Adoption

Choosing Adoption - With choosing adoption comes many decisions immediately following: What adoption agency will I use? Do I want to adopt a boy or a girl? When I adopt, will the child be an infant? 5 yrs. old? or a teenager? These are all important questions that need to be addressed. More: continued here Other Review: Uncle Wiggily and Kitty Kat (An Uncle Wiggily storybook) (Paperback)

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Authorities in Malawi are set to grant full adoption rights of an African boy to Madonna, a high court official indicated Friday, citing a leaked document.The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the court in Lilongwe would hear a full review on May 15 of an 18-month interim custody order granted in 2006 for [...]

If you are considering exotic pet adoption, you are not alone. Every year, more and more people decide that a normal cat or dog isn't the right pet for them. There are many different types of exotic pets available that there really is a pet that goes well with almost every type of personality.However, adopting an exotic pet can be kind of frustrating, too. Read these tips to help you decide which kind of pet you want.Exotic pet adoption is such a big ordeal, make sure to take time during the process to think everything through. We have all seen beautiful pets and wanted to take them home right away.However, in a few days if you realize that you bit off more than you could chew, you might not be able to give the pet back. Instead of buying on an impulse, go home, clear your head and think a

IBM (NYSE: IBM) announced today that the Viet Nam Information for Science and Technology Advance Innovation Portal goes live on an IBM cloud computing infrastructure. The interactive online portal will be used by Vietnamese government institutions and universities to develop education programs for Service Science Management and Engineering (SSME), an emerging academic discipline and research

Salesforce.com surpasses 7,000 EMEA customers and nearly 140,000 subscribers in first fiscal quarter of 2009 LONDON, May 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — salesforce.com Dreamforce Europe user conference — Salesforce.com , the market and technology leader in Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) and Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), today announced customers and partners across EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) are adopting salesforce.com SaaS [...]

For years Mother’s Day made me cry. More than just cry. I would hide in the corner and sob. Fine introduction to what I love best about Mother’s Day wouldn’t you say? But the truth is I’m an infertile. And for infertiles, Mother’s Day can be the toughest day of the year. We look around at our friends and sisters with a jealousy that hits us to the core. We wallow in a silent self pity that only a few can understand. That is what Mother’s Day used to be for me. That changed in 2007. May of 2007 I celebrated my first true Mother’s Day. The first time I received a Mother’s Day card from my son and he had actually scribbled in it. The first time I rolled over in the bed and he said, “Happy Mother’s Day mommy.” I have to say, having my child be able to

weird factsROCHESTER, Wash. — Rats from a heavily infested house here are being trapped to be offered for adoption as pets.After being alerted by neighbors, Thurston County animal control officials served a search warrant on April 9 at the residence of Michele Diller, 64. They found that pet rats had ruined the house, chewing through walls, cupboards, drawers and wires, soaking carpets with urine and covering floors with feces. The officials removed a cat, four severely malnourished snakes, five mice and two rats.Since then, county health officials have said the house will be condemned and Diller has moved to an apartment in neighboring Lewis County to await assisted-living housing.Poisoned traps were set for a time to eliminate the rats, apparently the offspring of a few Diller purchase

The trend in Hollywood of late has been to adopt children from under privilege countries. Previous years trends has been as we are all aware to have a miniature dog as a fashion item. Paris Hilton who is known in America for her love of trend setting denounced the move in the press yesterday after months of silent anger.Our Ace reporter Eris Shun spoke to Miss Hilton at one of her many palatial Californian homes. “I thought that this would all be a flash in the pan but to hear Madonna is trying to adopt another child I think it’s freaking terrible.” The dulcet toned beauty spat out to our roving reporter. “Nothing happens in this country with out me creating the current trend. I wanted the next trend to be Elephants but that bitch goes and does this.” Ms Hilton, heiress to the

Baby Nancy is the last available female that we have Left, below lets Us know if you will like her to be a Part of Your family she is Very Healthy and Smart very Friendly to kids and Others House pets like Playing With Them and Watching Tv with them nick name Called Little Baby [...]

I've been giving a lot of thought to the comments and advice given concerning our daughter at the residential center. It really did tick me off that they considered our not even wanting to discuss terminating our parental rights as being selfish but I think what really bothers me is how flippant they are to adopted children. I'm beginning to think that it's really a much larger societal problem in that society feels adopted children are somehow less than a birth child.I think of the many run ins over the years with people who are just plain uneducated on adoption and what it means and in those cases if it's that they are uneducated about adoption then I can have a little more understanding and patience. Who I don't expect it from are doctors, lawyers, police officers and therapists."Te

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Celebrity Adoption Announcements - The media regularly features celebrity adoption announcements that often give us to ooh and aah over the latest additions to these families. Child adoptions among the stars is a growing trend and seems to be next big thing following the rush of mini-dog additions as wardrobe accessories - what has the world come to. Hopefully, the rush to adopt is preceded by thoughtful consideration to the futures of these child and the long-term commitment that is required out of this process. More: continued here Other Review: GumDrop Preemie Natural Scent Pacifier (Baby Product)

