The Nevada Appeal published an article on July 15, 2006 titled Reunions Mean Success for Longtime Carson City Non profit. The staff writer of this article pointed out several facts that I never realized about the International Soundex Reunion Registry (ISRR).

I have always known that largest international registry around. I have always encouraged triad members who are searching to register with the ISRR. I knew that the registry was founded 30+ years ago.

However, I did not know that

• they have a database of more than 200,000... more

An adoption search is like putting a puzzle together. Adoption is probably always going to have the shroud of mystery to it. It would take a book, not a blog to list all of the possible puzzle pieces that you may have already acquired. Trying to put the puzzle pieces together can be frustrating as well as obvious that key pieces are missing.

It is frustrating at times to try and discover the mystery of your own life. Many times I have associated adoption search with Nancy Drew, The Case of the Girl without a Past.

There are laws in each state that... more

Do you remember what you picture in your high year book look liked? Were you the class clown, most likely to succeed, or most athletic? Do you remember what the club or sports team photo in your high school year book looked like? Some people may be wondering what adoption search has to do with high school year books. Well, there are many who are searching who will use year books for assistance.

Yearbooks can be very useful especially if you have a partial name or just a first name. Many public libraries have a collection of high school year books for the... more

It is a fact that humans are naturally curious about their origins. Sometimes it is not a case of curiosity but rather the need to know their origins for medical reasons. DNA and genetic testing may be an avenue you may want to travel to help solve the adoption obstacles. Genetic testing may help solve the mysteries of the past.

For years I had searched for my birth father. My first personal experience with DNA was two or three years after finding my natural family. My sister’s father, had admitted that there was a possibility that he could be my natural father. He was... more

The number of folks on the internet grows daily. I am not aware of any exact numbers of how many triad members searching are using the internet as an aid in their search. Since the numbers grow every day, I thought it would be good to address searching on the internet.

Search engines are a wonderful asset. You can enter the name you are searching for into a search engine in homes of finding he person listed on some website. If you put the name in quotation marks will aid you by finding the exact name you are searching for. In some cases if you enter a phone number... more

If you haven’t noticed yet, the majority of the adoptees that search are females. However, I do think that with the internet, more male adoptees are starting to search. When I look at the PARR database, most of the folks registered are between the years of 1966-1972. There are more adoptees searching than birth moms. The opposite is true for the adoptions of the 1980’s. There are more birth mothers searching than adoptees. I think that what birth mothers were told had changed by the 1980’s and that is why they feel more free to search. As for birth fathers,... more

"Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul, And sings the tune without the words, and never stops at all."

Emily Dickinson

Whether you are searching, considering a search or in reunion, keep on hoping!

Once you have a name, the Internet provides a wide array of databases to search for a person. Many of the databases are free of charge. Some are available only through paid subscriptions. Others may charge nominal amounts per search.

There are also many search guides which provide a wealth of information about adoption search. Here... more

Searching yourself is definitely the most difficult, but can also be the most rewarding, choice. As I have said in previous blogs, the advantages are the cost, the ability to go at your own pace, take a break when you need to and ability to choose whether or not you want to make first contact.

For me, and I think many others, conducting your own search can be therapeutic. There are challenges along the way. What I found after I completed my search was that I enjoyed it, missed it, and chose to help others in their searches, and give back to the adoption community. In fact, it was two years after completing my search and finding a grave that I founded PARR. At first, part of my... more