tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53043660225875774222024-03-13T11:01:07.179-07:00Families Supporting Adoption IN/KYIndiana/Kentucky FSAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03263401989064960748noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304366022587577422.post-91307885884955655492011-04-15T16:02:00.000-07:002011-04-15T16:02:58.465-07:00Adoption FastUnite with us in prayers and fasting to further adoption work in Indiana and Kentucky. We have devoted the following days for fasts and prayers with one another and our wards and extended families:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"> May 1st</div><div style="text-align: center;">August 7th</div><div style="text-align: center;">November 6th </div><div style="text-align: center;">December 4th </div>If you can, <strong>try to get to the temple on the weekend of each fast if possible</strong>. Below is a letter you can share with your bishops if you feel your ward would be willing to unite with us (Copy and Paste). We welcome all. Note at the end of this year <u>we will stand together saying we have done all we could</u> and then what peace will fill our homes. <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Dear Friends and Families,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">As Families Supporting Adoption unites with the staff of LDS Family Services we work intimately with those seeking to adopt children and birth mothers considering adoption and other alternatives. Much prayer and fasting has gone into how we might move this work forward. As stewards over all within our state we feel the responsibility to make certain every child born in Indiana has the promises made clear in the Proclamation of the Family, where every child has the right to be afforded the blessing of being in a covenant home with a mother and father to teach them the principles of the gospel. This is our missionary work and stewardship and we invite all who would unify with us to join with us in dedicating this next month’s fast to focus on the birth mothers in our state and the adoptive couples seeking to provide those eternal promises to these children. We believe as we unite with our brothers and sisters we can petition the Lord to soften our hearts to the prompting of how best we can support birthmothers and soften the hearts of these birth mothers so the children can enjoy the blessings and covenants of eternal families. As we invite wards and members to join in our prayers and temple service our hope is that unifying will bring power and strength to these efforts. Please know we welcome you to consider if you feel this would be unifying and uplifting focus for your ward to unite with us and strengthen our petition to the Lord for these sweet spirits. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Sincerely,</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">David L. Pitcher</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Marcia French</span>Indiana/Kentucky FSAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03263401989064960748noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304366022587577422.post-17521108581299798632011-03-07T10:47:00.000-08:002011-03-07T10:47:43.738-08:00Aaron & Brynn's Adoption Journey<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGc0IqI-E_jN6pvBatyWcCnI5om4vXLpEVoAl62AbtaWjyyoGNA9DS4_JAdEA4Jiw5Jmz0J4Rsa8yFxMeKBVFu0FpNPIzPUTaPGYkQFOj7qvDRpY4sSnZvC4X3iWBJasGqQxjHTREk1uTA/s1600/miranda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGc0IqI-E_jN6pvBatyWcCnI5om4vXLpEVoAl62AbtaWjyyoGNA9DS4_JAdEA4Jiw5Jmz0J4Rsa8yFxMeKBVFu0FpNPIzPUTaPGYkQFOj7qvDRpY4sSnZvC4X3iWBJasGqQxjHTREk1uTA/s400/miranda.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div align="center"></div>Miranda is our second daughter, and our second adoption. The roller-coaster ride that brought Miranda into our family has had MANY more ups and downs than the one that gave us our first daughter, Samantha. A couple of months before Miranda was placed with us, we had an adoption fail. We went to Georgia and had a beautiful baby boy in our care for 3 days – and then had to give him back to his birthmother. It was a very difficult time. We were heartbroken and decided we would NEVER go back to Georgia and it’s “10 days until relinquishment is binding” policy. <br />
<br />
However, in mid-September, at just the right time in our healing process, we learned that a birthmother, in Georgia, was “very interested” in our family. The caseworker we worked with during the failed adoption kept us in mind as she continued to work with her birthmothers. We spoke with our caseworkers and sent an email introduction to our birthmother the following week. That Sunday we are once again driving down to Georgia for an early delivery. That night we met “Mama S” and our sweet baby, Miranda, who was only a few hours old. She was, and is, a beautiful baby with big, dark eyes. We spent the next two days visiting Mama S and Miranda in the hospital and getting to know them better. Mama S signed her relinquishment papers, and we all went “home.” <br />
<br />
“Home” for us was actually a hotel in Georgia, where we spent the next 10 days at high anxiety, as we communicated with Mama S and tried to help her through her grieving. We had lunch with Mama S a couple of times while we were there and continue to have a good relationship with her. <br />
<br />
Miranda is now 3 and a half months old. The journey to bring her home was brim full of ups and downs. Throughout the process, we know we had our Heavenly Father’s help and guidance. We know that the Lord is aware of all of His children and knows our unique situations and loves each of us. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWDgwX7clBqaXsDzAqurZ19KH9qV562vxN295sSa2jRLKRPb-sftQ1IPwkh53EC21UmSmzzK9EMq8Ks_Vl61sE_Ryz-JBfmSilCTKOCMy4pew-9OkwOvCtdyPKLzmwrY3iv36Ard9sWHOr/s1600/wikles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWDgwX7clBqaXsDzAqurZ19KH9qV562vxN295sSa2jRLKRPb-sftQ1IPwkh53EC21UmSmzzK9EMq8Ks_Vl61sE_Ryz-JBfmSilCTKOCMy4pew-9OkwOvCtdyPKLzmwrY3iv36Ard9sWHOr/s400/wikles.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div align="center"></div>Indiana/Kentucky FSAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03263401989064960748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304366022587577422.post-48752437292212280192011-02-09T11:33:00.000-08:002011-02-09T12:10:00.238-08:00Temple Trip<div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: x-large;">Two Temples:</span></strong></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size: x-large;">One Heart & Mind</span></strong></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmgYKCuCzlMgLXwSdwDY2udaBtS6d_PMQ2RWkpOfsCN_l20Giuiq9Q31cwzkxJ97saJ7P9P7alUQi57LKmtjjE0whKKarePJjuugDnng-tug_yAcP-f0sMZiei_q-ZXhkQtgywJh0uW3Fa/s1600/300px-LouisvilleTemple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmgYKCuCzlMgLXwSdwDY2udaBtS6d_PMQ2RWkpOfsCN_l20Giuiq9Q31cwzkxJ97saJ7P9P7alUQi57LKmtjjE0whKKarePJjuugDnng-tug_yAcP-f0sMZiei_q-ZXhkQtgywJh0uW3Fa/s1600/300px-LouisvilleTemple.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz-nlN10VpfJKszOJqhUYKNMvUTxkLg2izgNcPOCvLQMF2mU4ZWIGfsMmATZbfq9RUBpGTyXyxGtsukAUGgYK9X_0JWIcL_w7a1xO98HsN8L6DkZwWB6_57ws9XqsQaZm_4I1s0yDfBFAO/s1600/chicago-mormon-temple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz-nlN10VpfJKszOJqhUYKNMvUTxkLg2izgNcPOCvLQMF2mU4ZWIGfsMmATZbfq9RUBpGTyXyxGtsukAUGgYK9X_0JWIcL_w7a1xO98HsN8L6DkZwWB6_57ws9XqsQaZm_4I1s0yDfBFAO/s320/chicago-mormon-temple.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">Please join the Indiana & Kentucky FSA chapter for their <br />
bi-annual temple trip</div><div align="center">on Saturday, February 26th</div><div align="center">in either the Chicago or Louisville temples.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">Co-Chair Sara Hayman will be presenting this year's FSA theme "Trust in the Lord" at the Chicago temple </div><div align="center">while</div><div align="center">Co-Chair Esther Edwards will be presenting this year's FSA theme at the Louisville temple.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">Afterwards join us for lunch provided by LDSFS at a nearby restaurant (to be determined).</div><div align="center">For this temple trip there will NOT be babysitting provided but your children are welcomed to come to lunch with us if you decide to trade-off with your spouse or bring your own babysitter to the temple.</div><div align="center">(Note: The church building across from the Louisville temple is not available for babysitting as usual, due to remodeling). </div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"><u>Why do we plan FSA chapter temple trips?</u></div><div align="center">When we put our trust in the Lord by attending the temple as a group with one heart and one mind focused on our Heavenly Father's love that shines through adoption-- we are blessed.</div><div align="center">Not only are we blessed individually and as a couple/family but our whole chapter, our cities and our states are blessed. </div><div align="center">Specifically and in general love and adoption flourish when we attend the temple as families supporting adoption. </div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">Please RSVP today either on this blog, by sending an email to <a href="mailto:indianafsa@gmail.com">indianafsa@gmail.com</a> or responding to the Evite that you hopefully received previously. Thank you!</div>Indiana/Kentucky FSAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03263401989064960748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304366022587577422.post-20902787662227302312011-01-19T13:09:00.000-08:002011-01-19T13:09:32.274-08:00TRUST IN THE LORD<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Dear FSA Friends,</span></div><div align="left" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">In 2011 we hope that you'll join us in supporting the vital cause of adOPTION. Adoption is a loving OPTION and we exist to spread that wonderful news. We are here to support families, to learn, to educate, and to bless lives. We know that we have a loving Heavenly Father and that He has a plan for every single one of His children. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">This year, our focus and theme is "Trust in the Lord..." taken from Proverbs 3:5-6, which reads, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and he shall direct thy paths." </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Each of us is tied to adoption in some way. We know that the Lord watches over and blesses His children. We can trust Him and have faith that He is aware of our needs and the needs of those around us. He wants us to have joy. He has promised us that if we trust in Him, He shall direct our paths. This is true in all aspects of our lives. How evident it is in the many amazing stories of adoption that we have experienced and learned about. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">We invite you strengthen your trust in the Lord this year by being faithful and prayerful. We know that you will be guided each day and find joy even in your trials. Share your knowledge with others and strengthen those around you. We have treasures of knowledge and blessings to share as adoption advocates. Thank you for being involved in a cause about LOVE.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Visit the blog often. We will share talks, scriptures, and stories related to TRUSTING IN THE LORD. And we hope that it will encourage and strengthen you.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Love your FSA Co-Chairs,</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sara Hayman and Esther Edwards</span></div>Indiana/Kentucky FSAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03263401989064960748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304366022587577422.post-12351210156715712182010-11-30T11:29:00.000-08:002010-11-30T11:33:21.210-08:00The Last Day...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">It's the very last day of November! The last official day of National Adoption Month. </div><div style="text-align: center;">How did National Adoption Month go for you?</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><ul><li>The FSA board didn't post every day on this blog liked we hoped but we did post often and plan to continue doing so. </li>