Talking about the impact of religious beliefs on adoption is hard. I think it's one of the most important discussions we can have, though, because our opinions on these puts many of us who otherwise would unite around the issue of adoption ethics on opposing teams.The problem starts with the fact that discussions of religion and adoption tend to polarize along these lines:I believe deeply in God and believe he has a plan for me that includes raising the child of another. I believe that those who work in support of adoption are doing God's work. There are many scriptural passages that support my beliefs.Religion and adoption do not mix. Anytime religion has been present in adoption, it has led us down a dark path and caused terrible pain for many women and their children. Religious ado

This makes me happy. "When the Army plans to invade a city, it brings in the big guns. Huntsville Animal Services is doing the same Sunday when it invades the Wal-Mart parking lot on University Drive with dozens of animals for adoption. The city shelter is getting a big boost from the largest pet adoption agency in the world, the North Shore Animal League of New York, which will be helping

Your adoption profile is much more than a letter of intent. It is perhaps the most important first impression you will ever make. It’s the ultimate pass/fail, and we all want to pass. More: continued here

Information On Adoption - There are many reasons why a child may be without a home and loving parents to take care of their needs and prepare them for adulthood. Death may have removed the birth parents from the picture. The child may be the result of an unwanted pregnancy. More: continued here Other Review: Peekaboo Lavender Butterfly Table Lamp LP55659 (Kitchen)

"Right now, as I am writing this, dog rescue organizations across the country are being inundated with requests for adoption of their dogs. Why? Because Oprah Winfrey said so. Oprah told everyone - well, okay, her viewers, so close enough - to go out and adopt from their local rescue or shelter, so everyone - yes, everyone - knows what that means." ******************* "Adopting a pet from a

A blog reader had wrote me two weeks ago and asked if I'd address her question here but then life happened such as it does in large families and I never answered.The question was how did we go about blending both birth and adoptive children without having our adoptive children feeling slighted.At some point in life no matter if you're adopted or a birth child you are going to have feelings of being slighted. Such is life. I don't go out of my way trying to "make up" for the bad times in my adopted children's lives before they came here. I hear , I listen but, never allow them to make excuses for their actions due to past events in their lives. Society isn't going to give them that leeway either so they best learn now.Our children also have grown up without the label of adoption. We don

Please call and email Senator Ronda Storms (R- Florida) who heads the committee that is responsible for a newly introduced bill to ease the Gay adoption ban in Florida. She maintains she will not allow the bill to come up for a vote in the committee.District Office:313 E. Robertson StreetBrandon, FL 33511Email: storms.ronda.web@flsenate.govPhone: (813) 651-2189

Last week I posted about how I was leaving on a business trip and stressing about the fact that our foster daughters were going to be placed in respite care.  I wanted to follow up and let you know how it's going.Oronzo dropped the girls off on Monday afternoon.  He told me that initially Boo seemed un-phased by being at Barb and Jim's house (the respite care providers) again.  But when Oronzo started heading for the door without her, she started to cry.  Barb picked her up and held her on her lap to comfort her as Oronzo said his goodbyes.  Baby Bug didn't protest but she's only 4 1/2 months old so I wouldn't have expected her to.I've called Barb every day, since leaving for Vegas on Monday, to check on the girls.  Barb told me Boo was anxious most of Monday but on Monday evening

Where to Get Support for Adoption? - Adoption is a very complicated matter and it is important to get all the help you can. Support for adoption isn't only needed during the adoption process but also way beyond that. Here are some places where you can get support for adoption. More: continued here Other Review: Where the Sidewalk Ends: The Poems & Drawings of Shel Silverstein (Library Binding)

Easy-to-Follow Adoption Steps For a Successful Adoption - Adoption is a process that requires time, patience, effort and commitment. Serious applicants who have always wanted a child or an addition to their family need to follow certain adoption steps before they can finally say that the child is legally part of their family. More: continued here Other Review: Nursery Smarts Amelia Convertible Crib M White (Baby Product)

International Adoption FAQs - With the general improvements in American society brought about by various factors such as marriage counseling, employment opportunities, and medical science, the number of children who are put up for adoption by their natural parents, abandoned, or orphaned are steadily declining. While on the one hand this is definitely a blessing in terms of lives and families saved, but this fact is a problem for couples looking to adopt a child. To this end, many Americans have turned to international adoption as a means of finding a child they can raise as their own. More: continued here Other Review: Bella Dancerella Disney Princess Dance Studio (Toy)

Watch this short Expert Village clip on how to have your dog or cat via the appropriate pet adoption. The video discusses your choice of pet dog – that is, whether you will go for a cute tiny puppy, or just settle for a large grown up dog. Pet adoption allows you to legally own [...]

