Your first contact has already occurred, and now you are ready to meet. You may have been in touch via the telephone, by email or letter. After that first contact, you have probably spent some time getting to know one another. Maybe not, when some birth family members live close to each other, that first face-to-face meeting may come rather quickly. In most cases though, that first meeting takes awhile to happen.

Eventually, one party can stand the wait no longer and suggests meeting face to face. The other party may or may not be ready to meet. Timing is crucial... more

Rape is a controversial issue because of people’s explanations and definitions are different than the law. In addition, I think that from generation to generation the attitudes toward rape are different. For example, there are generations that may exclude marital rape in their definitions of rape but in younger generations this may be included in their definitions.

No matter what generation that rape is being discussed in I think the one thing that all can agree on is that it is a persistent problem.

A very general definition of rape is a forced or nonconsensual... more

These instructions can help adoptees find their birth name, using their amended birth certificate -- but only if the adoptee is born within the five boroughs of New York City.

1. On your amended birth certificate, find the number in the upper right hand corner. It should look something like this: 146-67-105231 2. Take the third group of numbers -- in the sample number, 105231. Remove the first number from this group. The number you now have is 05231. This is the number that corresponds with your original birth record in the Birth Index for the City of New York.... more

The first time my sister called we talked for only a few minutes and I have to say that I felt uncomfortable. I wasn’t sure what to say to her and didn’t want to say the wrong thing. She called a second time a few weeks later and we actually talked for over an hour. The conversation was smooth and I didn’t have the anxiety that I felt in our first conversation. At this point our email communication had pretty much stopped and we were having phone conversations on a regular basis. It was around Easter that my sister asked if we could see one another. She was now living... more

Recently, my adored 7-year old granddaughter called and asked if she could come over the next day. I get busy and sometimes think it is time for a dose of my lively granddaughter, but, do not act on my impulse. Just lately, she has begun to call me and invite herself over, and I am always glad when she does.

A phone call from her always delights me, and I feel honored that she enjoys her Gram enough to want to spend time with me. She lives only 15-20 minutes away, so, the distance makes visits easy and often.

The last time she was over a few weeks ago, we did... more

There are a myriad of wonderful websites that have intricate instructions on how to search. Hence, I do not intend to reinvent the wheel and create a complex search guide on my blog.

I am not a statistician and quite honestly, I am not fond of or particularly adept at numbers. Actually, I am pretty lousy with numbers. Plus, I do not really care that much about statistics. Another problem with offering statistical adoption data is the fact that there is not a great deal of reliable, consistently reported and recorded data available about adoption searches. I can direct you to a few places that offer some data if you have an interest in such details.

There are also any number... more

My name is Karen and my goal is to help those searching complete their searches by providing search tips as well as address the emotional aspects of searching and the how it effects our daily lives. I am an adoptee. I searched for my birth mother for 2 years and found a grave at the end of my search a little over 12 years ago. I was reunited with a half sister and welcomed into the family with open arms by many aunts, uncles, and cousins. Today, I have a relationship with my sister that is very sporadic. I have hope that one day it will improve and she will choose to let us be more of a part of each others lives instead of a letter or phone call once or twice a year.

Because searching,... more

If you don't know your family's history, then you don't know anything. You are a leaf that doesn't know it is part of a tree. - Michael Chrichton

Well, I must say, that’s rarely me – at a loss for words, that is. I can usually find plenty to say – especially about adoption.

There was that one hot summer evening, July 31, 2001, when I was temporarily knocked for a loop and rendered nearly speechless, but, that’s a story for another day.

Today, I want to welcome you to my new blog here at Adoption.com. I am excited and tickled pink to have this new opportunity! The subject is the exhilarating, scary and suspenseful search for birth family. A search for birth... more