</ul><ul><li>The picture above is a display my local library put together after I gave them a list of children's adoption books. It was very exciting to see the display and people checking out books. I also had a good conversation about adoption with the children's librarian.</li>
</ul><br />
<ul><li>I was chatting with my neighbor in my driveway when she saw our <a href="http://indianafsa.blogspot.com/2010/11/outreach-on-go.html">license plate frame</a> on our car and asked more about our involvement with adoption. We had a very nice discussion. </li>
</ul><br />
<ul><li>I received positive responses to my posts about adoption on Facebook and my personal blogs. (I saw many of you post things about adoption, too!)</li>
</ul><div style="text-align: center;">It was a great month!<br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">We would like to know more about what the members of the Indiana & Kentucky FSA chapter did to celebrate, outreach and/or show support for adoption! Please tell us your stories by emailing us (<a href="mailto:indianafsa@gmail.com">indianafsa@gmail.com</a>) or leaving a comment.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I hope we all will continue to find ways to expand our knowledge about adoption issues and to share our testimonies.</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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Adoption <i>is</i> about love! </div><div style="text-align: right;">EE </div>Indiana/Kentucky FSAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03263401989064960748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304366022587577422.post-11663496659069573362010-11-16T13:44:00.000-08:002010-11-16T13:46:53.442-08:00Birth Parent FantasiesThis post is in response to a comment made on the previous <a href="http://indianafsa.blogspot.com/2010/11/lifebooks.html">post</a> asking for more information about birth parent fantasies. Hope this provides some useful information and answers questions that many people might have.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEierQ2NBQAmOxY41jKSt6wAnaEi0Wt3uzPQJxjuzW5Xney6pHyGpy170Dlyol_YmlgkxwSty4Gb7Y9rG-UI07s2iHHCyFOKEpRZCY7a06pwZb9OI5rmXKw2ANOLc_Vl7GIvUPnCpuqysc8I/s1600/477315729_a478721a96.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEierQ2NBQAmOxY41jKSt6wAnaEi0Wt3uzPQJxjuzW5Xney6pHyGpy170Dlyol_YmlgkxwSty4Gb7Y9rG-UI07s2iHHCyFOKEpRZCY7a06pwZb9OI5rmXKw2ANOLc_Vl7GIvUPnCpuqysc8I/s200/477315729_a478721a96.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><br />
Child development research shows that most children around elementary school age, will create a "family fantasy." For the child who has not been adopted this is just a stage, a short-term fantasy that is fun and can aide continued attachment development with parents despite disappointments and realizing those parents are not perfect or solely good.<br />
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For the child who has been adopted it is usually <em>not</em> "just a stage" or a short-term fantasy mainly because this fantasy is based on some actual facts--the child actually has "other" parents before the adoptive parents. The birth parent fantasies are also not as much fun for the child who has been adopted. They will often feel very conflicted about their fantasies. One reason why birth parent fantasies develop is to help protect the child from and also help the child to make sense of hard facts, such as relinquishment. In fantasies dealing with relinquishment and abandonment the child may wish and fear at the same time his birth parents coming to reclaim him. The child who has been adopted, often wants her birth parents to want her but not to actually take her. <br />
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Another conflicting aspect about birth family fantasies is that the child is still in the developmental stage where everything and everyone is either good or bad. These fantasies may categorize birth parents as "bad" but then the conflicting aspect is what does that say about the child himself; the biological child of said "bad" parents? If the fantasy categorizes the adoptive parents as "bad" it puts conflicting thoughts on practically everything the child has ever known of family and life. Then the last option is for the child to categorize herself as "bad" and obviously this is not conducive to healthy emotional and/or identity development.<br />
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So what do we do as adoptive parents or others involved with children who have been adopted?<br />
<ul><li>We do not encourage or discourage per se, the actual having birth parent fantasies but are to encourage the expression of the fantasies if they develop (and they most likely will develop in some form). </li>
<li>You cannot help a child with the difficult emotional work, or the resolving of conflicting and ambiguous thoughts and circumstances or integrate hard facts about their life story that are contained in their birth parent fantasies if you do not know what their fantasies are.</li>
<li>The fantasies can be expressed verbally but as the fantasy might have lots of conflicting and strong emotions attached to them it might be difficult for a child to just talk about them. The lifebooks can help bring about discussion of birth family fantasies safely through the use of prompts, the child's birth and adoption stories and pictures. </li>
<li>When creating a lifebook, sharing the adoption or birth story etc...be careful to neither idealize or vilify people in the story. Birth parents should not be "sacrificing saints" nor "losers"; adoptive parents should not be "rescuers" or "saviors" and the adopted child should not be "lucky" etc... One possible underlying theme is we are all humans, who make both good and bad choices and no one is solely good or bad.</li>
<li>You might encourage other forms of expression besides verbal, by having the child draw pictures of the birth parents and birth family fantasies.</li>
<li>When discussing the birth family fantasy, name emotions both the positive and the negative that the child expresses or are most likely underlying the fantasy. Again highlight that it's hard and often uncomfortable to accept people as both good and bad but it's the healthiest path.</li>
<li>Be aware of your own emotions. For example, as an adoptive parent listening to the birth family fantasy do you feel threaten? Recognize and acknowledge your emotions. Your feelings, especially if left unrecognized, can influence and even sabotage your efforts of communication with and help to your child.</li>
<li>Resist transmitting society's pressure to choose "sides" and to have loyalty to only one person/family. Having a relationship, interest or love for the birth family does not mean the child cannot or does not have relationships, interest and love for the adoptive family and vice versa. </li>
<li>Revisit the fantasy, rediscuss the birth family and other facts and details about adoption. Just because you have been using the term adoption or birth parent since the child was young doesn't mean they understand the meaning or concept. Children will usually need to come to terms, a new understanding of what it means to be adopted, at each new developmental stage.</li>
<li>Open adoption and/or sharing the facts that you have about the birth family and adoption has been shown to help discuss and ground the fantasy in reality but don't assume that this will eliminate the child's birth family fantasy all together. Many children take the facts and elaborate on them further in their fantasies. For example, one young women who knew her birth mother did not finish high school, elaborated on that fact with the belief her birth mother went to beauty school instead, just like many of the girls who dropped out in her own school did. The young woman started considering going to beauty school, too. If an adoptive parent or other individual involved with the young woman, knew of this elaboration or the fantasy, they could help her find ways to be her own person and find other ways to feel connected with her birth mother. </li>
</ul><div style="text-align: left;">This post was written using the research <a href="http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/75321/1/h0079220.pdf">article</a>: Birthparent Romances and Identity Formation in Adopted Children by Elinor Rosenberg and Thomas M. Horner. </div>Indiana/Kentucky FSAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03263401989064960748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304366022587577422.post-1160205287863278322010-11-10T06:44:00.000-08:002010-11-10T06:49:02.497-08:00Lifebooks<u>What are Lifebooks</u><br />
<br />
A Lifebook is a record of a foster/adopted child’s life that uses words, photos, the child’s artwork, and memorabilia. It is like a scrapbook but provides different information and details than your average scrapbook. <br />
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<u>Lifebook Page Ideas</u><br />
<br />
<ul><li>The day you were born</li>
<li>How your parents found out about you</li>
<li>Waiting for you</li>
<li>Meeting you</li>
<li>Your birth family and/or foster family or orphanage</li>
<li>Your family tree (both families as much as possible)</li>
<li>Adoption day</li>
<li>Visits with your birth family</li>
<li>About your birth country</li>
</ul><u>Lifebook Journaling Ideas</u> <br />
<ul><li>Dates of important events and milestones</li>
<li>Names of social workers, facilitators and agency officials</li>
<li>Locations and names of foster families and orphanages</li>
<li>Meeting birth family members or correspondence with them (if available)</li>
<li>Weather and news headlines on their adoption day and/or birthday</li>
<li>Making the decision to adopt</li>
<li>Your thoughts and feelings about the adoption process</li>