Are you in the process of adopting a child internationally? Often you are required to submit birth certificates, health records, verification of employment and more. The destination country may require the documents to be authenticated by the originating country prior to being accepted. If your documents originated in California then they will require a California Apostille. The Document Diva has handled a number of apostilles for adoptions from Russia and India. Please feel free to contact us at (562) 314-4319 for more information.Related post:What is an Apostille? Why do I need one?

Are you in the process of adopting a child internationally? Often you are required to submit birth certificates, health records, verification of employment and more. The destination country may require the documents to be authenticated by the originating country prior to being accepted. If your documents originated in California then they will require a California Apostille. The Document Diva has handled a number of apostilles for adoptions from Russia and India. Please feel free to contact us at (562) 314-4319 for more information.Related post:What is an Apostille? Why do I need one?

Getting Started With Child Adoption - Adopting a child is a major turning point in a couple's life, which is why knowing where to begin the adoption process can be quite difficult. Adoption allows your family to grow, expand, and become whole, but it's important to begin the journey properly and carry out a lot of research before you jump in head first. More: continued here Other Review: Peekaboo Lavender Butterfly Table Lamp LP55659 (Kitchen)

Gay Adoption - For quite a long time now lesbian and gay adoption has been in existence, but they are been done more discreetly, unlike now that it is done openly. In the past this type of adoption by lesbian and gay where not allowed by the law and this was why, when they want to adopt, they plan it as though they want to adopt just as many other loving parents would do. More: continued here Other Review: Easy Screen Baby Stroller Insect Net (Baby Product)

Here's a website with tons of information. "Welcome to our pet adoption mini website. Here you will find information about how you can obtain a pet through pet adoption. Here you will also find a list of resources you can use when seeking the right pet, along with the most current news about pet adoption. The information presented here is useful if you plan on adopting a pet in the United

We all know about China's population problem. Most of us are horrified at the Chinese one-child policy. China, in 1979, implemented the policy restricting the number of children a family can have to just one child. Unfortunately, a lot of controversies have stemmed from this policy. The Chinese people have been accused of doing everything from abortions to cannibalism in the wake of this government policy. Also stemming from this policy is the ever-increasing incident of parents abandoning young daughters. In China, sons are more valued, as tradition holds sons as the heirs of a bloodline. However, you should know that the one-child-policy is no longer enforced in some places. This does not significantly affect, however, the number of daughters abandoned each year. One solution the Chinese

Labrador Retriever puppies for adoption are often purebred, and every bit as wonderful, loving, and energetic as a puppy you would buy. Why go to a pet store or breeder when you can find Labrador Retriever puppies for adoption? Often free! Places such as "Labrador Retriever Rescue and Adoption" have pure and mixed-breed Labrador Retriever puppies. [...]

Adoption Misconceptions Explained - For people who are just learning about and considering child adoption, there are a number of concerns that are commonly experienced. Regardless of your reasons for considering adoption, shedding light on the realities of the adoption process can help alleviate the common concerns and provide accurate answers to many of the misconceptions surrounding adoption. More: continued here Other Review: Huggies Baby-Shaped Fit Diapers, Size 4 (22-37 Lbs), Disney, Pack of 126 Diapers (Health and Beauty)

We were over at Savings Lives One at a Time the other day and found a great article, "Why Shelters and Rescue Organizations Charge Adoption Fees."Here's a bit of the article...I'm honored to report that Jane at Pet Rescuer Central asked me to do a guest post on her site about why shelters and rescues charge adoption fees. She has kindly permitted me to repost the article here.I often run into people that think they should be able to “adopt” or “rescue” a pet free of charge. After all, they’re saving the animal’s life, right? Why should they have to pay anything when they’re doing that organization a favor by taking the pet off their hands? Plus, giving away those pets, or reducing the fee will encourage more people to adopt, right?These folks are missing the big picture.Shelt

Yesterday afternoon I got to meet Boo for the first time, at the airport as Oronzo was picking us up.I watched as Oronzo walked up to us, holding a little girl with a full head of silky brown hair. Her face was somber and inquisitive.Snuggle Bug looked up and said, "Daddy has another baby!" I had to laugh at that! He didn't seem to phased at this additional baby, he was just stating the obvious.Before I barely got the words, "Hi!" out of my mouth, Oronzo handed Boo over to me so that he could sweep Snuggle Bug up for a big bear hug. Boo didn't fuss at being passed over to me, she just looked me over intently and I did the same to her.Boo is a beautiful little girl. She has shoulder length hair that is thick, soft, and wavy. Her bangs are a bit long over her dark brown eyes. Her skin

