National Adoption Awareness Month Part 3

"Somehow destiny comes into play. These children end up with you and you end up with them. It's something quite magical." Nicole Kidman

10 Suggestions for Celebrating National Adoption Awareness Month (taken from Adoptive Families Magazine)

1. Start a tradition of taking a family photo each year on the same day so you can see how everyone’s changed. We desperately need to get a photo of all 4 of us in the same picture. I tend to be the one behind the camera lens. We’re due for a new family portrait for our upcoming holiday Christmas cards.

2. Make an effort to help someone who is considering adoption. If you’re a parent, tell them about the highs, the lows, the unforgettable moments. Tell them why you’d do it all over again! I’m the first to say that if we would have started this process five years earlier, I’d do it all over again. I’d especially consider ANOTHER special needs heart adoption.

3. Spend some time celebrating your child’s heritage. For recipes, activities, and other ideas, visit http://www.adoptivefamilies.com/heritage

4. Create a scrapbook with your child. Talk about significant events as you record them together. Get started with tips and tools at http://www.adoptivefamilies. com/scrapbooks Thanks to one of my favorite bloggers, I'm excited about the idea of using Blurb to turn our blog into a hard bound book. Thanks for the tip, Buffi.

5. Join an adoptive parent support group. I’m so happy to have found Chinese Culture Group of Greater Grand Rapids and look forward to their upcoming gatherings.

6. Talk to your employer about offering an adoption assistance plan. Thank you GVSU for offering such a program. Every little bit helped towards our adoption expenses and my FMLA time away without pay.

7. Develop a family ritual to show thanks for your family and the special way you’ve found one another. See http://www.adoptivefamilies.com/rituals for ideas.

8. Make holiday crafts that incorporate designs from your child’s heritage. Just wait to you see our Chinese Christmas tree. Emma and I had a grand time making decorations for it last year and can’t wait to include Josie in our decorating festivities this year.

9. Write a thank-you letter to the judge, social worker, or other professional who made your adoption happen. Sarah Z. – We can’t thank you enough for everything you did to help our adoption journey. Your personal touch far exceeded anything we ever expected. You're the best!!

10. Together, light a candle in honor of your child’s birthparents. Turn off the lights and hold hands as you watch the flames.


PS. We got our first measurable snow on Sunday. As we get closer to Josie's hand surgery (12/18), I'd love any tips for dressing a toddler who will be sporting a hand-to-shoulder cast for five weeks. I'm guessing I need to buy a bigger coat and bigger size tops??? I'm open to any and all advice from Mom's who have had a child with a limb in a cast.