What do you think of when you hear the word “orphan”? How about orphan care—orphan train—orphanage? There has been a surge in the Christian community over the last decade or so to care for “orphans.” This mission stems, in part, from the verse, James 1:27, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless...
DNA testing is opening doors for those who have been impacted by adoption in ways that no other form of searching can. It brings people together outside of adoption agencies, without intermediaries, and it can lead to a puzzle of figuring out who is who on the family tree. As the Post Adoption Social Worker...
Our stories are unique but they have the power to connect people from all walks of life, especially in adoption. We all have a story to tell, and sharing our story with others is powerful. Brené Brown, a well-known author and research professor at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work said, “Owning...
Father’s Day can be a day that some men look forward to for many years in the journey to grow their family. As with Mother’s Day, this can be a difficult day for those who wish to be a father, but have been unable to do so for a variety of reasons. We want to...
When thinking about the word “adoption”, the phrase “ambiguous loss” is probably not the first thing that comes to mind. Adoption is a beautiful, loving and selfless choice, but we cannot deny that it involves loss for all parties involved. Birth parents, adoptive parents, and adopted persons may have conflicting feelings about the loss they...
Many families feel called to adopt; they feel God’s hand leading them to explore and pursue the adoption process. In some situations, a family’s adoption journey may end without ultimately adopting a child. Ending in that way may feel like they have failed. We may wonder, “If a family feels led to adopt, but adoption...
That first Mother’s Day after I placed my daughter for adoption was the hardest for me. I remember going to church and dreading the moment the pastor would ask all the mothers to stand and be acknowledged for Mother’s Day. I struggled with the decision to stand or remain seated. My arms held no baby,...
This year, National Infertility Awareness Week is April 19-25th. Infertility is a common experience. “1 in 8 couples have trouble getting pregnant or sustaining a pregnancy (infertilityawareness.org).” At New Life Adoptions, we work with many couples who have experienced infertility, or secondary infertility, before coming to adoption. Infertility can be a long and difficult journey...
Unknown (adjective): not known; not within the range of one’s knowledge, experience, or understanding; strange; unfamiliar. We see it every time we go on social media, check our email, or turn on the news. There are a lot of unknowns in our world right now. We are living in this perpetual state of waiting, not knowing...
As an Expectant Parent Social Worker at New Life Adoptions, I support expectant and birth parents throughout the adoption process. I am always looking for valuable resources to offer additional support to those I am working with. When I heard about a local organization called Bellis, I wanted to learn more, so I started attending...
