Madeleine Melcher is the author of three books, including the newly released Dear Adoptive Parents. As an adoptee, Melcher wants to inspire, encourage, and prod parents to, as she so often says, be the parent their children need…I hope parents walk away with a renewed sense of strength in themselves and their family relationships. I […]
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Why I Chose to Place My Child for Adoption
When someone learns that I placed my baby for adoption, I almost always receive questions following the news. Some are out of love, some out of judgement, most though, are out of pure (innocent) curiosity. The most common question I receive is, “Why did you chose adoption?” The short and simple answer to this is: […]
Waiting doesn’t have to be the worst part of the process.
I have had a lot of practice waiting. My husband and I waited through three long years of inability to conceive naturally, followed by three years of failed infertility treatments, and two years of the adoption process. Every month was painfully slow and left us feeling overwhelmed. With all of this practice, one might think […]
Meet Jeremy and Nicole: Placed!
Jeremy and Nicole were blessed with the placement of a baby girl just after Valentine’s day, 2016. We are so very happy for our Better Living Adoption Family ! Please meet Better Living Adoption family Jeremy and Nicole. If you would like to learn more about Jeremy and Nicole, please Contact us
“The Promise of a Thousand Memories”
“Your baby is coming!” Our daughter’s birth mom, Brooke, had finally gone into labor, almost two weeks late. The call came at 3:30 A.M., and we were out the door by 4 A.M. The toy dangling from the empty car seat rattled like a ticking clock as we drove along the highway for two long […]
Questions Expectant Parents Should Ask Prospective Adoptive Parents
Choosing an adoptive family for your baby is probably the most difficult decision you will ever face. You can search the internet and find hundreds of prospective adoptive parents, all vying for your attention. Such an important decision requires the 3 R’s: research, research, research!…The most important thing to remember is that you should ask […]
What is Placement Day Going to be Like?
Once placement day is planned, the actual placement can be a really beautiful, sacred experience. One of our birth mothers planned to the point of preparing a basket to go along with the baby to the adoptive parents. Included in the basket were pieces of memorabilia for the baby to grasp onto throughout his years. […]
7 Adoption Goals for 2016
Sometimes adoption is tough. If you are waiting to adopt or awaiting finalization, giving yourself a little grace when you have moments of panic (or total freakout) is a good gift. Be patient with yourself and those around you. No one ever claimed adoption was easy . . . at least not anyone who […]
Understanding Birth Mother Grief
Grief. According to Miriam-Webster’s online dictionary, the word “grief” is defined as “keen mental suffering or distress over affliction or loss; sharp sorrow; painful regret… [W]hat about the loss of a child that is chosen? How does a mother reconcile herself with that complicated spin to her loss?” “When a birth mom chooses to place […]
Parent-to-Parent: Deciding to Adopt
Realizing Adoption Was Right for Us Real adoptive parents write about the moment when they first realized adoption was the best choice for their families. “I always felt adoption was right for our family, not at all a ‘second choice…” “For us, it wasn’t a single moment, but a series of coincidences.” “When did I […]