<li>Poetry and quotations about adoption</li>
<li>Foods eaten, sights seen on their day of birth or adoption day</li>
<li>Stories about traveling home</li>
<li>Details of the first days together as a family </li>
</ul><br />
<u>Reasons to Make Lifebooks</u><br />
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Throughout the adoptee’s life, he or she will hear about the day she arrived into the family. Stories abound from that point. The child’s birth and birth family are not discussed as often, usually because the new family members lack the personal knowledge of the birth family’s story. The lifebook helps to fill that void.<br />
<br />
<u>Lifebooks Provide: </u><br />
<br />
<ul><li>A concrete tool for meaningful conversation</li>
<li>An adoption security blanket</li>
<li>A prop to use as part of attachment rituals</li>
<li>A structure to use when discussing difficult subjects (such as reasons for relinquishment)</li>
<li>A way to normalize adoption language</li>
<li>A way to discuss fantasies about birth parents</li>
<li>A method of embedding positive messages during childhood that will be remembered during adolescence strengthening postive adoptive identity</li>
<li>An opportunity to strengthen other facets of identity such as self-esteem and positive ethnic identity</li>
<li>A method of reducing society's pressure on children to have divided loyalties between birth and adoptive families</li>
<li style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">A space to document future events</li>
</ul><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><u>Examples</u><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7UPxLOi8cxhUmrshEBvr_wq8eklYmEWP7pkdlNTDaOL_4odTrA-bRax3HIM36nCGD_PnASFYhaNRtnalIg83syOrmywJVV_4YhSmRBIAGEEFxKSgpfRdw9WwWoUlwh47X9rKFMBHYakMi/s1600/659S.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7UPxLOi8cxhUmrshEBvr_wq8eklYmEWP7pkdlNTDaOL_4odTrA-bRax3HIM36nCGD_PnASFYhaNRtnalIg83syOrmywJVV_4YhSmRBIAGEEFxKSgpfRdw9WwWoUlwh47X9rKFMBHYakMi/s320/659S.jpg" width="246" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYSKpnDVOjujzMy-4UsoXcKdhIh1mWyrtnpbvSnjjZ59ACLtN5UCSsGZ_cTfPYket_j3a2UDAUbxOOA3YRUpKFVkrkCQKTn4Iy895GgtLb9oEpIQDjdxan8HSC2lXti2Fd-ZTihxGT54YA/s1600/3171317116_eae2fdaa47.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYSKpnDVOjujzMy-4UsoXcKdhIh1mWyrtnpbvSnjjZ59ACLtN5UCSsGZ_cTfPYket_j3a2UDAUbxOOA3YRUpKFVkrkCQKTn4Iy895GgtLb9oEpIQDjdxan8HSC2lXti2Fd-ZTihxGT54YA/s400/3171317116_eae2fdaa47.jpg" width="393" /></a><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBPfheQrtpX5BmgGOyjQikM9GJR7VoE7Q5mhE495yR_DPybT69n5A6F6sZsuFJWM0joFBag0oZ7R2RVOQgLpzO3pubB1n3suqIeNr9xog9wMiCfj-TqG3HpzBSQXbGSYa0wW_Se29NCAi3/s1600/406S.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBPfheQrtpX5BmgGOyjQikM9GJR7VoE7Q5mhE495yR_DPybT69n5A6F6sZsuFJWM0joFBag0oZ7R2RVOQgLpzO3pubB1n3suqIeNr9xog9wMiCfj-TqG3HpzBSQXbGSYa0wW_Se29NCAi3/s640/406S.jpg" width="640" /></a> <br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4iXUVYAD1meuFm6GNnW95CxnZd2q_-8mcIAlfvumrtoSQE02g-wq0vhdPuLRu_vc3L00jlPDS3bL2Dqxx4MivNk7kszk2P-LkfPzWMvgYFVRc8AJFNIiZ9PmJ4nWdm1POvAb-XLm08DBn/s1600/3170484589_39bf69ccf4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="294" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4iXUVYAD1meuFm6GNnW95CxnZd2q_-8mcIAlfvumrtoSQE02g-wq0vhdPuLRu_vc3L00jlPDS3bL2Dqxx4MivNk7kszk2P-LkfPzWMvgYFVRc8AJFNIiZ9PmJ4nWdm1POvAb-XLm08DBn/s640/3170484589_39bf69ccf4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><u>Recommended Books & References</u></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><ul><li><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">LifeBooks: Creating a Treasure for the Adopted Child by Beth O'Malley </div></div></div></li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Adoption Lifebook: A Bridge to Your Child's Beginnings by Cindy Probst </div></div></div></li>
<li><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://www.nacac.org/adoptalk/celebration.pdf">http://www.nacac.org/adoptalk/celebration.pdf</a></div></div></div></li>
</ul></div>Indiana/Kentucky FSAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03263401989064960748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304366022587577422.post-60437744977908112432010-11-08T06:50:00.000-08:002010-11-10T06:49:38.599-08:00Picture Books about Adoption<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Last year we <a href="http://indianafsa.blogspot.com/2009/11/book-list-from-esther-edwards.html">posted</a> a list of picture books about adoption. This time the books are categorized to help you find the book that best fits your child's adoption needs and stage, plus additional titles. Do you want a book to help share your child's birth and adoption journey? Do you want a book to help discuss your child's birthparents? Do you want a book to help understanding about what being an adoptive family means? Do you need a book to discuss adopting a child into your family to either biological or adoptive children? Check out these books!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOVuP0vLxczPVYN5Ai__3XMV571Jha6dA1lD8tBziJB07_xsphhB4oxFq6Y7bM95MqWbFb8f_cbDm_IvPAZoCxQO0DOrmzWL22GgP54ImPdrfKpLEPpQQgKxo8SxD9FAxuy5TMdVGoIL7K/s1600/9780064435819.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="173" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOVuP0vLxczPVYN5Ai__3XMV571Jha6dA1lD8tBziJB07_xsphhB4oxFq6Y7bM95MqWbFb8f_cbDm_IvPAZoCxQO0DOrmzWL22GgP54ImPdrfKpLEPpQQgKxo8SxD9FAxuy5TMdVGoIL7K/s200/9780064435819.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><u>Adoption Stories</u></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Tell Me Again About the Night I was Born by Jaime Lee Curtis</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">How I Was Adopted by Joanna Cole</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Over the Moon by Karen Katz</div>My Family is Forever by Nancy Carlson<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The Red Thread: An Adoption Fairy Tale by Grace Lin</div>I Love You Like Crazy Cakes by Rose A. Lewis<br />
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<u>Books discussing Birthparents</u><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Forever Fingerprints by Sherrie Eldridge</div>The Mulberry Bird: An Adoption Story by Anne Braff Brodzinsky<br />
Did My First Mother Love Me?: A Story for an Adopted Child by Kathryn Ann Miller<br />
Three Names of Me by Mary Cummings<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Mommy Far, Mommy Near: An Adoption Story by Carol Antoinette Peacock</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Sam's Sister by Juliet C. Bond</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<u>Books about Adoptive Families</u></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">All Together Now by Anita Jeram</div>A Mother for Choco by Keiko Kasza<br />
Horace by Holly Keller<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Every Year on Your Birthday by Rose A. Lewis</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Happy Adoption Day! by John McCutcheon</div>We Belong Together by Todd Parr<br />
I Don't Have Your Eyes by Carrie A. Kitze<br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8sFsdH2jNkuv_VgUK1e7TURxMgwHAm6D18YecPb5ZCpTZnYcaX2_KeXQsypxIhBMjY-rcKTkg8dqZQTIIezS3PvGxQDfScBuDS1w8Tbvy7X6KYlyvP-567Yk3pW3WDy_fiwScaFryHiBC/s1600/tendaysnights2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="159" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8sFsdH2jNkuv_VgUK1e7TURxMgwHAm6D18YecPb5ZCpTZnYcaX2_KeXQsypxIhBMjY-rcKTkg8dqZQTIIezS3PvGxQDfScBuDS1w8Tbvy7X6KYlyvP-567Yk3pW3WDy_fiwScaFryHiBC/s200/tendaysnights2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<u>Books about Adopting a Younger Sibling</u><br />
Ten Days and Nine Nights by Yumi Heo<br />
My Mei Mei by Ed Young<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Rebecca’s Journey Home by Brynn Olenberg Sugarman</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Waiting for May by Janet Morgan Stoeke</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Bringing Asha Home by Uma Krishnaswami</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Most of these titles are available at local public libraries. This is just a starter list of picture books about adoption. There are many more titles available.</div></div>Indiana/Kentucky FSAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03263401989064960748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304366022587577422.post-37271530610917410412010-11-05T12:55:00.000-07:002011-02-18T12:42:43.882-08:00Complimentary Photo Session for Adoptive Families<div style="text-align: center;">I recently discovered this <a href="http://www.celebratingadoption.org/#">website</a> called "Celebrating Adoption" that I'm really excited about!</div><div style="text-align: center;">A group of photographers across the nation have volunteered to give one complimentary photo shoot (waiving the session fee) for adoptive couples working on their profiles or for adoptive families with their newest addition. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">The list of the participating photographers for Indiana and Kentucky are hard to read on the actual website due to very small font size, so I have provided them here but please go to the Celebrating Adoption's website for more details and the terms, conditions and disclaimer policies.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Outreach that we can do is email these photographers and thank them for supporting adoption so generously with their time and talents. Also encourage your photographer friends to consider becoming a participating photographer.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><u>Indiana</u></div><div style="text-align: center;">Jane Fritchley Photography</div><div style="text-align: center;">Jane Fritchley</div><div style="text-align: center;">Southern Indiana/Evansville</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.janefritchleyphotography.com/">http://www.janefritchleyphotography.com/</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Carmel Flores Photography</div><div style="text-align: center;">Carmel Flores</div><div style="text-align: center;">Indianapolis, IN</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.carmelfloresphotography.com/">http://www.carmelfloresphotography.com/</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Ferie's Fotography</div><div style="text-align: center;">Erin Medlin</div><div style="text-align: center;">Indianapolis, IN</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.fergiesfotography.com/">http://www.fergiesfotography.com/</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Kristi Hibbetts Photography</div><div style="text-align: center;">Kristi Hibbetts</div><div style="text-align: center;">Fishers, IN</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.khibbettsportraits.com/">http://www.khibbettsportraits.com/</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Tonya Marie Photograpy</div><div style="text-align: center;">Tonya Bussema</div><div style="text-align: center;">Angola, IN and Western MI</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.tonyamariephotography.com/">http://www.tonyamariephotography.com/</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><u>Kentucky</u></div><div style="text-align: center;">LZ Photography</div><div style="text-align: center;">Lisa Zanchi</div><div style="text-align: center;">Brandenburg, KY<br />