First of all, we get to keep Boo. There will be no sending her back to her previous foster home only to have her transitioned back into our home a few days later. Thank goodness for that!Yesterday Boo's previous foster mom brought over the rest of her stuff. It was nice of her to do this and I had the opportunity to ask her a few questions while she was here. Boo perked up when she saw her and crawled into her arms and played there. As nice as this foster mom was, I'm still angry on Boo's behalf about a couple of things.1) For the poor shape of her clothes. The previous foster mom brought over a grocery bag of her clothes and a couple of nice two piece outfits. The outfits were the only really nice things. Most of the other clothes she left us were stained or tattered. Some were "oka

Remember how I said I was angry on Boo's behalf? Well, the anger has simmered down a bit, in large part because there's not a lot I can do (about the lack of pictures during her first 12 months of life). I guess in the grand scheme of things, if we get to keep her, missing 12 months of pictures won't be so bad. We'll be able to make up for it over the years.We started this weekend by throwing Boo a 1st birthday party. We took lots of pictures as she mashed her face and fingers into her birthday cake and smeared frosting all over her cheeks, nose, and in her hair. It did my heart good to see her enjoyment over this birthday cake. She was a bit confused by the #1 candle and our group of family/friends that sang her Happy Birthday and she had no idea what to do with her wrapped presents, but

"The Humane Society of Indianapolis says it will stop accepting stray animals and begin requiring frustrated pet owners to go through "surrender counseling" before it takes their pets. Both changes are meant to help the Humane Society close a $200,000 annual budget deficit while reducing the number of animals for which the society must find new homes. But it could mean that Marion County's

Check out this mile long list over at A Child Chosen...its the Best of the Best, otherwise known as the 50 Best Adoption Blogs.While you are there get all the new updates on The Bebe, accredited agencies, and Guatemala.Tags: a child chosen, best adoption blogs, accredited agencies, Guatemala, Hague

The 2008 Presidential election has been one of the best things that could have happened for healthcare and thus. Regardless of whether Hillary Clinton wins the Democratic Party’s nomination, she has placed healthcare at the top of her domestic agenda and therefore, her challengers have had to make it a priority for their campaigns as [...]

  I got the following mail the other day (forwarded from the humane society through a couple of people) and thought I'd post it in case anyone from Seattle reads my blog and is interested in adopting a dog. From the video, he looks absolutely adorable and it made me wish I had room for a dog! Friends, Here's a video of Elmo, a one-year old Mastiff-bully mix.  In the video, you'll see him playing with SkyMaster. Elmo is a SWEET, friendly dog.  He's gorgeous and has a silly lookin' gait.  If you see him in person, you would totally fall in love with him--I'm one of his biggest fans. Let me know if you (or your friend) have any questions or would like to schedule a play date.  I know his foster mom and would be happy to coordinate something for you (or your friend).  Please pass his

On Wednesday March 5th, Microsoft Technical Fellow Mark Russinovich will be hosting a virtual roundtable session live over the Internet on Windows Vista Deployment and Adoption. Joining Mark on the panel for the roundtable will be independent industry experts and IT Professionals from organizations that have already deployed Windows Vista as well as Microsoft MVPs. This roundtable offers IT Professionals worldwide an opportunity to ask questions about deploying Windows Vista. To attend the event, just visit at 9:00am Pacific Time on March 5th. You will be able to ask your questions live during the event. You are also welcome to submit your questions in advance by sending them to vrtable@microsoft.com between now and when the event starts. The panel will be 60 minutes long and try to

"So to those that insist on making money off of these animals by charging a fee, shame on you. It is repulsive to see ads on this site that require a “small rehoming fee” or “adoption fee.” Shame on you! No matter how you slice it, you are making money off of the buying and selling of animals." "This is the official blog of Alley Cat Rescue. We will post cat news and information about Alley

Today at A Child Chosen I have a post up that took me a long time to write. Today's adoption arena can be volatile because there are so many opposing views, because of politics and international reform, and because because birth parents are finally speaking out about how they were treated (and it is shedding light on how the system needs to be changed).Please take a look and tell me what you think. I was very hesitant to post it because I don't want my views to be misinterpreted but I do want adoptive parents to be heard as well. I think that if everyone can work together we can reform the system. It WILL take time, it WILL take effort from all parties, and it WON'T be easy but it CAN work.I sent this yesterday to AJ's school psychologist to help explain why is is so complex. I thought you

It’s a shit, cruel and wholly unfair world. Disclaimer: Except not in my house and probably not in yours either. But, I assure you, everywhere else it’s shit and cruel and unfair - I’ve seen it on the tele. People do terrible things to each other; they will use people, animals and, sometimes, the rain forest to [...]

