"And the phone gets silent and she starts crying and she calls me El Nino, the baby, the baby is back."

Searching for Birthparents is a newspaper article about a man adopted from Honduras. The urge to search came for him when his son Miguel was born. The birth of a child for an adoptee is often a time when thoughts of birth parents surface, and sometimes spark a search.

Fortunately, this young man did have some information about his birthparents.... more

Search and reunion can be exciting and confusing times. Having some idea of what to expect, and how to handle various situations can be extremely helpful.

1) If you choose to make your first contact by mail, be certain that your letter is vague and non-revealing. You do not know who knows about the adoption, and it is best to let the found party control who they tell and when. 2) When the initial contact is by telephone, inquire as to whether the person is free to talk at the moment.... more

The two part blog series I wrote in February talks about the different types of DNA tests that can be utilized in your adoption search. Before you turn to DNA testing to help uncover your natural ancestry you first should probably learn some basics.

Each individual’s physical traits and characteristics are determined from our genes and our chromosomes hold our genetic material and carry genetic information in long strands of DNA called genes. DNA acts... more

Change comes slowly in adoption, but attitudes about certain issues do eventually take some positive turns. How adoptive parents feel about their children searching is one of those issues where a positive change in direction has definitely occurred over the years.

In the past, not too many adoptive parents seemed to support the idea of their children searching. In fact, I would venture to say that ten to twenty years ago, few adoptive parents would have supported their child's desire to search. Virtually no one supported searches a few decades ago, with... more

One thing that I have learned through my own adoption search and reunion is that although we cannot control those around us, we can control ourselves and how we feel about things. We can choose to let the facts bother and depress us, or we can choose to learn from them and go on. After finding a grave I did it both ways, acknowledging the past and then moving on has worked best for me – no matter how hard it seemed to do at the time or how comfortable it felt hanging on to that pain. Moving on does not mean forgetting or not dealing with it.

Recently,... more

Has searching in the newspaper archives brought you to an obituary? Has the funeral home in the obituary provided you with additional information that helps to confirm for you that you have found your natural mother? Have you contacted a natural family member and confirmed that your natural mother is deceased?

Finding a grave…this can be one of the most difficult things that you have to deal with in our life. You will learn, grow, and heal from the experience.

It seems like I have been reading a lot of stories lately that searches have ended... more

Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live.

Dorothy Thompson

Even the title of this article might cause some adoptees to get their feathers ruffled. They might believe that it insinuates that everyone should search. As much as I am in favor of searches, I do not believe in forcing someone who does not want to search.

Although I support search and reunion wholeheartedly, I generally resist... more

Illinois, Evanston - The Cradle, 2049 Ridge Avenue, Evanston, IL 60201 In the 1960’s this maternity home was called The Cradle Society. They had an in-house nursery which all the infants were housed until they went with the adoptive parents. They also operated an infant nurse school from 1926 thru 1972

Louisiana, New Orleans - The Methodist Home The Methodist Home hospital was and still is located on Washington St. Since 1972 It is a home for abused and neglected children. The contact information for The Methodist Home is: P.O.... more

There are many maternity homes through out the United States. Some still exist and some no longer exist. This 2 part blog series is touching base on only a few. If there is a particular maternity home you are interested in, please let me know.

Booth Memorial Hospitals There were Booth Memorial Hospitals in most major U.S. cities and they were run by the Salvation Army. The hospitals are closed now and the records have been warehoused.

The contact information is as follows:

Central Territory Headquarters 10... more

What are other negative aspects of a search? Personally, I hate to hear when people forego a search due to worries of hurting either birth or adoptive parents. For birth parents, reunions can sometimes be very positive and help them heal. Most adoptive parents want what is best for their children, and sometimes that is an adoption search and reunion. Adoptive parents are less hurt if they understand the reasons and dynamics of search and reunion.

Until you search and locate your child or birth parent, you cannot know whether the timing is... more