Your Adoption Journal

Near our home there are several multiuse trails that run north south east and west through our city. One runs through the trees on the bank of a historic canal. The other runs along the bank of a river. Very scenic! Saturday my wife rode... to the center of town. We stopped for a refreshing treat on Monument Circle before heading home. It’s a twenty mile round trip. We usually ride several times each week in the evening after work. Think about your adoption Journal. What cool parts of town do you visit and look forward to introducing to your child?

 

 

Your Adoption Journal - tip for the day

My cousin Emily makes and shows quilts. She creates the design, dies the fabric, and stitches the quilt. This one is called Poppy Field. I recently worked with an adoptive couple from Florida. One parent created his own barbeque recipes... and competed in competitions.

Listening to your child and helping them discover their inner talent is one of the joys of being a parent. Your adoption Journal could include entries about your talent and your thoughts on nurturing those in your prospective child. It’s not about the length of your post. It’s about the content. Have a great Friday! - Greg

Your Adoption Journal

Our family likes to garden.  We also have bees.  That’s one of our hives in the back ground.  There are two other families in our neighborhood with big gardens and bees.  Several times in the summer and fall we get together for harvest meals.  Each family brings a dish or two made from veggies harvested from their garden.  We also have honey and home made jam for fresh biscuits or cornbread.  I make apple cider in the fall.  My grandmother was a big gardener.  My wife’s father was too.

Think about your Adoption Journal.  What kind of brief story can you tell about a cool tradition shared with friends or family?  Capture it in a few sentences.  Illustrate it with a photo if you can.  This will enrich your profile and add insight into who you are for the birth moms reading.

Mississippi Hopeful Adoptive Parents, Andrew & Melissa

Introducing Mississippi Hopeful Adoptive Parents, Andrew & Melissa. They are with A Chosen Child in Orlando, FL.  You can view their profile on parentfinder.com here
http:// www.parentfinder.com/AndrewandMelissa

 

 

Would you like to become a Featured Member to raise your visibility? Click below for more information. http://www.parentfinder.com/page/membership_matrix

Your Adoption Journal

5 miles into my morning skate it began pouring rain. Still I heard the robins serenade and felt the beauty of the morning while our flowers were given a morning drink.  A change in plans can also bear fruit...depends on your perspective.  Do you record that type of philosophy in your adoption journal?

Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. 

The time will pass anyway. – Earl Nightingale

Your adoption Journal - capturing hopes and dreams

My daughter Carly is now 22.  We started attending Dave Matthews shows together when she was in kindergarten, sitting on my shoulders through that whole show.  Tonight marks the 17th show we have shared.  It's one of those summer traditions that includes playing cards before the band starts and dinner of Goi Rolls.  Shared music strengthens bonds that last a lifetime. Family traditions can be so much more than meals at Thanksgiving.  Think about those traditions you hold dear and capture them in your adoption journal.

You are amazing!

Who you are, your qualities, your beliefs, your gifts make you unique.  Does that come across in your profile?

Introducing Minnesota Hopeful Adoptive Parents, Weston & Regina

Introducing Minnesota Hopeful Adoptive Parents, Weston & Regina. They are with Catholic Charities St Paul and Minneapolis.  You can view their profile on parentfinder.com here http://www.parentfinder.com/westonregina

 

 

Would you like to become a Featured Member to raise your visibility? Click below for more information. http://www.parentfinder.com/page/membership_matrix

Touched by Adoption

On father’s day we hosted a graduation open house for my youngest and her best friend and soon to be college roommate, Maddy. We didn’t really think about it being father’s day when the girls picked that date. Yesterday morning at dawn I ...walked around our yard looking at the flowers and reflecting on the day and its place in my life as a parent. Maddy calls me Daddy Phelps. She was placed with her parents for adoption as an infant. She’s been in our life since Kindergarten. Placed for adoption by a mother who was overwhelmed, Maddy has flourished as a person and student. She goes to college with a declared double major, a scholarship, and the support of two loving parents. Adoption is a blessing, a priceless gift, a selfless act that has touched our family and our hearts.

 

 

Strength

I saw this quote and thought about how accurate it is when applied to the women in my life. Both grandmothers, my mom, my wife, all three of my girls. Strong women all, who have impacted my life more than any coach or teacher in school - teachers of life all and the foundation upon which our family is built

Listening

Sometimes we get so busy with life and all that happens we forget to take a little time for ourselves.  We forget that all of the spinning plates are connected by love.  That one voice that always leads us to where we need to be...lies within.  It's just a matter of finding a quiet minute to listen.



Truer words were never spoken

Earlier in the week I found an image that spoke to me...motivated me...and I scheduled to post it today. Then I came across this 60 second video and after watching it, realized Jim Carrey had a more important message.

 

In Just 60 Seconds, Jim Carrey May Alter The Way You Live Your Life For Good

 

Your Adoption Journal - staying active!

Think about your Adoption Journal. What did you do last weekend? Two to three sentences is all you need. My wife and I toured Olbrich Gardens in Madison Wisconsin to get ideas for expanding our flower gardens. Then drove a short two and a half hours to Chicago to see Lurie Gardens in Millennium Park and a great dinner of muscles and salad in Lincoln Park. What a great weekend. Can't wait to use those ideas in our yard!

Introducing Kansas Hopeful Adoptive Parents, Steven and Sara.

Introducing Kansas Hopeful Adoptive Parents, Steven and Sara. They are with Catholic Charities Wichita.  You can view their profile on parentfinder.com here www.parentfinder.com/StevenSara

 

 

 

Would you like to become a Featured Member to raise your visibility? Click below for more information. http://www.parentfinder.com/page/membership_matrix

Like housework - your online Adoption Profile is never done

It should evolve just as your days and life does.  The more active you are, the more likely your profile resonates with a birth mom.  Think quality over quantity.  Two sentences several times each week can be very insightful.

Wisdom - who's words resonate with you?

Maya Angelou's wisdom lives in her writing. Who do you turn to for wisdom? Think about their words. How do you incorporate those into your life as you navigate your adoption journey?

inspiration

 

Inspiration comes in all forms
A story, an image, a moment shared. 
Some of the TED talks I've watched over the last few years have changed the way I market our company or the way I view each day.  This talk inspired two different people to start blog sites that are dedicated to helping others.
Maybe it will inspire you
Click here to watch
- Greg

Postcards to Birthmothers

I was touched when I first read this post card on postsecret.com Then I thought, "Having the right post adoption agreement in place would eliminate the need to reach out like this as an adult". Childconnect is just that resource.

Introducing Maryland Hopeful Adoptive Parents, Rachael and Kim

Introducing Maryland Hopeful Adoptive Parents, Rachael and Kim. They are with Adoptions Together.  You can view their profile on parentfinder.com here http://www.parentfinder.com/RachelandKim

 

 

Would you like to become a Featured Member to raise your visibility? Click below for more information. http://www.parentfinder.com/page/membership_matrix

 

Waiting Parents

Waiting parents don't just sit in a chair until placement. Life happens every day! Capturing little snippets of those moments in your Adoption Journal is easy and helps paint your picture. Saturday I planted flowers and built a compost bin near our veggie garden. We compost leaves, weeds, veggie scraps. It makes rich soil for our gardens.