Category Archives: Adoption Preparation SOOO…we were snowed/iced in for yet ANOTHER day on Friday!!! SO–the kids missed 5 days last week and it JUST SO HAPPENS Monday is a holiday (MLK Day!) SOO…we are hope AGAIN! Being stuck at home last week without being able to leave and drive…we had get creative. By Friday I was out of paint […] On transracial adoption…a video I found that I think has value…(notice I said VALUE–not very exciting or “touchy/feely”…and this momma loves touch/feely…but I DO think there is some value in this one)… These were ALL things we took very seriously when adopting transracially… How would our family handle forever looking different (and how would be […] I would love to read more about bonding/concooing etc with adoption. I have 5 bio children (2-11yrs) and we hope to adopt toddlers/babies (siblings 0-3) next year. Thanks for this post! I’ve seen the second video before and loved watching the young man and his mom. Speaking of funny looks or comments from strangers… My kiddos are 8 months apart and are very close is size but um…well, not in looks. 😉 I’ve had several people ask me if they were twins…I wasn’t really sure how to answer, but at least they are looking past the color of their skin! 🙂 Andrea – Thank you so much for writing this!!! My husband and I have just received our referral for a 5 month old baby boy and are trying to figure out how to put so many of these things in place while we are waiting to bring him home. The first 2 books that I pick up have to do with transracial families and totally see how important it is to have a “transracial community” in place for them. Unfortunately, we live in a very Caucasian area of town and I am wondering if you have any suggestions on how to create this type of community. Moving, of course, not an option. We are slowly meeting other families that are also adopting from Ethiopia which is a start. I would love your input! Thanks for sharing! I look forward to hearing more from you attachment entry!!! Thank you for posting this. It was an amazing read and totally inspiring. Great video!! We are in the process of adopting our second child, which will make this child #7 and our state requires classes and the woman on the 2nd video with her son, was the instructor. She is amazing, and just a wealth of information, she really has some wisdom going on! Thanks for posting, I’ll have to show my hubby. I too would love some info on starting a transracial family fellowship in a “seemingly” white town. Any suggestions?? Well…here they are ladies!!! Ready to see the list of sessions we’ve been working on…trust me–these are reason enough to miss updates on Frankie baby and ITY’s daily craze. I am super pumped about what God has in store for these ladies–and as a result…their FAMILIES too! Here you go…the breakouts for Created for Care […] This sounds incredible!! Canada is a bit too far away to make the trek but I am and will continue to be praying for each of the women who attend! God’ blessings on you as you continue to prepare and plan… each and every one of those break outs sound amazing…i am so bummed i am missing this but we just couldnt swing it. I have a question…is there anyway even if its in rough form, these sessions could be taped so that those of us who could not make it but are eagerly wanting to learn the same info could buy the tape/CD of the messages? Okay … I am soooo jealous. Just keeping it honest. Hong Kong has NEVER seemed so far away. WOW!!!! This covers all topics while keeping God right where He needs to be, in the center of it all! I used to organize seminars/speak before becoming a SAHM & I have to say that everyone involved in organizing this deserves some serious APPLAUSE! I am so thankful that there are people who are willing to sacrifice their time to help families who are about to embark on this rewarding journey. I will be praying that this is a spirit filled event that fills these mommas up. You have done an absolutely FANTASTIC JOB!!!! Thanks so much to everyone who has sacrificed so much to make this happen!The sessions all looks wonderful, you are making a difference for eternity! 🙂 Andrea this sounds amazing. I echo April…would LOVE to be able to order a CD of the messages since I cannot attend. Any way that could happen? We are working on this!!! BUT there is special a/v, mics, etc when recording and to do this 13 times…hits a cost between $10,000 and $15,000. I had no idea! BUT we ARE working on it:) No promises…but we are praying and hoping!  I’m still alive:). Hey guys!!! I’m still here…I’m just slowin’ down a bit as this season is already busy enough!!! We laid low for the rest of the week last week–and as of Friday we are seeing an attachment counselor What IS attachment counseling you ask??? An attachment counselor helps you see areas you can […] oh, this post brought tears to my eyes. I want to be there. My heart longs to have those experiences one day. I think the picture at the bottom is what put me over the edge. I LOVE it. I want my own. 