Author Archives: Shoshanna Grey

The International Adoption Wait – Enjoying the Moment

I will admit that this one is the hardest for me. I almost didn’t write on this one because I feel a little hypocritical. It is so hard to live in the moment and to enjoy what is happening right now, when all you can think about is that moment in the future when you will hold your adopted child in your arms. However, I am trying a little more each day to appreciate the little things and to take joy in the process, instead of just waiting for the end of the journey. Here are a few things that … Continue reading →

Resume References

This part of the resume is important, so make sure that you don’t skip this step. First of all, you need to decide who to use as your references. Take a moment and brainstorm all of the people who would have good things to say about your character or work performance. Don’t forget to include teachers, religious leaders, mentors, coworkers and friends. The one group of people that you should avoid, though, is relatives. Using a relative as a reference hurts your credibility. The general belief is that you relatives will have good things to say about you, whether they … Continue reading →

Be a Self-Starter at Work

One of the largest assets to any company is an employee who is a self-starter. The self-starter is a dying breed and they are becoming harder and harder to find. Why make such a big deal about being a self-starter? Well, it is a big deal because it is one of the key traits that employers are looking for in their employees. If you want a job, then you need to exhibit this trait. Sadly, most people are not self-starters. The good news, however, is that everyone has the potential to become a self-starter if they put their minds to … Continue reading →

The International Adoption Wait – Keep a Record

Many adoptive parents-to-be find that it is helpful to write during the wait. It provides the chance to vent about your feelings, to rejoice in small victories and mostly just to memorialize this special time in your life. There are a number of different ways to keep a record of your adoption, but here are a few of my favorites: Keep A Journal For Your Child There is an awesome novel by James Patterson that is called “Suzanne’s Diary for Nicholas”. The entire book is a diary that a mother wrote for her son from the moment she found out … Continue reading →

The International Adoption Wait – Learn All You Can

As adoptive parents, we already realize that we will encounter a unique set of challenges. Besides the normal responsibilities of child rearing, we need to be prepared to help our child through the issues that are inherent with being adopted. If you are adopting transracially or transculturally, then you have an added responsibility to help your child develop a strong sense of self and a pride in their heritage. During the wait to bring your child home, it is vital that you take the time to read about all of these issues and to talk to those who have been … Continue reading →

Why Write About the International Adoption Wait?

One of the most difficult things in any adoption is all of the waiting that you have to do. However, I believe that the wait in international adoption is especially hard, although certainly every parent who adopts will experience the wait to some degree. You see, when you are waiting during an international adoption, a lot of that waiting happens after your child has already been identified. You know who your child is and you know that they are growing up without you. Each day that passes, you wonder what your child is doing. Is she happy? Are they taking … Continue reading →

The International Adoption Wait – Preparing Your Home

One of the ways to spend all of that waiting time is by getting ready for your child. There are so many things that need to be done and if you take the time to enjoy them, they will also help to fill up those months until your child comes home. Prepare the Room One of the most exciting things for any parent is getting a room ready for their new child. Take the time to really enjoy this. If you are crafty, then try making some or all of the decorations yourself. If you or your spouse have a … Continue reading →

Steps in International Adoption – Part 3

Your last group of steps! In-Country Process Now comes more waiting – at least for you. Your agency and their staff in your country will be working hard to complete the legal process required to bring your child home. Your agency should give you an idea of how much time to expect this to take. Some countries only take a few months, others are closer to nine months. Remember also that sometimes things go wrong and your case may take longer than anyone anticipated. While you are waiting is a good time to begin preparing for your child – as … Continue reading →

Steps in International Adoption – Part 2

Picking up where the last entry left off . . . Agency or Facilitator Now is when you really need to have an agency or facilitator. You can sign with them at any point in the process up until now, but if you are tight financially, then it is better to get your homestudy and I-600A finished before signing with your agency and paying their initial fees. Agencies and facilitators basically do the same thing, so I will usually say “agency” but feel free to insert “facilitator” if this is your situation. In the future, I will write some entries … Continue reading →

Steps in International Adoption – Part 1

When you take the plunge and decide that you want to adopt, it can be pretty overwhelming to know where to go first. You probably have already talked to a few people who have adopted in the past and you may have made calls to a few agencies, and that is a good start. However, I found that those conversations actually made things a lot more confusing for me. People were throwing around words like “dossier”, “I-600A” and “I-71H”. They talked about homestudies and post placement visits and referrals and handling the wait. Basically, I just wanted some unbiased, easy-to-understand … Continue reading →