In my last adoption post I mentioned that we were chosen to get a 12-month old little girl. We thought having her moved into our home would be a gradual process but it hasn't quite worked out that way!I'm currently in KC, visiting my sister and the rest my side of the family (they drove in from NE to see us). I have Snuggle Bug and Baby Bug with me. Oronzo stayed at home and had intended to enjoy some quiet at home but it wasn't meant to be.Last Friday he got a call from our agency social worker asking him if he would consider taking Boo that evening, rather than waiting until this week. Apparently her foster parents were having relatives coming in from out of town and wanted to arrange respite care for her. Oronzo gave up his plans and agreed to take her. Boo has been in our home for

In about 3 hours we will have a CPS worker and two agency social workers in our home to discuss the fate of a 10-month old little girl.I didn't sleep well last night. I tossed and turned as I worried about all sorts of things with this upcoming meeting.Will we be the family chosen to get her? Will we be allowed to adopt her if we are chosen?Will she settle in to our home and our family routine okay or will she be quite anxious with being separated from the only family she's known for the past 7 months?Can we really handling caring for a 3-year old, a 10-month old, and a 3-month old and give each of them the love and attention that they need?Can we believe what our agency is being told by CPS, that this little girl is developmentally on target, or are we being told what we want to hear?What

We've received another placement call recently! We've actually received a couple more foster-to-adopt calls since Baby Bug was placed with us, but our home study hasn't been chosen.On Monday we got a call from our agency letting us know about a 10 month old little girl who has been in foster care since birth. I'm not at liberty to get into the details of her case and I don't even have all the details yet but I will tell you that she has no visits with her parents and since she's nearing the 1 year mark of being in foster care, the state is starting to consider severing the rights of her parents, without taking the step of having a reunification plan and a concurrent adoption plan active at the same time. We're being told they'd want to move straight to adoption.This baby girl is currently

I wanted to let you know that our interview with the CPS case worker (for the 10-month old little girl) was re-scheduled for tomorrow at 9:30 AM so if you’re interested in hearing the results of that meeting, check back late morning tomorrow.Now, on to a totally unrelated topic…We got a new double stroller this past weekend and we love it! It’s a Combi 2008 Twin Sport 2 (ours is brick red and ember).Originally we had planned on getting a tandem double stroller, rather than a side-by-side double stroller because we were worried that a side-by-side would be too wide to maneuver around in stores and such. What we found is that the tandem stroller was too long to fit in the trunk of our 2007 Jeep Compass!The thing that sold us on this Combi stroller is the compact tri-fold feature (it co

Yesterday there was an interesting op/ed piece from W. Michael Cox and Richard Alm, both prominent members of the Federal Reserver Bank of Dallas. The two economists were examining income flows for Americans and essentially making the claim that the income gap between the top earners and the lowest earners wasn’t indicative of the standard [...]

Dr. Cardell Jacobson of the Sociology Department is currently researching the varied experiences that occur in interracial adoption cases.Jacobson is working with Darron Smith, a Ph.D. student at the University of Utah. They are focusing their research on white families who have adopted black children.In an age in which many people think racism is a fading phenomenon, Jacobson has found that racial slurs and discrimination are still prevalent."Without exception, whether we've talked to parents, or whether we've talked to the adult children, everyone has experienced discrimination," Jacobson said. "Every parent and almost every child over the age of five has heard the 'N' word."Jacobson has found that parents who research black culture and history may be better equipped to help socialize th

Jerry Regier It is obvious that adoption is an interesting topic for millions of people. For individuals who love children, adoption is always somewhere in their subconscious. It would be magnificent if adoptive children could be placed in loving homes without so much red tape and expense. There are thousands of parents who would like to [...]

I've noticed in the past that there always a little time after the holidays when part of me wants to run away from adoption issues and hide in the cocoon of my family. I wrestle with myself - I tell myself one person can't make a difference, I convince myself that my kids are old enough for me to back away from it all, and tell myself that I'm too old, too. I always feel guilty when my thoughts head in this direction, but I can't help myself. Sometimes I just want to get away from the debate and dialog and thinking about adoption, and facing the reality of unjust laws and unethical agencies.This year, it took the post I read today at Suz's to kick me back into gear. While Suz and gosh knows how many other first mothers and adoptees struggle through their sadness, particularly during the ho

In my role as pseudo general counsel at Alfresco, I wade through a lot of contracts. As part of this, I'm constantly trying to find the right balance between the needs of our customers and partners in different geographies. Interestingly, our European and North American customers view licensing very, very differently. Generally speaking, our European customers want our software under an open-source license (GPLv2). North Americans? They want the benefits of open source without the obligations and perceived risk (meaning, they prefer a dual-license approach that allows them to contribute back modifications if they wish, but not out of duty). I've been trying to figure out why the two geographies, surrounded only by the Atlantic Ocean, have such different perspectives on licensing

Nearly a quarter-million animals were adopted through the first five weeks of the Iams Home 4 the Holidays pet adoption drive. The campaign, which runs through Jan. 3, seeks to place 415,000 pets in new homes. As of last week, 124,564 dogs, 108,120 cats and 8,206 other pets had been adopted. More than 2,600 shelters in 14 countries are participating, including nearly 90 in Illinois. To

