November is National Adoption Month

November is National Adoption Month. Adoption is a subject close to my heart. It runs in my family you might say. My great-grandfather McNeill adopted two boys. One of those boys later took in my dad when he was a 10 year old boy. I have several cousins who are adopted (too many to count). My brother Jim and his wife Carolann adopted four kids from foster care. My other brother David and his wife Patti has adopted a cousins baby boy by direct adoption. I adopted my last three children from kinship foster care.  We helped my second cousin's birth mother get to the hospital for his delivery and she stayed with my parents for two weeks prior in case she went into labor without a phone. My cousin Denise and her husband Phil have adopted all three of their kids using agency adoption. As I was walking out of a program for my older daughter I was given just minuets to witness to a man, he and his wife were thinking of adoption. I often get asked about my adoption. Usually because these people are thinking about adoption but don't know where to start. I recommend Bethany Christian Services who helped us with our last adoption. There are also several state websites that show kids who available for adoption from foster care. Adoption is a great way to make your family complete. If you are thinking about adoption just ask the good people at Bethany Christian Services here in Michigan.

Adoption-parenting class

Well, the class really did not present that much new information to me. They dismissed the RAD as not really as prevalent as it is. The only help they suggested was for public school assistance. I realise these programs are free and are already in place but there should be other ways to access the services than only receiving them through the public school system. I did receive a nice certificate for 9 hours of "Towards Successful Adoption Training" and a $50.00 stipend. I have had to become an expert on RAD for my kids because there are so few services in our area, because we are so rural. It is nice to meet other adoptive families. Just like meeting other home schooled families it is nice to know there are other adopted families who have the a sameness in their daily struggles to do the best for their kids too.

Adoption-parenting class

MSU Department of Social Work is offering a parenting class. Three years after adopting 3 special kids the state is finally offering me a class on the resources available to them. And paying me $50.00 to go...like I wouldn't go for free, or even pay them $50.00 to find out how to get more help for the kids! It is two days Friday night at 5:30pm and again on Sat starting at 8am till 5pm---by the time they sent the form to me half the places had already taken place and Saginaw, Michigan was the only one near me left. They waited till the week before to confirm so I had to take vacation months ago and wait to see if there even was a class and where the location was going to be in Saginaw. I have had a sitter lined up for months too on standby in case they cancelled. Then this week someone traded me days off so I don't even have to waste a vacation day. (Any vacation day not spent with my family is a total waste!) These programs all assume the parents don't work. It is very frustrating. I wouldn't have needed to use the time off if they had told me in the first flier it would start at 5:30pm. Now I find out the Mom to Mom sale is tommorro at 9-1pm and I am going to miss all the sales!Just because I don't want to miss the resource class out of the three classes! [I don't care about the stipend.] So I will miss all the baby clothes at the sale! It's a bummer! I just hope the class isn't a disappointment after all this trouble to go to it. The kids do need some resources but I am scared to ask for them after what happened the last time I asked for help for them from the state. Tippy-toe has real problems using stairs..he's seven! Little-man has speech problems we are working on daily, Pitty-pat could still use some help with the RAD although I believe we have come a long way! And everyone should have access to the programs when we adopt not three years later. I'll let you know how the class goes.

Quote for the day

 I found this quote today it is one of those things people always say you know ..."the kids are so lucky to have someone to love them"...no I reply it is me who is lucky I get so much love from those little ones. Well here is a quote that sums it up really well.

 

John Paul II said...

To adopt a child is a great work of love. When it is done, much is given, but much is also received. It is a true exchange of gifts

November is National Adoption Month

I would like to give a big Thank You of appreciation to Bethany Christian Services this month for both of our adoption's! Yes, Pitty-pat, tippy-toe and little-man are all half-syblings, my cousins, and my adopted ones. Thank you to R.C. our adoption worker from Bethany  and R.G our social worker from DHS. The kids are all doing great. Bethany Christian Services were wonderful to us all. I know our circumstances were unique since it was a relative adoption and they treated us so nicely. Little-man is my bonus he came to live with us 1 week before the first adoption was final. So we were in the process of adoption for two years non stop. It seemed like it would never be over, but today we are a complete family and I am so thankful to all who helped to keep us together. Family should take care of family. Families should be kept together. I don't like to talk about our adoption here because I feel like it puts a label on the kids. After all they always were my family just recycled from being my little cousins to my little children. Love knows no labels.

weather study

Today is beautiful we need to play outside! Its 80.1 degrees outside. Time to study the weather first hand. Sunny and beautiful and warm---rare in michigan, especially in April. and that's no april fools joke. I have all the windows open airing out the house. It's such a nice day to get out of work early and play with the kids and the dog. Aimee is here with her puppy jack. Pitty-pat will be setting out our trip to the park since she peeled all the paint off the back of her bedroom door this morning when she woke up. Cam just found it. It's been a long time since we had any of this kind of behavior. I blame the recent visitors we had for this acting out.