Changes

I'm not sure what the future holds for us in terms of adopting again, which is very disheartening. Vietnam is closing their program; Guatemala has its problems; and the wait in China continues to grow beyond a reasonable expectation. I just pray that all of this change ultimately results in the absolute good of the children who are currently living in orphanages and are left waiting for families.

Got It in Ya'

An inspiring thought from my friend Maggie over at No Mommy Brain!

The Wait

My heart goes out to those adoptive families who are waiting for their daughters of China (and from other countries, for that matter). The process is still at a snail's pace and not expected to increase any time soon. I can tell you from personal experience, the wait truly feels like a suffering too difficult to bear at times. Yesterday at mass, the reading struck me, and I thought of all the adoptive families awaiting their hopes:

Beloved:If you are patient when you suffer for doing what is good, this is a grace before God. 1 Peter 2:20

Those of you who are waiting, may God's Grace continue to sustain you. May patience be poured into you. You will have daughters...the perfect daughters; it's only a matter of time.

China's One-Child Policy

Read here to learn more about the complexity of the one-child policy. I just don't get the ideology behind it all. I can't see the rationale especially when you add human life into the mix.

Birthmother

I've been thinking a lot about my daughter's birthmother...how to tell her story without fully knowing it, how to honor her and her decision, and how to foster gratitude for her in my daughter's life. It's somewhat difficult to determine the age appropriateness of this topic, but thankfully, there are many children's books out there, written by adoptive parents, that help introduce the subject.

One book that I've recently learned about is Letters of Love from China, written from the perspective of the birthmother. It won the 2008 Mom's Choice Silver Award for the Best Children's Book in the Family Life category.

"Written from a birth mom's perspective, Letter of Love from China by Bonnie Cuzzolino, paints a loving and respectful picture of a child's relinquishment in China. Through vivid and colorful illustration, combined with clear, simple language with appeal to all ages, Letter of Love from China has a poignant yet uplifting message. So often parents struggle with positive ways to answer questions about why their child was abandoned in China. This book will help parents answer these questions and communicate the heartfelt and loving choice that a birth mom in China makes, and the cultural context behind this decision. It depicts the relinquishment for what it is, a selfless act of love." Beth Smith, MS Director of Services, China Program, Holt International

Losses in Adoption

Paula, over at Heart, Mind and Seoul blog writes a powerful post about weighing the losses in adoption. It's a must read for every adoptive parent.

"I believe that it is okay for children to have feelings other than gratitude and happiness about their adoption. I think it's okay to recognize their losses and to give them the language, the opportunity, a safe place and most importantly, the permission to express every emotion they may have about each step in their life story. I believe it's okay to say, "I'm so sorry for your loss" and "I'm sorry for your first parent's losses", too."

Chickens on Steroids Disqualified from the Beijing Olympics

Hmmm, an interesting story in The NY Times regarding China's chicken and the Olympics.

Happy Spring Day!

Vaccinations

And now back to the topic of vaccinations...the last few weeks since being home, I've been asked by government workers, paperwork, and doctors -- "HAS YOUR CHILD BEEN VACCINATED SINCE BEING IN THE U.S.?" Geez, I just got home! Will you give me a chance to catch my breath, people!

In response to the maddening question, I am reading Dr. Sears' The Vaccine Book: Making the Right Decision for Your Child, and can honestly say, I'm feeling much more equipped and confident to handle the whole vaccination debate. After twelve years of research on the topic, Dr. Sears compiles excellent information on each of the childhood vaccinations. I highly recommend his book for other parents treading this subject with certain trepidation. While he's not against vaccinations, Dr. Sears does offer pertinent information and an alternative schedule for those parents who like to weigh all the facts before making a decision...because let's face it, the FDA does have its recalls occasionally and doctors are learning more about diseases in med school, than about the vaccines that prevent them. Yes, public health is absolutely important, but parents should not feel guilty about being their child's advocate first. We should not be intimidated about wanting to feel comfortable with the facts before making these kinds of decisions for our children. That's our absolute right as parents.

And, for your reading pleasure, go here .