Sorry I've been absent lately. It's been a bit busy with an almost 3-year old and a 4 week old in the house. :)All is well here. Snuggle Bug still likes having the baby around. And Baby Bug is growing! She had her follow-up doctor's appointment last Thursday and she's now 7 pounds, 20 1/2" long. That means that in the week that we've had her she's gained a pound and has grown an inch! Hooray! Our pediatrician is quite pleased and has said that he can wait for the normal 2 month appointment to see her again.Interestingly enough, CPS mandated that Baby Bug's parents attend all medical appointments for her, to prove their commitment I guess. I learned of this at the hearing on Wednesday and they were instructed to meet us at the doctor's office for this appointment last Thursday. When I told Oronzo this, he said he was uncomfortable having to interact with the parents without a CPS worker present. What if they got difficult about ending the time with Baby Bug when the app

Today was the PPH (Preliminary Permanency Hearing). I am so glad I made the decision to go because it's amazing the amount of information I learned at this hearing!I'll cut to the chase, Baby Bug is staying with us a while longer. We were told to expect her to be here for 1-2 months, maybe longer.After the very first meeting that I couldn't attend, I learned that an extended family member (a cousin) had stepped forward and expressed an interest in taking Baby Bug. We thought this cousin was related to Baby Bug's mom and had custody of Baby Bug's two siblings. That is not the case.Apparently no one from the mom's side of the family has stepped forward on behalf of Baby Bug. The cousin that has requested her is related to Baby Bug's father and the courts have never dealt with this woman or her husband before.My understanding is that CPS initiated a background check and right out of the gate found something that causes them concern. Because of the information reveled, they are not

I thought I'd give you a quick update on little Baby Bug. She's doing great!Baby Bug has been eating 2-4 oz. per feeding, although all day yesterday and last night she seemed to be in snacking mode...eating 2 oz. every 2 hours. I'm hopeful that she's gaining weight. If we have her still, next Thursday we'll take her in to our pediatrician for a follow-up appointment to find out.She's really a mellow baby. She only cries when she's hungry. Other than that, she's content to sleep in her bassinet, on our chests, our in our arms (we like to hold her a lot).Baby Bug has her periods of being fully awake where she's alert and curious. She's already begun turning her head towards us at the sound of our voices. And if Snuggle Bug gets near her, she turns to look at him too.Now, for privacy's sake, I can't show you a picture of Baby Bug in all her cuteness, but I wanted to at least show you her beautiful dark hair! She's got so much of it that I was able to put in a tiny pink haircl

My Boo is safe tonight thanks to the generosity of others. Ruby can have that opportunity too if she's adopted. Animal: DogBreed: Feist, Chihuahua Sex: FemaleAge: BabySize: Small Ruby was turned in 11-06-07 She is , good with other dogs & very sweet!!! Rubys adoption fee is $65.00 to cover her spay & rabies vaccination! More info here.

I've just finished feeding and changing this cute little Baby Bug (our nickname for her at the moment) and she's hanging out in my lap. I thought I'd take a quick minute to give you all an update but typing one-handed will take some time.This little girl is the sweetest baby. She's mellow, only crying when she's hungry, really. I can't remember for sure if this is right, but at 3 weeks old she seems to be smiling in response to our voice. I don't think it's just gas. She's such a teeny tiny little thing. She's got quite a bit of dark hair and her eyes seem hazel, although I know she's way too young to know for sure what color they'll be. She has a cute little button nose and long fingers.Baby Bug arrived with a diaper bag containing newborn diapers, an unopened container of formula, a bottle of medicine to treat thrush, 2 pink blankets, and the yellow sleeper she was dressed in. That's all the CPS worker could get her mom to put together before they took Baby Bug aw

Hundreds of dogs seized from a puppy mill will soon be put up for adoption by three animal shelters in Maine.The animals include about 250 dogs -- miniature Australian shepherds, Brussels griffons, bulldogs, shelties and other breeds -- that were seized from the J'aime Kennel in Buxton in August. Those dogs have since given birth to more than 100 puppies, which are also being put up for adoption.The animals are now being spayed and neutered and will be released for adoption over the next several weeks.The animal shelters involved in the adoptions are The Animal Welfare Society in Kennebunk, the Animal Refuge League in Westbrook and the Greater Androscoggin Humane Society in Lewiston. Those three facilities have about 130 of the dogs among them, with the rest placed at a Portland facility leased by the state's Animal Welfare Program.For more information read the story from Boston.com.

