It is so important as triad members to speak out and identify yourself. Your place in the triad gives you a platform from which to work for reform. Recently, I received an email by an adoptee who was for being adopted and with her permission would like to share her “letter to Karen which is to follow below and in the next blog.

Dear Karen,

Being am adopted is not something I have ever been ashamed of or tried to hide. But, recently, I had an experience that really put me in MY place! I am the family tree-keeper... more

With the holidays rapidly approaching I thought that I would dedicate this blog to talk about adoption search and the holidays. When I was searching I can recall times that I would feel down during the holidays. This is probably more common than talked about. I have much to be grateful and thankful in my life. I have always felt this way but there use to be a part of me that was down because I wondered about my natural family and had many questions.

Again, don’t get my wrong, I had a good life with a wonderful family and parents who raised... more

I know that many of us have been writing about Madonna and her adoption situation. I actually have been avoiding writing about it as well but the article at http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/couriernews/lifestyles/104980,3_5_EL22_CELEBADOPT_S1.article made me change my mind.

The article titled Celebrity Adoptions: Heartfelt Acts or Publicity Stunts really caught my eye and I felt it was worth spending some time writing a blog... more

As a perspective adoptive parent, my husband and I have talked about these types of situations and feel that we have made the decision to adopt. When a child is placed with us, our child will be affected by adoption no matter how much we try to work through the various issues that may or may not arise. I think that when the time comes for these types of school projects we will view them as an opportunity to openly discuss adoption and our child’s natural parents. Our child will have to live with being adopted all of his or her life and when the... more

Surfing the net I came across this article. The title is "How to Be an Adoption Advocate." The article is written by Kathleen Mikkelson who is an attorney and an adoptive parent of two Korean born boys.

I had very mixed emotions reading this article and trying to view it from prospective adoptive parent and on the flip side as an adoptee I have been very torn. As a prospective adoptive parent the article didn’t exactly win me over... more

In OH a natural parent or sibling can file an authorization form that gives permission for their identify to be released to the adoptee. if the adoption was finalized between January 1, 1964 – September 18, 1996 the form can be completed at any time. For adoptions after September 18, 1996 the natural parent can sign the disclosure statement when relinquishing the child to adoption.

In order to file an authorization form, you need to obtain a copy of the appropriate form. There is one for natural parents and a separate one for siblings. Both of these forms... more

If you were born in OH you may be able to access copies of certain documents in your adoption file. To be specific, section 3107.38 of the Ohio Revised Code provides that an adopted person whose birth occurred in OH and whose adoption was finalized prior to January 1, 1964 may request in writing to receive copies of the contents of an adoption file.

In order to request these documents you must complete a form called “affidavit for adopted person”. This form can be obtained at http://www.odh.ohio.gov/vitalstatistics/legalinfo/adoptpri.aspx... more

There was a period of time in my life that I spent every spare moment I had on volunteering in the adoption community. I realized that is what I needed to do in order to heal and grow but now I volunteer my time because of the experiences I have had. It isn’t about egos or personalities but rather giving back and continuing to turn this negative experience in my life to something positive by helping others.

It was a few hours later when I was driving in my car that I wondered out loud about my experiences, my book, etc and whether... more

As I look at these two articles this evening I realize how much more I have grown in the past 13 years. My feelings toward the experience have not changed. I still feel that it was one of the most difficult experiences that I have gone through in my life. The times that I get frustrated and angry at the situation are fewer and I have been able to make better decisions in my life and recognize when a person or situation isn’t a mentally healthy one for me to be in.

My life isn’t about achievement, performance or material things. It... more

Adoption.com figures prominently in another reunion! I am the world's biggest fan of reunions. Adoptive moms generally get all happy and giddy when someone else adopts, but that is how I feel when I hear about another reunion. Reunions are events that I am always happy to hear about.

The very talented Claudia, a natural mom extraordinaire, just did some brief audio presentations on her blog and the last one was about an adoption reunion that.....dah, dah, Adoption.com helped to bring about. The male adoptee who was reunited talks about going... more