You may have figured out by now that I love music. I have been singing ever since I could talk and it’s always been such a great form of expression for me. I studied music, both privately and in school, in high school and college.

To do this day, I can hear a song and fall in love with it and it means something to me. I will sing the song when I’m feeling whatever mood the song is associated with. For example, the song Held by Natalie Grant was a great source of comfort to be after my first miscarriage. I would sing this song at the top of my lungs... more

I have been helping a new birthmother (who we will call M.) plan an entrustment ceremony. As I’ve said before, entrustment ceremonies are not for everyone. For some they may seem a bit hokey or something that would be too emotional, but for M. partaking in this ceremony was very special to her and the adoptive family as well. It would be video taped so she knew that one day her child would be able to watch it. I’ve written about entrustment ceremonies before, but will briefly define them again in case you have not read that... more

I found something neat while surfing the web in the birthparent section of About.com. There is the diary of an expectant mother making an adoption plan and it continues into the first months of birthmotherhood.

Expectant mother and birthmother, Terri Rimmer, began keeping a journal early in her pregnancy. It begins with her moving into the Gladney Maternity Home and she talks about her life there, people in the house,... more

A continuation from the last post...

And then there are the moments that are not crushing, but more disturbing or annoying, such as:

--Hearing the many adoptive parents in my office talk about their children and the adoption process, while never acknowledging the existence of people like me (or worse, making derogatory comments about birthfamilies). All parents are justifiably proud of their kids, so again, I do not begrudge adoptive parents their pride. It’s what they say, and how they say it, that matters. Whenever it’s insensitive,... more

If you become a birthmom, there are many small moments of grief that may sneak up on you, things you never anticipated being an issue before you surrender your child.

I pretty much knew to expect the Big Grief (although I definitely underestimated just how big it would be) but I certainly never thought that the small pangs would add up in quite the way that they do. In some ways, these tiny pinpricks wear you down more than the regular grieving process does – because unlike the main grief, they don’t progress through logical stages, and they don’t reduce... more

Today is my 30th birthday! WOW! I didn’t feel like writing a long adoption post today, so I thought it’s my day so I will share some things with you that you might not know about me and help you get to know me a little better!

I was born and raised for the first twelve years of my life in Madison, Mississippi. I am a southern girl at heart. I have one brother. He’s younger than me. I bleed maroon and white. Go MSU Bulldogs! I had a stay at home mom who made awesome birthday... more

Another in the series of posts describing "unphotographable" moments in adoption - those times that stand out in memory, but aren't captured on film. My son’s family is coming to visit for the first time since his birth. I’ve waited eight long months for this day—prayed for it, in fact. I have two carefully-chosen presents for him, and I’ve bought a new outfit for myself. The still camera is loaded with film, and I’ve assigned my sister the role of videographer. I’m not going to miss a minute of this day.

I wait by the bay window... more

One of the reasons some women may be in an unplanned pregnancy could be a result of rape. Some women who were raped and became pregnant may consider adoption for a varying number of reasons. One of the most speculated reasons being that a mother whose child was conceived in rape would primarily see the rapist in their child. However after speaking with someone in this situation, I’ve found that (for her at least) that speculation is untrue.

Brandy is a dear friend of mine and has shared her story with others before and has agreed to share it again with us in the hopes that if someone reading is going through something... more

My birthson Charlie, started Kindergarten today! It’s hard to believe he’s about to be 5 and is in school! It seems as if only yesterday, he was a tiny newborn I held in my arms not a “big boy.”

The going to school thing has had me surprisingly emotional. I was a basket case yesterday. All I could think about was Charlie starting school and how I was missing it.

As a child growing up, the first day of school was a big deal. In fact, it was a big deal whether or not it was the first day of kindergarten, first grade, or the twelfth grade!... more

So, those of you who know me pretty well know that since February I have been struggling with health issues. Back in February, it was discovered after surgery that I had the “world’s largest bleeding ulcer.” After a long hospital stay and almost a month of bed rest the ulcer was shrinking!! But I still have to be careful with how much I do, how stressed I get, etc… Since my mother in law got sick then passed away (over two months ago) my hubby and I have literally had no alone time together. It’s been very hard dealing with Noah regards to her death –... more