<loud_yell>Whoooooooo!</loud_yell> We rolled out RealRank last Wednesday and crossed our fingers. I had a pretty good feeling that we created something that our advertisers would find value in, but you never know until you see the numbers. The first few days were admittedly slow (and scary). Opp creation was down in general during the Thanksgiving holiday, but since then utilization of RR has picked up a bit. Well, I'm lying. More than a bit. In fact 60% of all Opps created since Thanksgiving day have used the RealRank requirement. I am both excited and relieved. I truly believe that this the path towards higher quality bloggers in our system...leading to better ROI for advertisers...leading to more advertisers..leading to better pay for bloggers and so on. I am hoping to see that RR utilization number climb over time as we have more blogger adoption. No-Follow Option ComingBy weeks end we will roll out a new No-follow option for advertisers in PayPerPost. No-follow has

We've just received our second placement call from our state agency at 11:30 PM! If you remember, our first placement call didn't pan out.I'll tell you what I can about this most recent call.There's a little girl, just 2 weeks old, who is about to be removed from her mother's home (unless the mother flees before they can get to her as she has in the past) because her mother has a on-going drug problem. The baby tested negative for drugs at birth but the mom is still using. Apparently this mother has had her parental rights terminated for 2 other children for the same reason. The baby will start out as an emergency receiving placement but may move in to a foster-to-adopt placement. It's too soon to tell.I've been told that a CPS worker is on her way to remove this baby girl from her home. The CPS worker has to have the police meet her there. It may take a couple of hours for it to happen.The CPS worker will call us on her way to our house. The baby could arrive at our house by 1:

Sixty-six dogs now find themselves homeless following the recent California wildfires and have been taken to Colorado to find new homes. Most all of these pups were family dogs, given up because their owners lost everything in the fire and could no longer take care for them.Many are well behaved, family dogs who are in shock as to what has happened to them. The looks on many of the dogs' faces seem to say, "What did I do wrong?"This past Monday, the dogs were placed with foster families as they go through a series of veterinary checkups and receive any necessary care. Within the next week or two, the dogs will be available for adoption through the Animal House shelter in Fort Collins.Read more about you can help or adopt these lost pets.

We spent a better part of the afternoon with a case worker who has been assigned to help us find resources for our daughter. Unfortunately she has just started working as a post adoption support services worker two months ago. A really nice young woman though and I think having come to our home and meeting all the kids has helped her to understand just how vulnerable these kids are and how dangerous it could be if Ebony returns home. At the same time I think she has a better idea of how serious our daughters mental health issues are. It's ironic that nobody I speak with can understand why the SIPP program which is set up to get kids into residential care has also turned her down for future services. The Sipp program feels her case is too chronic and in the past she has not made any progress. Make sense ? Everybody keeps saying the same thing. If a person is truly chronically or seriously mentally ill can they make progress ? I call it progress each day that goes by that she ha

Britney Spears is reportedly set to adopt Chinese twins. more stories like this The troubled singer - who recently lost custody of her two sons, Sean Preston, two, and 14-month-old Jayden James, to ex-husband Kevin Federline - is allegedly in the final stages of talks with an agency about adopting the six-year-olds. Friends claim Britney - who has three supervised visits with Sean and Jayden a

When Angelina Jolie adopted Zahara in 2005, she was told that the tot’s biological mother was dead, when she was actually alive and well in Ethiopia. It has been discovered that not only is Zahara's mother, Mentewab Dawit Lebiso, alive and fit, but that the man who arranged the baby’s adoption has been promoting a campaign of threats and intimidation against her family. Last week when rumors

The mother of an Ethiopian baby adopted by Angelina Jolie has said she was happy her daughter had found a new home with the actress.Mentawbe Dawit denied media reports that she wanted two-year-old Zahara returned to Ethiopia."I have never disputed the adoption," she told the Reuters news agency. "It was something I never said."Ms Dawit said her words had been twisted by "so-called journalists" who had told her they worked for Ms Jolie.The agency which approved the adoption in 2005 has insisted it was "legal and irrevocable".It said that at the time of the adoption, Zahara's grandmother sent a letter to the court which said the child's mother was dead.'No ill feelings'Ms Dawit, who lives in the southern city of Awasa, told Reuters she ran away from her home five months after giving birth because she had no food for her baby."I decided to flee rather than watch her die," she said.Ms Dawit's mother searched for her, but concluded that she must have died and put Zahara up for adoption

Well, we've received a call from our state agency. Unfortunately, it wasn't great news!Remember that 1st placement call that I mentioned about two weeks ago, for the 11 month old little girl? Well, we were told today that we were not the family picked to receive her.Oronzo and I weren't particularly surprised by this news. In fact, we would've been quite surprised if we were picked out of the 30 other families, especially considering we weren't even officially licensed at the point that our homestudy was reviewed. I suspect that a family who has been waiting longer than us was picked, at least I hope this is that case.Still, I can't help but feel disappointed that we weren't chosen. I know, God has the right child in mind for our family and we need to be patient. I'm trying to keep that in mind.Each time that the phone rings, my heart races a bit and I wonder, 'Is it the agency calling us with a placement?' So far, we've received no further placement calls. And so, we

