1. ANNOUNCEMENTS:
   - Ask the Adoption Doctor
   
2. FEATURED ADOPTION BLOGS
3. HIGHLIGHTED ARTICLES
4. ADOPTION NEWS
5. ADOPTION LAW & POLICY NEWS
6. FEATURED ADOPTION PRODUCT
7. FEATURED WAITING CHILDREN
8. MEET NEW HOPEFUL ADOPTIVE PARENTS
9. ADOPTION GEM - inspirational thought
10. ADOPTION BUZZ - message board discussions
11. JUST FOR THE FUN OF IT - clean weekly humor
12. FEATURED ADOPTION PROFESSIONAL
13. ADOPTION POETRY
14. SPEAK OUT - contributions from our readers

Adoption Network Law Center - Why wait? Our 2006 stats show most families selected by a birth mom were matched within 4 months. Let 2007 be the year you grow your family! Call for a free consultation.

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Ask the Adoption Doctor
Get your questions about international adoption-related medical, psychological, social work, and legal issues answered online at no cost. Every month, the adoption medicine specialists and associates of AdoptionDoctors.com will answer your questions about your concerns in these areas. These questions and more are part of a new feature that has been added to our International Adoption site: Ask the Adoption Doctor. Visit Ask the Adoption Doctor, check out the newest questions and the archives, and submit your own question.

Adopting a Sibling Blog - Family Photo
I love this photo. I loved it the first time I saw it almost 15 years ago in an LDS church magazine for youth in their teenage years, and love it even more...more

Birth / First Parent Blog - Time Magazine Article on Crisis Pregnancy Centers
"We May Not Have It All Together, But Together We Have It All." My very favorite part of my home is this wall in my dining room. This wall has a plaque with the above saying across the very top....more

China Adoption Blog - UN Committees, Lost Girls & "Gendercide"
There seems to be more emotive language flying around the world of Chinese adoption lately....more

Read and comment on more adoption blogs at http://www.adoptionblogs.com.

Am I Spoiling My Disabled Child? - Gary Direnfeld, MSW, RSW
My child has a serious developmental disability and my partner says I am spoiling him. What should I...more

Adoption Language: Another Perspective - Josée Larose
With the increasing popularity and profile of adoption, particularly in America, has come more awareness of the fact that the various members of the adoption community have varying, and sometimes conflicting, rights, needs and perspectives....more

Blending the Color of Families through Adoption: A Questioning Look at Some of the Fears, Phobias and Fallacies - Rita Jenkins
Were you ever one of those people who felt that adopting a child was out of the question simply because it called into question so many ... questions? Were you ever afraid to consider it...more

Read the entire text of these articles at e-Magazine.adoption.com, and submit your adoption-related articles for possible publication in this newsletter. All submissions will be subject to the applicable terms, restrictions and conditions of Adoption Media, L.L.C.

Fired for Wanting to Adopt - The Sun
A woman who was sacked for planning to adopt a child has won a landmark case....more

Volunteers Sought for Stressful Job as Advocates for Children in Foster Care - The Villages Daily Sun
It took five years of testifying in court, visiting a traumatized little girl in various foster homes and watching her grow up not knowing where she belonged....more

Foster Parents Sought in Nash - Rocky Mount Telegram
The Nash County Department of Social Services will hold a meeting tonight for anyone who is interested in serving as-and whom officials hope will eventually become-adoptive or foster parents....more

Read more headlines at news.adoption.com.

February 21, 2007

WEEKLY NEWS SUMMARY

FEDERAL LAW/State Systems/Effect on Foster Children
WASHINGTON: "Smith Bill Aims to Protect Foster-Care Kids"
KTVZ.com news; February 16, 2007
Click here.

WEEKLY CASE SUMMARY

STATE LAW/Adoption/Putative Father Registry
ILLINOIS: J.S.A v. M.H.
The Supreme Court of Illinois vacated the appellate court’s finding that it lacked jurisdiction to hear the interlocutory appeal filed by Appellees’ and that it was compelled to find that all orders entered by the...more
Cite: No. 101697; 2007 Ill. LEXIS 426 (Ill. Sup. Ct. February 1, 2007)

Credit: National Center for Adoption Law & Policy
Link: http://www.law.capital.edu/adoption

"We really are enjoying being on the photolisting. Thank you for working with us and thank you for a superb site."
~ Alla Afinogenova, Director, Adoption Ark International

International Waiting Child

Marta
Family Creations, Inc is proud to announce the arrival of our new baby girl Marta from Guatemala. Marta is currently residing in a small orphanage in Guatemala City where she is receiving lots of love and attention while waiting for her forever family....more

Ken & Heather (UT) Todd & Diane (NJ) Geoff & Gabby (LA)

Chris & Shelly (CA) William & Eve (NY) John & Kristi (MI)

Are you pregnant? Visit parentprofiles.com (a service of Adoption Profiles, L.L.C.) to choose who you feel will be the right adoptive parents for your baby.

