The National Adoption Foundation and OneCause.com

When you register with OneCause.com and participate in their easy programs (online shopping and credit card registry), you automatically earn contributions for the National Adoption Foundation – 50% of which is disbursed to the member of your choice.

You can sign up and let your family and friends know and they can choose for their credits to go to you and your adoptions savings.

Celebrating Adoption

Celebrating Adoption is a group of photographers who want to share the joy of adoption by celebrating adoption with newly adoptive parents. I believe your adoption had to take place within the past year.

Visit their website to find a photographer near you. You will receive a complimentary portrait session (creative fee waived) and a set of proofs.

In the Richmond, Virginia area, go to Stephanie Tu Photography.

What a lovely idea.

Introduction

Hi! I'm Ashley. My wife and I adopted a 14 month old baby boy from Russia in November 2004. It was one of the greatest experiences of my life, but also a journey filled with many potholes and landmines. I am thrilled to be able to contribute to this blog and will help anyone looking to adopt in anyway that I can. There are so many babies and young children that need a good home and loving parents. When you visit an orphanage, it just gives you an appreciation for how lucky we are to live in the greatest country in the world!

Go Hokies!

Sharon's book about international adoption

Sharon wrote this story in Spring 2003 during a trip to Ukraine. She had an interesting experience and the word wombat was part of a conversation and seemed unique and appropriate. That was the year Sharon met her daughter Katy. This story is dedicated to the orphanage and the family Sharon traveled with. Her daughter will tell you that it is her life story. It is at the publisher now.

We will let you know when it's published and how you can purchase your copy!

Sharon, feel free to edit this post! I wanted to brag about you!

Hi, I am Sharon

Hello readers,

My name is Sharon Liddle but I graduated Virginia Tech as Sharon Bracken back in 1988. I currently write and publish books for children with special circumstances, whether it is disease, disorder, disability or something that makes a child unique. My first two books are on bipolar disorder and international adoption. Julie has added a link to my website with The Elijah Foundation. I also write a weekly blog on this site related to the issues that I write books about.

I worked for 6 years with an international adoption agency. I was a case worker, office manager and international adoption coordinator. I have been to Ukraine many times, once to adopt a 15 year old daughter. Ukraine is my specialty but I have worked with families that have adopted from Russia, Kazahkstan, Guatemala, Haiti and China. I am excited to be a contributor to Julie's blog and hope I can be helpful to other Hokies.

Let me know if I can be of any assistance!

Sharon

About Julie

Hi, I'm Julie. I graduated from Va. Tech in 1989 with a degree in Art/Graphic Design. I live in Virginia with my husband Chris. I'm on the board of directors for the VT Alumni TideNeck chapter.

We are in the VERY early stages of adoption. We have not decided if we will pursue domestic or international adoption. We are trying to get our home study going.

I got the idea for this blog after two of my friends, Sharon and Ashley (both Hokies), started helping us learn about the adoption process. Their experience has been invaluable to me.

I am blogging about my journey on A Family is Born.

Feel free to ask me anything about the early stages of adoption and I'll try to help.

If you've had experience with adoption and you like to be added to this blog as a contributor/author, please leave me a comment on this post.

Welcome

This blog is for Hokies (and others) interested in learning about adoption or helping others with their adoption journey. We will try to help in any way we can. Some have adopted from Russia and Ukraine, and some of us are hoping to adopt. We would be happy to share what we've learned and answer any questions we can.

Best of luck on your adoption journey.