Creating a Family

Why in the World Should Insurance Cover Infertility Treatment?!?

Dawn — Thu, 24 May 2012 16:15:38 +0000

Infertility treatment is expensive—very very expensive. Especially once you move into assisted reproduction and in vitro fertilization. It feels all the more expensive to those suffering from this disease … [visit site to read more]

International Adoptive Parents Beware

Dawn — Tue, 22 May 2012 18:44:22 +0000

Life shouldn’t be this hard. Kairi Shepherd was abandoned in an Indian orphanage at birth. She was adopted at 3 months, but her mom died of cancer when she was eight. I’m sure the best of intentions were meant by all, but she ended up being passed around betweenvisit site to read more]

Dealing with the Green-Eyed Monster Named Envy

Dawn — Thu, 17 May 2012 13:59:25 +0000

I was catching up on some of the blogs I follow this week and ran across a passage that rang crystal clear from Shayla at Wegen Tales, who blogs about her struggles to conceive after five miscarriages. She was talking about the sermon at her church on Mother’s Day when her minister challenged those in the congregation who were feeling bitter/sad/left-out on this … [visit site to read more]

Discrimination Against Asians in College Admissions?-What should we tell our kids to do

Dawn — Tue, 15 May 2012 16:37:28 +0000

The U.S. Department of Education is investigating charges that Harvard and Princeton discriminate against Asian-Americans by requiring that their high school grades and SAT scores be higher than those of other races in order to be admitted. The Department’s Office for Civil Rights is investigating complaints that Harvard and Princeton apply a different admission … [visit site to read more]

Mother’s Day is Not Always a Day of Celebration

Dawn — Fri, 11 May 2012 13:47:52 +0000

A couple of years ago, about this time of year, I was talking with a pastor friend of mine. I mentioned how hard Mother’s Day is for women who are struggling with infertility and for birth mothers who have placed a child for adoption. I suppose I thought I might be helping to educate her on the complexities of this day of celebrating motherhood. She sighed and surprised me by saying that Mother’s Day is a nightmare for the church, and that she was always thankful when it was over. … [visit site to read more]

Essential Topics Every Prospective Adoptive Parent and Birth Mother Should Discuss Prior to the Adoption

Dawn — Tue, 08 May 2012 16:11:09 +0000

I hear from prospective adoptive parents pre-adoption that they feel that the expectant woman holds all the cards. I hear from birth mothers post adoption that they feel that adoptive parents hold all the cards. As uncomfortable as it may be to admit, there is some truth to both of these sides. So how do we cross the divide in a way that facilitates an ongoing relationship where the child can flourish. Because after all, that is what both sides should be focused on—how they can … [visit site to read more]

Internet Roundup: Best of the Net for Infertility and Adoption

Dawn — Fri, 04 May 2012 16:37:40 +0000

Take a look at what has inspired or disgusted me in my travels through cyberspace this week.

Darn, this is one good commercial. As a cloth diaper mommy and a strong proponent of using cloth, I kind of hate to give kudos to disposable diapers, but Pampers deserve recognition for being inclusive of all the ways babies can join a family. This one will tug at your heart … [visit site to read more]

Slippery Slope of International Adoptions: Cultural Misunderstandings Abound

Dawn — Thu, 03 May 2012 15:36:38 +0000

The Wall Street Journal recently ran an article, Inside Ethiopia’s Adoption Boom , that did a particularly good job of capturing the grayness of the ethical issues surrounding international adoption. Ethics are a funny … [visit site to read more]

Save the Adoption Tax Credit

Dawn — Tue, 01 May 2012 16:27:05 +0000

As you probably know, the adoption tax credit, as we know it, is due to “sunset” at the end of this year unless Congress and the Administration do something to extend it. The logical thing it would seem is to jump on the bandwagon and start advocating for renewal, write letters, demand action now, right? Ah, is only it were that simple.

The Adoption Tax Credit is confusing–to put it mildly. It is complicated to apply for to be sure, but it is also confusing to know what will … [visit site to read more]

Why Should the Fertile Care About Infertility: I’m Not One of the 1 in 8, but I Won’t Ignore Their Pain

Dawn — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 15:16:05 +0000

In honor of National Infertility Awareness Week and its “Don’t Ignore Infertility” theme, I’ve been encouraging folks to start a discussion with someone they know about infertility—how common it is, how emotionally devastating it is, how expensive treatment can be. By mid-week, I was feeling a bit hypocritical since I had not followed my own advice. Since I run an infertility and adoption education nonprofit, most of the folks in my everyday life have had more than their share of me … [visit site to read more]