270-422-8090</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.lzphotography.com/">http://www.lzphotography.com/</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Kennedy Photography</div><div style="text-align: center;">Taran Kennedy</div><div style="text-align: center;">Somerset, KY</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.kennedyphotographyonline.com/">http://www.kennedyphotographyonline.com/</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Erin Ivie Photography</div><div style="text-align: center;">Erin Ivie</div><div style="text-align: center;">Henderson, KY</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.eriniviephotography.com/">http://www.eriniviephotography.com/</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Lizzie Loo Photography</div><div style="text-align: center;">Elizabeth Lauer</div><div style="text-align: center;">Louisville, Ky</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.lizzieloo.com/">http://www.lizzieloo.com/</a></div>Indiana/Kentucky FSAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03263401989064960748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304366022587577422.post-87238242135278866362010-11-04T07:41:00.000-07:002010-11-04T07:43:31.943-07:00Outreach On the Go<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Don't have a lot of time for adoption advocacy and outreach?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Let these items speak for you or be the conversation starters needed to share your testimony.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5FFDv5lgojgJHIAG4e538YEfyOaTZUc-H6MiRS98QF_X_3aMg8RblV_15bKixu3PY1IPpq8yeikNXg-ea-GFAF1Zd0Gncvb-frTf89h7K0BVAqBHue1H-edQ7xTxeMXDCMYBcOT6Ft8C/s1600/october+2+032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5FFDv5lgojgJHIAG4e538YEfyOaTZUc-H6MiRS98QF_X_3aMg8RblV_15bKixu3PY1IPpq8yeikNXg-ea-GFAF1Zd0Gncvb-frTf89h7K0BVAqBHue1H-edQ7xTxeMXDCMYBcOT6Ft8C/s400/october+2+032.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Decals, bumper stickers, license plate frames. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5IWS4tgjG_L-drisK8uIv1U03301ICZ7XjH82bLX5gBw0G-8N74hESUMNPfZQe7-lgd5q8s0eryn45-gVeY1t1_7n6U6sHQaJtQ73F2GhiHRVznki51ZttF9laNhrKDC9ohg5fpOpOhgE/s1600/october+2+035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5IWS4tgjG_L-drisK8uIv1U03301ICZ7XjH82bLX5gBw0G-8N74hESUMNPfZQe7-lgd5q8s0eryn45-gVeY1t1_7n6U6sHQaJtQ73F2GhiHRVznki51ZttF9laNhrKDC9ohg5fpOpOhgE/s400/october+2+035.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Church bags, library bags, reusable shopping bags.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnIiNGYq7AaXFCx315r0LJSuzoNJM9fEV6yV9e5ypVngPvYbMaJfNODbLF9JJz4hW0hjuScHDZjXtQyLjsm53wWwdHjPSYS0XUsQ-nNqxwbIi_hsfusxDyWEJoMNGuZxQfVxheDEMrtYpA/s1600/Nov+2010+020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnIiNGYq7AaXFCx315r0LJSuzoNJM9fEV6yV9e5ypVngPvYbMaJfNODbLF9JJz4hW0hjuScHDZjXtQyLjsm53wWwdHjPSYS0XUsQ-nNqxwbIi_hsfusxDyWEJoMNGuZxQfVxheDEMrtYpA/s400/Nov+2010+020.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">T-shirts for kids, parents, grandparents.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsb3lHnEtMjaMyAWkpz8Lg3VqnowkfCAU_YfuBlRAMXlQorXYjCyu-xREthcmXuZg0xvft8wI0wk5YwPfCIpT6evWHqyCM4n1_a-iQsqSaHmDMBs7ytyfXpmhyphenhyphen6btPy_UU7icjFKJE30af/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsb3lHnEtMjaMyAWkpz8Lg3VqnowkfCAU_YfuBlRAMXlQorXYjCyu-xREthcmXuZg0xvft8wI0wk5YwPfCIpT6evWHqyCM4n1_a-iQsqSaHmDMBs7ytyfXpmhyphenhyphen6btPy_UU7icjFKJE30af/s400/image.jpg" width="305" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Magazines and books on your end tables.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Go<a href="http://www.adoptivefamilies.com/printable/2010calendar.html"> here</a> to get 30 days of celebrating National Adoption Month 2010 from Adoptive Families magazine.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Many of these items were bought at the FSA store at a recent adoption conference which unfortunately does not have an on-line store or website but you could easily make your own t-shirts, bags and more.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Indiana/Kentucky FSAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03263401989064960748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304366022587577422.post-75951156848779856992010-11-03T05:00:00.000-07:002010-11-04T06:34:57.047-07:00No Matter How Much Time You Have.....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">YOU <em>CAN</em> BE AN ADOPTION ADVOCATE! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Click on the picture below to view a larger version)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1k95nYT4XmsxtsmlLTvr1MUYm_ai4ClnJyPX_p4ie91lN_2_7d4sQUR3JijXF20yxNWtFkGdJAdFMHi09NIKkgWIAxBrAyMkZYC7ZnZ_YcST14RR8nIrDiQRcicb7Il48b_j5Di6o_lGJ/s1600/aadvocacy0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1k95nYT4XmsxtsmlLTvr1MUYm_ai4ClnJyPX_p4ie91lN_2_7d4sQUR3JijXF20yxNWtFkGdJAdFMHi09NIKkgWIAxBrAyMkZYC7ZnZ_YcST14RR8nIrDiQRcicb7Il48b_j5Di6o_lGJ/s400/aadvocacy0001.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Indiana/Kentucky FSAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03263401989064960748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304366022587577422.post-58977580502067341522010-11-02T06:56:00.000-07:002010-11-02T06:57:38.600-07:00Government Advocacy<div style="text-align: center;">It's election day!<br />
Here are some ideas for adoption outreach with the courts and government.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">• Write a letter to one or two of the elected policymakers who represent you. Share a story about how good (or bad) adoption policies have affected your life. Thank the policymaker for working on adoption issues or encourage them to do so.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">• Bring stacks of brochures about an adoption agency, an adoption support group or adoption pass along cards to courthouses and leave them in waiting areas or at free literature stands.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">• Thank the judge who finalized your child’s adoption by sending a card and recent family photograph.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">• Surf the Internet looking for children’s advocacy sites. Add your email address to an action alert listserv so you can get messages about and respond to pressing legislative issues.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">• Volunteer to work on the campaign of a pro-child candidate, help with voter registration, or assist at the polls on election day. </div> <br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><u>Government websites:</u></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/">http://www.whitehouse.gov/</a> Contact the President, Vice President, or other staff.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.house.gov/">http://www.house.gov/</a> To learn about current legislation and contact</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.senate.gov/">http://www.senate.gov/</a> To contact Congressional representatives.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://thomas.loc.gov/">thomas.loc.gov</a> Read text of past and current legislation and view records from committee hearings.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.fec.gov/">http://www.fec.gov/</a> Obtain forms to become a registered voter from the Federal Elections Commission.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.dnet.org/">http://www.dnet.org/</a> Enter your zip code into the League of Women Voters’ Democracy Net to find out </div><div style="text-align: center;">which candidates and issues will appear on your ballot.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.cdfactioncouncil.org/">http://www.cdfactioncouncil.org/</a> See each Congressperson’s voting record on children’s issues by visiting the Children’s Defense Fund.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.cwla.org/">http://www.cwla.org/</a> Review action alerts on children’s issues from the Child Welfare League of America.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvwGPx1YhMZdplydHWshB870wDzeGsZnr4jRgKTv0qMUCVLo8lWBB77wp5WL1JHOxiZESKv2wnXPQqib7CMEPWt0mSBkUQnHn0UppjTlaC3Ri8YEN6Jwqc9hf6-WrmppXHeJUVEmNC213S/s1600/UNC_SAM.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvwGPx1YhMZdplydHWshB870wDzeGsZnr4jRgKTv0qMUCVLo8lWBB77wp5WL1JHOxiZESKv2wnXPQqib7CMEPWt0mSBkUQnHn0UppjTlaC3Ri8YEN6Jwqc9hf6-WrmppXHeJUVEmNC213S/s200/UNC_SAM.gif" width="144" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The Indiana/Kentucky FSA chapter is looking for an indiviudal or a couple who are interested in government outreach and legislation to be on our FSA board. If you are interested in participating and volunteering please contact Sara or Esther at <a href="mailto:indianafsa@gmail.com">indianafsa@gmail.com</a> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Indiana/Kentucky FSAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03263401989064960748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304366022587577422.post-79153643323430101542010-11-01T10:24:00.000-07:002010-11-01T11:49:06.335-07:00National Adoption Awareness Month<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUHhvj2EMY3WeVrZGxh3d1hGMZOCQS77loZIPjEgr-henf3aO6icWEBeTr50ib4LaJR1NbYe4lJ8v7Q6Ouvnc7BYP5JkegRXezeowN2X4hbK4pZhXdFqHgWlAPdxxTvNJ5aTq_bygSy7Qz/s1600/adoptionmonth2007-3%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUHhvj2EMY3WeVrZGxh3d1hGMZOCQS77loZIPjEgr-henf3aO6icWEBeTr50ib4LaJR1NbYe4lJ8v7Q6Ouvnc7BYP5JkegRXezeowN2X4hbK4pZhXdFqHgWlAPdxxTvNJ5aTq_bygSy7Qz/s1600/adoptionmonth2007-3%5B1%5D.jpg" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The Indiana/Kentucky chapter of Families Supporting Adoption just wrapped up hosting and attending the 2010 adoption conferences. In May and September there was our chapter’s training conferences. Then in July there was the National FSA Conference in Utah and October was the Regional FSA conference. FSA puts a lot of prayer, time, money and effort into these conferences with a hope to fulfill one of FSA’s purposes: to support adoptive couples, adoptive families, adoptees and birth parents and to provide pre-adoption and post-adoption education and services. We hope you were able to take advantage of these conferences and your testimony of adoption was strengthen.</div><br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Another purpose of FSA besides supporting adoptive families is to have our adoptive families and others support adoption. As we all know the family is under attack including adoptive families. Recently at the regional conference, Brother Sunday of the National FSA Board, expressed his concern about domestic adoption remaining an option for building families. He stated that in many countries similar to the US (such as Britain and Australia) domestic adoption has become practically nonexistent. This limits the likelihood for many children to be sealed and raised in an eternal family or for a chance at life at all. This limits the choices of the unmarried expecting parents and potentially leads them further away from the straight and narrow path. This also limits the options a couple can choose from to build an eternal family. If the construct of adoption falters and fails, then Satan wins a major battle in the war for the family.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We need our FSA members who understand the truth and doctrine about adoption- that it is a part of Heavenly Father’s plan for building eternal families and it is about love- to support adoption through outreach. November is National Adoption Month which provides a good opportunity to do outreach. There are many ways to outreach and support adoption and many are simple and easy. A few of my personal favorites are:</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">• Put “Adoption: It’s About Love” window cling/bumper sticker on your car. (There was one provided in all the folders at the May conference and I believe the Sept. conference too).</div><br />
