I know my parents were trying to protect me. But all their secrecy made me feel like something was wrong with me.
“Our Leap of Faith: Finding Birth Relatives in Russia”
We made the trip, unsure whether we would even find Marina’s orphanage, and ended up finding the answers to her deepest questions.
“What No One Told Me”
When we first met our child’s birth mother, we didn’t know what to talk about and what not to talk about, what might upset her or what she may or may not want to know about her child’s future with us.
“Lost Daughter”
When we got our referral, we accepted it with joy. Soon after, however, we realized something wasn’t right.
Our Adoption Referral Story
AF readers share how they reacted when they received their adoption referral.
“Hold on Tight”
Having Joseph has helped me put everything in perspective. But before the adoption was final, it was the ride of my life.
“My So-Called Friends”
The other day, I mentioned to a coworker that my husband and I were looking into international adoption. You’d have thought I said we were thinking of becoming terrorists. “What do you mean, you’re going to adopt from Russia? What about all the kids in Milwaukee who need good homes?” she demanded indignantly.
“Motherhood in the Balance”
I sat at the kitchen table, holding the phone receiver as I waited for Nancy, our social worker at the adoption agency, to come on the line. How could I tell her that I had just been diagnosed with bipolar disorder?
“Facing Our Fears About Adoption”
Some adoptions don’t end well. Were we wrong to be afraid?
[Book Review] Carried in Our Hearts
She’s collected some of the most memorable stories she’s heard and lived through in Carried in Our Hearts.
Parent-to-Parent: Deciding to Adopt
When did you know adoption was in your future? AF readers reflect.
“My Daughter’s Loving, Supportive Role Model”
I don’t always know how our racial differences affect my daughter. But I know that having a role model of the same race has been a blessing for her — and for me.
“Choosing Not to Share My Children’s Adoption Story”
May I take my children to the grocery store or the library without announcing where they came from, or my own history? I think, yes.
“Our Stages of Labor and Delivery”
Although I did not endure physical childbirth, I know every emotion that pours in when motherhood begins.
“Looking Different, Dressing Alike”
When we stepped into the next parking lot, she took my hand again. “It’s good we’re wearing our shoes,” she said. “We match. That way, people know we belong together.”
“How I Feel About Using Donor Eggs”
I have talked with many people who have adopted or used donor eggs or sperm, and they all say the same thing: “It doesn’t matter at all! This is our child one thousand percent.”
“Visiting Our Daughter’s Orphanage”
One of the cold realities of adopting an older child from China is that she comes with a lot of questions, many of which you can’t answer.
“What Are the Chances We’ll Get ‘The Call’ This Week?”
I finally realized that this was “The Call” when my social worker said, “Do you remember when you said this would be the worst week for you to get picked by an expectant mother?”
“Our Love Stayed with Him”
As foster parents, you hope that the love and security you offer will stay in a child’s heart. When we reconnected with a boy we fostered through two reunifications 14 years ago, we found that it had.
“Should I Play the ‘Adoption Card’?”
I began to have second thoughts about sharing my story in application essays — just as it’s no one else’s business, it shouldn’t factor into a college’s decision to accept me.