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This guest post is by Deanna Kahler, an adoptive parent and author. We’re not saints, saviors or baby stealers. We’re not “playing house” or raising a child we don’t consider our own. We didn’t choose adoption as a last resort, and we aren’t hoping to get pregnant now that we’ve adopted. Although I’ve heard all of these phrases when others talk about adoptive parents, I can honestly tell you: we’re regular parents—ordinary, but sometimes misunderstood.

This guest post is by Gina Crotts, a birthmother. Connecting with a expectant mother considering adoption for her baby is one of the most important steps in your open adoption journey. In many ways, it opens up a totally new chapter — one that could result in you becoming a parent. But it’s also a difficult, uncertain time not only for you, but for the person you’re trying to connect with.   Before you begin your outreach efforts, here are a

This guest post is by Gina Crotts, a birthmother. Pregnant? Thinking of adoption? Looking for the perfect parents for your baby? Well, the first thing you need to know is that there are no perfect parents — no magic list of qualifications to base your decision off of. No one can tell you which couple (or single waiting parent) is best for you and your baby. It’s a decision as in-depth as choosing adoption — a leap of faith that only

You’ve found an open adoption match — congrats! Just think, your dream of becoming a parent is about to become a reality! And while it’s tempting to sit back and just count down the days until you hold that baby in your arms, the truth is it’s not that simple. For many waiting parents, connecting with an expectant mother with an adoption plan often creates a new level of anxiety and wave of conflicting emotions. Here are 5 things you

This guest post is by Gina Crotts, a birthmother.   Almost 6,205 days have passed since I said goodbye to my first born. She will turn 17 years old in October and I hardly even know her.   Of those 6,000 days, I have questioned my decision to place her for adoption, probably 10,000 times over again…but I know it was MY decision.   Here are 5 reasons you should take your own advice on your unplanned pregnancy.

This guest blog is by Victoria Hickok, an adoptive mother. After four years of unsuccessful attempts at getting pregnant, my husband and I went through fertility treatments for a year. But shortly after the anniversary of our first fertility treatment Paul and I put our family plans on hold and decided to focus on buying a house in our small town in Georgia instead. We figured that, unlike starting a family, finding a house was something we could control. So we

This guest post is by Maxine Chalker, founder of Adoptions From The Heart and an adoptee. Women who decide to make an adoption plan have taken a tremendous and courageous step toward improving their own lives and the lives of their children. No one should understand this truth more than prospective adoptive parents, who will be given an enormous gift solely through the generosity and bravery of willing birth parents. But taking a monumental step in one’s own life, to

This guest post is by Mallory Rivas, an adoptive mother.  Last February, we were given the surprise of our lives, when our son was literally dropped into our laps at 3 days old. From the time we found out about him to the time we brought him home was a mere 6 hours. That day, February 22nd, 2016 was absolutely the best day of my life. The day our family was completed. It’s been 14 months and life sure has changed.

This guest post is by Terri Rimmer, a birthmother and author.  April 17th was the anniversary of my birth daughter McKenna’s adoption finalization in 2001. I remember Jan. 2, 2000 when I found out I was pregnant and I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I could not raise my daughter but that I would have to place her for adoption. It would be the hardest thing I would ever do – or have done since. Still, I prayed

Meeting expectant parents considering adoption is nerve-wracking, especially when you’re doing it for the first time. In fact, it may be the most stressful part of the entire networking process–and given how challenging adopting a baby through open adoption can be, that’s saying a lot! After everything you’ve gone through to get to this stage —the mountains of red tape, the endless meetings with your social worker, the hours you’ve spent creating your profile and getting it out there— the last