Knowing when it’s the right time to add another child to your family is a completely personal decision, and will vary from family to family. Now that I’ve spilled the proverbial beans about my family’s decision to adopt for a second time ;), I thought I would share some of the reasons why it felt right to us.

It was easy for my husband and me to come up with logical reasons why now is not the best time to adopt again. We are currently trying to sell our house, and will be moving sometime in the... more

Deciding which country to adopt from can be a weighty decision the first time around. Deciding where you will go for your second (or third or fourth or more!) adoption in your family can be an even harder decision. Now you already have a child or children at home and your family dynamic is much different than when it was just one or two adults starting out on an adoption journey. Taking into consideration what is best for your current family will help make your decision easier.

First off, I have to mention that I think Erin over at the transracial adoption blog said what is in my head best in her post here:... more

Today's post goes hand in hand with my recent post about spending some time preparing your home during your wait between referral and travel. However, nesting is an interesting creature and I felt it deserved its very own little spotlight.

The term “nesting” is most often used in relation to pregnant women who nest, or prepare their home for their babies while still in utero. I know first hand that nesting applies to all parents expecting a child, and as adoptive parents we... more

Has your house never before been graced by the wandering hands of a curious toddler? Will this be your first experience having a child in your family or has it been some time since you’ve had a baby in the house? Regardless of your situation, the adoption process provides you with the opportunity to spend some time readying your house and learning about appropriate baby proofing techniques.

Part of preparing your home, to me, includes preparing the animals that share your home. I wrote a post... more

It’s virtually impossible to learn too much. When embarking into the world of adoption; especially for the first time, education is vital. To be the best parent you can be and help your child succeed, it is important to learn all you can about the adoption process and parenting your child. It is also a great idea to educate yourself about your child’s birth country, so you can share the information with them when they are old enough to understand.

While you are waiting for that joyful day that you board the plane that will take you to your child, take some time to read,... more

After you receive your referral and send in your acceptance paperwork, everything in your world will change. You are no longer “adopting a child.” You are now adopting a specific child who has a name and a story and an adorable face and you can’t get to them for months. I remember that wait and it was not easy, but as you continue to wait for what seems like an endless period of time, try and focus on using your time constructively. I know, I know – easier said than done, but having something else to focus on really can help.

Based on the feedback of transracial adoptees living in the US, it is extremely important to provide your child with opportunities to interact with members of... more

This week I’ve decided to write a few posts about how to make it through the wait between accepting your referral and traveling to adopt your child. When I realized that this time last year I was deep in the midst of that waiting cycle, it brought back so many memories. My memories are a little blurred due to all the new memories that I’ve been given since we met Ella, but I completely remember the emotions behind waiting. There were times I was calm and times I was a raving lunatic who was going to start walking (and swimming) to Viet Nam. I completely understand the stresses and... more

When Viet Nam and the United States signed their bilateral adoption agreement, it was agreed upon that Viet Nam would issue an official fee statement documenting the fees that would be paid to the country of Viet Nam in an international adoption. Well, it’s been well over a year and we have yet to see that official statement from Viet Nam’s Department of International Adoption. This missing fee schedule is one of the things that have people in the adoption community worried that the bilateral agreement did little to positively affect international adoptions from Viet Nam.

Hopefully, things will soon change. According to the Joint Council... more

While researching options for adoptive families who are in need of some kind of financial assistance for their adoption, I came across the following information. Military families who are adopting are entitled to adoption benefits! In all my research I had never seen this information, and wonder if it is widely publicized. So if any of you out there are military families, the following is for you.

Full time members of the United States military are entitled to a one time adoption benefit. This benefit is available to married couples as well as singles and can apply to a... more

When it comes down to it, sometimes the only way to come up with the funds to pay for an adoption is to find a way to bring in more income. When childcare is involved and parents are already working full time jobs, this can seem impossible, but it can be done. Here are some ideas for bringing in more money to help pay for your adoption:

If you are in a position that you feel comfortable asking for a raise, do it. If you have been waiting for the perfect time to approach your boss, that time has arrived.