• Share your testimony about adoption with others.<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">• Ask your local libraries to create a display of adoption related books in November.</div><br />
• Blog about your adoption journey or put posts about adoption on Facebook.<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">• At our chapter’s blog (www.indianafsa.blogspot.com) we have accepted the challenge to try and post daily during the month of Nov. So make sure to stop by to read, comment and share with others what we have there.</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I know if we do these things Heavenly Father will bless us and adoption will grow and prosper. As we outreach, our waiting for placements will become shorter; there will be fewer failed and disrupted adoptions and the environments we work, play, go to school and live in will be more supportive of our children, our families, and birth parents; and love will abound.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>With great hope and much love,<br />
Esther Edwards<br />
Co-Chair IN/KY FSA<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>“Never underestimate the power of a small group of committed people to change the world. In fact, it is the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret J. Wheatley<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjju7ma6ykuUOBOHDdWw9jXn8oHf55kj5JxRpSiQC2sor9a8TxUWJzAX735Dx0VhObKrNdRSva016-Wy0XcLDjwgYZ10SyE46dgfFa_HWsr67dnC4Bk7TOJAKMuCT8UW0E5mcgDhFPIduC2/s1600/posters_2001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjju7ma6ykuUOBOHDdWw9jXn8oHf55kj5JxRpSiQC2sor9a8TxUWJzAX735Dx0VhObKrNdRSva016-Wy0XcLDjwgYZ10SyE46dgfFa_HWsr67dnC4Bk7TOJAKMuCT8UW0E5mcgDhFPIduC2/s1600/posters_2001.jpg" /></a></div>Indiana/Kentucky FSAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03263401989064960748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304366022587577422.post-26623468264898995442010-09-27T20:08:00.000-07:002010-09-27T20:12:00.462-07:00Regional FSA Conference<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpLyoVmjs7FE7bmpMDPCpRYa93M8FnqJ_RusfKaGHuBeUnEavR8X-3QoagRK1KAaLE-mGopO2cMol5jpFnCtDwK5BfEeWfgNmiwlaDrAPsK9mCeSaYYMvmeoHkjpcmT3zNLlPGXtRiS2DE/s1600/Blog+Header+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpLyoVmjs7FE7bmpMDPCpRYa93M8FnqJ_RusfKaGHuBeUnEavR8X-3QoagRK1KAaLE-mGopO2cMol5jpFnCtDwK5BfEeWfgNmiwlaDrAPsK9mCeSaYYMvmeoHkjpcmT3zNLlPGXtRiS2DE/s400/Blog+Header+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Regional FSA Conference in Kirtland, OH is coming up on Oct. 8th & 9th. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">If you haven't registered for the conference, please do so before Oct. 1st.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">For more information about workshops, hotels or to register, click <a href="http://www.fsanortheast.blogspot.com/">here</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Coming Up...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Over the next several weeks we will post highlights from some of the different workshops from the National, Chapter & Regional conferences this year.</div>Indiana/Kentucky FSAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03263401989064960748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304366022587577422.post-35281207795375237292010-09-08T17:12:00.000-07:002010-09-27T20:12:18.351-07:00Schedule for Adoption Conference<div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #660000; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">Hope: An Anchor of the Soul</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz5Zyw0ZMBFcIws2u-U6o44qFUH3PWtuvn0a9xzxqtcuXILjJjqV-xK4-wZ5OVSaLkVrsdU59xWYp_Db0yThefMwYJozWrR3TtkeL5lgSeawsPvrZaqICEmv6n6pGrz0cAxKwT2t98Xf9m/s1600/temple-nashville.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz5Zyw0ZMBFcIws2u-U6o44qFUH3PWtuvn0a9xzxqtcuXILjJjqV-xK4-wZ5OVSaLkVrsdU59xWYp_Db0yThefMwYJozWrR3TtkeL5lgSeawsPvrZaqICEmv6n6pGrz0cAxKwT2t98Xf9m/s400/temple-nashville.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">Friday Sept. 17th, 2010</span></strong> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Franklin Stake Center </div><div style="text-align: center;">1100 Gray Fox Ln., Franklin, TN. 37069 </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><u>Picnic & Activities:</u> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Starts @ 4:30pm and will continue until at least 7:30pm</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><u>Temple Session:</u> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Your choice of the 6pm or 7:30pm endowment session (Babysitting provided).</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;"><strong>Saturday Sept. 18th, 2010</strong></span> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Franklin Stake Center</div><div style="text-align: center;">1100 Gray Fox Ln., Franklin, TN. 37069</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>Registration</strong> 9:00-10:00am Cultural Hall</div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Breakfast snacks & opening activity</em></div><div style="text-align: center;">Hope: An Anchor of the Soul devotional <em>Maria Adams</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>Workshops </strong>(Choose one of the following) </div><div style="text-align: center;">First Round: 10:15-11:10am </div><div style="text-align: center;"><u>Supporting Adoption in Your Church Calling</u>: </div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Dave Pitcher w/ Amy & Asher Rose; Maria Adams & Kay Abernathy</em> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Highly recommended for Bishopric members, Stake Presidencies, High Councilmen, RS presidencies, and Adoption Specialists.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><u>Foster Care & Adoption</u>: </div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Beckye Taylor & Carol Sandstrom</em> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Learn about Foster Care and how it can be a potential path to adoption.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><u>Adoption & Children’s Picture Books</u>: </div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Esther Edwards</em> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Gain knowledge on how to evaluate and use picture books to start discussions about adoption with children and adults.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>Workshops</strong> (Choose one of the following) </div><div style="text-align: center;">Second Round: 11:15am-12:10pm</div><div style="text-align: center;"><u>How To Outreach & Promote Adoption</u>: </div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Michael & Laura Law</em> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Brainstorm ways on how to advocate for adoption in your community and potential birth parents.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><u>Legislature & Laws about Adoption:</u> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Dave Pitcher</em> </div><div style="text-align: center;">An overview of the legal processes with adoption and discuss the approaches of different states on these legal issues.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><u>Adoption Panel:</u> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Hear from adoptive couples and from older adoptees about their adoption experiences such as concerns, things they wished they had known and things they wished other people had known too.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>Lunch & Panel</strong> 12:15-1:45pm Cultural Hall</div><div style="text-align: center;"><u>Birth Parent Panel:</u> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Hear the experiences, thoughts and emotions of birth parents.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>Workshops</strong> (Choose one of the following) </div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">Third Round: 2:00-2:45pm</div><div style="text-align: center;"><u>Gospel Perspective on Adoption:</u> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Dave Pitcher</em> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Explore the doctrine and principles of adoption and strengthen your own testimony about adoption. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><u>How to Outreach & Promote Adoption:</u> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Michael & Laura Law</em> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Brainstorm ways on how to advocate for adoption in your community and to potential birth parents.(Repeat)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><u>Grief & Loss with Adoption:</u> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Esther Edwards</em> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Learn common stages, tasks, and coping skills of grief & loss with infertility, choosing to adopt and placing a child for adoption.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>Closing</strong>: 2:45-3:00pm </div><div style="text-align: center;">Closing remarks & prayer & clean up</div>Indiana/Kentucky FSAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03263401989064960748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304366022587577422.post-49520107488883644532010-08-15T21:01:00.000-07:002010-08-15T21:01:12.233-07:00Emily & Nate's Adoption Journey<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicX1uj1LrasReiF-k8eTMTwZbEQEEgkLgfbLXIe66-BBhwgkcbyawHufEYaIRqQfSyulKbg8GGJ0i0YXaFno0CQZRjVSDxBCl26nyB2V_rFXUcvMZZhFActU7lCSvuJTIgvS1LqqhCr0mF/s1600/efe25250-b97a-4956-a339-756169aa02few.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicX1uj1LrasReiF-k8eTMTwZbEQEEgkLgfbLXIe66-BBhwgkcbyawHufEYaIRqQfSyulKbg8GGJ0i0YXaFno0CQZRjVSDxBCl26nyB2V_rFXUcvMZZhFActU7lCSvuJTIgvS1LqqhCr0mF/s400/efe25250-b97a-4956-a339-756169aa02few.