Today is the day that the information stored
in my head about my experience with
international adoption, attachment and
bonding, international adoption agencies
and everything else that goes along with it
starts pouring out. Witnessing my son
develop, change, heal and grow healthy has
been the biggest education and gift I could
have ever imagined. Be careful what you
pray for!
I have a son adopted in 2006 at the age of
19 months via Russian adoption from a
well-known adoption agency. As with most
adoption agencies, I asked for “as young as
possible” and “healthy with minor
correctable diagnoses.” He was a beautiful
boy who I fell in love with at first sight. My
adoption agency was excellent and was not
my first one. My son’ referral wasn’t the
first. But this blog is not about my son. I’ve
learned FROM my son and our
international adoption experience what
many people might really value knowing
about international adoption issues and
adoption agencies before they adopt or
after. I’ve heard some great international
adoption stories with happy endings…only
one had been worse than mine, until I
opened up and start digging for answers on
why my son acted so differently from the
biological children around me. In the
adoption arena, I have found the answers I
needed. Along with information came the
warmest, proudest parents of adopted
children who were kind enough and brave
enough to tell me their stories. Now I know
how to place my own adoption experience
in the correct perspective. My case is not
anything extraordinary. I just didn’t know
that I was asking the wrong questions.
I work and live among many adopters and
adotees from countries all over the world.
Many of us are members of FRUA. They are
the ones who’ve helped me learn the ropes,
but few knew of the nightmares that went
on at home behind closed doors between a
new mom-a single mom, and an adopted
non-English speaking toddler, especially if
that child is atypical, which most from
orphanages are, at least at first. My son was
an extreme case of “feral cat syndrome“, in
other words he had never had a primary
caregiver and had no sense of attachment at
all. This was all learned later on out of
desperate measures to attach and parent.
When Two Souls Collide: A Mother’s Story of International Adoption
You will find our story by Karasel Kid at
AdoptionHarmony.blogspot.com.
to learn the twists and turns that happened
with us, and much much more coming from
a friend who’s been down the road of
international adoption and come out on the
other side with a rich and deep
appreciation of our children, their nations,
birthfamilies and our relationships.
My hope is to provide a comprehensive site
that will lead you to information about
international adoption in general and in
depth, and adoption agencies, as well as all
my other resources that are helpful.
Combining an informational hot spot that
also has links to the actual products I have
found useful makes my website at
AdoptionHarmony.com a unique place to
visit and learn and enjoy. The new site is
being built and added to daily. My motto
is…I will tell you everything that your
adoption agency won’t and more.
As I am in the process of another Russian
adoption myself as I produce this site, you
will find that the information spans from
2005 to the present. My hard knocks
education is the most practical one & comes
from books as old as the seventies in study
of the Russians themselves as a culture, to
the latest adoption medical terms in
Kazakhstan, to Nepal’s government, to
Bulgaria’s natives and special needs, and to
Brazil’s grassroots movement to aid their
orphans.
I post the information as it comes out and
weed through the tons of articles, books,
websites, agency info. and resources to
report what I feel will help adoptive parents
in all stages of adoption (pre and post) to be
educated and prepared to be proactive
parents the most. It’s free.
As so many international adoption
websites give you the general scoop, I am
comparing prices and doing research on the
stats for myself and sharing with you. I
can’t even tell you how many hours I’ve
spent viewing the international photo
listings and special needs programs, as well
as the Russian data bank that lists the
children available for adoption in Russia in
Cyrillic! I use an online translator. That’s
the fun part. Knowing what to have handy
in your index of adoption knowledge
tools can expand by visiting with someone
who’s already been down the road you
are imparting on and using the connections
of one whom wishes you all the best. Feel
free to use me and this blog or my website
AdoptionHarmony.com in that regard. I can
be reached at
adoptionharmony1@gmail.com.
Karasel Kid, BS, MA, LPCi, Adoptive Parent!
Tags: adoption agencies, Adoption Blogs, adoptionHarmony.com, adoptionharmonyblog.com, Adoptive Parents, best adoption agency, international adoption, Karasel Kid, russia adoption, Russian Adoption, single parents
About the Owner of AdoptionHarmony.com
