why all of the adoption posts?

Are you wondering why there's so many adoption posts lately? My question is, why not?!
Even though adoption has come a long way, it still seems like there is WAY more negative than positive out there. Let's face it, people still have a lot of misconceptions and preconceived notions about it, which more often than not, are inaccurate.

Take MTV's 16 and Pregnant for example.

I admit it, I watch. I don't know why though. Every week by the end, I'm completely frustrated and almost yelling at the TV. How often is adoption even considered as an option? How often do these young single mothers struggle? End up with the birth father? Graduate from high school? The list goes on and on.

So, that's why I feel the need to talk about something so close to my heart.

Have an adoption question? Want to know something about our adoptions? Ask away.
Leave me a comment or send me an email: hope2adoptbaby@yahoo.com

we love our birth mothers!

We love our boys' birth moms.

upcoming adoption event

This looks like a fun event!

What a fun way to celebrate adoption!

AND...
you're supposed to wear orange
because the theme is...
"ORANGE you glad for adoption?"

I don't know about you, but our house is set. Orange is our favorite color around here.

finding vs. waiting

I have finally figured out the difference...aren't you proud?! I can remember waiting by the phone and willing it to ring (and it never did) after we were approved for our first adoption. Our caseworker in Oregon was SO nice, but we'd go in for an appointment and he'd say, "well, just stay worthy" as words of encouragement. It always made me crazy. I have to say, though, that in those days it wasn't common knowledge that we were trying to adopt. We lived in a very small town, and we didn't want our personal business being discussed at the grocery store. (You laugh, but I'm totally serious.)

When we started the process for our second adoption, it was a lot different because people knew we had adopted Kaden and were looking to adopt again. We had several leads from people who knew of someone considering adoption, but none of them ever worked out. People told me that waiting was much easier the second time around because we already had Kaden...not true.

I guess 3rd times a charm, because I have been very proactive this time around with our finding efforts. It feels really good to be doing something vs. doing nothing and just waiting. I know that as we do everything that we can to promote our family, we will be blessed when its the right situation.

WAIT
W-What If?
A-Anxious
I-Insecure
T-Tense

FIND
F-Faith
I-Inspiration
N-Networking
D-Divine Intervention

Still want to know how you can help us in our finding efforts? Stay tuned...

the reality

You know, of course, that we're hoping to adopt again. But, the reality is it may or may not happen. Here's some of the statistics:

For every 16 adoptions that happen, there are 1,000 unwed births.

For every 17 adoptions, there are 1,000 abortions.

Our adoption agency (total) placed approximately 550 babies in 2009.

Our adoption agency (total) had approximately 1100 hopeful adoptive families in 2009.

Yikes.

We have hope, AND we have you to help us.

How you ask?

I'll save that for another day...

trick or treat

Here's pictures of our little monkeys in their costumes.

Kyle dressed up too.

Kaden was thrilled. Here are my 2 Army guys showing me their mean faces:

We stayed pretty close to home this year. The boys had a great time getting treats from all of the houses in our neighborhood, and giving them to whoever knocked at our door.

november is...

National Adoption Month!

Hopefully you know how we feel about adoption at our house. I thought this was a perfect picture to start off the month:


We had a really nice visit yesterday with some of Bosten's biological family. It was so good to see them!

The best part though, was later when Bosten and I were looking at pictures on the camera from the weekend. This picture came up and he got so excited and with the biggest grin on his face said,
"MY FRIENDS!"

Love it. I'm so glad that they came to see him, and I'm so glad he felt love from them.

Open adoption is a good thing.

The challenge has been issued from The R House to blog every day this month about adoption...we'll see how I do.

(Halloween pictures coming later today!)