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">Nate and I were married seven years ago and after those first few years we decided to start building our family. We were able to get pregnant very quickly and were blessed to welcome a little baby boy, Carter, a little over three years ago. After his birth I had some complications with an autoimmune disease I suffer from. I was put on some new medications and was told that while I was on these drugs I would not be able to get pregnant again due to certain risks. After a year and a half of good health but no end in sight in taking the medication we decided to pursue adoption. </div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">We got all our paperwork in order and got our profile up and running in January of 2009. I was in no big hurry to have another baby so we just patiently waited for the next nine months with absolutely nothing happening. After attending one of the FSA conferences we decided that we needed to get things moving and so we got set up on Parent Profiles in October. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">We averaged about two contacts a month while on the site and had several interesting email correspondences with birthparents. But after seven months we started to wonder how long we should continue to stay on the site. While visiting my family in California in April I got the first email contact from our birthmother. She was having a little baby girl in a month and wondered if we would like to be her family.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">I spoke to her a few times on the phone in the next several days and tried to get everything together. She was living in Pennsylvania and so the Maryland LDSFS office sent a caseworker out to visit with her that very first week. After that things began to fall into place. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">As soon as I got back from California we headed up to meet her and her daughter for the first time. We had such a wonderful first meeting and her daughter and Carter really hit it off. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">The next few weeks were a roller coaster as we waited for her to go into labor. She was often difficult to get a hold of and we were anxious all the time that things weren’t going to work out. She made it to her due date and so we headed up there for her induction. I was able to be in the labor and delivery room with her all the way and wow what an amazing experience that was. She had a difficult labor and ended up needing a C-Section. As I saw our baby girl for the first time at a whopping 10 lbs. 9 oz., I was completely overwhelmed with love for her and her birth mom who was giving us the most precious gift. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA2FWEl9CsHpmll1QJA7P8-5BBB74kra_42ttV9MpJu1KqPwLJKkEgNi-ozuk_Mhr3GRxQHwHMOzMqQM4UOwiCTMwdGJNCSBwmRI3V9LVrl_v7nL5ww-3IzeaVKJ9WxbIm4qy8QTc2Wskw/s1600/CIMG8015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA2FWEl9CsHpmll1QJA7P8-5BBB74kra_42ttV9MpJu1KqPwLJKkEgNi-ozuk_Mhr3GRxQHwHMOzMqQM4UOwiCTMwdGJNCSBwmRI3V9LVrl_v7nL5ww-3IzeaVKJ9WxbIm4qy8QTc2Wskw/s400/CIMG8015.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">The hospital stay was a very special time where we bonded with Kennedy’s birth family. Her birth mom was so strong and we were filled with an amazing love for her and her family. Adoption really is all about love. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I stayed in Pennsylvania for a week while we waited for interstate paperwork and then was able to take her home. We had such an incredible experience and feel so blessed to have her in our family. We still keep in touch with her birth mom and hope to continue that relationship long into the future. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW7sPaeU9ceY5aV6NWLc8Eb0ENyyvfOQPd7VE1AItSkWMyy8_wbTXAAnrrPTYvwuSly9QXBdu0QxlBybARGjP0EWGMD9b9Mu-CX6bbMMUD6-C8pEgedYoS2bHF7JZp3BCUJMP7QWB7PHpZ/s1600/8e3169a6-a7cf-4db8-acee-c02024cd0e1cw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW7sPaeU9ceY5aV6NWLc8Eb0ENyyvfOQPd7VE1AItSkWMyy8_wbTXAAnrrPTYvwuSly9QXBdu0QxlBybARGjP0EWGMD9b9Mu-CX6bbMMUD6-C8pEgedYoS2bHF7JZp3BCUJMP7QWB7PHpZ/s400/8e3169a6-a7cf-4db8-acee-c02024cd0e1cw.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Indiana/Kentucky FSAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03263401989064960748noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304366022587577422.post-64320807448895049552010-07-12T06:42:00.000-07:002010-07-12T09:08:50.453-07:00Save the Date<div align="center"><span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;"><strong>Indiana/Kentucky/Tennesse </strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;"><strong>FSA & LDSFS Conference</strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;"><strong>in Franklin Tennesse</strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;"><strong>September 17th-18th</strong></span></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">We are having a combine conference </div><div align="center">with the Adoption Specialists who serve LDSFS </div><div align="center">and our whole FSA chapter which now includes 3 states!</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"><span style="color: #660000;">Friday 17th:</span> </div><div align="center">Family Picnic </div><div align="center">Temple Session at the Nashville Temple</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"><span style="color: #660000;">Saturday 18th:</span></div><div align="center">Conference with a variety of break-out sessions, </div><div align="center">adoption panel</div><div align="center">& food </div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">We encourage all to attend, especially our members in southern Indiana, Kentucky and Tennesse. </div><div align="center">We also encourage all to attend the <br />
<span style="color: #660000;">Regional Conference in Kirtland, OH on Oct. 8th-9th</span> <br />
but understand if you choose to attend only one conference.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">More detailed information will follow in a couple weeks about times, workshops schedule, possible hotel discounts and more. </div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"><br />
</div>Indiana/Kentucky FSAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03263401989064960748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304366022587577422.post-6390283497797800562010-06-30T13:19:00.000-07:002010-06-30T13:23:24.813-07:00Continue in Patience<div style="text-align: center;">President Uchtdorf gave a wonderful <a href="http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-1207-20,00.html">talk</a> during the last General Conference about patience. </div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9UF7juvMUlMtRJhZrP3vKKU59yRvEVPDS8DAEqGIyGceYWOFGHZ4Hp3O4TXPRI3WNVQWP1VZONCtGDuSrR9TTG9iJiHrL-LO9AAxCu1nUzi7GLVbbIRAGfE84rPr7DgOQw_XMBeHEx9ly/s1600/UchtdorfDF_06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9UF7juvMUlMtRJhZrP3vKKU59yRvEVPDS8DAEqGIyGceYWOFGHZ4Hp3O4TXPRI3WNVQWP1VZONCtGDuSrR9TTG9iJiHrL-LO9AAxCu1nUzi7GLVbbIRAGfE84rPr7DgOQw_XMBeHEx9ly/s320/UchtdorfDF_06.jpg" /></a></div><br />
WAITING IS HARD for everyone!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pres. Uchtdorf: "<em>I learned that patience was far more than simply waiting for something to happen – patience required actively working toward worthwhile goals and not getting discouraged when results didn’t appear instantly or without effort…Patience is not passive resignation, nor is it failing to act because of our fears. Patience means active waiting and enduring. It means staying with something and doing all that we can- working, hoping, and exercising faith; bearing hardship with fortitude, even when the desires of our hearts are delayed. Patience is not simply enduring; it is enduring well!”</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">When I read the above statement, I immediately knew what Pres. Uchtdorf meant. Last year when my husband and I were approved and waiting to adopt, we felt that once our profile was complete that we had done all that we could or all that was required of us. Of course we wanted to grow our family, but our “passive resignation” was an effort to avoid the pattern of emotions tied to adoption and waiting. Six months later and without any contacts, we realized that we needed to be more prayerful and earnest about the blessing that we wanted. When we consistently sought the Lord’s guidance, then we knew what we should do. There was no question in our minds. Prayer led to greater faith, hope, desire, and answers. We wanted to do all that we could to receive this blessing and when we finally made that effort, the Lord’s blessings began to flow. If we hadn’t made the effort and exercised faith, we could have missed one of the most important opportunities of our lives. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pres. Uchtdorf: “<em>Every one of us is called to wait in our own way. We wait for answers to prayers. We wait for things which at the time may appear so right and so good to us that we can’t possibly imagine why Heavenly Father would delay the answer.”</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I know that the Lord has a plan for all of his children. He loves each of us and remembers all of our heart’s desires. Continue on in faith, knowing that he will provide a way and hope that all that you do will bring you closer to receiving the blessings that you seek. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pres. Uchtdorf: “<em>If we wait patiently for the Lord, He will incline unto us. He will hear our cries. He will bring us out of a horrible pit and set our feet upon a solid rock. He will put a new song in our mouths, and we will praise our God. Many around us will see it, and they will trust in the Lord.”</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Sara Hayman</div><div style="text-align: center;">IN/KY FSA Chair</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">To read more about Sara and Jared's journey to adopting their son,</div><div style="text-align: center;">go to posts on Sara's blog: <a href="http://growingupsara.blogspot.com/2010/04/jonathans-adoption-story-part-1.html">Part 1</a> and <a href="http://growingupsara.blogspot.com/2010/04/part-2.html">Part 2</a></div>Indiana/Kentucky FSAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03263401989064960748noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304366022587577422.post-3646285391490559122010-06-25T06:51:00.000-07:002010-06-25T06:52:30.774-07:00Chad & Natalie Hoping To Adopt<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieOQ-_IAcnemsf927bvPx2w6ICRkFF2PmrXLKdxfa16jby0RGQ8jVoxxClDpxXdnXFY-PE-8X9E31SwwOcSSonar_Qo7DmmkC4oub_DvG-X-UcGUSSuXg2B4jMITThFS9e3A05XF3JE6tM/s1600/4325995541_7a951b297b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieOQ-_IAcnemsf927bvPx2w6ICRkFF2PmrXLKdxfa16jby0RGQ8jVoxxClDpxXdnXFY-PE-8X9E31SwwOcSSonar_Qo7DmmkC4oub_DvG-X-UcGUSSuXg2B4jMITThFS9e3A05XF3JE6tM/s400/4325995541_7a951b297b.