November Is Adoption Awareness Month

Amanda — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 06:00:10 +0000

As an adoptive parent I often get questions from others about the adoption process, my children’s heritage and why we wanted to adopt. I try and answer genuine questions as much as possible. We have to think about our kids first though and sometimes the questions aren’t appropriate or kind. Sometimes I just don’t have enough time to give you the full answer. There are also questions that pertain to information that belongs to the girls not me. I do not share many details simply because it is not my story to tell.

As November is National Adoption Month I thought I would take some time to address some specific adoption questions, highlight how adoption has become apart of our lives and improve adoption knowledge in general.

I also want to spend this month doing something for the children who are still waiting to be adopted. During the entire month of November I will be donating 100% of my Avon profits to two groups of children. This amount may not be huge but a little goes a long way! My Avon store button is on my blog or you can email me your order if you are local.

Our adoption agency, Adoption Advocates International, works in Ethiopia, Ghana, China, and other countries as well as Washington State. They are much more than an adoption agency in that they spend a lot of time, effort and money towards children who are not in the adoption process. They have a Christmas party every year for the kids in the children’s home awaiting parents, the children at the HIV children’s home, their special needs home Opportunity House and several of the state run orphanages. These are much more than just Christmas parties. The children and workers get a large celebratory meal together. The workers are get a Christmas bonus that helps them provide for their families (a bonus for them is much less than what we would consider a bonus, but provides needed food and clothing). Every child gets a toy and a new traditional Ethiopian outfit as well. It is a day-long festive occasion. The Ethiopian Christmas is celebrated on January 6th (Orthodox Christian Calendar).

The second group of kids I would like to help are our local foster children. I plan on contacting children’s services and seeing how I can help out in some way. I’m sure Christmas presents need to be bought or pajamas, something to let a child know that they were thought of at Christmas. I’ll be sure to pass along what the needs are so we all can help.

Hubby and I want to thank everyone for how supportive they are about our family’s adoption. Mita and Enu have been welcomed and accepted into our family easier than I ever could have imagined!

Photo Credit

Four Against Two » National Adoption Month 2009

November Is Adoption Awareness Month