Are you a hopeful adoptive parent? Explore tools to help build your profile. (Sponsored by Adoption Profiles, L.L.C., which is solely responsible for its content)

Getting Started - Hello, I'm Looking for Suggestions Adoption Poetry - Adoption Support Poem Disciplining - How Can I Make My Kids Share California Adoption Records - CA Search Angel in Training Lutheran Adoption - Any Lutherans Want to Chat? Special Needs Adoption - Of General Parenting Interest New Jersey Foster & Adoption - Liscensing Visit


For more on-line adoption discussions, visit forums.adoption.com.

Fishing License

A couple of young boys were fishing at their special pond off the beaten track. All of a sudden, the Game Warden jumped out of the bushes. Immediately, one of the boys threw his rod down and started running through the woods.

The Game Warden was hot on his heels. After about a half mile, the young man stopped and stooped over with his hands on his thighs to catch his breath, so the Game Warden finally caught up to him. "Let's see yer fishin' license, Boy!" the Warden gasped. With that, the boy pulled out his wallet and gave the Game Warden a valid fishing license.

"Well, son," said the Game Warden, "you must be about as dumb as a box of rocks! You don't have to run from me if you have a valid license!" "Yes, sir," replied the young guy, "but my friend back there, well, he don't have one."

Submitted by: Ewsonline

Share your family-appropriate humorous adoption story or joke for possible publication in this newsletter. All submissions will be subject to the applicable terms, restrictions and conditions of Adoption Media, L.L.C.

Childplace, Inc
  Located in Jeffersonville, IN, Louisville, KY
   Phone: (812) 282-8248 (Indiana)
               (502) 363-1633 (Kentucky)
   Fax: (812) 282-3291
   E-mail: Adoption Associates, LLC
   see our hopeful parent profiles
   Services:   • Adoption Agencies • Home Studies
   Countries:   • United States

Find adoption agencies, attorneys and other adoption professionals in your area at adoptiondirectory.com. When you contact adoption professionals using our directory, please make sure to let them know how you found them.

See what your own directory ad could look like.

I have been searching for my birth family for many years. I have found out a lot of information, but have not yet found them. I was born March 23, 1959 in Peoria, Illinois, Crittenton Home for Unwed Mothers as it was called at that time. My birthmother was 26 and my birthfather was 29. If they are still living they would be 74 and 77 now. I know that my birth father was diabetic at the time of my birth so it is unlikely he is still living but there is a possibility that my birth mother may still be alive. Her last name at the time of my birth was Clayton. From information I have dug up it is a possibility that she was from Western Indiana (maybe the Evansville area) and possibly her family owned a departmental store. I am still seeking to find my birth family and some day I hope it will happen. At this time I would like to let my birth mom know that as my birthday approaches I am doing well. While life does not go as a well as fairy tales and there are always some detours life throws at you, I have developed into a well-rounded, easy going man. Thank you for giving me life! Maybe some day I will meet someone from my birth family. So until that time I will keep searching. Thanks, Rob

It saddens me to hear so many stories of open adoption gone bad, adoption practices that are deceitful, lost children looking for birthparents they may never find, and so many other things that are too lengthy to mention. I am a birthmother myself and would never have placed my son had the agency I went through only been honest with me. I read this somewhere in my internet travels and thought it was most fitting, agencies present open adoption as a beautiful box of candy, but once the box is open it is empty. There were so many things they neglected to tell me and I know why? It would not have been in their favor to be completely honest with me. All they were really looking to do was sell my son. I believe that anyone with an unplanned pregnancy should first read a pamphlet written by concerned united birthparents before even thinking about adoption. Their website is cubirthparnets.org. This is information every woman considering adoption should read FIRST. I only wish I had found them before I placed my son. Again if you are thinking about adoption of any kind, please read this information first. It would be comforting to know that not another woman could be hurt by not being told the whole truth. God Bless. Bobbie

