By Dean Bonfigli It seems just like yesterday that I met my son, Brett, for the first time in Las Vegas, Nevada. I remember holding him in my arms with his head in my hand. We looked into each other’s eyes for the longest time. I was trying to imagine all he had just been … Continued
Amy Cunninghis, LCSW, has been an Adoption Connection caseworker for more than eight years. As an adoptive parent herself, she brings a wealth of personal and professional experience to each adoptive parent meeting. What first attracted you to adoption work? When my spouse, Karen, and I began working with Adoption Connection to adopt our son, … Continued
By Tara Noone, MSW My relationship to Mother’s Day has shifted substantially over the years. It didn’t mean a great deal to me until life surprised me with fertility struggles. Once it became clear that achieving parenthood was going to be an emotionally and physically draining obstacle course, I began to think of my first … Continued
by Rosangela Bragança There are so many misconceptions about open adoption, adoptive parents, and birth parents. By sharing a little bit of my own open adoption journey, I hope some of these misconceptions will be clarified. I am the proud birth mother of a girl named Isabella. She is 14 years old now. It all … Continued
Creating meaningful ritual in open adoption By Leah Sheldon Rituals have always been used to signify a change or rite of passage, or to mark a transition in the life of a person or community. Although they are often interwoven with religious traditions, rituals can be anything that symbolizes and celebrates a life change. We … Continued
Written by Lynne Fingerman, MSW I recently got this email from a 24 year-old woman who was placed with her adoptive parents at birth and it made my day! Hello Lynne, My name is Susanna * and back in 1989 you were the one who was in charge of my adoption. You placed me with … Continued
Time to say good-bye After 27 years at Adoption Connection, I’ve decided to step down/retire/move on/get-going … what is the right word? I can vividly remember my very first adoption. In 1987, we were a staff of three very part-time workers. I did the homestudy, the birthparent counseling, the relinquishment, and the post-placement visits. The … Continued
By Roberta Havens, MEd “Are you the nanny?” As a Latina adoptive mom of Caucasian children, I have lost track of the number of times I have been asked that question! I knew being a parent would be hard enough, with many people ready to share their unsolicited “pearls of wisdom” with you about parenting. … Continued
Adoption Connection is pleased to welcome author Lori Holden to the Bay Area. Her book, The Open-Hearted Way to Open Adoption: Helping Your Child Grow Up Whole, was written with the help of her daughter’s birthmother, Crystal Hass. Lori answered a few questions about her book in our recent interview with her. You’ve been blogging … Continued
By Rachel Herndon, MSW, ACSW Most adoptive parents and birth parents experience trepidation when they first approach the adoption process. They both report a fear of being judged, of being vulnerable in front of strangers and of not knowing if they can trust the other party to follow through on promises. What adoptive parents and … Continued