🙂 Oh my … that photo says it all! Hi! I love your pictures! How did you find an attachment counselor? Do you know if they would be able to recommend one in my area? We brought home 5 month old twin girls and we notice a lot more fears/insecurities in one of our daughters. We are trying to be really proactive, but after 8 months home, we sometimes notice huge steps back… I’m still resting up…but I had to share this. (Please turn off music up top before watching these) Faces of Adoption from Videos for AGCI on Vimeo. Much of my being tired and needing to slow down is due to the fact we grew our family this year through adoption and we have added LOTS […] LOVE this, Andrea! I so needed this encouragement tonight as we begin this journey in 2011! I am trusting that maybe this time next year we will be dancing with our little girl, and she will be ONE LESS! Love you, my sweet friend! Thank you Andrea… this week has been so special to us and this brought tears to my eyes! I can’t wait for the day that I’m dancing with my little one. Loved seeing your pic in the video 🙂 I have watched that video so many times. I love it and can’t wait until our daughter’s face is among the many adorable ones who are no longer orphans. Thank you for reminding me that it will be worth it. Today was just one of those days, where I needed a reminder. Thanks for your prayers for all of us mommas of the 2011 children coming home!! Can’t wait to have our baby girl home…and I LOVE the AGCI video!! *tears* So excited to (hopefully) be telling our own one less..well hopefully 2 less…story next Christmas! Rest well Andrea! Hey! I found your blog through a friend a few weeks ago and I keep coming back. I love your heart for the Lord and your children. I am in tears watching that video and am also that wife who would love for her husband to say yes! Thanks for allowing us all a glimpse into your life. |
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I’m excited to hear some of the good stuff at the retreat about attachment. We definitely need to get reading on it.
I followed the discussion on th listserv last week about how to tell people that you will be initially parenting the adopted child a little differnently and I am already dreading trying to explain it. The problem is, the people who will have the hardest time understanding are the closest to us, parents, grandparents. I know they’ll think we’re just being nuts! But I suppose it’s better to hurt their feelings than overwhelm our child with a bunch of strangers.
my husband and I are EARLY in the process of considering adoption (well, beyond considering, but not quite starting) … as I’ve been reading several books, I haven’t found a lot of specific information about attachment. Just that it’s something REALLY important to be educated about. So … thanks for the timely post and great resources in this area!
Hi Andrea,
This is a great post! I am coming to the retreat and wondered if you could give us ladies any advice on how to help our children while their mommies are gone for a few days. This will be the first time that I leave our adopted daughter (we’ve been home almost 9 months) and I’m a little worried about it attachment wise. If you or anyone you know might have some helpful tips or things to say/do to help reassure would be wonderful!
Allison
Would love to hear the exercises. We adopted B at 2 1/2-now almost 4. She is doing really well (still crawls into our bed in the middle of the night, needs mommy and daddy when she gets hurt, etc) but I think we can all benefit from attaching. I think of it as putting money in the bank because weare starting the process for another little one. Thanks for the reminder and the info. I also loved reading everything while waiting for B:)
This was so helpful to read today, as I am right now sitting in a hotel getting ready to head to the airport and get on a plane to Ethiopia. We get to meet our son!! I have not walked this road before, but I think prayer is a huge part of this. We have been praying for months that God would begin the healing process in our little guy’s heart and prepare his heart for us and our heart for him.
I love, love that you are touching on these important yet often ignored issues! After reading adoptee forums in researching adoption I have been shocked by how many adopted teens/adults feel detached & like they are “outsiders” in their own families/lives. Helping parents understand attachment, the brain, & the importance of building identity is going to help so many families. God is definitely working through you to be a light for so many families who are on this journey together!
Would you mind tweaking the section you wrote here about attachment and reposting it on We Are Grafted In? Our readers are always looking for information on attachment and I think your words here would be helpful — Let me know!