Fedora 8 has been installed over 54,000 times since its release last week according to statistics from Red Hat.---Haven't tried it yet but heard and read a lot of good reviews about Werewolf, I'll definitely try this release.read more | digg story

Fedora 8 has been installed over 54,000 times since its release last week according to statistics from Red Hat.---Haven't tried it yet but heard and read a lot of good reviews about Werewolf, I'll definitely try this release.read more | digg story

My parents used to go for walks, just the two of them, when the weather was good. My brother and sister and I were never invited to go with them, but they couldn't stop us from watching them from the tall windows in the living room as they wandered down the gravel road among the fields of black dirt, their eyes fixed on the sun slipping over the horizon, glowing like embers.April and I have been taking walks lately. We took one on Sunday. I pushed Alleke ahead of us in the stroller, and as we passed through the square, Alleke watched the boys on trick bikes, hopping on benches and bouncing around or popping wheelies and riding back and forth. It was like watching circus performers practice, and Alleke was amused, clapping her hands and kicking her legs in approval. Meanwhile, April and I talked about adoption. This time, we talked in concrete terms about what would actually have to happen if we were to adopt a child. The conversation was jumbled then, like a pile of unsorted lau

By: Calida SevierEvery responsible, loving adult has the inherent right to share his or her life with a child. Fortunately, today's society realizes that a person's ability to care for a child, and not his or her sexual orientation, should determine parental rights. In our tolerant, accepting generation certain controversial "issues" of the past, like gay and lesbian adoption, are now understood and encouraged.The idea of gay and lesbian adoption is certainly not new. In recent years, however, this concept has been the subject of much debate. It's now discussed freely and openly because the very subject of alternative lifestyles has become a common topic of discussion. No longer do gays and lesbians feel compelled or obligated to hide their lifestyles. Today, these deserving individuals enjoy the same legal considerations as heterosexual adoptive parents.Historically, gay and lesbian adoption was a subject of attack by government, agencies, and society in general. In those days (and

By: Calida SevierOurs is a generation of acceptance and tolerance. Certain controversial "issues" of the past, like gay and lesbian adoption, are now understood and encouraged. Today's society realizes that a person's ability to care for a child, and not his or her sexual orientation, should determine parental rights.The idea of gay and lesbian adoption is certainly not new. In recent years, however, this concept has been the subject of much debate. It's now discussed freely and openly because the very subject of alternative lifestyles has become a common topic of discussion. No longer do gays and lesbians feel compelled or obligated to hide their lifestyles. Today, these deserving individuals enjoy the same legal considerations as heterosexual adoptive parents.Historically, gay and lesbian adoption was a subject of attack by government, agencies, and society in general. In those days (and, sadly, even today) some people thought that children would suffer emotional and behavioral ha

Adoption, an Alternative to ChildbirthApril and I first met in a carpool ride to a junior high band competition. Later, we went to the same high school and became friends sitting next to each other in band, whispering to each other between songs.We were a very serious couple, even at 16. April still remembers the first time we laughed, and says it was months into our relationship. While most couples our age spent their time making out on couches, we talked about how April was terrified of giving birth some day. She wasn't sure she even wanted kids, she would say, since she babysat her younger brother and sister every summer, and was no good at it. If, by chance, she did want kids when she was much older, she would adopt.As was the case with most areas of our relationship at that time, April spoke in ultimatums.I don't remember April as that teenage girl very much anymore. Sometimes it's difficult for me to put the two together, to say they are the same person, especially since

The day has finally arrived! We're officially licensed for foster-to-adopt! After all the delays and frustrations, we've made it!Looking back over our timeline, I see that we attended the agency on 30 March and it's now 8 November. So, it took us 7 months and a week to jump through all the state hoops to get licensed. For those of you considering adopting through the state, I'd encourage you to get started now because it takes quite a while!So, now that we're licensed, we agreed to be put on the "Open Call" list, meaning the agency can call us day or night with emergency receiving or foster-to-adopt placements that meet our requirements.When I learned that we had become licensed and Oronzo told me to call the agency back to let them know whether or not we'd like to be immediately put on the Open Call list, I must admit that I hesitated. It's not that I've changed my mind, it's just that my nerves got the better of me for a bit.Placing that call meant accepting that our life is

November is National Adoption Month. If you've ever thought about adoption, here's a great link to begin finding answers to your questions: National Child Welfare Gateway As aggravated as I would get during the process which took nearly three years to complete (the judge did tell me that my case was an exception, as personnel changes within the agency appeared to have created more speed bumps

It was late December 2006 when I wrote this (has it really been over a year since final adoption?). In the Orthodox Church, newborns are presented at the altar during a "40 day" service. It was at about 40 days that my priest guided me in presenting my new child to the church. Below is the account of that day as I recalled it on what was ChristianForums.com (it has since changed). The post is