“I wonder what I’ll look like when I”m grown.”
“Certificate of Live Birth and Parentage”
The document we receive is not called a Mothering Certificate, it’s a Certificate of Live Birth. So why isn’t the birth mother’s name on there?
“The Therapeutic Value of Playing Our Adoption Game”
My daughter was two when I first met her at the orphanage in Russia. I knew nothing about the first years of her life, and she has no conscious memories of that time—but an elaborate fantasy life that she cultivated gave me a glimpse into how she may have experienced her early years.
“Who’s His Real Mom?”
My little brother was stunned, and I was enraged, when a schoolmate asked an innocent question.
“A Home for Helen”
She was a motherless five-year-old living in an Ethiopian orphanage. The package in her hands promised a brighter future.
“Visiting My Daughter’s Birth Mother”
Taking my daughter to visit her birth mother, I found that, while shared genes make them alike in some ways, it’s shared experiences that make us family.
“Helpless Love”
There is an irrevocable moment when you become a parent, an instant when the idea of your child enters your heart forever.
“My Hands-On Wait”
I wasn’t going to just wait around during the wait. Instead, I filled the time with networking, decorating the baby’s nursery, and more.
“The Baby Who Never Cried”
Our newly adopted baby didn’t like to cuddle, and, when needed us, he either banged his head on the floor or screamed at the top of his lungs.
“Old Bones”
I’ve reached a point in life where both my young daughter and my aging mother depend on me. Can I afford to be fragile?
“Open Adoption Works for Us”
From a rocky start, we’ve built a relationship with our children’s birth families that has enriched their lives, and ours.
Making a Life for Two
Looking back at her sometimes difficult transition to family life, a mom describes learning to take care of herself as well as her daughter.
“We Are All Storytellers”
The desire to give our children a history is something we all share. Here’s how I turned the story of bringing my son home into an adoption memoir.
“The Tie That Binds”
Whether you follow rituals from your own childhood or establish new ones, one truth remains the same: Traditions are what memories are made of. Here, four families share their stories.
“Until the Real Thing Comes Along”
After adopting in mid-life, I found I welcomed the role of single parent. Perhaps this is because I can deal only with one big relationship at a time, and my daughter takes up all the room.
“Our Dog Helped My Daughter Realize Family Is Forever”
Hugging our new dog, my daughter learns that no matter what the behavior, our family is forever.
“Support by the Book Club”
A book club to read about our children’s birth cultures became a support group, a forum to discuss the similar parenting issues we were facing.
[Book Excerpt] Mamalita
Read a chapter of Jessica O’Dwyer’s adoption memoir Mamalita.
Getting the Adoption Call
We asked our readers to share their stories about getting the adoption call. Where were you? How did you react? Read how they received the joyful news!
“Guarding Tess” — A Father’s Story
I learned that the ultimate gift of love comes not from the receiver, but from the giver.