Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Adoptive Parent Experiences”
Posted by | Last updated May 10, 2018
By: Rich Kocher, OA&FS Adoptive Father My daughter M has naturally fine blond hair cut in a short bob that frames soft, delicate features. Her eyes are bright and blue with lashes that are enviably long and thick. While petite, her lean frame gives her a tall and lanky appearance. Her milky white complexion flushes rose-red easily and tans effortlessly …
Posted by | Last updated March 9, 2022
By Courtney Moscariello, MSW. The seminar, waiting family gatherings, annual picnics and holiday parties all provide opportunities to connect with other adoptive families in a more formal setting. We love helping our adoptive families get to know one another and have seen firsthand how valuable these relationships can be in the long run. We’ve noticed that most times however, and …
Posted by | Last updated March 9, 2022
By Katie R. Stallman, LICSW, CGE. Attachment. No other concept or word is uttered more when discussing parenting in general, but particularly parenting and adoption. Do you have a healthy “attachment”? Are you attached to your child, and even more importantly, is your child attached to you? What does the word actually mean? Deborah Gray, a renowned Northwestern attachment therapist …
Posted by | Last updated March 9, 2022
By Katie R. Stallman, LICSW, CGE. People who are part of a close and loving open adoption seem to have a little something extra in their back pockets that makes their relationship work no matter what. What is that something extra? How do those people do it? We’ve seen participants in a successful open adoption develop an unflinching ability to …
Posted by | Last updated March 9, 2022
By Shari Levine. “Hospitious Adoption”, Jim Gritter’s book has given our agency a new paradigm for exploring open adoption in greater depth. It has served as a beacon of hope, a light in the distance guiding us forward. Is his vision too idealistic? Not at all. We see these hospitious acts every day. In fact we’ve interviewed adoptive parents Michele …
Posted by | Last updated April 18, 2017
by Christine Bergman Every adoption story is unique; we all experience it a little differently. It can be challenging, it can be messy, and it can even be a little scary sometimes because we don’t always have all the answers. But my adoption story is by far the most beautiful part of me. It is part of who I am …
Posted by | Last updated May 4, 2016
Open Adoption & Family Services is a non-profit, pro-choice agency that welcomes diversity. We provide an empowerment model to expectant parents. Pregnant women/couples are treated with dignity and respect as they explore all of their pregnancy options. They are empowered with extensive information so they can make the decision that feels best to them. Regardless of their choice, they receive …
Posted by | Last updated March 9, 2016
by Janet, OA&FS Adoptive Mother. As we drove to Eugene, my husband, Les, and I tried to imagine what this first meeting after the adoption with the birthparents would be like. Things were different now. In the back seat was Darcy, our 5 month old daughter and we were taking her to see her birthparents for the first time since …