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19

Dec

The Value of Support

by MLJ Adoptions

When my wife and I decided to adopt we had no idea about the roller coaster of emotions, stress and paperwork we were going to be faced with. Fortunately one of the first things we did was find a support group. Having a support group has been the single biggest factor in helping us keep ...

10

Dec

Parenting a Child with HIV

by MLJ Adoptions

in Resources, Special Needs

Read the first part of Stephanie’s story Considering Adopting a Child with HIV. Well, no doors closed and we brought that sweet little boy home along with two other boys on April 14, 2010. He was on medicine in Ukraine and remains on those same medications but different dosage today. We have been to see ...

3

Dec

Adoption Gift Idea Guide Part 1

by

Happy Hanukah! For those of you that don’t already know, Hanukah is celebrated for eight days with a gift given each night traditionally. What better time to share our Adoption Gift Idea Guide with eight different suggestions? The gifts below may be appropriate for adoption advocates, those waiting to adopt, birth parents, adoptive parents, and/or ...

5

Nov

Adoption Tax Credit Expanded and Improved!

The Internal Revenue Service recently published an article on the expanded adoption credit included in the Affordable Care Act which raises the maximum adoption credit to $13,170 per child, up from $12,150 in 2009. An added benefit to the credit is making the credit refundable, meaning eligible taxpayers can receive it even if they do ...

2

Nov

Help Us Celebrate National Adoption Awareness Month!

by MLJ Adoptions

We hope that you will join MLJ Adoptions, Inc., The Fatherless Foundation, Inc., and The Villages of Indiana, Inc. to celebrate National Adoption Awareness Month this November. We have teamed up to promote awareness about the need for international adoption, domestic adoption, orphan care, and foster care. During this month we will be visiting malls, ...

25

Oct

World of Hair Care

in Congo, Haiti, Resources

When I brought my daughter home in February of 2009, I entered a whole new world. I pretty much had to learn a new language with words like co-wash, no-poo, and twist-out. There were even code words like 4b, 3c, Ph, and TW and words to avoid like sulfates and parabens. I had entered the ...

8

Oct

"I Love My Daddy" Book Review

by MLJ Adoptions

"I Love My Daddy" is written and illustrated by Sebastian Braun. This book, appropriate for children ages birth to 5, consists of single sentences per page with large and colorful illustrations. The pictures show daddy and baby as a brown bear and a cub. The pages go through different things that a daddy can do ...

5

Oct

"The Other Side" Book Review

by MLJ Adoptions

I picked up "The Other Side" from the opening of the Ruby Bridges exhibit at the Indianapolis Children’s Museum. It is written by Jacqueline Woodson with beautiful watercolor illustrations by E.B. Lewis. The story is about two little girls named Clover and Annie – one child black and the other white. Clover and Annie are ...

29

Sep

What to Expect When You're Expecting an Older Child

in Resources, Special Needs

When two people get married, they tend to bring past baggage into that marriage. In all the excitement of planning the wedding, some baggage may have been overlooked. But after the wedding flowers are wilted, reality set in. While this can complicate some marriages, most couples learn to deal with their partner’s baggage; they learn ...

23

Sep

The Power of Nurturing Touch

At 3:00AM this morning I heard my two year old daughter whimpering in her sleep and I knew a cry would follow shortly. I quietly stepped into her room and placed my hand on her back. She relaxed and drifted back to a peaceful sleep. Amazing what a simple touch can do. Children who have ...

8

Sep

Pre-approved Elective Parenting Your Adopted Child: Tweens, Teens & Beyond

by MLJ Adoptions

in Congo, Resources

Issues inherent in adoption typically begin to surface when the child realizes they are becoming independent from their parents. Questions many parents assumed had been addressed when their child was younger often resurface. Most adoptive parents aren’t aware of this or prepared for it. Parenting Your Adopted Child: Tweens, Teens & Beyond is a class ...

2

Sep

Parenting Transracially

by MLJ Adoptions

in Congo, Resources, Special Needs

Do or will you parent transracially? One of the most challenging things to do as a parent of transracially adopted children is to help them see themselves for who they are, as well as, understand how others perceive them and will treat them because of their own biases and prejudices. Especially if you’re a white ...

17

Aug

You're Invited to the 2010 Adoption Picnic

by MLJ Adoptions

We hope you can join us for our third annual MLJ Adoption Picnic! The picnic is a great opportunity for adoptive parents to meet others who have adopted and share stories, support, food, and fun. It is an opportunity for your children to meet other kids who may have a similar experience. For prospective adoptive ...

10

Aug

"Amazing Grace": book review

by MLJ Adoptions

in Congo, Resources

Last night our family started a new tradition; we read a bedtime story together. As a teacher I get many books through Scholastic, so we have a good collection at home for Story to read as she gets older. Since my job focuses on developing reading skills in children I figure I can share this ...

3

Jun

Hope for Congo

by MLJ Adoptions

in Congo, Resources

This October 2nd I will be running 5K in honor of my daughter’s first mother. I am not a runner. I’ve never been a runner. I am not even sure how to run. But, as we wait for our daughter to arrive home I’ve been using running in order to de-stress during the adoption process. ...

27

May

Lessons From the Connected Child

by MLJ Adoptions

in Resources, Special Needs

This book was written by staff at the Institute of Child Development at Texas Christian University for parents who have welcomed home children from other countries, troubled backgrounds, and/or with special behavioral or emotional needs. The text begins with changes that can be expected when an adopted child is welcomed into a family. It outlines ...

30

Mar

The Sea Chest: book review

by Camie Schuiteman

Hastily, I grabbed The Sea Chest (written by Toni Buzzeo and illustrated by Mary GrandPre) from the library shelf. Imagine my surprise when a book chosen to excite my two youngsters about this summer’s Michigan Dunes vacation turned out to be a beautiful, miraculous adoption story. In fact, a surprise ending intertwines two adoptions into ...

12

Feb

The True Cost of Adoption: a Biblical perspective

I want to put the many costs of adoption in a Biblical perspective. My belief is adoption is a pure reflection of what God did for us by making a way for us to be part of His family. “His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his own family by bringing us ...

9

Feb

The True Cost of Adoption

Many never realize the complexity of the adoption process. It is something I have tried to explain to many families, only to later realize they don’t truly understand until the end of the process, if then. I tell all my families that adoption is hard; I even had “Adoption is not for the faint of ...

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