed in the AAU Junior Olympics for Track and Field.

One evening my husband asked me if I thought we should invite “J’s” birth mom to one of his events. My immediate answer was no.

I had a quick flash of anxiety and stress which quickly switched to mom guilt. Why was I so adamant about excluding her in the celebrations of his accomplishments? I needed time to process my feelings.

Continue reading →