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">We have been married for almost 9 years. We have three biological children ages 7, 5 and 3. We just really believe that adoption is a blessing and want to be a part of it. We want to be a support to a birth mother and want to provide a mother and father for a child. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">We have been trying to adopt for 4 years. In 2006, a month after we got our profile posted on itsaboutlove.org, I found out I was pregnant. Sooo, that put the adoption process on hold for about a year and half since you have to wait until your child is a year old to resume the adoption process. We had one birth mother select us in Sept. of 2008 before even meeting us or even talking to us, but then she disappeared. We started with Parent Profiles in September of 2009 and have had a contact from a birth mother at least once a month. Some of the contacts never contact us again and some have resulted good discussions. </div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">In December of 2009 we got a call from a birth mother and met her three days later! At our meeting she asked us if we would adopt her baby. We formed a great relationship very quickly. We talked every other day for at least an hour. We had to up the minutes on our phone plan! Her family was not supportive of adoption and we were so happy to be a support to her during such a difficult time. She was not living near family, which was hard on her, but also kind of good for her, so that she didn't constantly get pressure from them. She ended up going into labor in February 2010 at just 19 weeks and lost the baby. It has been difficult for her and for us. Luckily, we have been able to stay friends with her. To learn more about our feelings on adoption here are links to our profiles: </div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.itsaboutlove.org/ial/profiles/15949857/ourMessage.jsf">https://www.itsaboutlove.org/ial/profiles/15949857/ourMessage.jsf</a> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.parentprofiles.com/profiles/db24521.html">http://www.parentprofiles.com/profiles/db24521.html</a> </div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">We haven't had our happy ending yet, but we are hopeful. </div>Indiana/Kentucky FSAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03263401989064960748noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304366022587577422.post-42862813317975315772010-06-17T12:23:00.000-07:002010-06-21T10:43:42.573-07:00Finding vs. WaitingI remember when my husband and I were new and just beginning the adoption process. We verbally told friends and family, usually in person, that we were adopting. One friend told me that she just received an email from another friend that was adopting. She said the email had a link to their profile and they encouraged her to send the email on to more people.<br /><br />My internal first response was "Weird." Being rather new still to the adoption world, I hadn't heard about "finding" techniques that help adoptive couples connect with potential birth parents. When Jared and I discussed doing something similar we felt uncomfortable with the idea of advertising ourselves in this way. We were still situating ourselves to the fact that we, for all appearances, were "applying" to be parents like you would a job. I think planning an <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">advertisement</span> campaign was beyond our emotional capacity at the time.<br /><br />Since then, I have heard and seen more and more <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">successful</span> adoptions that have taken place because the couple was actively searching and finding their child. We have changed our opinion from "weird & uncomfortable" to "good idea & helpful." So I encourage you to prayerfully consider different ideas and options on getting the word out that your family is hoping to adopt.<br /><br />Here are just a few ideas:<br /><u><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error"></span></u><br /><strong><u><span class="blsp-spelling-error">Facebook</span></u> </strong><br /><a href="http://community.todaymoms.com/_news/2010/05/19/4308852-our-adoption-story-was-a-facebook-fairytale?gt1=43001">Here</a> is an article about how one couple connected with their birth parents by posting their adoption <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">flyer</span> on <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Facebook</span>.<br /><br /><p>Jeff & Anna members of our Indiana/Kentucky <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">FSA</span> have an adoption <a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=122348924468520">page</a> on <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Facebook</span>. If anyone else in our chapter has a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">Facebook</span> adoption page, we would like to hear about it!</p>IN/KY <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">FSA</span> is now a <a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=116104395092531&ref=ts">group</a> on <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">Facebook</span>. Make a request to join our group!<br /><p><u><strong>Adoption Pass Along Cards</strong></u></p><p><a href="http://www.spacesforfaces.com/p/adoption-pass-along-cards_15.html">Here</a> is a link to a company where you can see examples and order adoption pass along cards.</p><p>Check out this <a href="http://westvalleyfsa.blogspot.com/2008/02/finding-friday-pass-along-cards.html">post</a> from another <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">FSA</span> blog about different ideas on how to pass out your adoption pass along cards.</p><p>Read this <a href="http://fsa-findingsuccess.blogspot.com/2009/11/que-brittany-mangus-utah.html">post</a> about an <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">LDS</span> couple who connected with their <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">birth mother</span> because she received their pass along card.</p><p>You could potentially make your own professional looking pass along cards using P<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">hotoshop</span>. Would anyone be interested in attending a workshop at our next <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error">FSA</span> conference on making your own adoption pass along cards?</p>We will post more ideas on how to find and connect with <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-error">birth parents</span> in future posts. If you have ideas and/or success stories on "finding" techniques please email them to us at <a href="mailto:indianafsa@gmail.com">indianafsa@gmail.com</a> or leave a comment!<br />-EEIndiana/Kentucky FSAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03263401989064960748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304366022587577422.post-85306241415933061652010-06-10T12:05:00.000-07:002010-06-21T08:46:05.238-07:00Sophie & Kelly's Adoption Journey<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7k-3e6cDXhFFi3FxPqXQHU3GJFXG8QPndBLUEU-HjqdPY_1li3mrO3wkmoNUbMFi9UlzwVJ-inyDgAJGTMFqMQzOawCX7toELIQPl1XeGPsRmjjdjEdzjHJjFAeCvgrh962FZ689V_5Rz/s1600/008%5B1%5D.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 290px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481226916673226514" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7k-3e6cDXhFFi3FxPqXQHU3GJFXG8QPndBLUEU-HjqdPY_1li3mrO3wkmoNUbMFi9UlzwVJ-inyDgAJGTMFqMQzOawCX7toELIQPl1XeGPsRmjjdjEdzjHJjFAeCvgrh962FZ689V_5Rz/s320/008%5B1%5D.JPG" /></a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> </span><span style="font-family:georgia;">Our adoption journey began a year ago in Hawaii. When Kelly returned home from Iraq, we quickly (within 2 weeks) got all our paperwork and visits taken care of with LDS Family Services in Hawaii. You see, I have always known (since I was a young girl) that the Lord had a special child or children in mind for me and my future hubby to adopt. I was always okay with not being pregnant, I really wanted to adopt because that's what I felt the Lord wanted for our family.<br /></span><div align="center"></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Well, the years passed and Kelly really wanted to be able to make our babies, so we were able to get pregnant and we had three children. But, my body didn't seem to want to let our babies "bake" long enough--they were all born prematurely. We decided that we were probably done, so on our youngest child's first birthday, Kelly had a vasectomy. However, the night before, I had a dream that a little girl was waiting to join our family but I didn't tell Kelly in time. </span></div><span style="font-family:georgia;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481226935217834050" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiub34QS3m9J0al_qZy1pthlz2Jc4wJs_w9nFJiRF27uwVQKjvmXVJOnt3_rFgr9BburS_zPBOFim_r4_1MVgUcEqpeMABos5amfUbNFc5lvsuKyH1q6wb9YaqSWjrDh_BbSedkWMqeZX4I/s320/006%5B1%5D.JPG" /> For a time, my heart was saddened because I knew a special spirit was meant to join our family. However, Kelly did not have the same feelings about adoption. And so I waited for the Lord to touch his heart. More time passed and Kelly's best friend and his wife adopted a beautiful baby girl through LDSFS in Utah. They had a wonderful experience with adoption and Kelly's heart was softened. After he returned home from a 7 month deployment in Iraq, he told me he was ready to proceed with finding our baby girl. YEAH! I felt a real sense of urgency so we got right to work and got everything in within two weeks. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481226925183592978" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS9vHrRIUOINn4GuxG7N1HXfLvLYOazCplvcVc1lysxv8LLjbGkKtiGUvH8T_vEOZ8MKv8ra7n9WUblgQch93Wl4PgAz4m_ZvadXIF-IVI5pujpzv-AojlbsnSapKHL8bwj9cGlI4iu8qi/s320/002%5B1%5D.JPG" /> </span><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:georgia;">I thought we would adopt really fast, but we waited and waited and waited..... In that time we worked with LDS Family Services, Parent Profiles, and some other agencies in Utah, but ultimately we were led to Premier Adoption Agency in Nevada in November 2009. Just when I had lost all hope, we got the call from our agency in Nevada that we had only been working with for three months. Our baby was waiting, but she was recovering from being really sick and we were told that she might have some problems in the future because of her birthmom's prenatal drug-use. So, we prayed really hard for confirmation and called her doctors; discussing our options, but we knew from the first time we saw her pictures that she was ours! Everything just fell into place and our feelings were confirmed over and over through the Spirit that we had found Our baby, the One meant for our family.