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...
We hear a lot about attachment when it comes to parenting, especially adoptive parenting. What is attachment? While it’s easy to confuse attachment and bonding, attachment refers to a child’s emotional connection to his/her parents, and bonding refers to the parents’ feelings and connection to the child. Attachment is the deep and enduring emotional bond that connects...
When I found out I was pregnant, I was 22 years old and a sophomore in college. I never thought that this was something that would happen to me, and I was terrified about what the next year of my life would bring. Despite my fear, I felt peace. I had been living a destructive...
We called him Evan*. But that’s not his name. We were chosen by an expectant mother in November to adopt her baby. Hesitantly hopeful, knowing that at any time it’s her right to decide to parent, we spent the next few months getting to know her and her family. We love them all and are...
Over the years, openness in adoption has changed dramatically. Since 1980, when New Life Adoptions began providing adoption services, the norm has gone from solely closed adoptions to nearly all adoptive placements having some level of openness. In some cases, these are very open adoptions in which birth families babysit, have overnight visits, or even...
When we began our first adoption journey in 2015, we were walking in faith that along with our savings and careful budgeting, God would provide the funds to meet the financial expectations of the adoption. The month before our son was born, it was clear that our final payment would not happen without some intentional...
The anticipation of the holidays and the new year ahead can feel invigorating and exciting. However, this time of year can also bring up a variety of difficult feelings for many people, including those who have been touched by adoption – birth parents, adoptees and adoptive parents. It is important to deal with these feelings,...
Placing my daughter for adoption was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make. It was not made quickly or easily. It took months of counseling with my wonderful and caring social worker at New Life Adoptions, much prayer, and deep thought. As my pregnancy progressed, I grew to love my baby more...
November is recognized as National Adoption Month. Originally, only one week was designated to honor and create awareness about adoption, but it has now been expanded to National Adoption Month for over 20 years. In the month of November, those who have been touched by adoption can come together to promote awareness, share how adoption...
How we talk about adoption matters, so it is valuable to know where these phrases come from. What words or phrases do people use when talking about adoption? Did a mom “put up” her baby, “give up” her child, or “place her child for adoption?” How we talk about adoption matters, so it is valuable...
