My heart longs for you to be in my arms. Since I cannot hug you today, or physically hand you this big tacky heart or teddy bear I am envisioning, I can give you a different kind of Valentine. This Valentine is a bouquet of hopes, dreams and good wishes instead of roses, daisies and tulips. In this bouquet I have put: ♥ A prayer for your biological mother and father -that the Lord gives them both extra strength and courage to choose life for you. I pray your mother has an easy pregnancy and that she dreams of your future with hope. ♥ A promise... Read more…

With over 1.5 billion active users worldwide, Facebook may be one of the best ways to expand your adoption outreach. In this article, we will provide guidance on how to effectively use Facebook to connect with expectant parents considering adoption. Let’s start by taking a look at what other hopeful adoptive families are doing on Facebook. You can search within Facebook using terms such as “hopeful adoptive parents”, “hoping to adopt”, “looking to adopt”, etc. As you will see, there are many adoptive family pages out there. Some with under 100... Read more…

Connections. They are what make life complete, allowing you to relate to another human being. We all have strong connections with our family, friends, or those we have known a long time. But how can we connect with an expectant mother we haven’t even met? How do we form a bond with someone who is faced with one of the biggest decisions of her life: Whether or not to place her baby for adoption? Through my experiences with adoption, I have found there are a few important things you can do when you Read more…

Why You Need An Adoption Profile Video There are many reasons not to create an adoption video: You don’t like the way you look on camera, your voice sounds funny, you are an extremely private family, and so on. And yet, in spite of all that, there are still several very good reasons why you should consider making one. Here are some of the best reasons you should consider adding an adoption profile video to your outreach:  • People like to watch videos. Videos are quick and easy to watch and (usually) more interesting than reading a lot of text.... Read more…

The internet has forever changed private adoption in the United States. With so many options available to adoptive parents, families are choosing to market themselves and expand their outreach via social media, custom websites, blogging platforms, and video sites like Youtube. Online advertising and connect sites are also growing in popularity each year. But having more options... Read more…

Adoption scams can be a devastating experience for hopeful adoptive parents. Fortunately, by educating yourself on adoption scams, you can help to minimize them. Today, we talk to attorney Anthony Zurica of Zurica Law. A practicing lawyer since 2006, Zurica has been handling adoptions in New York for the past three years. Find out what he has to say about adoption scams and what... Read more…

When you think of an adoption scam, being swindled out of money or goods often comes to mind. However, there is another form of scamming that is just as deceptive but far less tangible. It’s called emotional or psychological scamming. And, it’s unfortunately fairly common during the adoption process. Emotional scammers target their victims with one goal in mind: getting attention. They don’t want your money or gifts. Some enjoy... Read more…

I know in my heart that each and every one of us waiting to become parents through adoption will know the joy of holding our baby. It is just a matter of when it will happen.  Like many of you, my process has been long and filled with all kinds of unbelievable bumps and moments of hope.  I have never experienced such a roller coaster of emotions! There is no question that the adoption world is changing now that social media plays such a prominent role in our lives.  Adoption connection... Read more…

I remember hearing those dreaded words from my son’s adoptive mother. “Can you please not have contact with him until he graduates from high school.” He was nearing graduation and really struggling with his identity. His rebellion was at an all-time high and his parents feared that he wouldn’t graduate and be able to go to college. He had come so far and had been awarded a number of athletic scholarships. What a waste it would have been if he couldn’t take advantage of them. Because I worked with troubled teenagers in one of Chicago’s roughest... Read more…

Maybe you have a little time off during the holidays and want to make your profile all it can be. Or maybe your profile needs some pre-holiday attention but you are unsure where to begin.  Here are three easy things you can do today to help make your profile what it is meant to be- an honest reflection of you and the life you hope to share with a child. Get In The Habit Of Adding Blog / Diary Entries Every time you add to your diary, you are updating your profile.  Your diary is a quick and easy way to continue your story. The holidays are a great... Read more…