It's About Love

November is National Adoption Month and since I am so on the ball I am finally posting on the very last day of November! Recently, LDS Family Services (LDS FS) were considering some changes to the adoption process, one of which was raising the fees. When it was presented to the Presiding Bishopric, (LDS FS falls under welfare apparently), and I assume the First Presidency, the idea of raising fees was turned down. Currently most adoptive couples pay only part of what it costs to do an adoption. The Presiding Bishopric was willing to keep the fees the same because they feel Adoption Is So Important! Why, do you ask? Because it brings children into a forever home with a mom and a dad to love them!

You might be thining "That's a nice story but what's your point?" I am hoping get you to be involved in a small way. "How?" you ask. Let me give you a few ideas. One of the biggest tools LDS FS has to help bring birth mothers into the agency is word of mouth. You may not personally be affected by an unplanned pregnancy, but you might know someone who is. Did you know that LDS FS has counseling available to help women make an informed decision about their pregnancy? While I'm sure they hope and pray that these women choose placement they also counsel them if they decide not to place. So if you know someone in this position or are in a friend of a friend type situation, refer them to LDS FS. My son's birth mother was found by one of Steve's clients who had a friend who was the doctor who delivered our son. The doctor called his friend...who called us...and we called our social worker and suddenly our life changed. All because Steve opened his mouth and talked about adoption.

Maybe talking is not your thing, but how about adding a button to your blog. On the right of my blog is a button with a heart that says "Adoption, it's about love." If you click on it, it takes you right to http://www.itsaboutlove.org/. The website has many answers to questions a pregnant woman might have. They have videos of actual birth moms talking about adoption and their story. If you would like to add this button to your blog, you actually have to click on the Families Supporting Adoption button (the one with the heart and the child's hand), and scroll down the website. The button is on the right hand side of the web page, a little over halfway down the page.

Finally, you can help promote adoption for the positive experience it is. It changes lives. It's changed my life, my husband's life, my children's lives and all those around me. There are many ways to do this. You can start at home. Read adoption books to your children. There are many great books on adoption; "Stellaluna", "Little Miss Spider", "God found us You", "Tell me again about the night I was born" and my favorite "We wanted You." There is also a great book for older children with a lot of good information on a level they can understand call "How I was Adopted." Tell people about how adoption has impacted your life, (i.e. my nephew and nieces, grandkids, cousin's kids are adopted, let me tell you how cool (or whatever) that is).

I hope I don't sound preachy. This wasn't what I meant to do. I just wanted to put it out there and open my mouth and talk about adoption.