Hi everyone, my name is Wendy and I was born and adopted in Rochester, New York, in 1966. I have had a wonderful childhood and my adoptive parents and siblings are wonderful!! I don't think I could have been blessed with a better life. I had been raised knowing I was adopted along with my adopted brother, curious but never searching to find who was out there. Over 20 years ago, my birth mother contacted me through a letter in the mail. I will never forget that feeling! I had no idea what to do, think, or say! At the time, I was not ready for a new "family" I had all the family and love I needed. Feeling very fortunate, I met my siblings, and my birth father (who were not together, but tried to get back together when I came into the picture). He was killed in a work related accident shortly after I had met him. Sad, but blessed I had the chance to see where I got my good looks from!
  I lost contact with my birth mom intentionally. I think I was too young and scared to handle having a relationship with her and my siblings. I know I must have hurt her and the family bad. But I felt like I was hurting my adoptive parents. They are everything to me. I would like to have contact with my siblings. I think of them often, wondering if I have nieces and nephews out there. The family is from Syracuse and their (my birth mom) mother's last name is Crosby. Please email me if there is anyone out there who can help. I have looked them up in many different ways, with no luck. Best of luck to everyone out there, may God give you the strength to find what you are looking for and to have the power and courage to accept. Peace, Wendy

I am an adoptee searching for my birth family for many years. Although I have the most wonderful parents in the world, I still have a void in my life not knowing where I came from. My birth mother was 16 when I was born and stayed at the Methodist Home for Unwed Mothers in New Orleans, Louisiana. I have provided my information on various websites and have also sent my info to the state registry in Louisiana. I was adopted by a family from Texas when I was 6 weeks old. I don't wish to hurt or disrupt anyone's live, I simply would love to know my roots and say thank you to the beautiful woman who brought me into this world.

Hi, I am a sad birth mother. A searching agency tried for 2 years to find my daughter. She was born October 14, 1967 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The records are archived in Virginia somewhere. She is nearing 40 and my only hope now is to know if she wants to contact me.

I am requesting any information anyone may know about Nancy Wilson, maiden name with children named Raymond, David and little Nancy. She also has a redheaded sister named Shirley and mother Mary Wilson. I am her fourth child Beckie Theresa (birth name) born in Columbia, South Carolina on 3/27/58. I have found my birth father who was married to her at the time of my birth. I have health matters and need to find her. She moved from Columbia in 1979.

I am still searching for my grandson who was given up for adoption at birth. He was born September 23, 1980 in Portland, Oregon. I know he has the same cleft in his chin that my son, Curtis Lew White got from his father. My grandson's mother and I have both registered on many sites to try and locate him. She has filed the necessary paperwork in Portland, Oregon, to be notified. He will be 27 this year and I'm hoping with the passing of time he may want to be in touch with his birth family, to learn of the circumstances of his birth and any health concerns there might be. If this information is familiar to you or someone you know, please email me. Thank you. Irene

My birth name is Kelley Jean Kerley and was born November 8, 1964 at Daniel Freeman Hospital, Los Angeles, California, and was adopted through the Adoption Institute. I have gone through a searching agency and they were unable to find my birth parents (mother's maiden name Hudson and father's P.B. Kerley). I am hoping posting some of my information will help in searching for my birth parents as I would like to know any possible significant medical information. When I was adopted it would be very limited as my birth parents were young. I would also like them to know I have the most wonderful parents in the world. I had always known I was adopted because my parents were so proud. I was so blessed to have them in my life. My mother was truly my best friend. Unfortunately I lost her a year ago to Cancer. Losing her was devastating. My dad and I have a wonderful relationship and I am now with him as he is 81. My parents have always been supportive of me searching for my birth parents as they know it was not to fill a void from their parenting or my relationship with them. Thank you for the time. Sincerely, Kathy

On January 16, 2007 I posted to Speak Out, "Each week I read the Speak Out section" from the Jan 23 issue regarding my search for my birth family (mother, father, siblings). On February 21, 2007 I had phone conversations with my brother and birth mother! This has been a miraculous journey and all the credit goes to the search angels, Brenda O, Margaret K, Pam, and others I may not be aware of who assisted in locating my family. My search began in 1984, and I obtained my non-ID information in 2005 where I found out I have two siblings. Having this information was critical in locating my birth family. My brother was also given up for adoption and we had an amazing call. We are both very anxious to meet in person. My birth mother and sister are also looking forward to meeting me. This has been so positive and I am grateful to all those who assisted in my search. I've always said that time tells the truth and this applies here as well. I'm still emotionally overwhelmed and know that this is just the beginning of a new chapter in life. My advice to those still searching is to keep the faith and approach it with clarity on what outcome you wish to receive. Thank you so very much! Linda

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