<br /><br />Sophie is also breastfeeding their new baby girl through Induced Lactation. (See these two articles </span><a href="http://library.adoption.com/articles/induced-lactation.html"><span style="font-family:georgia;">here</span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> and </span><a href="http://library.adoption.com/articles/adoption-inducing-lactation.html"><span style="font-family:georgia;">here</span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> for more info). If you want to know more about her experience send an email to </span><a href="mailto:indianafsa@gmail.com"><span style="font-family:georgia;">indianafsa@gmail.com</span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;">.</span></div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 221px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481226939477757010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0XcA2Yq77lQeGpuoLfpOiNEIVULQJyp_w8TU_a5y4z3H7ctptTg4A0i8h2z6jeBjPK1QuBkIIiMK4xy19bA6a9-38v6EcNsIUbbn8-9YsbTb6cV0IcKgF-kX_qrtaOSSUVFPMhYf-SsWa/s320/018%5B1%5D.JPG" /> <div align="center"></div></div>Indiana/Kentucky FSAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03263401989064960748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304366022587577422.post-48264983353254919262010-03-23T10:34:00.000-07:002010-03-23T10:50:49.319-07:00FSA Conference<div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#660000;">A Perfect Brightness of Hope</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">May 1st, 2010</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">9am-3pm</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">*</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">White River church building</div><div align="center">110 N. White River Parkway W. Dr.</div><div align="center">Indianapolis, IN. 46222</div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">*</span></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">Any person who supports adoption or wants to know more about adoption is invited to attend this conference.</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">*</span></div><div align="center">Including</div><div align="center">All adoptive families, FSA members, birthparents & grandparents, stake & ward leaders, couples considering adoption & expecting parents considering making an adoption plan, etc.</div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">*</span></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">The conference will include lunch & snacks, babysitting and a variety of workshops. To see the schedule of workshops, please click <a href="http://indianafsa.blogspot.com/2010/03/schedule-opening-everybody-900-1000am.html">here</a>.</div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">*</span></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">Please RSVP by April 18th at</span></div><div align="center"><a href="mailto:indianafsa@gmail.com"><span style="font-size:130%;">indianafsa@gmail.com</span></a></div>Indiana/Kentucky FSAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03263401989064960748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304366022587577422.post-80915506410440678242010-03-23T10:13:00.000-07:002010-06-12T15:39:41.817-07:00Schedule for FSA Conference<div align="center"><strong><span style="color:#660000;">A</span> <span style="color:#660000;">Perfect Brightness of Hope</span></strong></div><div align="center">May 1st, 2010</div><div align="center">9am-3pm</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><strong>Schedule</strong></div><div align="center"></div><div align="left"><strong>Opening</strong> (Everybody): 9:00-10:00am</div><ul><li><div align="left">Registration, breakfast snacks & opening activity</div></li><li><div align="left">Devotional: A Perfect Brightness of Hope</div></li></ul><p align="left"><strong>Workshops</strong> (Choose one of the following) 10:15-11:00am</p><ul><li><div align="left">Adoption Basics:</div></li><li><div align="left">Creating an Adoption Blog & Other Ways to Connect with Potential Birthparents</div></li><li><div align="left">Special Issues in Parenting Adoptive Families</div></li></ul><p align="left"><strong>Workshops</strong> (Choose one of the following) 11:05-11:50am</p><ul><li><div align="left">Journey from Placement to Finalization</div></li><li><div align="left">Open vs. Traditional/Closed Adoptions</div></li><li><div align="left">Encouraging Positive Adoptive Identity</div></li></ul><p align="left"><strong>Lunch</strong> (Everybody) 12:00-1:00pm</p><p align="left"><strong>Birthparent & Birth grandparent Panel</strong> (Everybody) 1:00-1:45pm</p><p align="left"><strong>Workshops</strong> (Choose one of the following) 2:00-2:45pm</p><ul><li><div align="left">Gospel Perspective on Adoption</div></li><li><div align="left">Grief & Loss with Infertility and Adoption</div></li><li><div align="left">Encouraging Positive Adoptive Identity (Repeat from above)</div></li></ul><p align="left"><strong>Closing & Clean-up</strong> (Everybody) 2:45-3:00pm</p>Indiana/Kentucky FSAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03263401989064960748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304366022587577422.post-70038457419262558772010-03-01T16:03:00.000-08:002010-03-01T16:13:38.724-08:00Save the Date<div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#000066;"><strong>Saturday May 1st, 2010</strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">Indiana/Kentucky FSA Training Meeting</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">*</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">We are in the process of planning the annual training meeting. Next week a survey will be sent out asking about different adoption education topics. We want to offer classes that meet your specific needs and will be the most beneficial to you and your family. </span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">*</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">If you have any ideas or suggestions right now at this moment, please leave a comment!</span></div>Indiana/Kentucky FSAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03263401989064960748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304366022587577422.post-27426659557174228642010-02-22T18:09:00.000-08:002010-06-12T15:42:31.838-07:00<div align="center"><a href="http://lds.org/images/Magazines/global/UchtdorfDF_06.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 144px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 192px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://lds.org/images/Magazines/global/UchtdorfDF_06.jpg" /></a><span style="color:#ffcc33;"> </span><strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#660000;">The Infinite Power of Hope</span></strong></div><div align="center"><strong><em><span style="color:#660000;">President Dieter F. Uchtdorf</span></em></strong></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#660000;">November 2008 Ensign</span></em></div><p align="left"><span style="color:#ffcc33;"><em><span style="color:#009900;"></span></em></span></p><p align="left"><span style="color:#000000;">Toward the end of World War II, my father was drafted into the German army and sent to the western front, leaving my mother alone to care for our family. Though I was only three years old, I can still remember this time of fear and hunger. We lived in Czechoslovakia, and with every passing day, the war came nearer and the danger grew greater.</span><a name="7"></a><span style="color:#000000;"> </span></p><p align="left"><span style="color:#000000;">Finally, during the cold winter of 1944, my mother decided to flee to Germany, where her parents were living. She bundled us up and somehow managed to get us on one of the last refugee trains heading west. Traveling during that time was dangerous. Everywhere we went, the sound of explosions, the stressed faces, and ever-present hunger reminded us that we were in a war zone.</span><a name="8"></a><span style="color:#000000;"> </span></p><p align="left"><span style="color:#000000;">Along the way the train stopped occasionally to get supplies. One night during one of these stops, my mother hurried out of the train to search for some food for her four children. When she returned, to her great horror, the train and her children were gone!</span><a name="9"></a><span style="color:#000000;"><br />She was weighed down with worry; desperate prayers filled her heart. She frantically searched the large and dark train station, urgently crisscrossing the numerous tracks while hoping against hope that the train had not already departed.</span><a name="10"></a><span style="color:#000000;"> </span></p><p align="left"><span style="color:#000000;">Perhaps I will never know all that went through my mother’s heart and mind on that black night as she searched through a grim railroad station for her lost children. That she was terrified, I have no doubt. I am certain it crossed her mind that if she did not find this train, she might never see her children again.</span><span style="color:#009900;"><span style="color:#ffcc33;"> </span><strong><span style="color:#660000;">I know with certainty: her faith overcame her fear, and her hope overcame her despair. She was not a woman who would sit and bemoan tragedy. She moved. She put her faith and hope into action.</span></strong><a name="11"></a></span><span style="color:#660000;"> </span></p><p align="left"><span style="color:#ffcc33;"><span style="color:#000000;">And so she ran from track to track and from train to train until she finally found our train. It had been moved to a remote area of the station. There, at last, she found her children again.</span><a name="12"></a><span style="color:#000000;"><br />I have often thought about that night and what my mother must have endured. If I could go back in time and sit by her side, I would ask her how she managed to go on in the face of her fears. I would ask about faith and hope and how she overcame despair.</span><a name="13"></a><span style="color:#000000;"><br />While that is impossible, perhaps today I could sit by your side and by the side of any who might feel discouraged, worried, or lonely. Today I would like to speak with you about the infinite power of hope.</span></p><div align="center"><span style="color:#000000;">Click <a href="http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=bbd44bb52a73d110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD">here</a> to read the entire talk. </span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#000000;"></span> </div><div align="left"><span style="color:#000000;">This section was chosen because we, as adoptive families, are "searching" for our children. It can be frightening, overwhelming, discouraging, etc. I love this image of his mother searching for her children, and picture <strong><span style="color:#ffcc33;">hope</span></strong> as a dear friend holding up a lantern by her side, giving her peace and comfort in her quest, overpowering those other emotions. It can do the same for us as adoptive families.</span><br /></div></span><div align="center"></div>Indiana/Kentucky FSAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03263401989064960748noreply@blogger.com0